Note: One of the influences of prayer has come from Jim Cymbala so if there are similarities it is because I have read many of his books.
Title: How to Pray
Theme: To show from Jesus’ example how to pray
Text: Matthew 6:9-13
Facts about the
Sermon on the Mount
• At the beginning of the New Testament
• Does not present the message of salvation
• Given to Christians
• Reminds us of the teaching style of the Sanhedrin
• Is seen scattered throughout the other gospels
5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites (actors). For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men.
Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Why pray?
Prayer recognizes the need for God’s leadership (assistance) in our lives
A. Prayer admits that I can’t do it myself.
B. Prayer acknowledges that God is in charge
C. Prayer recognizes that my life and all its substance belongs to God.
D. Prayer introduces a spiritual realm into our lives of health and growth.
E. Prayer is the method that Jesus modeled to communicate with God.
Prayer creates opportunity for blessings as we partner with God.
A. Prayer is the link to the spiritual vitality of the
Holy Spirit’s anointing.
B. Prayer helps us to act as a conduit to unleash
the power of God.
C. Prayer cultivates miracles
D. Prayer brings about change.
E. Prayer is the avenue for personal reward.
6 "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. Psalms 91:1-4
7 "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
9 Our Father-a name of respect and honor.
John 16:23-26 And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. (24) Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (25) "These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. (26) In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you;
We are praying to the Father in the name of Jesus. Asking on the petition of Jesus. In prayer there is always a trinity. In prayer there is the including of the Father who answers, the Son who justifies the answer, and the Holy Spirit who has the power.
9b in heaven
The place recognized as God. It separates our God from all others. For others their God is in the grave. For others their God is a stone statue or in the earth. But our God is the God of heaven and the God of the heavens. Our God is alive and well and sits on the throne involving Himself in the affairs of man. Praise God!
Then next is praise
9c Hallowed by Your name-Thy name must be reverenced” or “Let all that thou art be revered”
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, (14) so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
Psalms 22:3 But You are holy, Enthroned (inhabit) in the praises of Israel.
QUOTE “Satan is allergic to praise, so where there is massive triumphant praise, Satan is paralyzed, bound and banished” Paul Billheimer
Praise to “prize God”. We have found something worthy of our reward.
Praise literally becomes the “fruit of our lips” Hebrew 13:15
Praise for his name Ps 115:1 The name of God as we have learned from the New Testament is Jesus Christ and as one man says “If you want to get in good with God brag about his Son”
Is 9:6
Praise God for His Righteousness “meeting the standard for what is just and right”
Praise God for His infinite creation
Praise God for His Word Ps 56:10
Review Psalms 19 for praise God for His Word see The Hour that Changes the World pp. 27
Praise of God breaks bonds of the devil and this world because it reminds us who is truly in charge and in control.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
Your kingdom come
This shows what should be our greatest prayer. Not for the things of this world but for the kingdom of heaven. This is why we read in:
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Our interests should not be for this world but for his kingdom.
Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven
Here is one of the most important parts of our prayer. Our prayer is as Jesus in Luke 22:42 “not my will but yours be done”
His will is what is important because he knows all and judges all by what he knows.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Now that we have put the interest of the kingdom first are we allowed to bring our petitions before Him. Yes God cares for us, Yes God loves us but He is always looking out for the best interest of the kingdom of God.
This continues with the thought of God and that he is the giver. The giver of all.
He is the giver of all good gifts.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation (two-faced) or shadow of turning (fickle).
He does what he says he will do!
Eph 3: 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our deptors
Confession-means to agree with God. He knows but now we show him that we agree with Him. God does not ask us to confess our sins because he needs to know we have sinned, but because he knows that we need to know we have sinned.” It is easy to cover it up and make it excuses for it until we confess it.
The moment we admit that a particular act displeases God, we recognize the responsibility to change it.
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: (Psalms 66:18 AV)
“My prayer life will never rise above my personal life in Jesus Christ.”
Some ask, “Should we begin our prayer with confession?” I believe this is up to the individual. When we begin to pray and talk to God I believe our sins are forgiven by him. If we pray right and praise him. But if our sin is bothering us so much that we cannot pray then it is good to begin with confession.
God knows our heart. Not that we don’t have to confess but he knows our heart and knows us better than we know ourselves.
We must be careful that we don’t get so caught up with ourselves that we miss out on God’s relationship with us. It can become a distraction.
“There can be no healing within until there is first confession without”
“Before you pray for a change in circumstances, you should pray for a change in character” - John Allan Lavender
The Psalms are full of words of praise but also full of words of confession
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalms 139:23-24
Create in me a clean heart, O God; (divine holiness; right relationship with God) and renew a right spirit within me.(divine attitude; right relationship with others) Cast me not away from thy presence;(divine guidance) and take not thy holy spirit from me.(divine unction) Psalms 51:10-11
As Priest Hezekiah cleaned out the temple in the Old Testament, so must we take our bodies, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and cleanse it.
12b as we forgive our debtors.
Forgiveness from God is predicated on the fact that we forgive others.
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (Matthew 6:14)
Forgiveness is to release someone from that which they owe you.” Apologies, acceptance, etc.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
MSG Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
Does God lead us into temptation? In certain temptations he does. But it is only as a trial. The temptation that is given us to sin is by Satan and God allows us to be a part of it. Any time he could stop but he allows it. So we still must pray for his protection
Simeon Peter
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."
but deliver us from the evil one:
God is more of a deliverer. He will deliver us when we call Him. But he waits many times until we show that we want His deliverance. Some say, ”I can’t believe that God allowed this.” I ask, “When did they ask God not to allow it.” For some the only time they acknowledge God is after the fact. If we acknowledge Him before then he will come through.
Instead of waiting to be attacked or tempted by the enemy and praying why don’t we pray early.
Praying today for tomorrow.
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." (10) And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested.
For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
A closing word of praise is what God deserves as we pray. Not a somber mood.
It is a joyful mood of praise. Also a joyful mood of belief.
Therefore I say unto you, What things whatsoever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. (Mark 11:24)
Belief in a God who can answer prayers. Belief in a God who is greater than all and controls all. All is His. This kingdom is His. All glory is His. All power is His. All glory is His. Not for a season or a time as is the devil but for eternity, forever and ever and ever.
Then we see the word Amen. Amen means “all true and sure”, “so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled”
It is known as a universal word that seems to transcend all languages. It is used in the Old and New Testament. It is a word of finality. This is why we must use it carefully and only if affirming what we know should be true and we want to stand and not change. This is why I say we must be careful in our use of this word.
