Prayers Secret.
Luke 11:1-4NIV
“Prayer—secret, fervent, believing prayer—lies at the root of all personal godliness."
William Carey
“Prayer is the breath of the new creature."
Richard Baxter
AB Simpson once said, Prayer is the link that connects us with God. It is the bridge that spans every gulf and bears us over every
abyss of danger or of need. How significant is this picture of the New Testament church: Peter in prison, the Jews triumphant, Herod supreme, the arena of martyrdom awaiting the dawning of the morning. “But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.”
And what is the sequel? The prison open, the apostle free, the Jews baffled, the wicked king divinely smitten, and the Word of God rolling on in greater victory. Do we know the power of our supernatural weapon? Do we dare to use it with the authority of a faith that commands as well as asks? God grant us holy audacity and divine confidence. He is not wanting great men, but He is wanting men that will dare to prove the greatness of their God.
Luke 11:1-4NIV One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.
The very first thing that jumps out at me upon reading these scriptures—Jesus’ disciples ask Him to teach them how to pray. In return, Jesus’ rebuttals, when you pray…
Jesus doesn’t stop by teaching His disciples the famous Lord’s prayer. No, He talks to His disciples on persistence, and believing…
Jesus taught, Luke 11:9-10NKJV “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
He teaches—go, ask, ask again, and believe. Believe in what you’re asking for! He teaches them to—reflect, find your anxieties, and then, and only then—speak loudly of God’s greatness, and His attributes.
God is—Omnipresent—He’s everywhere. You can call on Him.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.
God is—Omnipotent—All powerful, All Mighty.
God is—Omniscient—All knowing, He’s the Master of discernment.
Ask—Tell Him what you need.
Seek—Go after Him.
Knock—Be faithful, Tend the garden God’s given you. Learn contentment, lasting happiness and satisfaction.
Jesus goes on and say’s, “If a son ask for a fish, his father won’t give him a serpent.’ ‘If a son ask for bread, his father won’t give him a rock instead.”
Luke 11:13NKJV If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Six times in the gospels, Jesus uses the term “how much more.”
“Our God is a how much more God!” P.H
Theres several points I want to give you from this teaching Jesus gives us about prayer.
First, Jesus practiced what He taught.
Luke 11:1TPT One day, as Jesus was in prayer, one of his disciples came over to him as he finished and said, “Would you teach us a model prayer that we can pray, just like John did for his disciples?”
What was Jesus doing when His disciples ask Him to teach them to pray? Jesus was in prayer.
Notice, Jesus’ disciples ask Him to teach them how to pray as John taught His disciples.
John taught, "Prepare us for your coming kingdom.” Jesus taught "May your kingdom come”
Remember this, Because of Jesus and His complete sacrifice God’s Kingdom came, and is coming.
There are 94 instances of Jesus praying.
Hebrews 5:7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.
Luke 3:21Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened,
Matthew 14:23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
Mark 6:46 After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.
Luke 6:12 It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.
Mark 1:35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
“During Jesus’ ministry He withdrew Himself often to seek His Father.” P.H
Luke 5:16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
Luke 9:18 And it happened that while He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?”
Matthew 26:36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
“Our prayer will be most like the prayer of Christ if we do not ask God to show us what is going to be, or to make any particular thing happen, but only pray that we may be faithful in whatever happens.” (Sermon Central)
Second, Jesus taught prayer only to those who prayed.
Luke 11:2aNET So he said to them, “When you pray, say:
Everything begins with prayer, without prayer, nothing can be hoped for, believed in, nothing will be accomplished. Again, All vision and purpose begins with prayer.” P.H
Prayer is the acknowledgment of a heavenly Father.
Psalm 8:1NASB O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
Again, “Lord, teach us how to pray.” Jesus replies, “When you pray.”
Thirdly, Jesus begins prayer by adoring the holiness of His Father.
Luke 11:2b “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
Jesus teaches His disciples to Address God’s rightful place as the Father, and Worship and praise God for who He is and all that He has done.
Hallowed be…Holy be…Awesome is…Holy, Holy, Holy!
Listen to Isaiah’s testimony upon coming in contact with God. Isaiah 6:1-5, 8NASB In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. 5 Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
“Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Again, Luke 11:2b, Jesus teaches,“Your Kingdom come, Your will be done.”
I want to say, “I dare you to do this daily, but I want.” Well, what is it? “Daily begin to say— “Kingdom come, Will be done.”
Key note: Basically we give up our ‘right’ and ‘receive’ His right. Notice, I said, right. In other words, Your will fades away, and you find His will! P.H
Fourthly, Jesus teaches for His chosen ones to be concerned only about today—Daily bread.
Say, “Daily bread.” I think it’s called, “becoming sustained by His presence.”
Luke 11:3NET Give us each day our daily bread.
This petition of the Lord’s Prayer, then, teaches us to come to God in a spirit of humble dependence, asking Him to provide what we need and to sustain us from day to day. P.H
Say, “Daily provision.”
Not yesterday’s bread.
Not tomorrows bread.
Daily bread.
Fifthly, Jesus teaches us to walk in forgiveness, in the same way we are forgiven.
Luke 11:4bNET and forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
God desires that you walk forgiven. Hear this, “Forgive yourself.”
"Some walk with a terrible load, Some live with the poison of the past.” P.H
In the original translation, Romans 8:1NASB Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Question: How can you walk in forgiveness if you’re not sure your forgiven?
Again, Forgive!
Sixthly, Jesus teaches that every child of God should ask God to keep the danger of sin away.
Luke 11:4cNET…And do not lead us into temptation.”
The request, Do not lead us into temptation is not to suggest that God causes temptation, but is a rhetorical or stylistic way to ask for His protection from sin.
Jesus Died, was Resurrected, and Ascended for our behalf.
Hear this final word—He did it all for you.
Walk in freedom.
Live in freedom.
Serve in freedom.
Laugh in freedom.
Pray in freedom.
Benediction.
