The Aspects of Prayer
Matthew 6: 9-13
We have come to one of the most recognized portions in all of Scripture. I think it would be safe to say, this passage is among the top three most quoted passages, along with Psalm 23 and John 3:16. Most of the time, it is referred to as the Lord’s Prayer.
I don’t want to be dogmatic or over critical, but that is not really an accurate description of this passage. Notice what Jesus said in V.9 – After this manner therefore pray ye: We discover that our Lord said therefore. That reveals that He was referring back to that which He had just said. In the previous verses, He dealt with the various attitudes and errors in prayer. The phrase “After this manner” reveals that Jesus offered a model or illustration for prayer. Clearly, Jesus knew how to pray and this is not a record of a specific prayer Jesus prayed, but rather a model for us to consider as we pray.
In the text we have read, Jesus spoke of nine different aspects of prayer that we are encouraged to embrace as we pray. I want to point out, this is dealing with the attitude of the heart. He has not offered a sample prayer that we are to use instead of seeking the Lord for our needs and desires. If we only recited these words over and over again, we would be guilty of the same vain repetition of the heathen. Let’s take a few moments to consider the words of our Lord as we think on: The Aspects of Prayer.
I. A Prayer of Profession (9a) – After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Each time we pray, we are to recognize the relationship we have with our heavenly Father and His presence in our lives. We are professing our faith and trust in one who is able to hear and answer our prayers. As the children of almighty God, we do not have to approach our Lord with anxiety or apprehension. The saved are now part of His family and we can come before Him with all the confidence that a child does in their earthly father, knowing that God cares for us and is concerned about our needs.
It is also interesting to note, Jesus mentioned the place where our Father resides. We are not seeking help from those who dwell upon this earth, those limited by time, space, financial or physical limitations. We have the assurance of knowing our prayers are directed toward heaven and enjoy all the power and abundance heaven affords.
II. A Prayer of Admiration (9b) – Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. This is genuine recognition of the holiness and purity of our God. As we come before the Lord in prayer, we need to come before Him with a sense of His majesty and holiness. Our prayers are not being offered to sinful men who are influenced by the lusts and desires of the flesh. We have the privilege of coming before the true and living God, One of purity and honor.
We all need reminded of this truth. As we enter the awesome presence of God in prayer, we must come before Him in humble admiration. I fear many jump right into their “wish list” or personal desires, never taking the time to recognize God and give Him the honor He is due. Prayer should be viewed as an exercise that allows us to offer God praise for who He is. 1 Cor.10:31 – Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
III. Prayer of Expectation (10a) – Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. This has to do with one’s recognition of the sovereignty of God. It speaks of life lived in expectation of His coming again to this earth to establish His kingdom, to rule and reign in complete righteousness.
I am aware that the coming of the kingdom will occur at the end of the age, after the Tribulation, and that there is much that must transpire prior to the establishment of the kingdom. There is certainly application for that in this verse though. Our Lord desires that we live in full expectation of the complete fulfillment of God’s plan. He is coming again and we need to pray and live as if we expect that to happen.
In reality, we ought to live and pray as if we expected the Lord to return for His bride at any moment. If we honestly believed that the Lord could return today, I am sure we would have lived and prayed differently. Our prayers would have been less focused on our personal wants and desires and more upon the will of God being accomplished through us. We would have prayed more for strength, wisdom, and courage to carry out the work of the Lord. There is much yet to be done. There are yet souls in need of salvation. Our Lord is coming soon. Let us live and pray as if we fully expected that to happen at any moment!
IV. Prayer of Submission (10b) – Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. This is something we find evident in the life of Jesus throughout His time here upon the earth. He came to this earth to fulfill redemption’s plan. He came to please the Father and submit to His divine will. We see that clearly in the prayers Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke 22:42 – …Not my will, but thine, be done.
Prayer must be offered in an attitude of submission to the will of God. We ought to desire His will in every aspect of our lives anyway. He is God and He knows best. We should never desire anything outside the will of God. I can assure you, if we did receive it, we wouldn’t want it after we got it. We ought to pray that God’s will be accomplished upon this earth and in our lives as it is in heaven. The will of God is carried out to the letter in heaven. That ought to be the case in our hearts and lives, but many times we are sinful and rebellious.
V. Prayer of Supplication (11) – Give us this day our daily bread. Jesus revealed that we must sense our dependence upon the Lord for our very existence and seek Him for the needs in our lives. Many today seem to live as if they can survive in and of themselves, but we must be mindful of our need of the blessings of God. He provides all that we need and enjoy. Jam.1:17 – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
There is another important aspect of this attitude of prayer we need to consider. Give us this day our daily bread. This speaks of an awareness of our need for God on a daily basis. There is not one day that we do not need His provision in our lives. Each day we live, we ought to seek the Lord to provide all we will need for that particular day. We have all had days that started out fine, but before bedtime it seemed as if our world had fallen apart. Seek God daily for the individual needs that you have.
We also need to notice that this is not an attitude of greed or selfishness. It isn’t asking for weeks or months at a time. It speaks of daily fellowship and dependence upon the Lord. The Israelites had to depend upon God each day as they journeyed through the wilderness. He never failed them and He won’t fail us.
VI. Prayer of Confession (12a) – And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Jesus revealed that we are to confess our offences and sins unto the Lord, seeking His forgiveness. The gospel of Luke says “sins” instead of “debts.” At the moment we were saved, we were indwelt with the Spirit, sealed unto the day of redemption. We are secure in the Lord, but our flesh is not saved. As long as we dwell in a body of flesh, we have the capacity to sin, and we will sin. We have been pardoned from the penalty of sin, but coming short of what God desires is a reality in all of our lives.
It is imperative that we keep short accounts of sin. The Spirit brings conviction when we sin and we must be willing to confess those sins. When unconfessed sin in present in the heart of a believer, it hinders fellowship with God. We cannot expect to enjoy a closeness to the Lord and experience His power if there is sin in our lives. Ps.66:18 – If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Sin hinders prayer, power, and joy in our lives. Confess it and forsake it!
VII. Prayer of Compassion (12b) – And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. We will deal with this attitude further in our next study, but it also reveals a great truth. As we seek the Lord to forgive our sins and short comings, we must also be willing to forgive those who have wronged us. We serve a compassionate, loving Lord who willingly bore our sin upon the cross and pardoned us in salvation. We must be willing to extend that same forgiveness to others.
No doubt, we are all thankful for the forgiveness extended to us, and yet many times we are unwilling to show the same compassion to others. We were undeserving of any of the goodness of the Lord. In and of ourselves we could not merit salvation. In loving compassion, Jesus forgave us and He commands us to forgive others as well. Ephes.4:32 – And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Much harm has come to the church and the work of the Lord due to a lack of compassion and unwillingness to offer forgiveness. People are less than perfect. They make mistakes; we all do. Let us possess a compassionate, forgiving spirit as we serve the Lord.
VIII. Prayer of Subjection (13a) – And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. This is closely associated with our submission to the will of God for our lives, but this attitude of prayer recognizes our subjection to the guidance of the Lord. We know that God desires what is best in each of our lives. He will always lead us in the right path. One will never go wrong or stray from the will of God as long as they follow His guidance.
We must pray continually for wisdom and discernment as we travel the road of life. There is much that we encounter that is not pleasing to the Lord. Study the Word, seek the Lord and His fellowship, remain in an attitude of prayer, and your life will be much richer, filled with the peace and joy of the Lord. Simply ask the Lord to guide your steps.
IX. Prayer of Recognition (12b) – For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. As Jesus concludes the great illustration of how we ought to pray, He reminds us of the need for an awareness of the very essence of God. Prayer should begin with recognition of God and His holiness and it should conclude in the same manner.
We should always recognize the sovereignty, the power, the majesty, glory, and the eternal nature of our God. I assure you, if we will seek to recognize God for who He is and all He is, our prayer life will be transformed. When we come to the place that we recognize the essence of God, and I know our comprehension is limited, we will pray with a greater assurance and boldness. We face absolutely nothing that a sovereign, eternal Lord cannot handle. Seek Him in praise and recognition. He is worthy of that and so much more!
Conclusion: This has been a great study regarding prayer. We must ensure that we seek the Lord from a pure heart, possessing a proper attitude. There is nothing wrong with reciting this model prayer, but if that is all we receive from it, we have missed the essence of what Jesus sought to convey. This is so much more than a prayer that is recited among people. It offers an in depth look at the very aspects of prayer that we all need to embrace and practice.
I think we would all have to admit that our prayer life could use some improvement. Prayer is the greatest and most powerful tool the believer possess and likely the least used. I want to strengthen and enrich my prayer life. What about you? We are aware of the many, many needs of our day. We need to exercise the power of prayer and seek the Lord to move among us and meet the needs we face.
