Lesson 12

Prayer Part 2

May 20, 2007

Mike Larsen

Adult Sunday School

Romans 8:14-16

 

Open your Bible to Romans 8:14-16, “For as many as are lead by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father.  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

 

Introduction:  As we continue in our discipleship series we complete the lesson on prayer this morning.  Last week I discussed why to pray and said that;

 

-           Prayer changes us as much as it changes the situations which we pray about. 

-           Prayer increases our faith. 

-           Prayer works! 

Then I talked about the example Jesus was and we saw that;

 

-           Jesus prayed in the morning – Mk 1:35 

-           Jesus prayed in solitary places – Mk 1:35

-           Jesus prayed after work – Mk 6:45-46

-           Jesus prayed in the midst of success and popularity – Lk 5:15-16

-           Jesus prayed before making major decisions – Luke 6:12-13  

-           When you pray make sure you wait upon the Lord so He can communicate back to you.

-           Prayer at night can be fruitful

-           Jesus prayed with regularity – Luke 22:39

-           Jesus prayed honestly – Luke 22:39-44

You can sum that all up to say that Jesus prayed about everything and all the time.  The bible says to “pray without ceasing”, and “in all things give thanks”,  Clearly our lives should be full of prayer.  Prayer is communication with our Heavenly Father and it should be regular and ongoing.

 

This morning I want to look at how to pray.  The Disciples came to Jesus and said, “Teach us to pray”.  The disciples were able to make a direct connection between Jesus public power and His private prayer.  They witnessed it first hand.  We see the same thing as it is recorded for us and the same Spirit that empowered them empowers us AMEN!  So Jesus left a clear example however he also left a clear model.  We find this model in Mat 6:9-13.  Open your bibles there.  This prayer is often called the “Lord’s Prayer” but really it is not the Lord’s prayer but the disciples’ prayer.  It was not Jesus praying but Jesus teaching us HOW to pray.  Not what to Pray, but how to pray.  It is a model.  Jesus taught the disciples not to pray in vain repetition like the heathen do and yet Christians do that today with this prayer model.  Let’s look at the model and see it is designed to direct our posture and thinking when we pray and not meant to be said in vain repetition.

 

Let’s read starting with Mat 6:1
 

I.             The Disciple’s Prayer (The Lord’s Prayer)

A.     Our Father which art in heaven Mat 6:9 

a.     Jesus starts off reminding us that God is our father.  We have a special relationship with the one we are praying to.  This sets the tone of love and intimacy, not guilt or fear.  If we don’t begin with this reality in mind all our prayers will be skewed with a wrong perspective.  The Pharisees thought Jesus was blasphemous for being so presumptuous in designating God as Father.  But Jesus wants us to think right about God.  God is not “up there” somewhere, distant and aloof.  He is near to all who call on him.  He is our Father and wants to meet our every need.

b.     Yet he is our Father in Heaven.  He is omnipotent, omnipresent, and majestic.  He is the King!  Our intimacy must be matched by respect.

B.      Hallowed be thy name With our relationship firmly established in our minds we next come to worship.  To halo something is to treat it as Holy.  God is Holy and our first motivation in prayer should be God’s glory.  Before we reel off our list of needs and desires, let’s give honor to the Lord and worship him. His interests should come before our interests.  Pray that God’s name would be exalted, respected, magnified and treated as holy, precious, and pure throughout the world.  This should be our pre-eminent concern prior to any thought of our own needs.  We acknowledge in our attitude that God is Holy and pure.

C.     Thy kingdom come 6:10  God is the Creator, the sovereign Ruler, and the eternal Owner of the universe.  Yet the majority of this world defy him and follow Satan.  When we come before God and appeal for his kingdom to come, we are asking that the fact of God’s authority be recognized and honored in a particular situation.  We ask God to reign in the situation.  The Lord reigns in the hearts of believers however we want God to influence and reign in all.

 

This is where you bring most of your requests before God.  This is where you cry out for him to change situations that are not yet submitted to him – issues in your own life first, then issues in the lives that you touch, and then issues in larger arenas.  “Father, root out my selfish attitude toward time.  Help my neighbor to grasp what the gospel is all about.  Bring justice for the unwanted and unborn in our land.”  We pray for God to come and work in a situation.

In any place or situation where man’s kingdom is exerting influence that is contrary to the purposes of God’s kingdom – whether that be one individual’s decision or a vote in the United States Senate – we can ask God to come and rule.

D.     Thy will be done   This petition could be said to be a twin to the preceding one.  Here we are asking not that our will be done, but that God’s will be done – even if we’re not sure precisely what his will may be in a particular instance.  It is at this point in prayer that you take the opportunity to bring before God any significant decisions you are presently facing.  Once you discern what his will is – through meditation on Scripture and waiting before him – ask that that desire become reality.  As we ask however we keep in mind that not our will but His will is what we want.

Our prayers should never be selfish or demanding, but at the same time they should be bold.  Although it is obvious that we can never command the Sovereign God to do anything, the twin phrases “thy kingdom come, thy will be done” signify that we are to make the strongest possible entreaty.  Thus we see from Scripture that there should be nothing apathetic about our request to see God’s kingdom and will fully accomplished.  James says ask in faith, nothing wavering.  And the scripture says to come boldly before the throne of grace.”

E.      In earth as it is in heaven  Instead of settling for compromise, we should consistently seek God’s best.  In heaven God’s kingdom exists in absolute perfection.  Here on earth, as we’re all too painfully aware, is another story.  Until the day when Jesus comes and establishes a new heaven and a new earth, we pray and work to establish outposts of the coming age.  “Lord, as I wrestle with this habit, I don’t pray that I could cut down.  I pray that I could overcome it and defeat it!”  Your will be done.  Rule in my body and soul just as you rule in heaven.”  We pray that the earth would obey Him as do the heavenly hosts!  Just as sure as His will is being done in Heaven we pray that His will would be accomplished on this earth.  We want that.  We want His will.

F.      Give us this day our daily bread  Vs 11  The Greek word for “bread” in this phrase is not used anywhere else in the New Testament.  I understand that for centuries scholars have debated exactly what Jesus was implying but it does not simply mean bread.  It is reasonable to conclude that this refers to our needs.  The practical provisions and sustenance of life.  Could be clothes, food, water, shelter, health, etc.

It’s clear that God cares about practical things.  He knows we have to pay for housing, for clothes and for food, and he wants us to ask for his help.  Here we can come to God with our most basic needs.  And here we can meditate on what is truly a need and what is a want that falls outside of God’s plans for us for the moment. 

It’s revealing that Jesus tells us to pray for “this day.”  Take it as a hint that God expects to communicate with us more than once or twice a week!  We need him each day, whether the refrigerator is full or empty.  He wants us to acknowledge that he is the provider every day so we remain humble and dependant on him. Don’t forget that God resists the proud!  The Bible tells us we are to “be thankful in all things”.  This is the place in your prayers to give thanks for God’s provision each day.

G.     Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors Vs 12  So often when we come to God, we think first about what we’ve done wrong and begin by confessing our sins.  But that’s not how Jesus teaches us to pray in this passage.  In his prayer we begin with relationship, move to the establishment of his kingdom and his will, bring before him our basic needs, and then come to search our hearts and confess our sins.  As the Spirit searches our hearts, we can confess any sins honestly, humbly, and specifically.  I find it helpful to confess my sins out loud – then, rather than thinking about what I’ve done, I’m making a verbal, conscious acknowledgement.  That seems to take more humility, and I need all the humility I can get. 

Confessing our own sin softens our hearts to forgive those who have sinned against us.  This confession is the 1st John 1:9 type of confession.  Our sin debt was forgiven at Calvary but to maintain the right relationship with God and others confession and forgiveness is required on a regular basis.

Jesus adds commentary to this part of the prayer by warning about the grave results of unforgiveness.  If we persist in bitterness, we no longer have a problem with another person; our problem is now with God himself (vs. 14-15)  Your relationship with God will not be right until you forgive others.

After we have confessed our sins we can forgive others.  We forgive because he first forgave us. Part of forgiving others is praying for them.  This part of your prayer time is to pray for those you may be harboring ill feelings for.  It is hard to hate a person you are praying for.  Jesus said to “Love your enemies and pray for them that use you”  Prayer will change you and them.

H.     And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil Vs 13  Our spirits may be willing, but our flesh is weak (Mt. 26:41).  Each of us knows the temptations that master us.  It’s wise to focus on them first, particularly if you know that you’ll be in situations during the day that provide opportunity for sins common to your flesh.

One good way to search your heart for unconfessed sin and to pray for protection from future temptation is to inventory the Ten Commandments:  pray through issues of idolatry in your life; of using God’s name to lie or manipulate; of resting not in Christ’s work on the Cross but in your own works; of not honoring parents and other family relationships; of anger, sexual lust, stealing, lying and desiring things that God has not provided.  My list here doesn’t quote the commandments directly, but instead represents principles of living drawn from them – areas in which I have a tendency to fail and need God’s help to overcome.

    II.      Will your prayers be answered?

 

A.     Does your prayer line up with scriptural truth?  Jn 15:7

B.      Does your prayer seek results that will glorify God? Jn 14:13

C.     Is your prayer intended to bear good fruit?  Jn 15:16

D.     Does your prayer spring from the right motive?  James 4:3

 

E.      Is your prayer in agreement with the will of God? 1 Jn 5:14

 

Conclusion:  Prayer is a vital part of our healthy Christian life.  Don’t allow your relationship to become distant with your heavenly Father.  It is during prayer that confession is made and restoration occurs. It is during prayer that the believer is rejuvenated and we bring into remembrance all God has done for us.  It is during prayer that we thank him and praise Him.  It is during prayer that we focus on others.  Prayer is truly a lifeline in the Christian walk.  Don’t neglect the lifeline of prayer!