Prayer#6

            In this teaching and for the next week or so we're going to look at what people in the Word of God have said on the subject of prayer. 1st we're going to look at Jesus. When Jesus was here on the earth He taught much on the subject of prayer, even when He wasn't teaching, but just praying we can learn a lot. Probably the best known is the Lord's prayer, which we just read.

            I. In these Vs. here, Jesus said, “When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are.”

                        A. I don't think that any of us wants to be a hypocrite.  Then He went on to describe the hypocrite.

                                    1. He said, “They love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.”

                                                a. This does not mean that all of our praying should be in private.

                                                b. We see in different places in the Word of God that people prayed in groups.

                                                            i. The early church prayed together.

                                                            ii. Look at ACTS 4:23‑30    This is a story of Christians praying together in unity.

                                                            iii. There's power in the prayer of unity. Look at V. 31

                                    2. ACT 1:13, 2:1‑4

                                                a. These are some of the results of united prayer. There's power in it.

                        B. When Jesus said that the hypocrites love to pray where they can be seen, He wasn't saying that it's wrong to pray before men, but the hypocrites do it only to be seen of men.

                                    1. Today we still have the same problem, people like to think that others see them as spiritual, so they will pray in front of everyone, but don't spend time praying when they're alone.

[mat 6:5]                      2. Jesus said at the end of (V. 5), “They have their reward.”

                        C. Jesus went on to say in V 7‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑    [mat 6:7]

                                    1. The Lord tell us 2 important things not to do.

                                                a. 1st don't be like the hypocrites in our praying, and #2 Don't be like the heathen in our praying

                                                b. The heathens think that they will be heard by their gods because of their repetition, because of their much speaking.

                                    2. It's sad to say it, but some of the heathen's thinking has gotten into the Church.

                                                a. Many have the idea that God will hear them because of their much speaking (Oh God, I need this or that...), Or they think that by their long prayers, using their enormous vocabulary that God will hear them any better than the simple man.

                                                b. Many repeat the same prayers over and over again.

                                                            i. Look at what V 8 says.

                                                c. Jesus says don't be like them, your father knows what you need, even before you ask His.

                                                            i. Isn't that part of faith? Asking Him and believing that He heard you and if you pray in line with the will of God then the answer is yours.

                                                            ii. Why are you asking again? We're you really in faith to begin with.

                                                d. Now when it comes to praying for others you may have to pray more than once.

                                                            i. We do have reference of that in Jesus ministry.

                                                            ii. MARK 8:22-25

                                                            iii. When you pray for someone else, you have their will and faith to deal with. They might even have something that is hindering that healing.

                                    3. When it comes to our own needs, we are supposed to ask, but it doesn't have to be a long prayer.

                                                a. There are times that you might need to pray for a longer period of time, like when you're praying for someone else or another country, intercession.

                                                b. But that doesn't mean that you have to pray for yourself for a long time.

                                                c. You can just go to the Father in faith and ask Him.

            II. Now in the rest of the prayer that Jesus gave us really is some basic principles of prayer.

                        A. In (MAT 6:9) “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (read) Jesus is giving us the principal of praise.

                                    1. He's telling us that when we go to the Father, we need to spend some praising Him, worshiping him and thanking Him. .

                                                a. What does (PHIL 4:6) says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

                                                            i. We need to be giving thanks to the Lord because He has already given us the answer.

                                    2. In the next V. Jesus says something different. Look at V 10.

                                                a. What does He mean by, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as {it is} in heaven.”

                                                b. Some will say that the kingdom of God has already come; and it has.

                                                c. LUKE 17:21

                                                            i. This V clearly tells us that we already have the kingdom of God. And that the kingdom of God is already come, so why should we pray for it to come?

                                                d. MATT 21:42-43

                                                            i. Notice that some do not have the kingdom of God.

                                                            ii. We need to pray that Jesus would be Lord in many areas, in people's lives, in many situations, in the nations.

                                                            iii. The Bible says that Satan is the god of this world. We need to pray that the kingdom of God will come in those areas, and that Jesus would become Lord to all.

                                                e. The last ½ of this V says, “Thy will be done in earth, as {it is} in heaven.”

                                                            i. We need to pray that God's will be done in every area.

                                                            ii. Sometimes we don't know what God's will is.

                                                            iii. What's heaven like? His will is done there. He wants the same for Earth.

                        B. Turn back to MATT 6:11

                             1. In this prayer Jesus teaches the importance of daily prayer and asking the Father for our every need.

                                                a. We need to keep our eyes on the Lord for our every need, not to our job, (parents), or anything else.

                                                b. Begin to ask and trust the Lord for our every need.

                                    2. MAT 6:12 Jesus taught much on the subject of forgiveness when He was here on this earth.

                                                a. Look at what He says in V 14‑15.

                                                b. Prayer will not work in an unforgiving heart.

                                                            i. We can't hold grudges against someone and expect to have a prayer life that gets results.

                        C. MAT 6:13

                                    1. The word “temptations” in this V can also mean test or trial.

                                                a. There are times that God will try, or maybe better said, test our faith or our obedience.

                                                            i. Now God does not test us with evil.  (JAM 1:13) “For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:” (KJV)

                                                b. He doesn't test us with anything that the Devil would want us to do.

                                                c. Look at V 13 again. I don't think that God would lead us into an evil temptation.

                                                d. But the way I see it is that God may lead us into a test of obedience.

                                                e. Many of these tests and trails can be avoided or met in advance by a child of God spending time in praise and worship; and by enjoying the fellowship with the Father that a proper prayer life brings.

            III. MAT 5:44 Now I think that's interesting what Jesus says here about prayer, The thing that gets you motive to pray is LOVE, the love that you've been given from your heavenly Father.

WOLCC SUN AM 7/5/92