PRAYER

A Continuous Holy Habit

of the

Servant Believer

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 1 Thessalonians 5:17‑18

“Pray continually.”

“Prayer is the true calling of Christians.”

Martin Luther

“Prayer is the highest part of the work entrusted to us,

 the root and strength of all other work.”

Andrew Murray

“We pray, knowing that there can be no effective preaching, no persuasive evangelism, no committed discipleship, no authentic mercy, and no cultural transformation without

 fervent prayer.”

Philip Graham Ryken

How Often We Fail

Prayer seems to be a habit that is difficult to establish. We are quick to gossip, quick to complain, quick to bicker, but when it comes to prayer we are often at a loss for words. Unfortunately, when we finally seek prayer as an avenue of communication with our Heavenly Father, it is usually when we are in a crisis and in need of help. We pray when we need to pass a test, acquire more money, secure a car, obtain peace from the stress in our lives, or to be healed from an illness. Too often we behave like the disciples of Jesus in the garden the night he was to be betrayed.

How many of us pray this prayer, “Well I haven’t expressed bitterness today. I haven’t had a harmful thought towards anyone. I haven’t taken your name in vain. I haven’t stolen or lied. Now I’m going to get out of bed.”

The failure of the disciples to remain awake and alert in the garden is a good example of how not to remain faithful in prayer.

Matthew 26:36‑46

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’ He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!’”

Here we see our Savior setting a role model for His servants only to have them fall asleep during class. I wonder if we would have remained awake if we had been in their sandals? Hopefully we will gain some insight into the importance and priority of prayer as we learn more of this blessed privilege we have of prayer.

The Prayer to Avoid – The Prayer of the Hypocrite

Matthew 6:5‑8

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

The word hypocrite originally came from the theater. The Greek word hypokrites was the word for “actor.” An actor is someone who plays a part, who portrays himself or herself as someone they are not. The prayer of a hypocrite is a prayer full of words that have nothing to do with their true life. Their prayers are meant to impress others and falsely represent themselves as religious and pious.

Jesus also criticizes meaningless prayers full of words but lacking heart and truth. The Greeks and Romans practiced such prayers in their false religions but the same holds true for today. Hindus chant repetitive “mantras” which are personal prayers to their false gods. Christians also pray prayers at times that have all the right words but are said with no heart. Repetitious prayers are no more effective than the babbling of pagans if there is no personal thought behind them.

Mark 12:38‑40

“As he taught, Jesus said, ‘Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.’”

“The person who prays more in public than in private reveals that he is less interested in God’s approval than in human praise. Not piety but a reputation of piety is his concern.”

D.A. Carson

When we attempt to learn how to pray, we must consider how NOT to pray. Jesus criticized those who offered up meaningless, self-glorifying prayers. Such individuals sought attention and recognition for the way they prayed. We MUST remember that prayer is a sacred form of communication we have with our Heavenly Father. It is a crucial and critical part of fostering a relationship with our Savior and Lord. Prayer is a privilege not to be abused or used for improper motives. It is a blessing and an honor to be allowed to converse with our creator. It is an intimate and very personal manner whereby we communicate our worship, petitions and heart to our Lord and Master.

A Children’s Song from Scotland

“I often say my prayers, But do I really pray, And do the feelings of my heart,

Go with the words I say. I may as well bow down, And worship gods of stone,

 As offered to the Living God, A prayer of words alone.”

The Holy Habit of Prayer

One thing can be said of the prayer life of Jesus. He considered it a “Holy Habit.” We find in scriptures that Jesus frequently prayed, often alone in a quiet or secret place.

Mark 1:35‑36

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up,

left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Luke 5:15‑16

“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Hebrews 5:7‑10

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

Learning How To Pray

Prayer is something that in some ways comes naturally to us, and in other ways is difficult. We often pray, but the question is are we praying as correctly and clearly as we should? While God hears the simplest of prayer, possibly if we examine a “form of prayer” given by Jesus in the scriptures we can gain insight in how to better communicate with our Heavenly Father in our prayers.

Luke 11:1

 “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.”

Here we see Jesus’ disciples asking to be instructed in their prayer life. I doubt Jesus was condoning a form prayer, but He was making an attempt to give an outline of what an adequate prayer might be. While not all prayers will take this form, it can give us instruction in how to better pray. It is apparent that the disciples were impressed with Jesus’ prayer life. Of all the things the disciples could have asked for training in, their one request was to know how to pray.

 The Lord’s Prayer

There are many forms that prayers can take. Circumstances can influence the content as well. Possibly if we look at the example given in scripture of the Lord’s Prayer we might gain some insight into how to pray.

Matthew 6:9‑14

“Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

You cannot pray the Lord’s Prayer

And even once say “I.”

You cannot say the Lord’s Prayer

And even once say “My.”

Nor can you pray the Lord’s Prayer

And not pray for another,

For when you ask for daily bread

You must include your brother.

For others are included

In each and every plea —

From the beginning to the end of it,

It never once says “Me!”

Hugh Latimer

The prayers we say even in the privacy of our secret places are part of the worldwide prayers that are offered to God each day. Whether we pray publicly or mentally, we are praying as a family.

“My weak prayer is caught up into the great stream of prayer that goes up forever from God’s family. The strength of my prayer is that it is not simply mine; that the moment I fall upon my knees I am no longer an individual man or woman talking to God, but a member of the family of God, a sharer in that human nature which Christ has carried to the right hand of God.”

Spiros Zodhiates

“Our Father who is in heaven,”

This implies community with others, a relationship with God

and the authority of God.

The first thing we should notice is that this prayer begins with the word “our” that implies community. We are a part of a family of God’s children. The second word is  “Father” which implies relationship. We have a relationship with God as our spiritual Father. Not everyone can address God as his or her “spiritual Father.”

Galatians 4:5‑7

“Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,

 the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’”

Romans 8:14‑17

“Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs‑heirs of God and co‑heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Nonbelievers are not part of the family of God and therefore cannot call God their true Heavenly Father. Just as personal sin can hinder the prayers of a believer, sin in the life of an unsaved person can cause God to turn a deaf ear. (Consider Matthew 7:21-23 and James 2:19 concerning claimed belief and actual practice of the heart.)

Proverbs 28:9

“If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.”

Isaiah 1:15

“Then you spread out your hands in prayer,

I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers.”

So one requirement of fellowship with God through prayer is to be one of His children. To speak to our Heavenly Father in this manner requires we know Him as our Savior and our Master.

Almost everyone prays at one time or another, the question is whom are they praying to and for what purpose. Someone has said “If in our land tonight you are to publicly invoke a higher power, all of America will bow their collective heads in reverence. But if you make the statement, Jesus Chris is Lord of all and the only hope of the world the only way to God you will invite censure.”

The third word we need to consider is that of “heaven” which implies the authority that is due our Lord and Master.

“hallowed be your name,”

This implies a commitment to holiness.

We approach our Lord in reverence and respect for who He is. We begin our prayers with worship and honor of our mighty God. We bear witness to the fact that God’s name is holy because He is holy. Honoring God’s name when we address Him, reminds us who He is and where we are.

“When we think of God’s name we think of God. You cannot think of His name in isolation from His essence, from His character, and from His attributes.”

Alistair Begg

Our culture does not place that much importance in a name. Many Middle Eastern societies including the Jewish society placed great importance on the selection of a name and the usage of it. Names are to be respected and honored and reflect the essence of the person they belong to.

“This is prayed for, not as if the name of God were not holy already,

but that it may be held holy by men.”

Augustine

“Without the intimacy of knowing God as my Father through faith in His Son then I will not understand the absolute necessity for reverencing His holy name.”

Alistair Begg

We pray this part of the prayer to orient ourselves to reverence God’s name and to request that all of creation will respect and honor the name of God.

God’s name is represented as holy in our lives as His servants. We need to hallow God’s name by our actions, in our thoughts, in our emotions, in our worship, in everything we do.

“Your kingdom come,”

This implies commitment to participation in God’s Kingdom.

God’s Kingdom has always existed, but with the coming of Christ it was to take on a different significance to mankind. God’s Kingdom was to be established on earth in the hearts of men by the ministry, death and resurrection of Christ. From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry He preached of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 4:17).

John 18:36‑37

“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.’ ‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’”

“The Kingdom of God is vastly different from any earthly kingdom that has existed or ever will exist. These earthly kingdoms have been under the sway of sovereigns whose power has been inevitably limited and whose power must inevitably decline.”

Alistair Begg

God’s Kingdom will be the inheritance of His children. We are adopted children who will benefit from the Kingdom of God that has been established since the first day of creation.

Matthew 25:32‑34

“All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’”

When we pray “thy Kingdom come” we are denying our own personal kingdom to come to pass and submitting to the Kingdom of God. We are praying for God’s Kingdom to come into dominance over the world affairs of men. Theologians often speak of God’s Kingdom as the “already” but “not yet.” That is, it already has come, but it is not yet reached its full glory. When we pray this phrase, we are also praying that Satan’s kingdom will be destroyed.

We should pray for three things regarding the Kingdom of God.

Conversion of the lost into God’s Kingdom

Submission of all to the will of God’s Kingdom

Consummation of God’s purposes in His Kingdom with the coming of Christ.

“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

This implies commitment to obedience to God and His Word.

Here we do not pray for our will, but God’s will to manifest itself on earth.

Consider the words on the tombstone of an unknown woman.

“God made me and not myself; He created me for His pleasure, and at His pleasure He has disposed of me; He alone knows through what new scenes I must pass, and He will conduct me through them, so as to answer the end of His providence; I resign myself in full confidence on that Sovereign Being, who is just and merciful to all His creatures, and say not my will, but thine be done.”

John Wesley famous preacher and evangelist (1703-1791)

“I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low for You; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and whole-heartedly yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal.”

A prayer of Betty Scott Stam, missionary to China, beheaded for her faith.

“Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept thy will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to thee, to be thine forever. Fill me and seal me with thy Holy Spirit. Use me as thou wilt. Send me where thou wilt, and work out thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.”

God’s Kingdom encompasses a vast throng of individuals who are committed to serving Him and bringing Him glory. God rules over a vast number of people that have been redeemed by His Son.

Psalms 103:19‑21

“The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.”

God works all things according to His purpose and will, the will of His glorious Kingdom. As His children and servants, we pray for the power and strength to carry out His will on earth. When we pray “Your will be done on earth” we are giving ascent to the fact that we are willing to obey His Word and therefore facilitate His will being done in our lives as well as on earth.

“The hallowing of God’s name is always attached to His reign, and the chief feature of His reign is to be acknowledged in the doing of His will.”

John Calvin

Theologians speak about a “secret” will of God which is called his “decree.” They also describe a “revealed” will, which we know as the Bible. God’s “secret” will includes those events and workings that we don’t know or understand. We know in part while on the earth. When we get to heaven, we will know fully as we are known. (I Corinthians 13:12) God’s secret will down through the centuries will very likely be revealed to us when we get to heaven and are able to comprehend all of the purposes of God in both His secret and revealed wills. The secret and revealed wills of God are interwoven in truth and are inseparable to God. To us God’s secret will remains a mystery.

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it.”

C.S. Lewis

“Prayer is not about getting what we want — the fulfillment of our will; it is about learning what God wants — the bending of our will to God’s will.”

Darrell Guder

Christ is our model in this area. He came to do the will of His Heavenly Father.

Hebrews 10:7

“Then I said, ‘Here I am‑it is written about me in the scroll

I have come to do your will, O God.’”

John 6:38‑39

“For I have come down from heaven not to do my will

but to do the will of him who sent me.”

“Now that is the will of God which Christ both did and taught. Humility in conversation; steadfastness in faith; modesty in words; justice in deeds; mercifulness in works; discipline in morals; to be unable to do a wrong, and to be able to bear a wrong when done; to keep peace with the brethren; to love God with all one’s heart; to love Him in that He is a Father; to fear Him in that He is God…this is to fulfill the will of the Father.”

Cyprian (Early Church Father)

We are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice and allow God to equip us to do His will for His Kingdom.

Hebrews 13:20‑21

“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

“Give us today our daily bread.”

This implies trust for physical provision

God provided daily sustenance for the Jews in the wilderness in the form of manna (Exodus 16, Numbers 11). It sustained them by supplying their daily needs for food. They were given specific instructions to gather for themselves only what they needed for that day. Those who broke this law found that the manna spoiled if stored overnight. God was trying to teach them the importance of trusting Him for their daily needs.

There is a similar analogy here in the Lord’s Prayer. We are to ask for daily provision from God because He can be trusted to provide. While scripture tells us it is wise to save resources for lean times, it does not condone stockpiling wealth so that we can live independently from God. We must remember that daily dependence on God is always required. No amount of hoarding can secure our future.

The word here for “today” is the Greek word “epiousion.” This is the only place that this word appears in the entire New Testament and actually this is the only place that “epiousion” occurs in all of Greek literature. The meaning has several possibilities. It may mean something like “essential,” or “sufficient.” It may also mean, “immediately following.” Thus it implies a need expressed for either today’s or tomorrow’s basic human needs. The Eastern custom was to bake each day only the necessary unleavened bread for the day, so what is baked in the morning is consumed by the evening.

“So do we think for one moment that the prayer here is driven by selfishness in order that we may amass, that we may accrue to ourselves that with which we may line our nests?”

Alistair Begg

“The bread that is spoiling in your house belongs to the hungry. The shoes that are mildewing under your bed belong to those who have none. The clothes stored away in your trunk belong to those who are naked.”

Basil the Great (329-379)

“Christ does not give a loose reign to the wishes of men

that they should desire anything of their pleasure.

The Spirit must of necessity hold all our affections by the bridle of the Word of God.”

John Calvin

“Thereby saving us from making outlandish claims and seeking somehow or another to use believing prayer as a mechanism whereby we seek to make God give us what we demand and to prevent Him from giving us what we don’t want. Do you think for example that the problem we want rid of couldn’t possibly be the means that God wants to use to conform us to the image of His son? But God knows what’s best. And there are reasons why God does not give to us what we ask for. And we need to be humble enough to accept it.”

Alistair Begg

Depending on God to provide our daily needs requires faith. God loves us and cares for us and desires to greatly bless us. Numerous scriptures talk of how God cares for His children. Much like a parent, God does what is best for us.

1 Peter 5:6‑7

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Philippians 4:19

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew 7:7‑12

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

God wants us to know that He will supply our basic needs and will often bless us with extra. God wants balance in our lives and He wants us to acknowledge our dependence on Him for both our physical and spiritual needs.

Proverbs 30:8‑9

“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

Work and the ability to work is part of God’s provision. Having a job and earning a living does not negate a prayer such as this. God often provides our needs through the profession or job we possess.

2 Thessalonians 3:10

“For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule:

‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’”

There is a parallel here in the Lord’s Prayer and words spoken in Matthew 6 of seeking God’s Kingdom. Servants of God seek His Kingdom and can rest assured that He will supply their needs.

Matthew 6:31‑33

“Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

This implies our pardon and our call to pardon others.

“God forgives only the penitent,

and one of the chief evidences of true penitence is a forgiving spirit.”

John Stott

“Forgiveness is not something we can work for, it is only something we can ask for.”

Philip Graham Ryken

An Example of Forgiveness

On July 25th, 1993 at the congregation of St. James’ Church in Capetown a hooded gunman broke into the worship service and fired indiscriminately into the congregation killing eleven individuals and seriously injuring a host of others. One of the church leaders emerged from this horrific event to make a statement so it could be carried on the national news. “While as Christians we must live in this fallen world, we do so knowing that at the end there is a new world coming, when Jesus will be acknowledged to be King. The members of St. James seek no revenge and harbor no bitterness. We are content to leave justice in the hands of the Almighty where is appointed a day of judgment when all will have to give an account of their actions.”

In this model of prayer Jesus moves from food that is our basic physical need to forgiveness that is our basic spiritual need. Even if we have been saved we still need to ask for forgiveness for sins we continue to commit. While we have been saved from the penalty of sin, we have not yet been saved from the presence of sin. We will fail at times in our Christian lives and find it necessary to keep a short account with God by praying for forgiveness for our shortcomings.

“Forgiveness as we live our Christian lives is not ours until we seek it with repentance…. When you turned from your sin your repentance was clear and it was deliberate. If then our Christian lives are to be a journey of continual repentance then our repentance needs to be equally clear and equally deliberate…. Our sins after we are converted are not forgiven until we repent of them. God has not provided for us some great slush fund as it were that we’re able to just slosh between a debit and a credit side in the ledger. He has made for us once and for all an atoning sacrifice for sin in Jesus. He has declared that the penalty is no longer held against us but as we walk through the journey of our days and as the clouds of disintegrated fellowship descend upon us He awaits, Father forgive me. Father I’m sorry. Father I shouldn’t have said that.”

Alistair Begg

“God will not cover in forgiveness what we will not uncover with confession.”

When we accept Christ as our Savior our sins are forgiven and all debts and penalties for any sin past, present and future are cancelled. But, our sins we commit after we become a Christian are not forgiven unless we ask forgiveness for them.

“Although all our sins have been forgiven – past, present, and future – sin still has a way of disturbing our fellowship with God. It interferes with our intimacy with Him, estranging us from His holiness.”

Philip Graham Ryken

1 John 1:8‑2:1

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.”

Continual repentance is to be a practice of the committed Christian. This does not mean we constantly degrade ourselves in our prayers. It means we seek honesty in our relationship with our Heavenly Father and strive to ask for forgiveness when we sin.

Knowing how much we have been forgiven, we should seek to forgive others who sin against us. The Greek term for “forgiveness” (aphiemi) comes from a word that means, “to let go.” Forgiveness is a release, a letting go of self-destructive feelings such as anger, bitterness, and revenge.

Forgiveness is a tender characteristic of our Heavenly Father and it should be an attribute we possess as we allow the Holy Spirit to manifest the gifts of God within us.

“We are most like beasts when we kill each other, we are most like men when we judge each other, and we are most like God when we forgive each other.”

Ephesians 4:31‑32

 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,

just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Often we fail to forgive others who sin against us or who hurt us. Refusing to forgive breeds bitterness and heartache. Scripture tells us to keep short accounts, not only with God but also with our fellow human beings.

Matthew 5:23,24

”Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

Selfishness runs deep within our soul. It is one of the main reasons we are reluctant to forgive others. Even if we do forgive, we are only too ready to run back into the past and dig up old supposedly forgiven offenses and hold them against those who have hurt us in the past.

“We say we bury the hatchet but we leave the handle sticking up for immediate use.”

Dwight L. Moody

“The unforgiving spirit is the number one killer of spiritual life…. Do you want to be spiritually useless? I’ll tell you what to do. Refuse to forgive others and you will be as spiritually ineffective so fast it’ll make your head spin.”

Alistair Begg

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

This implies our trust for power and protection.

If this verse is placed against James 1:13 where it states that God tempts no one it could be confusing. But if you balance these scriptures together you begin to understand that this is an honest request from the Believer not to be placed in a situation of testing which might lead to temptation. Many times God will place us in situations of testing which can allow us a chance for our faith to be tested. The problem is that Satan can take advantage of such situations to tempt us. While we struggle with the situation, Satan will tempt us to doubt our faith, the reliability of God’s word, etc. Adam and Eve faced a situation such as this in the Garden of Eden. 

“Every temptation is a kind of test, but not every test is a temptation. Tests and temptations have different purposes, and they come from different places. A test is a trial posed by God to prove the strength of our faith. Temptations, on the other hand, are more negative. Their explicit purpose is to entice people to sin.”

Philip Graham Ryken

James 1:2‑5

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Psalms 26:2‑3

“Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.”

God placed His Son Jesus in a situation that may be similar to those we face.

Matthew 4:1‑2

“ ‘Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.’

When we pray, ‘lead us not into temptation,’ this is what we are saying, ‘God help us so that we do not let the testing which comes from you become a temptation from Satan to do evil.”

We will never be free from this until we are with the Lord so we need to be praying regularly. Do not lead me into even trials without your presence with me, and without your power keeping me.’”

Alistair Begg

The real issue is that the only time we will be free from temptation is when we are dead. We have been saved from the penalty of sin but not it’s presence. You may ask, “Why do I still have to pray about not being led into temptation and sin if I am saved?”

“When we are regenerated, the nature of sin does not change, what changes is its status in our lives. So when a person comes to trust in Christ. Sin no longer reigns, but it remains. And it is on this front that the battle rages.”

Alistair Begg

The only time we will be free from temptation is when we are dead. While we have been saved from the penalty of sin we are not saved from its presence.

“When we are regenerated, the nature of sin does not change, what changes is its status in our lives. So when a person comes to trust in Christ. Sin no longer reigns, but it remains. And it is on this front that the battle rages.”

Alistair Begg

1 John 1:8‑10

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

We are tempted when we face the world, the flesh and the devil. The flesh is the downward pull of sin that still exists in our lives. It is the flesh that God calls us to die to daily. The law of grace and the Holy Spirit that lives within us work together to overcome this if we allow the grace of God and His Spirit to work.

“Every sin is an inside job.”

Alistair Begg

Romans 6:13,14

“Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

We must remember that God is always with us as we face trials or temptations and will provide a way for us to succeed in overcoming temptations.

1 Corinthians 10:13

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Daily as we face the spiritual battle of life, we need to have on our lips this prayer, “Lord, lead me not into temptation.” In other words protect me Lord. Give me the strength to do what I should. It is much wiser to avoid temptation than defeat temptation. But how often do we place ourselves in the path of temptation?

“My conduct has to correspond with my prayer. To pray sincerely ‘Lead me not into temptation,’ means then that I will not put myself heedlessly, needlessly, or willfully in the way of temptation.”

Alistair Begg

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

This focuses on God’s rule, His sufficiency and His presence.

This last portion of scripture is not included in some translations. The reason for this is that most of the western manuscripts of Matthew written in Latin don’t include it while most of the eastern Greek manuscripts do. This portion is also missing from the account of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke. It is very likely that while this portion is not actually part of the original text it was widely used by the early church to conclude this portion of scripture. The doctrine communicated in this portion of text is not false doctrine for other scriptures support such statements. (I Timothy 1:17, 6:15-16, Jude 25, Revelation 4:11, 5:13, I Chronicles 29:11)

Saying the Lord’s Prayer

Remember you are part of a family and God is your Father.

Remember your Holy heavenly Father has authority over you and is to be honored.

Remember you have the privilege of participating in the building of God’s Kingdom.

Remember God has forgiven you, loves you, will provide for you, and protect you.

Remember to forgive others and minister to their needs.

Remember that God is to be worshiped in your prayers and in your life.

2 Corinthians 4:7‑11

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all‑surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.”

How to and Where to Pray

Skilled surgeons continually practice their craft so that repetition can insure their skills are perfect. Christians should approach prayer in the same manner. Practicing continual prayer not only assures frequent communication with our Heavenly Father it also encourages our own spiritual growth. The purpose of frequent and consistent prayer is not to improve our prayer skills but to improve the quality of our spiritual life and our relationship with our Lord and Master.

“In many aspects of life it is our ability to do things habitually, with cognizance, and with vitality that is both a safeguard for us and also a benefit to others. But I know now as clearly as I have ever known that there is nothing more important and there is nothing more difficult to establish and maintain than a healthy, meaningful prayer life.”

Alistair Begg

Preparation for Prayer

Honesty

Matthew 6:5‑8

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Humbleness

Luke 18:9‑14

 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men‑robbers, evildoers, adulterers‑or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Obedience

1 Peter 4:7

“Therefore be clear minded and self‑controlled so that you can pray.”

Sensitivity to Others

1 Peter 3:7

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life,

so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”

Seek to be led by the Spirit

Jude 20‑21

“But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and

pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

Allow the Holy Spirit to Intercede

Romans 8:26,27

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”

Seek Solitude

Matthew 6:6‑7

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

The word Jesus uses here for room (tameion) means a small inner closet or chamber. In the days of Jesus the storeroom was often the only room that had a door.

Matthew 14:22‑23

 “After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.

When evening came, he was there alone,”

Mark 6:45‑46

 “After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.”

Luke 6:12‑13

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray,

and spent the night praying to God.”

Pray Frequently

1 Thessalonians 5:17‑18

“Pray continually”

“So when this speaks about praying continually, its talking about attitude, its talking about heart, its talking about dependence, its talking about communion, its talking about fellowship, its talking about the whole seedbed of the church of God, that the people of God are to be praying continually. It doesn’t mean they are stopping all the time at street corners and saying prayers like the Pharisees, but it does mean that our hearts are always prayerful. So that no matter where we go or what we are doing we are in communion with God.”

Alistair Begg

Ephesians 6:18

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

1 Thessalonians 3:10

“Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.”

2 Thessalonians 1:11‑12

“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.”

Trust in God’s Love and Provision

Matthew 6:8

 “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Matthew 7:7‑12

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Philippians 1:18‑21

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.  I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Pray Persistently

Luke 18:1‑8

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’  For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!'” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.”

Persistence in prayer is not done with the attitude that we have to pester God till He is bothered enough to respond. The message of this verse is that if a worldly judge will respond to the persistent requests of someone he doesn’t care for, how much more will God answer the prayers of His beloved children. Persistence in prayer is necessary because it teaches us patience and builds maturity in our faith. God has His will and timing for events. We must reserve God the right to answer in His timing and in His manner.

Luke 21:35‑36

 “Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Pray for Everyone

“In the average church how do you get prayed for? You have to crash your car, go in the hospital for surgery, or lose your job.”

Alistair Begg

1 Timothy 2:1‑4

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone‑for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

Luke 6:27‑28

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

James 5:13-16

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. …The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

Effects and Events from Prayer

When we approach God in prayer properly, amazing results in our lives and God’s Kingdom will take place.

Effective Kingdom Building

“Our worship will be twice as meaningful, emerging from the hearts of a praying congregation, the same messages will have a far greater impact bolstered by the likes of a praying congregation, the impact of evangelism in our communities will make great dents for the Kingdom of God, if we take seriously the call to really pray.”

Alistair Begg

Supernatural Occurrences

Luke 9:28‑31

“About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”

Acts 4:23‑31

“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. ‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

Healings

Acts 9:40‑41

“Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, ‘Tabitha, get up.’ She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.”