“When You Pray...”
By Darwin Hunter
Jesus was a Man of prayer. Without question, His prayer life was
thrilling to the disciples, and expressed a deep-seated devotion and dependence
upon His Father. When they heard the
Lord pray, they wanted Him to teach them how to pray like that! (Luke 11:1) In Matthew
6:5ff, Jesus gave a number of lessons on scriptural, availing prayer. If you want a better prayer life study what
the Lord taught about the activity.
Jesus taught that “when you pray...”
1. You should spend time in private prayer (Matthew 6:5). Jesus did not
condemn public prayer. He prayed
publicly at times (John 6:11,
11:41-42). Jesus is warning about a prayer
life that is exclusively public in order to “be seen of men.” If the only time we pray is in a public
worship assembly, our devotion to God is paltry and powerless. Jesus instructed us to enter our room, shut
the world out, and pour out our hearts to God.
Such a prayer life wilt draw you near to God (James 4:8).
2. You should humbly speak to God from the heart (Matthew 6:7-8). Jesus specifically warned against “vain
repetitions.” Ritualistic, memorized
prayer repeated without thinking over and over is condemned by the Lord. He characterized It as “unbelief which viewed
their idols as being impressed with “many words” (cf. I Kings 18:25-40). Things repeated over and over from memory
which do not fit the occasion, or do not spring from a committed heart, are
considered futile by God! (Matthew
15:8-9)
3. You should pray reverently to the Father (Matthew 6:9). Jesus
addressed His prayer thoughts to His Father, and taught us to do the same (John 17). We are to pray to the
Father through the Son (John 16:23-28), who is our only Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5- 6). God’s name Is to be
“hallowed” or set apart as most holy (Psalms
99:1-3, 111:9; Hebrews 12:28). The God of Heaven is not our “Daddy” or “the
Man upstairs,” but our Creator and Benefactor.
4. You should pray your petitions from an obedient heart (Matthew 6:10). The fulfillment of
the petition, “Your will be done on earth,” begins with me. We must surrender to the Father’s will, and
help others to do so (Hebrews 5:8-9).
Jesus prayed a similar prayer in the Garden to prepare Himself for the ordeal
of the Cross (Matthew 26:37-46). The Father’s will was always uppermost on His
mind, and must be on ours (Luke 2:49;
Hebrews 10:9-10). A disobedient life will turn God away from
our petitions (1 Peter 3:12;
Psalms 66:18) But a humble
submissive disciple can confidently ask God to give him daily bread (Matthew 7:7-11; 1 John; 5:14).
5. You should pray with a forgiving attitude (Matthew 6:12). Forgive,
and you will be forgiven. Hold a grudge,
and God will hold one (Matthew 6:14-15;
Matthew 18:21-35). We all need God’s forgiveness each day, and
cannot afford to lose it. Thus, we should
extend forgiveness as often as it is requested (Luke 17:3-4).
6. You should pray to overcome temptation (Matthew 6:13). Pray
specifically about the strong desires which you need to learn to control (James 1:13ff). Pray that you will
always desire and seek the way of escape” that you may not fall (1 Corinthians 10:12-13). Satan is strong, but God’s power Is greater (1 Peter
5:8; 1 John. 4:4)!
7. Always pray. Jesus said “when you pray,” not IF (1 Thessalonians 5:17).