“A Knight of Prayer”
August 31, 2008
"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.
"This, then, is how you should pray:
" ’Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”
Matthew 6:5-13
When you think of the Apostle Paul, what do you think of? Missionary? Preacher? Church Leader? Church Planter? Transformed sinner? He was certainly all those things – but I have come to realize that above all those things - he was a prayer warrior. In fact, I have come to realize that it is just about impossible to do any of the things Paul did (at least successfully) without being a prayer warrior and having a great team of prayer warriors supporting you.
When you think of Jesus – what do you think of? Creator, Savior, Healer, Miracle worker? Certainly, He was all of that – and more. But He was also a Prayer Warrior. Check these Scriptures out. Before power and victory came – Jesus prayed.
“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.” Mark 1:35
”Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:15-16
“After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone” Matthew 14:23
“After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.” Mark 6:46
Jesus was our example of a “Prayer Warrior”. Here are some other times that Jesus Prayed. They are in your handouts. I encourage you to study them this week.
AT HIS WATER BAPTISM - LUKE 3:21-22
BEFORE CHOOSING APOSTLES - LUKE 6:11-13
PRAYING ALONE - LUKE 9:18
IN FAITH - MATTHEW 26:53
AT GETHSEMANE - MATTHEW 26:36-45; LUKE 22:39-46
AT THE TRANSFIGURATION - LUKE 9:28-29
INSPIRED OTHERS TO PRAY - LUKE 11:1
FOR CHILDREN - MATTHEW 19:13
FOR PETER - LUKE 22:31-32
FOR US - JOHN 14:16 ; JOHN 17:1,9,15,20; ROMANS 8:34; HEBREWS 7:25
In our Scripture this morning, Jesus gave us some instructions on how to pray and how NOT to pray. Let’s first take a look at how NOT to pray.
Jesus first cautioned us in praying not to do it for show. He said the hypocrites did it to show off. They loved to pray public prayers so everyone could see how spiritual they were. I’ve seen that a time or two in church. Usually it is some old saint who is well versed in the King James language and prays with ‘thees’ and ‘thous’ in a loud voice – often weeping, sometimes kneeling or throwing themselves prostrate on the alter. Now, that’s perfectly okay – if it’s real. But if there is a hint of pride or pleasure in giving a ‘show’ – it’s wrong. If there’s an ‘look at me!” It’s wrong. God will not hear that kind of prayer – even though it may seem tremendously spiritual – to some.
Jesus says that we are not to use vain babbling, like some do. What is that about? John Wesley said:
“To repeat any words without meaning them, is certainly a vain repetition. Therefore we should be extremely careful in all our prayers to mean what we say; and to say only what we mean from the bottom of our hearts. The vain and heathenish repetitions which we are here warned against, are most dangerous, and yet very common; which is a principal cause why so many, who still profess religion, are a disgrace to it. Indeed all the words in the world are not equivalent to one holy desire. And the very best prayers are but vain repetitions, if they are not the language of the heart.” Wesley’s Notes
“It is taken for granted that all who are disciples of Christ pray. You may as soon find a living man that does not breathe, as a living Christian that does not pray. If prayerless, then graceless. The Scribes and Pharisees were guilty of two great faults in prayer, vain-glory and vain repetitions. Verily they have their reward; if in so great a matter as is between us and God, when we are at prayer, we can look to so poor a thing as the praise of men, it is just that it should be all our reward. Yet there is not a secret, sudden breathing after God, but he observes it. It is called a reward, but it is of grace, not of debt; what merit can there be in begging? If he does not give his people what they ask, it is because he knows they do not need it, and that it is not for their good. So far is God from being wrought upon by the length or words of our prayers, that the most powerful intercessions are those which are made with groanings that cannot be uttered. Let us well study what is shown of the frame of mind in which our prayers should be offered, and learn daily from Christ how to pray.”
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Some people think if they pray loudly, or long, repeating prayers over and over, God will be more apt to hear them. But God looks at the heart first. The heart must be right for the prayer to be right. The Bible tells us when the heart is not right – our prayers are hindered. Here’s one area:
“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.” 1 Peter 3:7
Men, if you are not considerate of your wife, if you do not treat them with respect, if you do not treat them as the weaker partner, if you do not treat them as an heir of Almighty God – in other words, HIS princess – your prayers will be hindered. Does that explain why your prayers may have seemed ineffective sometimes? Make sure things are right at home -before expecting help from heaven. If they aren’t – get them right as much as you are able. You be considerate, sensitive, forgiving, etc. God will hear your prayers then.
Here’s another hindrance.
“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” Psalm 66:18
Sin is rebellion against God. Why would you even pray if you are rebelling against God or resisting Him? But a lot of people do. And as a parent dealing with a rebellious and disobedient child can not give in and bless or reward them until the disobedience stops – God can not and will not hear our prayers until the heart is right.
Here’s a little study on why our prayers are sometimes hindered. You may want to study them this week so you can become the ‘Prayer Warrior” God wants you to be,
1. Lack of fellowship with God and His Word. (John 15:7; Proverbs 28:9; Psalm 1:1-3)
2. Not seeking to please the Lord. (1 John 3:22)
3. Prayers of self-indulgence (James 4:3)
4. Wavering faith (James 1:6-7)
5. Unconfessed sin (1 Peter 3:12; Isaiah 59:1-2)
6. Unforgiveness (Matthew 6:11-12; Mark 11:25; Ephesians 4:31-32)
7. Failure to pray (1 Samuel 12:23)
8. Failure to apply spiritual authority (Mark 11:23; Ephesians 6:12)
9. Lack of perseverance (Galatians 6:9; Matthew 7:8)
10. Stinginess/selfishness (Proverbs 21:13)
11. Improper relations between husband and wife (1 Peter 3:7)
12. Idols in the heart (Ezekiel 14:3)
Jesus and the Bible has quite a little to say about how NOT to pray. But they also give us some great insights in 2) How to pray.
In teaching us to pray Jesus said to start here: “Our Father in Heaven”. That seems rather straightforward – doesn’t it? But I think it is more than a greeting. It is a relationship. In the Hebrew culture, the father was the boss. He was the leader. It was a death sentence to rebel against the father. So I think effective prayer begins with the right relationship with God. We are acknowledging Him as our Leader; as our Creator; as our Guide; that we are in submission to Him. If you aren’t in the right relationship with Him – your prayers will be hindered. So the first thing in praying is to get in the right relationship. That may mean confessing and repenting. When you pray, first take inventory of your soul and relationship. If you have the right relationship – you have tremendous power available to you. The Bible says,
“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:14-15
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Some may say, “Well, I thought my righteousness was in Jesus”. It is. But this means more. You have to use your head a little to understand, I guess. Righteousness is “right acting’. A person may be saved by grace and righteous through the blood of Jesus – but far from ‘right acting’. Our action needs to be right if our prayers are to be powerful. You can be saved and not humble. You can be saved and not seeking God’s presence very much. You can be saved and not pray very much. But if you want God to hear from heaven and forgive and heal – you need to humble yourself, pray, seek God’s presence in your life, and turn from any wicked way in your life.
Prayer begins with the right relationship to God. Prayer begins with the realization that you need God’s help. That’s humbling your self. But you will never pray – unless you decide to. Prayer is an act of our will. Listen to these instructions from the Bible”
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2
“I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.” I Tim 2:8
“pray continually” 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”
Luke 18:1
Somehow we have to decide to pray. We need to exercise an act of our will to pray. Success depends on it. Paul knew that. He longed for the people’s prayer. And he had a great group of prayer warriors backing him up. Listen:
“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.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Ephesians 6:18-20
“Brothers, pray for us.” 1 Thessalonians 5:25
“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” Col 4:3-4
“Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.” 2 Thessalonians 1:1-2
I long for someone to be praying for me and my ministry in this way. I long for a team of “Prayer Warriors”. We need more than just “Nazarene Knights”. We need “Praying Knights”. Even Jesus longed for a prayer support team. He pleaded:
“…"Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.” Matthew 26:40
You can almost hear the loneliness and hurt and disappoint in His voice. When He returns the next time from praying – maybe coming back for encouragement – he finds His support group sleeping again. He doesn’t say anything this time. He just goes off by Himself – alone.
If Jesus needed praying knights around Him – I sure need it from my Church. I long to have a number of small groups around the community praying for me every week. Praying for our church. Praying for our needs in the church. Have you enlisted in the Lord’s Army? Have you joined the Nazarene Knights? If so – how about signing up to be a “Praying Knight”?
I’m longing for a few good men and women (the prayer of the righteous is effective and powerful) to commit to praying every day for me, our church, and our church family. And to gather together once a week for the remained of this year. It may be in someone’s home. It may be at church. It may be in a restaurant over coffee or tea. It may be a prayer breakfast or an evening prayer time. But for the next four months – you get together for a few people to pray regularly – as God enables you.
What I would like to see is a group meeting weekly in Dunsmuir, Mount Shasta, Weed, - and other places God directs. Are you with me? Let’s pray.
Jesus,
You know personally how desperately we need to pray. You have felt the disappointment of being let down in the Garden. As our Creator, you know how fragile and weak we are. Help us to become the Prayer Warriors we need to be. Inspire us. Motivate us. Lead us. Give us wisdom and the will to serve you.
In Jesus’ Name
