LET’S PRAY THE LORD’S PRAYER
TEXT - Matt. 6: 5 - 14
INTRO. - The passage before us is best known as the
Lord’s Prayer but in reality the High Priestly Prayer of
John 17 is the Lord’s Prayer. This prayer would be
better titled The Disciple’s Prayer. I call this message
"Let’s Pray the Lord’s Prayer" because more prayers (and
especially this one) are said than prayed. Saying a
prayer is not praying a prayer. Matt.6:6 says, "When
thou prayest...PRAY". Having your eyes closed and
hearing a prayer is praying. What is prayer? ASKING GOD
IS PRAYER! - vs.8
God expects all Christians to pray. He assumes
that they pray. In vs. 6 and 7 we find "when thou
prayest" and "when ye pray" not "if ye pray". A person
cannot be saved who has never prayed - see Rom.10:13
Prayer is communion with God. It is the life
breath of the believer. It is one of the channels of
power to God. Heaven moves when we pray. Fervent,
secret, believing prayer is at the root of all personal
godliness. Prayer is a battle and never easy. Hell
trembles when it sees the weakest saint upon his knees.
John Wesley said that God does nothing for his people
apart from pray for if he did, then that in itself would
show that prayer was unimportant. The title "Man of God"
is found 75 times in the Bible but never is the title
"Man of prayer". There is a old poem which goes like
this:
PRAY ON
The victories won by prayer
By prayer must still be held
The foe retreats but only when
By prayer he is compelled
Look for a few minutes at the great pattern of prayer
given to us by our Lord and see the lessons for us
today.
I. AFTER THIS MANNER THEREFORE PRAY YE - vs. 9
Notice that no body positions are given as to how to
pray. Nowhere in the Bible do you find praying with
closed eyes to be found. It may be good at times to ward
off distraction but for many it leads to drowsiness. The
Bible also shows us that most Bible prayers were prayed
in a standing position. Jesus knelt in the garden and
Daniel knelt toward Jerusalem but those are the
exception. Kneeling may indicate or symbolize homage but
for many up in age it is near impossible and for others
it limits them as to when and where they can pray.
The main thing is to pray! Prayer is hard enough without
worrying about the position. Jesus never mentions the
position to take.
II. OUR FATHER - vs. 9
Prayer is limited to those who can call God their
"Father". God hears the prayer of His people. See John
14:6 and I Jn.2:23. God will hear the sinner call upon
him for salvation and once saved, he will hear all his
prayers. But God is not obligated to hear the prayers of
the lost though he may do so if he so chooses. Prayer to
any member of the Godhead is alright but the general
pattern of the New Testament is:
Prayer is prayed to the Father - as seen here
Through the Holy Spirit - See Jude vs.20
In Jesus’ Name - See John 14:13 and John 16:23
III. HALLOWED BE THY NAME - vs. 9
Here we see reverence in prayer. A name indicates
reputation. A name often indicates rank, who a person
is, what he has done, and what he is worth. My name on a
$1000 check would not pass the bank but if you had a
check with a certain Kennedy or Rockerfeller name on it,
it would be worth millions. God’s Name is very important
especially when you pray to him and through him.
Hallowed means Holy.
IV. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE - vs. 10
This is to pray for the will of God to be done. All
prayer should have this attitude behind it. according to
this verse, nobody can pray and have their prayers
answered who does not want the will of God to be done in
all things. James 4:2 speaks about praying amiss. We
cannot live in any known sin and expect to have our
prayers answered. His will must be my will. To say "thy
will" is to say no to "my will". Notice the verse says
we are to pray for obedience like the angels of heaven
obey. What an example, what a holy calling.
The first 3 partitions contain "thy". Now we find 4
petitions which contain "us".
V. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD - vs. 11
This partition is not listed first where many of us
put it. We should put God’s honor first and the will of
God second then prayer of our personal necessities
third. The Bible says in Matt. 6:33 to "seek ye first
the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these
things shall be added unto you.
Notice another great truth here. You have to pray
every day. See Matt. 6:34 Proof given here that we sin
if we do not pray daily. Daily prayer would solve many
problems of many people.
Notice something else also here. When you pray for
your needs, you are also to pray for mine. When I pray
for my needs, I am also to pray for your needs. It says
"give us this day our daily bread".
VI. AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS
- vs. 12
The word "debts" here is translated "sins" in Luke 11.
This may be a big revelation to many people. God will
forgive us only as we are willing to forgive others. Is
there anyone whom you cannot forgive? Murder is anger in
seed form - Matt. 5: 21-22. You cannot go to heaven with
hatred and an unforgiving spirit in your heart. See Eph.
4:32 If I am not willingly on speaking terms with
anyone then I am not on speaking terms with God.
VII. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM
EVIL - vs. 13
We see here that prayer is definitely a weapon in our
battle with temptation. If you are not able to overcome
temptation, 99 out of a 100 times you have not overcome
in prayer!
We find here the truth that God has not promised nor
will he hear the prayer to remove the temptation. He did
not say to take away the temptation but "lead us not
into temptation. God allows temptation - to angels, to
Lucifer, to Adam and Eve, and to our Lord.
To overcome temptation is to be stronger spiritually and
to receive a reward. See James 1:12
"Evil" in vs. 13 literally is "the evil one" - Satan
IN CLOSING ---
There is a reward for prayer. The reward is an answer.
your prayers are never, lost they are stored in heaven.
See Rev. 5:8
Prayer moves the hand of God.
Away in foreign lands they wondered why
Their simple words had power
At home the Christians, two or three
Had met to pray an hour.
Ill. - Years ago the evangelist D.L. Moody was
invited to speak at a church in Scotland. The
church attendance had been declining for some
years. Souls were not being saved. One elderly
cripple woman in the church heard that Mr.
Moody was to come. She began a prayer vigil
for his visit. Mr. Moody came and spoke on
Sunday morning at the church but there was no
response. He wished that he had not come. The
elderly woman had not attended that morning and
had got the date of Mr. Moody’s arrival
confused. When she heard that he had spoke at
her church that morning, she refused food and
locked herself in her room and called on God
for Mr. Moody as she had done for months. She
prayed although she was very sick that day.
That night as Mr. Moody spoke, God moved in
conviction and 500 people accepted Christ and a
revival broke out that turned many to the Lord.
All because of one cripple woman who prayed.
