How Should We Pray

In Luke 11:1, Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray.  Then Jesus said this to them in verses 2-3:

“So He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us day by day our daily bread.”

This prayer may be a little different depending on which version you take it from.  First of all what we see here is that this prayer starts out with praise.  I think Jesus is teaching that we need to praise our Heavenly Father before we make our requests known.  If we do nothing else but ask for things in prayer we may lose our perspective of who God is and pray selfishly, trying to take advantage of God resulting in wasting time and energy.

The Word says this about these kinds of prayers in James 4:1-3, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”  

When believers act like this and pray these kinds of prayers it is harmful, showing that the flesh is in control and needs to be crucified.  Our selfish desires are on display and it can be ugly.  Instead of the power grab fighting for what we want, we need to seek God and what His will is for us and let Him take control, doing our best to fulfill His will in our lives and in our prayers. Remember God knows what we need before we ask.

Think about what it says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Before we can expect anything from God, God has to be our first priority and then when we ask in faith we can expect our prayers to be answered.  I think thanking and praising God before we ask anything in prayer is a good thing, it shows where our priorities are.  If we can only thank and praise Him when we receive something from His hands then I think we have a problem.  I have tried to encourage people to thank and praise the Lord for a very long time, not just for what He has done or what He is going to do but for what He is and who He is.  If God inhabits the praise of His people, and I believe He does, then it is important that we praise Him.

Then Jesus went on to say this in Luke 11:4,

“And forgive us our sins,

For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.”

Jesus forgave us of our sins at a great price and we need to forgive anyone who has sinned against us.  If we don’t choose to forgive them then we can’t expect to be forgiven.  Another important point is to ask God not to lead you into temptation but to deliver you from evil.

Then Jesus taught His disciples about being persistent in prayer in verses 5-8, “And He said to them, ‘Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.”

Not giving up but being persistent in prayer is very important.  

Jesus told another parable about being persistent in prayer in Luke 18:1-8, “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: ‘There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’

Then the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?’”

Something to think about!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!   

PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!