“Lord, Teach Us to Pray”

Luke 11:1
It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” 

Luke 11:2-5
And he said to them, 
“When you (plural) pray, say:      
“Father,    
hallowed be your name.
    Your kingdom come.
     Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
        for we ourselves forgive
everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

This is not just a New Testament Concept of Prayer

David Prayed Like This: 2 Samuel 7:25-27

25 And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’  Therefore, your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.

God’s  

• Hallowed be your name (Luke 11:2)
• Your name will be magnified forever (2 Sam 7:26)

His  

• Your kingdom come (Luke 11:2)
• The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house             of your servant David will be established before                 you.(2 Sam 7:26)

His

• Your will be done (Matthew 6:10)
• … do as you have spoken (2 Sam 7:25)

• the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph 6:17)
• For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’  (2 Sam 7:27)

:

• …and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,  (Eph 6:19)
• Therefore, your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you (2 Sam 7:27)

Prayer Should be and
– In Secret –

Matthew 6:5-6
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Prayer Should be in a
– With others –

Sin in Our Midst: Matthew 18:15-20
“Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that ON THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY MATTER MAY BE CONFIRMED. 17 “And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, he is to be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.  19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Sickness and Forgiveness: James 5:14-15
Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. 

Normal “church”: Acts 1:14 & 2:42
All these were continually devoting themselves with one mind to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Preparation for Ministry: Acts 4:31
 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Praise After Peter and John set Free: Acts 4:23-26 
When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported everything that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind and said, “Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THEM, 25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, 
WHY WERE THE NATIONS INSOLENT, 
AND THE PEOPLES PLOTTING IN VAIN?
‘THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TOOK THEIR STAND, 
AND THE RULERS WERE GATHERED TOGETHER 
AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS CHRIST.’

Peter’s Deliverance: Acts 12:1-17
5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made to God intensely by the church.
12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. 

Principles of Praying

1. There is in praying with others (church, husband and wife, family)
2. Christ is us (in our midst)
3. Pray (God’s will) back to God
4. Pray as if God is there with you (He already is)
5. Don’t be afraid of (Romans 8:26)

What if I don’t Know What to Pray?

The Spirit Helps Us: Romans 8:26-28
Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because 7 the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,8 for those who are called according to his purpose. 

Pray According to His Will: 1John 5:14-15

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

How do I Know the Will of God

1. The Scriptures – the written word
2. Conversation with God – the voice of the Holy Spirit

–Learn the Scriptures and Learn to Hear –

You Can Hear His Voice: John 10:27-30

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

The Spirit Will Lead Us

• And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. (Isaiah 30:21)
• “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:12-13)
•  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8:14)

Luke 11:2-5

“When you (plural) pray, say: 

 “Father, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

  Give us each day our daily bread,

and forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation.”

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