“When You Pray” – Matthew 6:5-9
Matthew 6:5-9 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Luke 12:48b For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Jesus makes the point that blessings bring responsibilities.
I. We Must Pray Because .
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Luke 18:1b Men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
In addition to general commands about prayer, we are directed to pray for the nation in which we live.
1 Timothy 2:1-3 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
The idea is that regardless of your party and political leanings, God implores us to lift up our leaders in prayer.
II. We Must Pray Because .
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
And when we understand the spiritual nature of our warfare, we can begin to understand our need for spiritual power for the fight.
2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
We are praying for His work to be unleashed in our world and in our lives and without prayer, we live powerless lives.
1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
And when tough times come, they are to remind us of our need for God’s help and intervention.
The battles we face today require God’s power, and prayer is our access.
Nehemiah 1:5-7 And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Prayer invites God into our situation to do what He thinks is best.
Mark 14:36b Nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
III. We Must Pray Because .
The Bible is filled with examples of people who prayed to God and a change was brought about as a result.
James 4:2b Ye have not, because ye ask not.
“To get a nation on its feet it needs to first get on its knees.” Billy Graham
1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
For those who know Jesus, this world is not our home. We are just passing through on our way to our enteral home. We are living in spiritually hostile territory. We are resident aliens here. We are citizens of Heaven here on assignment.
Jeremiah 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.