Developing a Prayer Life

Matthew 6:5–8 NKJV

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

The Importance of Prayer

Prayer is a recognition of our need for God.

Our walk with God rises or falls on the condition of our prayer life.

John Bunyan: “Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.”[1]

The state of human existence depends upon our prayers. Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

Prayer can be learned. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. You too can learn to pray if you will ask Jesus to teach you.

Caution: The knowledge of prayer is not a substitute for prayer.

Samuel Chadwick: “We discover by using. We learn by practice. Though a man should have all knowledge about prayer, and though he understand all mysteries about prayer, unless he prays he will never learn to pray.”[2]

The Struggle to Pray

Bill Hybels: “Prayer is an unnatural activity. From birth we have been learning the rules of self-reliance as we strain and struggle to achieve self-sufficiency. Prayer flies in the face of those deep-seated values. It is an assault on human autonomy, an indictment of independent living. To people in the fast lane, determined to make it on their own, prayer is an embarrassing interruption.”[3]

It is easier to read the Bible, listen to preaching, and do good works than it is to pray. Yet, without prayer, our efforts are fruitless.

John Bunyan said, “You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

Someone has said that when we work, we work; but when we pray, God works.

Prayer must move from beyond duty to delight. It begins with a desire to pray.

A desire to pray motivates a determination to pray.

A determination to pray sets in motion a decision to pray.

A decision to pray embraces the discipline to pray. (Ex., set the alarm clock and go to bed earlier.)

A discipline to pray cultivates a devotion to prayer.

A devotion to prayer fuels a delight in prayer.

When you pray…

Prayer is not an option, “If you pray”.

Jesus uses the phrase, “When you pray” three times in verses 5-8.

Verse 5 and 7, Jesus explains two wrong ways to pray. I will address these first.

In verse 6, Jesus explains the right way to pray.

Don’t pray like the hypocrites (verse 5).

They are not people of private prayer.

They are religious but not real.

Their prayers are for show. They love to “showcase” their prayers in public.

They pray polished prayers with professional voices to impress others.

They have their reward from the applause of men.

Don’t pray like the heathens (verses 7-8).

Heathens worship false gods.

Don’t be like them:

Don’t imitate methods and practices of prayer used in false worship. Such is mixture (ex., New Age).

Don’t use vain (useless) repetitions. Ongoing aimless wordy prattling in prayer.

They imagine that their gods will hear them if they pray long ongoing prayers to gain their attention and help.

God already knows our needs before we ask Him. Prayer is not to inform God of our needs but to acknowledge that He alone is the Source of our needs.

Pray like sons and daughters of God.

God is not just God, because of our faith in Christ, God is now our Father, and we are His sons and daughters.

“Go into your room”: This describes a place of privacy conducive to personal prayer.

“Shut your door”: This describes a place of seclusion, to eliminate distractions that would entice us away from the time and place of prayer.

Distractions could include people, television, radio, music, electronic devices such as phones, tablets, computers, etc.

Eliminating distractions may mean getting up before daily distractions begin or staying up after distractions end.

“Pray to your Father”: Prayer is grounded in a relationship with God as your heavenly Father. Personal and private prayer is a time of intimacy with God where we give thanks, praise, worship, speak, listen, receive, and enjoy His presence. It is that place where it can seem as if we are our Father’s only child.

“Who is in the Secret Place”: This describes the secret place of His presence. In the Old Testament, it describes the innermost part of the Tabernacle or Temple, i.e., the Holy of Holies (Psalm 27:5; 91:1-2). Only the high priest had access to the Holy of Holies. Prayer involves coming before the throne of God in the Holy of Holies in the heavenly places. We may seem to be in a “closet”, but spiritually we are before God in His heavenly Tabernacle.

“And your Father who sees in secret”: Prayer is a place of transparency with God. God sees everything, and we can hide nothing. In private prayer, God deals with us as with sons and daughters. It is there that we can be open and transparent with God in ways we can do with no other.

“Will reward you openly”: There is a reward in prayer. The time spent with God in the private place of prayer will generate rewards in the public arena of daily life. Are you missing out on the rewards of prayer? Our heavenly Father rewards His children who spend time in prayer.

Response to the Word

Do you have a relationship with the heavenly Father through faith in Jesus Christ?

How are you doing spiritually?

Do you have an active prayer life beyond the dinner table?

Do you have a desire to develop a healthy life of prayer?

Are you ready to move beyond duty to delight?

[1] The Poetry of John Bunyan, Volume III [2] Samuel Chadwick, The Path of Prayer, p. 10 [3] Bill Hybels, Too Busy Not To Pray, p. 9