TEACH US TO PRAY

Developing A Victorious Prayer Life – Sermon #2

Luke 11:1-13

PATTERNED PRAYER

Intro:  In my humble opinion, perhaps the greatest need in the church is for more pray-ers. We need more prayer warriors!  We need more believers who will devote themselves to seeking the Lord’s face in prayer. 

      Ill.The story is told of two lumberjacks - an older and a younger - both known for their expertise and speed. The younger challenged the older to a contest to see who could cut down the most trees in one day.

      The contest began. The younger man, with his vim, vigor and vitality, began in earnest chopping down one tree after another without stopping. He soon noticed that the older lumberjack chopped trees for one hour then took a fifteen-minute break.

      At the end of the day when the felled trees were counted, the older lumberjack had chopped down one-third more trees than the younger lumberjack.

      Puzzled, the younger lumberjack asked the older, "How could you, taking a break every hour, cut down more trees than I did cutting nonstop all day?"

      The older lumberjack responded, "Because when I stopped, I sharpened my ax."

      A lot of us are just like that, we spend our time chopping away in the Lord's work, never accomplishing much for Him and all the time we are simply using a dull ax.  If we do not take the time pray, we can never expect to enjoy God’s power on our lives nor can we expect Him to bless our efforts. 

      In truth it is easier to get Christians to do almost anything than it is to get them to pray.  And, that is a shame!  For, it is prayer that brings us into God’s awesome presence,

Hebrews 4:16 KJV 1900

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

      We need that audience with Him because it is God Who answers prayer.  It is God Who changes circumstances and touches lives.  And, it is that special time spent in prayer before God that marks the difference between mediocrity and greatness in the Christian life! 

      In this passage, the disciples desired to learn more about prayer, and in response, the Lord laid down a pattern for prayer, and taught his men some lessons concerning prayer, that are as fresh tonight as if they had just been spoken.  I want to share some of them with you tonight.  I would like to preach on the subject Patterned Prayer.

I. THIS KIND OF PRAYER IS DESIRED-VS. 1

A.  These men wanted to learn how to develop an effective prayer life. 

They had a desire for prayer.  Would to God that He would raise up a generation in our day that had a burden to seek Him in prayer!

B.  The disciples had just witnessed Jesus praying, they noticed the closeness he had with the Father. 

They witnessed the miracles that He performed after prayer.

Feeding 5,000 - Mt. 15

Transfiguration - Luke 9

Raising Lazarus - John 11

they saw the power of prayer lived out and the glory it brought to God and they wanted the same power in their own lives. 

Their request is not just about how to pray, but they specifically ASK, “Teach us TO pray.” 

We need to learn to pray!

C.  They remembered John the Baptist

(Ill. What we remember about him) They remembered his prayer life!  They saw his prayers result in God being honored and glorified!

D.  These men had a profound desire for a prayer life that was powerful and that brought glory to the Lord.

 They had a right motive!  They wanted to see the Lord glorified through their praying like he was through the prayer life of Jesus and like He had been through the prayer life of John the Baptist.

By the way, a proper motive is absolutely necessary if prayer is to be effective!

You see, the proper motive for prayer is not to get our will done in Heaven, but to get God's will done in the earth, through us! 

1 Corinthians 10:31 “31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

Note: Too often we spend our time in prayer seeking a change in our circumstances.  In truth, we need a profound change in character!

II. THIS KIND OF PRAYER IS DESCRIBED-VS. 2-4

This prayer is OFTEN called The Lord’s Prayer, others refer to it as The Disciples Prayer, but it is really The Model Prayer!)

A.  There are several elements of successful praying. 

This is not a prayer that is to be prayed repetitiously, it is a skeleton outline around which we can build our prayer. 

This Model Prayer serves as a framework that will support the weight of our prayer and make it pleasing unto the Lord. 

Notice some elements that prayer ought to include:

1.  Prayer Is About Resting – Our Father which art in Heaven - To God. 

Rest knowing that He hears my prayer.

Jeremiah 33:3 “3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

Rest knowing that He is my heavenly Father.

1 John 3:1–2 “1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

2.  Prayer Is About Reverencing – Hallowed be thy name

Always take the time to worship the Lord in prayer!

Too often we run berfore the throne with our wish list and forget just to love, worship and thank Him!

3.  Prayer Is About Reigning – Thy kingdom come

Prayer allows us to participate in God’s kingdom work around the world!

  “I am sorry I am late today," said a clergyman visiting an aged parishioner, "but I have been all round the parish."

"Why," said the old woman, "that's just where I've been!"

            "But you cannot walk," exclaimed the astonished minister. "Ah," said the old saint, "You see, my soul isn't bedridden! So I just go round the parish every day in prayer, while I lie here."

4.  Prayer Is About Resigning – Thy will be done

Who’s will do you really want?

1 John 5:14–15 “14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”

5.  Prayer Is About Requesting – Give us this day our daily bread

Ill. He will answer, and often in shocking ways, Acts 12:3-17. Ill. Gas money!)

- Phil. 4:6; Jn. 14:13; 15:16; 16:23

Philippians 4:6 KJV 1900

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

John 14:13 KJV 1900

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 15:16 KJV 1900

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

John 16:23 KJV 1900

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

During a morning worship service, in a certain church, a woman named Ellen noticed a nice looking man sitting by himself on the back pew. As a single woman she had a vested interest in meeting him. She approached him with an extended hand and said, "Hi. I'm Ellen." He took one look at her and bolted out the door without saying a word.

      The following Sunday he returned to church and made this apology: "My name is Bob Price, and I owe you an apology for my rude behavior last Sunday. You see, my deceased wife's name was Ellen, and I had been praying, 'Dear God, please send me another Ellen.' When you approached me and said, 'Hi. I'm Ellen,' I lost it."

      Bob and Ellen have now been married twelve years and are both very thankful for the way God answered Bob's prayer.

6. Prayer Is About Releasing – Forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us

There is a two-fold message here.

      1.) We are to release our sins - 1 John 1:9

1 John 1:9 “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Not my neighbor’s sins, but my own!

      2.) We are to release the sins of others - Mt. 6:15; Eph. 4:32

Matthew 6:15 “15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Ephesians 4:32 “32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

(Regardless of what they may have done or said to you; or done or said about you!)

There are no exceptions!!!

7. Prayer Is About Relying – Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

This is another two-fold request.

      1.) A Request for guidance

John 16:13 “13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

We need His guidance to make it through this pilgrim journey; but I am glad He promised it to us.

Psalm 37:23 “23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: And he delighteth in his way.”

      2.) A Request For Deliverance And Victory

1 Corinthians 15:57 “57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Corinthians 2:14 “14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

8.  Prayer Is About Rejoicing – Matt. 6:13b– For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever. Amen

A good portion of our prayer time is to be spent lifting up Him and praising His name. 

Philippians 4:4 “4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 “16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Psalm 118:24 “24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.”

(Ill. Read the Psalms and hear the heart of the Psalmist as it is lifted repeatedly toward Heaven in praise to His Name.)

B.  Sometimes, we will pray about all of these things, at other times, only some will be addressed. 

But, these are the things Jesus has commanded us to pray about.  He will honor proper praying! James 5:16.

James 5:16 “16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

(Ill. It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they may be; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be: it is fervency of spirit which availeth much!)

III. THIS KIND OF PRAYER IS DETERMINED-VS. 5-13

A. When we pray, we must believe God for the answer!  (Ill. James 1:6-7; Mk. 11:24) Proper praying is an act of faith!  We must believe or we shall never receive. When we come before the Lord in prayer, we are to pray in faith and expectancy.  We are to pray believing that God will hear us and that He will answer our prayer in His time, in His way!

B.  Jesus gives us several arenas where God has promised to respond in answer to prayer.

1.  V.5-10 God Will Honor Steadfast Prayer - This is a promise of success! He will hear you and He will answer you, Isa. 65:24! Just keep knocking; He will answer in His time!

2.  V.11-12 God Will Honor Specific Prayer - (Ill.11:5 - 3 loaves!) 

      (Ill. Ill. A missionary family in Africa years ago had 2 small children. The second being born after they arrived on the mission field. The youngest was sickly and needed much care. It had to be wrapped in blankets most of the time to ensure that it stayed warm enough. The mother was heard to say, over and over, "I wish we had a hot water bottle." Her thinking was that with a hot water bottle, she could place it next to the child and provide it some heat.

            After a few weeks, a package arrived from England. In that package were several items that were sent to the family anonymously to help them in their new location. Among the items, there was a hot water bottle. The mother thanked God, but couldn't recall having prayed for it.

            As the last of the items were taken out of the box, the oldest child came to her mother and said, "Where's my new baby doll?" Her mother responded, "There isn't a doll in here." The little girl asked them to look again, and when they did, under all the packing material was a little, new baby doll. The mother asked the girl how she knew there was a doll in there. She said, "Well, when I asked God to send a hot water bottle for the baby, I asked Him to send me a dolly."

            This story becomes even more remarkable when we stop to consider that this package had to travel to Africafirst by ship, then by pack animals until it reached the family. It began its journey some 6 months before the baby had been born and before the little girl had ever begun to pray for those things, Matt. 6:8! What a God we serve!!) 

            How will you ever know unless you pray for exactly what you need an answer for?

3.  V. 13 God Will Honor Simple Prayer - He honors the prayer that trusts Him like a child trusts a parent.  God is not interested in our rhetoric or in our powers of oratory.  He is not impressed by pour command of King James English.  God is honored by simple, childlike prayer that honors Him as Father and recognizes His power and willingness to hear and answer.

      (Ill.It is said that in the court of Alexander the Great there was a philosopher possessed of outstanding ability, but who possessed little money. He asked Alexander for financial help and was told to draw whatever he needed from the imperial treasury. But when the man requested an amount equal to $50,000, the treasurer refused to give it to him - he was sure that Alexander could not have meant to give the philosopher that much money!

            When he asked Alexander about it, the ruler replied, "Pay the money at once. The philosopher has done me a great honor. By the largeness of his request, he shows that he believes in both my wealth and my generosity.")

C.  The proper mood for prayer is one of absolute faith and dependence that God will do as He has said He would do!  Faith is the key that opens the vast storehouses of God's provision and pours them out on a humanity that will simply believe in God. Faith is indispensable to answered prayer - Rom. 14:23; Heb. 11:6; Mt. 21:22.

Conc:

Are you being taught how to pray, or are you stuck in a cycle of not praying?

In this passage, Jesus has given us a template for our prayer life. I want to ask you to take your prayer life and place it under the Lord’s template for prayer.  How well do they line up today?  If your prayer life is like mine, there is plenty of room for improvement.  I think this would be a good time for you and me to begin the process of renovation in our prayer lives.  If He has called you to refine your praying so that it more closely fits His pattern, then I invite you to come before Him and work on that matter this evening.

      It may be that you have some prayer needs in your life; this would be a good time to bring them to Him.  It may be that you are out of fellowship with God and your prayer life is hindered as a result, Psa. 66:18, this would be a good time to get that fixed up.  It may be that you have never even been saved; this would be a good time to get that taken care of as well.  I do not know your hearts or your needs, but the Father does and He can help.  Bring it to Him and let Him fix it for you!