Three Keys to Effective Prayer

Introduction

The most important, most critical thing I can do as your pastor is to tell you about Jesus—to teach you what He taught—to encourage you to live your life by following Jesus’ example on living.

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus is the authority on the way we should go, the truth we should hold, and the life we should live.

As we continue in our 21 Days of Prayer, I want to talk with you about what Jesus had to say about prayer.

In fact, in the most recognized teaching on prayer (), Jesus gives to us three keys to effective and empowered praying.

Matthew 6:5 ESV

“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.

Praying to Impress Others.

Pride—a sin and a powerful temptation.

Transition:

Matthew 6:7 ESV

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Praying to Impress God.

Attempt at manipulating God.

Transition: Why does Jesus address these two problems?

Jesus reveals an important key to effective and empowered praying:

Attitude!

For those who desire to “be seen by others”—Jesus says:

Matthew 6:6 ESV

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.

Matthew

The attitude Jesus says that is essential in prayer is humility.

For those inclined to use empty phrases—thinking that they will impress and manipulated God—Jesus says:

Matthew 6:8 ESV

Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Matthew 6:8

The attitude Jesus says that is essential in prayer is humility.

Important: pride, arrogance, selfishness—has no place in prayer.

Key: We need to have the right attitude in prayer—humility.

Transition

This leads us to the next key to effective and empowered prayer.

Jesus says in these words:

Matthew 6:9–13 ESV

9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” is not just the starting point to this prayer—it represents the goal toward which we are working.

Everything in this prayer Jesus gives centers of the goal of seeing and experiencing God for who He is—our Father.

This speaks of relationship.

This speaks of authority and submission.

This speaks of worship.

Everything in this prayer is focused on how we can experience God and fulfill His purpose in our lives.

The second key: Adoration. Prayer is about me aligning my life with God—not an attempt to align God with my hopes, plans, and dreams.

Adoration says that I recognize and life my life to honor God, not myself.

Adoration says that every prayer I pray I want it to focus on genuine worship, rather than selfish pursuits.

Transition

We have talked about two keys thus far: the key of attitude and the key of adoration.

There is one more key to effective and empowered prayer.

And, it is the one we so often misplace.

It is the key to:

Action

But, is not not just any action that Jesus calls His followers to complete. He is very specific.

Matthew 6:14–15 ESV

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Jesus calls is followers to use the key to forgiveness which opens the door to spiritual transformation.

Bitterness, hatred, unresolved anger, festering disappointment all serve as chains that enslave people.

It makes us critical, judgmental, unloving—all of which hinders the cause of Christ in our lives and through our lives.

Jesus calls us to take action—and that action is to forgive.

Forgiveness breaks the power of darkness in our lives.

Forgiveness invites the forgiveness of God for our transgressions.

Forgiveness unleashes the power of God to work through our lives to impact everyone around us.

Conclusion

Three keys to effective and powered prayer:

The attitude of humility.

The adoration of God in worship.

The action of forgiveness.