Dr. Jack L. Arnold Equipping
Pastors International Doctrine
of Prayer
Lesson 3
The Pattern of Prayer
I. INTRODUCTION
A.
Humanity
has made such tremendous strides in technology within the last hundred years
that man has become enamored with his own intelligence. The result of all this wisdom is that
man has overestimated his natural abilities and played down the need of God in
his life.
B.
Most
men are denying outwardly or seriously questioning the whole idea of God and
the supernatural. The Bible tells
us that the supernatural world is more real than the natural world, but the
vanity of man denies that which God says is true.
C.
The
lack of emphasis upon the supernatural can be most clearly seen in the concept
of prayer. This naturalistic
philosophy has rubbed off on many Christians, for they try psychology,
psychiatry, sociology, etc., before they go to prayer to ask for supernatural
help from God. But the opposite
should be true; Christians should go to God first and then use whatever human
means are available to solve a problem. POINT: The naturalistic, humanistic spirit of our age has greatly
tainted Christian thinking.
D.
God
has told us about the importance of prayer and Jesus Christ has set forth for
us the pattern of prayer in what the Christian world calls “The Lord’s Prayer,”
or “The Disciples’ Prayer.”
II.
THE LORD’S PRAYER (Luke 11:1-10; Matt. 6:5-15)
A.
There
has been no small controversy in some Christian circles over the use of the
Lord’s Prayer. There are three
basic views:
1.
For Israel:
Those holding this view are strict dispensationalists who feel that the
kingdom mentioned in this prayer is for Israel only. Therefore, this prayer should never be
prayed by those who are members of the Church. The real Lord ’s Prayer is found in John 17.
2.
Application to the Church:
These are dispensationalists that see the Lord’s Prayer as for Israel
but think that by application it can be prayed by the Church because there are
many principles that apply to both dispensations.
3.
For all Christians:
The Lord’s Prayer can and should be prayed and used as a pattern for
prayer by all Christians who are waiting for Christ to establish His Messianic
Kingdom on this earth. POINT: This is the more correct view.
B.
Another
controversy is over when and how the Lord’s Prayer should be used. Some think it should be prayed in
public and others think it is just a pattern of prayer. However, the Bible seems to indicate
that it may be repeated publicly (Luke 11:2—“When you pray, say”) or it
may be used as a pattern of prayer (Matt. 6:9—“After this manner”). NOTE: Do not become critical of those who repeat the Lord’s Prayer
publicly or privately. Christians
should not be reactionaries because they have had bad experiences with the
Lord’s Prayer in liberal churches. This prayer covers everything in
principle. It is a comfort to know
that whatever a Christian has forgotten in his private prayers he can cover in
principle by repeating the Lord’s Prayer.
III.
OUR NEED OF PRAYER (Luke 11:1)
A.
The
disciples wanted to know how to pray.
They had obviously prayed before but they wanted Christ to teach them
that they might be effective in prayer.
So it was asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.” NOTE: Effective
prayer does not come naturally or else our Lord would have never had to teach
on the subject.
B.
It
takes time to learn to pray well.
Someone has said, “Prayer works, prayer is work, prayer
leads to work.”
C.
Every
Christian has a great need to be taught by Christ to pray effectively.
Montgomery says,
“Lord,
teach us how to pray aright,
With
reverence and with fear;
Though
dust and ashes in Thy sight,
We
may, we must draw near.
Give
deep humility; the sense
Of
godly sorrow give;
A
strong, desiring confidence,
To
hear Thy voice, and live.”
I.
OUR
MOTIVES IN PRAYER (Matt. 6:5-8)
A.
Beware of Hypocrisy (6:5):
There are many, especially religious leaders, who pray to impress
men. They have the externals of
religion but no heart reality.
There are many hypocrites in the Church but they shall have their reward
at the final judgment in which they will be found guilty before God and
illegitimate children of God.
B.
Beware of the Flesh (6:6):
There is something inside of all men that wants the praise of men. We pray eloquently in public because we
want folks to think us spiritual, mature, or great prayer warriors. But God says the real prayer warriors
are those who have learned to pray to the Father in secret. For those who grasp the power of secret
prayer, there will be great reward in time and in eternity.
C.
Beware of Ritual (6:7):
When men are praying, they are not to pray with vain (thoughtless)
repetitions, for this is the practice of pagans. Prayer, not flowing from the inner man, can become
ritualistic and meaningless.
Pagans pray this way. Some
Mohammedans spend six hours in prayer a day and they do it by repeating over
and over again, “There is no God, but Allah, and Mohammed is the prophet of
God.” There are many Christians
also who have ritualistic prayer.
You may have heard of the old Christian farmer who prayed daily, “Lord,
I pray for me, my wife, my son John, his wife—us four and no more!” NOTE: The danger of repeating the Lord’s Prayer in public is that
is can become purely ritualistic with no meaning.
D.
Beware of Becoming Stereotyped (6:8): It is quite possible for a Christian to
fall into the pattern of the unsaved world or to take up the compromising
habits of a carnal church. But
Christ says, “Be not ye therefore like unto them.” Why be different?
Because God knows our needs before we even ask. POINT: Our Heavenly Father longs to meet our needs if we will but
ask Him and trust Him to do it, not trying to gain merit from God, not trying
to impress Him. We are to come to
Him as our Father to ask Him for blessing.
II.
OUR
PATTERN FOR PRAYER (Matt. 6:8-13)
A.
Prayer for the Kingdom (6:9-10): The disciples were looking forward to the kingdom that would
be set up on this earth (whether in the millennium or eternal state) where God
would reign supreme. The earthly
kingdom did not come with Christ’s first advent but will come in His second
advent. Until God establishes the
kingdom, Christians are to pray in a certain pattern.
1.
Acknowledgment (“Our Father which art in heaven”): Christians are to acknowledge the
existence of God and “practice His presence.” He is a God who is really there, who really acts in history,
and who really cares for men. He
is not only transcendent (far off) but He is immanent (very near).
2.
Adoration (“Hallowed be thy name”): Literally this says, “Let thy name be
holy.” He is a holy God; thus, we
are to respect and reverence the God who is there. POINT: If God
is holy, then Christians should also be holy, “You shall be holy, for I am
holy” (1 Pet. 1:16), and shine as lights in the world until God sets up His
kingdom. There is danger of
rushing into God’s presence with our wants but we must begin by worshipping Him
before we state our own needs. We
should be concerned about His honor and glory and holiness and remind ourselves
of His majesty and greatness and power.
Prayer is speaking to God, forgetting ourselves,
and realizing His presence. When
this is done we contact God.
NOTE: We must always treat
God with respect, for this is basic to acknowledgment of His holiness. If we treat God like a king, then He
will treat us like respected servants!
It is related of Alexander the Great that on one occasion a courtier
asked him for some financial aid.
That great leader told him to go to his treasurer and ask for whatever
amount he wanted. A little later,
the treasurer appeared and told Alexander the man had asked for an enormous
sum, and that he hesitated to pay out so much. “Give him what he asks for,” replied the great
conqueror. “He has treated me like
a king in his asking, and I shall be like a king in my giving.” How like God this is! Christians should have a burning desire
for the whole world to bow before God in adoration, in reverence, in praise, in
worship, in honor, and in thanksgiving.
This will find complete fulfillment when Christ sets up His kingdom on
earth (Isa. 29:23, Ezek. 36:23).
3.
Realization (Thy kingdom come”): As soon as the Christian begins to sanctify God’s name on
earth, he meets opposition from Satan’s kingdom of darkness. Satan is the god of this world, but we
should pray for Christ to set up His kingdom. Literally, this says, “Let thy kingdom come.” Christians are to realize that God has
a plan for this world and this plan will be consummated when the kingdom is
established. The kingdom has come
spiritually in the hearts of all who have acknowledged Christ as King. Yet, the day is to come when the
kingdom shall be established on earth and Christ shall reign over the
world. We are to pray that God
will hasten the establishing of this future kingdom because the nearness of the
kingdom means that the second advent of Christ is not too far distant, for
Christ must return before the kingdom can be established.
4.
Submission (“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in
heaven”): Literally this says,
“Let thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” As children of the King and participants in the future
kingdom, Christians are to pray for God’s will to be done on earth until the
kingdom is established. When it
is, God’s will shall be done perfectly. Christians doing the will of God now
are preparing this world for the future kingdom. The world gets a taste of the kingdom by observing
Christians.
B.
Prayer for Needs Until the Kingdom (6:11-13): Until God
establishes His kingdom, the children of the King will
have to have certain needs met.
1.
Physical (material) Needs:
(“Give us this day our daily bread”): We are to pray that God will meet our needs day by day. We are to pray for needs, not
luxuries. (If some luxuries come,
that will be wonderful, but we should not be disappointed if they do not
come.) Praying this is believing that God will take care of us because we are His
children. He is interested in the
minutest details of our lives.
NOTE: The folly of the
twentieth century is thinking that because of our scientific knowledge we do
not need God to provide for us.
Without rain and sunshine we could not live a day. Our health, our very existence, is in
His hands.
One time a lady came to
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan and said, “Oh, Mr. Morgan, I have a big prayer request
because I have a big need.” He
quietly leaned over to the lady and said, “Is there anything big in God’s
sight?”
2.
Sociological (personal) Needs (“And forgive us our
debts, as we forgive our debtors”):
This is not speaking about salvation but about sanctification. We have need for daily cleansing from
sin, for we must be right with God before we can be right with others. There is a great need to know how to
forgive others and to love others.
“. . . bearing with one another, and forgiving
each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you,
so also should you” (Col. 3:13).
If we are not willing to forgive others, God will not bless us as His
children. Positive human
relationships are basic to genuine Christianity.
3.
Protective (spiritual) Needs (“And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil”):
Christians are in constant struggle with the world, the flesh, and the
devil. Temptation is all about,
and Christians, more than anyone else, understand the dangers of sin and the
need for prayer that God will protect them, even from temptation. Protection from sin is necessary
because sin affects our daily fellowship with the Father. Our supreme desire should be to have a
right relationship with God, to know Him, to have uninterrupted fellowship and
communion with Him.
C.
Prayer for the Anticipation of the Kingdom (6:13): Until the kingdom comes, Christians
know that the kingdom belongs to God and that all power and glory also belong
to Him. Thus we are to live in
anticipation of the kingdom yet to come.
III.
OUR
PERSEVERANCE IN PRAYER (Luke 11:5-10)
A.
Apparently
when our Lord had finished instructing His disciples on the pattern of prayer,
he told them the parable of the importunate friend. In this parable we are told the importance of repeatedly and
continually asking the Father for our needs. God takes delight in our persevering prayer.
Sir Walter Raleigh once
made a request of the Queen, and she petulantly answered, “Raleigh, when will
you leave off begging?” Sir Walter
replied, “When your Majesty leaves off giving,” and his request was granted.
The God of all grace never grows weary of our asking and never rebukes us for
coming.
B.
This
parable about persevering in prayer was given after the instruction on the
pattern of prayer because our Lord knew how easy it is to have head knowledge
about prayer but never apply this knowledge to experience. POINT: God longs for us to know how to pray and then to actually
pray, for He desires to meet the needs of His children.