A) INTRODUCTION.

B) THE MANNER IN WHICH JESUS EXAMPLE US TO PRAY.

C) WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE PRAY ACCORDING TO JESUS.

D) WHEN AND WHERE DID JESUS [TELL US TO] PRAY.

E) WHAT SPECIFICALLY DID JESUS TELL US TO PRAY FOR.

F) WHAT SPECIFICALLY DID JESUS PRAY FOR.

G) HOW, OR IN WHAT MANNER SHOULD WE PRAY ACCORDING TO JESUS.

H) WHEN DID JESUS FIND IT ESPECIALLY NECESSARY TO PRAY?

I) HOW DO WE KNOW THAT GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS ACCORDING TO JESUS?

J) THE PRAYER THAT IS ALWAYS ANSWERED.

 

 

A) INTRODUCTION

 

 

“Christ was continually receiving from the Father, that He might communicate to us.  ‘The Word which ye hear,’ He said, ‘is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me.’  ‘The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.’  Not for Himself, but for others, He lived and thought and prayed.  From hours spent with God He came forth morning by morning, to bring the light of Heaven to men.  Daily He received a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit.  In the early hours of the new day the [Father] Lord awakened Him from His slumbers, and His soul and His lips were anointed with grace, that He might impart to others.”  RH, August 11, 1910.

 

Pray like your prayer depends upon God; Work like your work depends upon you.

 

 

B) THE MANNER IN WHICH JESUS EXAMPLED US TO PRAY

 

 

Matthew 6:9-13 (see also Luke 11:2-4):

 

“(9) After this manner therefore pray ye:  Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.”

   [So in our example prayer, the first thing we need to do is What?  Address our Father.].

 

(10) Thy kingdom come.  Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.

   [After addressing our Father, what is the first priority that Jesus teaches us to pray for?

   That we should be praying for the Second Coming of our Lord and that our Lord’s will be done].

 

(11) Give us this day our daily bread.

   [Since we are physical beings, I believe our Lord put this in just to show us how mindful He is of us].

 

(12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

   [Here is an example of whom we are to pray for.  And who is that?  Ourselves and our debtors].

 

(13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen.”

   [What is the last concern that Jesus teaches us to include in our daily prayers?  Temptation].

 

 

C) WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE PRAY ACCORDING TO JESUS

Note:  If Jesus needed to pray, how much more so do we?

 

 

Luke 18:1:  “And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”

 

Luke 21:36:  “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

Matthew 14:23:  “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, He was there alone.”

 

Matthew 26:36-39:  “. . .Sit ye here, while I go and pray younder. . . And He went a little further.”

 [Mark 14:32; Luke 22:41].

 

Mark 1:35:  “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

 

Mark 6:46:  “And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray.”

 

Luke 3:21:  “Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the Heaven was opened.”  [Here is the one and only case where we see Jesus Praying in public, other than being a short distance from His disciple in the Garden of Gethsemane].

 

Luke 5:16:  “And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed.”

 

Luke 9:18:  “And it came to pass, as He was alone praying. . .”

 

“We, too, must have times set apart for meditation and prayer and for receiving spiritual refreshing.  We do not value the power and efficacy of prayer as we should.  Prayer and faith will do what no power on earth can accomplish.” MH:509.

 

 

D) WHEN AND WHERE DID JESUS [TELL US TO] PRAY

 

 

Matthew 6:6:  “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.”

 

Matthew 14:23:  “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray:  and when the evening was come, He was there alone.”

 

Mark 1:35:  “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day [or basically, at night], He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

 

Luke 6:12:  “And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.”

 

Luke 19:46:  “Saying unto them, It is written [where is it specifically written?  In Isaiah 56:7.], My house is the house of prayer:  but ye have made it a den of thieves.”  [This is the only public place where our Lord tells us to pray, the other public places being only exampled by Him; such as at His baptism:  Luke 3:21].

 

“Do not neglect secret prayer, for it is the soul of religion.  With earnest, fervent prayer plead for purity of soul.  Plead as earnestly, as eagerly, as you would for your mortal life, were it at stake.  Remain before God until unutterable longings are begotten within you for salvation, and the sweet evidence is obtained of pardoned sin.”  2SG:264.

 

 

E) WHAT SPECIFICALLY DID JESUS TELL US TO PRAY FOR

 

 

Matthew 5:44:  “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

 

Matthew 9:38 & Luke 10:2:  “Therefore said He unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few:  pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into His harvest.”

 

Matthew 24:20 & Mark 13:18:  “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.”

 

Matthew 26:41 & Mark 14:38:  “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 

Mark 11:24:  “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”

 

Mark 11:25:  “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any:  that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

 

Mark 14:38:  “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.  The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

 

Luke 6:28:  “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”

 

Luke 11:11-13:  “[11] If a son shall ask bread [the implication being in the asking, i.e., prayer] of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? [12] Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? [13] If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children:  how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”

 

Luke 22:40:  “And when He was at the place, He said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.”

 

Luke 22:46:  “And [He] said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.”

 

[Notice that praying that you do not enter into temptation, is the most advised prayer given to us of our Lord].

 

 

F) WHAT SPECIFICALLY DID JESUS PRAY FOR

Note:  Keeping In Mind That This Is What We Should Pray For Also.

 

 

Matthew 26:39:  “And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me:  nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt.  [Mark 14:35-36; Luke 22:42].

 

Matthew 26:42:  “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done.”

 

Luke 22:32:  “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:  and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

 

John 17:1:  “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to Heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.”

 

John 17:3:  “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee The Only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent.”

 

John 17:9:  “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which Thou hast given Me; for they are Thine.”

 

John 17:11:  “Holy Father, keep through Thine Own Name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are.”

 

John 17:13:  “And now come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves.”

 

John 17:15:  “I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil.”

 

John 17:17:  “Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth.”

 

John 17:20:  “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word.”

 

John 17:21:  “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us:  that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.”

 

John 17:22:  “. . .that they may be one, even as We are One.”

 

John 17:23:  “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.”

 

John 17:24:  “Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I Am. . .”

 

John 17:26:  “And I have declared unto them Thy Name, and will declare It: that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

 

 

G) HOW, OR IN WHAT MANNER SHOULD WE PRAY ACCORDING TO JESUS

 

 

Matthew 6:7:  “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:  for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

 

Luke 18:13-14:  “[13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other:  for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

   Note:  This text also answers to the question of:  How And In What Manner Did Jesus Pray, For He Most Definitely Humbled Himself To Come Down To This Earth In Human Form And Have To Communicate With His Father Via Prayer Instead Of Face To Face.

 

 

H) WHEN DID JESUS FIND IT ESPECIALLY NECESSARY TO PRAY

 

 

Luke 22:44:  “And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly:  and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

 

 

I) HOW DO WE KNOW THAT GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS ACCORDING TO JESUS

 

 

John 15:7:  “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

 

John 15:16:  “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 14:13-14:  “[13] And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If ye shall ask any thing in My Name, I will do it.”

 

John 16:23-24:  “[23] Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you. [24] Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name:  ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

 

 

J) THE PRAYER THAT IS ALWAYS ANSWERED

 

 

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”  James 1:5.

 

SAY IT WITH ME:  First John 1:9:  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”