Teach Us To Pray: Praying in Alignment

How can you pray more effectively?

This is the question the disciples asked Jesus.

“Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’” (Luke 11:1, ESV).

 N.T. Wright describes this as “an invitation to share in the prayer-life of Jesus himself.”

Matthew 6:5–13 (NKJV)

5 “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. 6 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. 7 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.

8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

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 forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Jesus taught three Key Principles When We Pray:

• Pray in Alignment

• Pray in Forgiveness

• Pray in Obedience

EFFECTIVE PRAYER BEGINS WITH HUMILITY

a) Don’t Be a Hypocrite!

“…when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites.”

Characteristics of Hypocritical Prayer:

• Arrogant

• Religious

• Manipulative

10 Things Prayer is Not:

• A pacifier

• A chore

• A ritual

• A wish list

• A magic formula

• A last resort

• A one-way conversation

• A way to impress others

• About control

• Confined to a place

b) What We Do In Private is Rewarded In Public  

“…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.”

Shift Your Perspective:

• The Power of your Prayer is in its PURITY.

• The Health of your Prayer is in its HUMILITY.

A Humble Prayer Will…

• Invite God into your Day

• Invite God into your Decisions

• Invite God into your Difficulties

EFFECTIVE PRAYER HONORS GOD

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

a) “Our Father” Honors His Identity

– This is Relational alignment

– “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God…by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:14–15, ESV)

b) “In Heaven” Honors His Position

– This is Kingdom alignment

c) “Holy is Your Name” Honors His Nature

– This is Alignment in the fear of the Lord

– “Holy is the way God is. To be holy He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard. He is absolutely holy with an infinite, incomprehensible fullness of purity that is incapable of being other than it is. Because He is holy, His attributes are holy; that is, whatever we think of as belonging to God must be thought of as holy. God is holy and He has made holiness the moral condition necessary to the health of His universe.” A.W. Tozer

EFFECTIVE PRAYER INVITES HEAVEN

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”

“This is a missional cry, asking for God’s kingdom to break into the world and for His will to be done here and now. It’s not a passive hope but an active prayer for believers to participate in bringing God’s reign to earth. – NT Wright

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life…loving the Lord your God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him, for He is your life and length of days…” (Deuteronomy 30:19–20, ESV).

• Every moment is an opportunity to invite heaven or unleash hell.

• Challenge: Choose LIFE