Preaching

On
PRAYER
A Series of Lessons to Help the
Christian Pray More Effectively

Gene Taylor
 Table of Contents
Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................................. 1

Lesson One: What Is Prayer ............................................................................................................................ 2

Lesson Tw o: The Elements of Prayer ........................................................................................................... 3

Lesson Three: The Assum ptions of Prayer ................................................................................................... 4

Lesson Four: The Pow er of Prayer — Its Blessings .................................................................................... 5

Lesson Five: Things for Which to Pray ......................................................................................................... 7

Lesson Six: Keys to Acceptable Prayer ......................................................................................................... 9

Lesson Seven: The Model Prayer ................................................................................................................... 12

Lesson Eight: Common Q uestions on Prayer .............................................................................................. 15

© Gene Taylor, 1997. All Rights Reserved.

Preaching on Prayer Gene Taylor -1-

 What Is Prayer?
Introduction
1. As children of God no matter how diligently we may strive to please God in all other phases of our
responsibilities, if we do not pray, or pray properly, we will be miserable failures.
2. This series of lessons is designed to help the child of God learn to appreciate the great blessing of
prayer and to teach him how to pray effectively.
3. This lesson will seek to define prayer in Scriptural terms.

I. Prayer Is the General Term for Addressing God

A. God has m ade it possible for His children to talk to Him. (1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 4:14-16)
B. God asks His children to call upon Him. (Luke 18:1-8; Eph. 6:17-18; 1 Tim. 2:1-3; 1 Thes. 5:17)

II. Prayer Is the Privilege and Duty of the Righteous (Jas. 5:16)
A. The mo del prayer of Jesus (Matt. 6:9) shows that prayer was designed for God’s children. (cf.
John 8:42, 44)
B. Those trying to live righteously have their prayers approved of God. (1 Pet. 3:10-12)

III. Prayer Is Asking, Seeking and Knocking (Matt. 7:7-11)

A. Asking petitions of God.
B. Seeking answers to life’s problems.
C. Knocking to gain entrance into a more abundan t life.

IV. Prayer Is an Act of Faith (Luke 18:1-8; Jas. 1:5-7)

A. One canno t please God without faith. (Heb. 11:6)
B. One m ust have a working faith. (Jas. 2:14,24)
1. Prayer is not a substitute for works.
2. Prayer is a mockery unless one strives for the most effective service possible in doing
the will of God.
3. As a farmer does not pray for good crops as a substitute for his obligation to prepare the
soil, plant the seed, etc., but for reinforcement of his efforts; no Christian should pray
for the sick, the needy or the lost as a substitute for his responsibilities to such teachings
as Galatians 6:10; Romans 15:1; and M ark 16:15-16.

V. Prayer Is More Than Thinking

A. Prayer is a commun ication with two parties involved—God listens, the Christian talks.
B. This raises an important question: “Must one then verbalize private prayers?”
1. No. God know s our hearts. (Heb. 4:13; Acts 15:8)
2. The exam ple of Hannah (1 Sam. 1:12-13). Though sh e had not verbalized her prayer,
she:
a. “Poured out her soul before the L ORD .” (v. 15)
b. Had “spoken.” (v. 16)
c. Had asked petition of God. (v. 17)

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 The Elements of Prayer
Text: 1 Tim othy 2:1-4

Introduction
1. This series of lessons is designed to help the child of God learn to appreciate the great blessing of
prayer and to teach him how to pray effectively.
2. This lesson will seek to set forth the Scriptural elemen ts of prayer.

I. Adoration or Praise
A. Prayer is a way of eulogizing God. (Acts 2:47; Matt. 6:9)
B. “But what m akes prayer wo rship? Since worship is an expression of love for and devotion to
God, prayer which recognizes Him; which appeals to His love, mercy, grace, and power; and
which shows a reliance on Him and the need to com municate w ith Him; is surely worship. It
exalts God as the object of our praise, the recipient of our love, and th e source of all blessings.
In turn, God displays His providential care and love for His children by hearing and
answ ering their prayers (1 John 5:14-15; Matthew 7:7-11).” (Gene Taylor, Worshiping the Lord in
the Beauty of Holiness, p. 48)
C. An example: The prayer of the disciples after Peter and John had been released from prison.
(Acts 4:24-31)

II. Petitions
A. Petitions include pleas for one’s needs. (1 John 5:14-15)
B. Petitions include supplications (Eph . 6:17-18; P hil. 4:6). Deesis: “Primarily, a wanting, a
need...then, an asking, entreaty, supplication...” (W .E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of NT W ords,
p. 882)
C. Petitions include confession of sins and pleas for forgiveness. (1 John 1:9 - 2:2)
1. The example of Simon. (Acts 8:14-24)
2. Ezra 9 contains a prayer of confession of sin. (Ezra 9:6 - 10:1)
3. The prayer of David in Psalm 51 is an acknowledgement of his sin and a plea for
forgiveness of it. (esp. vv. 1-4)

III. Thanksgiving
A. Prayer should be characterized by thanksgiving for blessings received. (Phil. 4:6)
B. The Christian should be “abounding in thanksgiving.” (Col. 2:6-7; 4:2)

IV. Intercession
A. The Greek word translated intercession in the N ew Testamen t is enteuxis. It is “a petition...it is a
technical term for approaching a king, and so for approaching God in intercession.” (Vine, 607)
B. Intercessions are pleas for others (1 Tim. 2:1). In commenting on the intercessions of 1 Timothy 2:1,
W.E. Vine said it meant “seeking the presence and hearing of God on behalf of others.” (Ibid)
C. Again w e can cite the exam ple of Sim on in A cts 8:24 where he asked Peter to pray fo r him.

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 The Assumptions of Prayer
Introduction
1. This series of lessons is designed to help the child of God learn to appreciate the great blessing of
prayer and to teach him how to pray effectively.
2. This lesson will consider th e assum ptions o ne m ust grant about prayer.

I. God Is Real
A. One m ust see God as a thinking, powerful and personal being. (Heb. 11:6)
B. One must hav e no doubt as to God and His willingness and ability to hear and answ er prayer.
(Jas. 1:6)
C. One m ust be assured that the Father—child relationship with God is a reality. (Matt. 11:25;
Luke 11:2)

II. God’s Love for Man

A. God is interested in the welfare of His children. (Matt. 10:29-31)
1. He loves and cherishes them. (1 John 3:1)
2. He desires to meet their needs. (Matt. 6:25-33)
B. Because of His love, every sincere prayer offered to Him by His faithful children is heard and
answered. (Matt. 7:7-11)
C. His love allows th e intercesso ry wo rk of Jesus (1 Tim. 2:1-5) and the Ho ly Spirit (Rom . 8:26-27).

III. Man’s Need for God

A. Born out of a sense of his own hum an w eakness and the inability to direct his own life (Jer.
10:23), the Christian stand s in need of Go d’s prov idential care (Phil. 4:18-19).
B. Jesus, in the figure of the vine and the branches, emphasized m an’s inability to live fruitfully
and victoriously without reliance on divine strength and care. (John 15:5)
C. The Christian can boldly approach “the throne of grace” in prayer in order to “obtain mercy
and find grace in time of need.” (Heb. 4:14-16)

IV. God Hears Prayer

A. The ears of God are open to the prayers of the righteous. (1 Pet. 3:12; cf. John 9:31)
B. As one draws near to God, He draws near to him. (Jas. 4:8)
C. Prayer involves two parties—God and His child.
1. Neither is passive.
2. Every movement of one toward God in proper prayer is met by an eager movement on
God’s part toward that one. (Jas. 4:8; 1 Pet. 3:12; Psa. 65:2)

V. God Answ ers Prayer

A. If God heard the prayers of H is children and made no response at all, how futile their prayers
would be. (Heb. 11:6)
B. God answ ers all proper prayers. (1 John 5:13-15)
C. God answers prayers in different ways. He, at times:
1. Withholds the answer. (Matt. 26:39-44; Job 30:20)
2. Delays the answer. (Luke 18:7)
3. Exceeds the request. (Acts 12:5,15; Eph. 3:20)
4. Does not grant what is requested—H e knows best. (Matt. 26:39; 2 Cor. 12:8-9)

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 The Power of Prayer - Its Blessings
Introduction
1. This series of lessons is designed to help the child of God learn to appreciate the great blessing of
prayer and to teach him how to pray effectively.
2. Som e Christians err when considering the power of prayer. Som e fail to recognize the great power
that is at their disposal while others view prayer as a substitute for doing what they ought to be
doing thinking that prayer will solve all their problems and take care of all their needs and
responsibilities.
3. This lesson will consider the power of prayer as it is revealed in the Bible and will demonstrate the
reality of that power by setting forth the blessings it provides.

I. Some Pow ers That Prayer Does Not Have

A. Prayer does not have the pow er to save the “alien” sinner apart from obedience.
1. The one outside o f Christ can not be saved by prayer.
a. The example of Saul of Tarsus. (Acts 9:9-12; 22:12-16)
b. The example of Cornelius. (Acts 10:1-6,33-35; 11:13-14)
2. Faith an d obedience save the sinn er who is outside of Christ—not prayer.
a. In both of the above examples, salvation came at baptism. (cf. Gal. 3:26-27)
b. Other Scriptures show the need for faith and obedience: Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38;
Matt. 7:21; Heb. 5:8-9; etc.
B. Prayer does not have the power to work miracles today.
1. There was a time when prayer had such po wer (Matt. 17:14-21; I Cor. 14:13-15), but
miracles ceased w hen the N ew Testam ent w as com pleted (1 Cor. 13:8-10; Jas. 1:25).
2. Today, though , some brethren act as though they believe prayer can still work miracles.
a. They pray for the sick to recover but do nothing to help them as though they
will miraculously recover.
b. They pray for the needy and then do nothing to relieve their need.
c. They pray for the lost and do nothing to reach nor teach them.
C. The prayers of those who will not do the Lord’s will are powerless prayers. (1 John 3:22)
1. We should pray for daily bread (Matt. 6:11), then work for it. (2 Thes. 3:10-12)
2. We should pray for the needy and then help them according to our abilities and
opportunities. (Prov. 21:13; Jas. 2:15-17; 1 John 3:17)
3. We should pray for the lost and then w ork to save them. (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16)

II. The Power of Prayer

A. Assurance of its power.
1. It “avails much.” (Jas. 5:16)
2. It is heard and answered by God. (1 John 5:14-15)
3. God is a loving Father who is not only willing but also anxious to grant the petitions
and supply the needs of His children. (Matt. 7:7-11)
B. Som e exam ples of its pow er.
1. It saves the penitent child of God from sin. (1 John 2:1; Acts 8:18-24)

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 2. It helps the child of God overcome tem ptation. (Jas. 1:2-8)
3. It helps the child of God to conduct himself as he should toward others. (Matt. 7:1-12)

III. Evidence of the Power of Prayer - Its Blessings

A. Peace that passes understanding. (Phil. 4:6-7)
B. Help in time of tem ptation. (1 Cor. 10:13)
C. Wisdom . (Jas. 1:5)
D. Physical necessities. (Matt. 6:11, 33)
E. Healing—both physical and spiritual. (Jas. 5:16)
F. Forgiveness. (Matt. 6:12; Acts 8:22)
G. Help with prayer. (Rom. 8:26-27)
H. All good things. (Psa. 84:11; Jas. 1:17)

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 Things for Which to Pray
Introduction
1. This series of lessons is designed to help the child of God learn to appreciate the great blessing of
prayer and to teach him how to pray effectively.
2. Though as Christians we do not always know how to pray and the things for which to pray (Rom.
8:26-27), the New Testament does identify a number of things for which the child of God is to pray.
3. This lesson will look at those things found in Scripture for which we are to pray.

I. Forgiveness of Sins
A. If th e Christian, with Jesus as his Advocate (1 John 2:1), con fesses his sins to Him, God is
faithful and just to forgive him and to cleanse him from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
B. In teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus taught them, when they pray, to ask for
forgiveness of sins. (Matt. 6:12; Luke 11:4)
C. The apostle Peter told Simon the sorcerer to pray for forgiveness of his sin of attempting to
purchase the gift of God with mo ney. (Acts 8:22)

II. Wisdom
A. The child of God who lacks wisdom can request it from God in prayer. (Jas. 1:5)
B. Praying for wisdom is not a substitute for study. (2 Tim. 2:15)
C. Wh en one prays for wisdom , God w ill grant him the opportunity to gain it.

III. The Daily Necessities of Life

A. Wh ile instructing His disciples to pray, Jesus told them to pray for their “daily bread.” (Matt.
6:11; Luke 11:3)
B. Go d kno ws His children have physical needs (M att. 6:32), therefore, H e realizes they sho uld
ask for them.

IV. The Sick

A. Tho se wh o are suffering are to pray. (Jas. 5:13)
B. Elders are to pray for the sick. (Jas. 5:14)
C. The apostle Paul set an exam ple that one can pray for his ow n sicknesses and infirmities.
(2 Cor. 12:7-10)

V. Protection from Temptation

A. Jesus told His disciples to “Watch and pray, lest you enter into tem ptation.” (Matt. 26:41;
Mark 14:38)
B. God has prom ised a “way of escape” in time of temptation. (1 Cor. 10:13)

VI. Deliverance from Evil

A. The disciples of Jesus were taught to pray to be delivered from the evil one. (Matt. 6:13)
B. The Lord kno ws how to deliver the godly out of temptations. (2 Pet. 2:9)

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VII. Help with the Problems Encountered in Daily Living
A. The Jerusalem church prayed for Peter while he was in prison. (Acts 12:5)
B. Those affected by the destruction of Jerusalem were told to pray that their flight might not be
in winter or on the Sabbath. (Matt. 24:20)
C. Those wh o are suffering are to pray. (Jas. 5:13)

VIII. Other People

A. Enem ies including those who spitefully use you and/or persecute you. (Matt. 5:44)
B. Those lost in sin. (Rom. 10:1)
C. All people including civil rulers, those in authority. (1 Tim. 2:1-2)
D. The people of God including all the saints in all the world. (Eph. 6:18)

IX. The Effective Working of the Word of God

A. For an abundant harvest. (Luke 10:2)
B. For those who preach. (Eph. 6:19-20)
C. For the free course of the word into all the world. (2 Thes. 3:1-2; cf. Eph. 6:18-20)

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 Keys to Acceptable Prayer
Introduction
1. This series of lessons is designed to help the child of God learn to appreciate the great blessing of
prayer and to teach him how to pray effectively.
2. This lesson will concern those things that can hinder one’s prayers and some essentials and
nonessentials of acceptable prayer.

I. Hindrances to Prayer
A. A lack of faith. (Jas. 1:5-7)
1. The faithful Christian prays with unwavering trust.
2. An unstable doubter will receive nothing from God.
B. Wickedness. (Psa. 66:18)
1. The prayers of those who will not obey His will are an abomination to God . (Prov. 28:9)
2. God hears the prayers of the righteous. (Prov. 15:8; 1 Pet. 3:10-12; Jas. 5:16; 1 John 3:22)
C. Substituting prayer for obedience.
1. One cannot expect to receive blessings that are conditional upon action just by praying.
One can not expect:
a. Salvation without obedience. (Heb. 5:8-9)
b. Restoration o f health without seeking treatment.
c. To save the lost without seeking them .
2. God’s law of sowing and reaping is applicable. (Gal. 6:7-8)
D. Selfishness (Jas. 4:3). One must have a desire to use God’s blessings unselfishly.
E. Improper attitudes tow ard others.
1. An unforgiving spirit. (Matt. 6:14-15)
2. Unreconciled differences. (Matt. 5:23-24)
3. An improper view and/or treatment of spouse. (1 Pet. 3:7)

II. Nonessentials to Acceptable Prayer

A. A particular body posture.
1. Several different positions are seen in Scripture.
a. Falling upon one’s face. (Num . 16:22; 1 Chron. 21:16-17; Matt. 26:39)
b. Standing. (1 Kings 8:22-23; Mark 11:25; Luke 18:13)
c. Lifting up hands. (Psa. 28:2; Lam. 2:19; 1 Tim. 2:8)
d. Lifting up eyes. (John 17:1)
e. Kneeling. (Psa. 95:6; Luke 22:41; Acts 20:36; 21:5)
2. “The Prayer of Cyrus Brow n” by Jack Frost, Jr.

“The proper way for a man to pray,”

Said deacon Lemuel Keyes,
“And the only proper attitude
Is down upon his knees.”
“No, I should say the wa y to pray,”
Said Preacher Doctor Wise,

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 “Is standing straight, with outstretched arms,
and rapt and turned up eyes.”
“Oh, no, no, no,” said Elder Snow,
“Such posture is too proud;
A man should pray with eyes fast closed
And head contritely bowe d.”
“It seems to me his hands should be
Austerely clasped in front,
With both thumbs pointing toward the ground,”
Said the Preacher Do ctor Blunt.
“Las’ year I fell in Ho dkins’ w ell,
Headfirst,” said Cyrus Brown,
“With both my heels a stickin’ up,
My hea d a-pintin’ down.”
“An’ I made a prayer right then and there—
Best prayer I ever said,
The prayinest prayer I ever prayed,
A-standin’ on my head.”

B. Olde English (King Jam es English).

1. Som e contend that for prayers to be acceptable, they must be phrased in King James
English using the pronouns “Thee,” “Thou,” “Thine,” etc. Consider the following
article from “The Grandview Guide,” V ol. 2, No . 16, May 1983.
• “Is it wrong, according to the Bible, to use the words ‘you’ and ‘your’ in reference to God
when praying?”
“The use of these words in praying to God by Christians is relatively a modern thing.
Tw enty years ago such was nearly unheard of am ong brethren in the Lord. Many still
would not thing (sic) of using such words in prayer.
“...in the King James and American Standard translations the words ‘you’ and ‘your’ are
not used in any of the prayers to God recorded therein. ‘Thee’ and ‘thou’ are always
used. The translators of the American Standard Version...retained the use of ‘thee’ and
‘thou’ in the recorded prayers because even nearly 300 years after the translation of the
King James Version...these words still conveyed a special reverence to God which is due
our Heavenly Father. Today, this style, characteristic of the English language remains.
“...Those among us who address God with the words ‘you’ and ‘your’ would be careful
not to address a judge in a court of law with undue familiarity, because of the dignity of
the office. Words could be used that convey the kind of respect that the occasion and
the civil dignitary demands. Surely God is due a special kind of recognition also...yea,
even more so!
“Because of the accepted style of the English language that employs words that
convey special respect and reverence, particularly to God; and because of brethren who
are conscientiously opposed to the use of the words ‘you’ and ‘your’ when addressing
God; and because of the teaching of the law of Christ as respects the expediency of
seeking our neighbor’s good; plus the command to be an exam ple worthy of others
following...YES, we believe the use of the words ‘you’ and ‘yo ur’ w hen addressing God in
prayer is Scripturally wrong.” (M.W. Jackson, “The Grandview Guide,” Vol. 2, No. 16, May
1983 )
2. The Bible was written in the language of the co mmon man. Th e prayers of Jesus it
contains were phrased in everyday language.
3. Tho ugh o ne m ust nev er use slang or improper language in praying, “Thee,” “Thou,”
“Thine,” etc., are not necessary as long as proper respect is shown.

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 C. Some M iscellaneous N on essentials
1. Solemn looks and pious tones.
2. Flowery, impressive language. (Matt. 6:5)
3. Vain repetitions. (Matt. 6:7)

III. Essentials of Acceptable Prayer

A. A proper life.
1. One m ust be righteous (I Pet. 3:12) or sincerely seeking to be righteous. (Psa. 51)
a. To be righteous, one must do or practice righteousness. (1 John 3:7)
b. Practicing righteousness involves keeping the comm andm ents of God. (Psa.
119:171; 1 John 3:22; John 15:7)
2. One who does not hear and do the will of God will not have his prayers heard. (Prov.
28:9; Psa. 66:18)
B. A proper disposition. One must pray with:
1. Reverence. (Matt. 6:9; Psa. 111:9)
2. Faith, trust and confidence in God. (Jas. 1:5-7)
3. Sincerity. (Matt. 6:5-6)
4. Thanksgiving. (Eph. 5:20)
a. For material blessings. (1 Tim. 4:3-4; Acts 27:35)
b. For spiritual blessings including salvation, the church (brethren), the word,
strength to overcome trials and temptations, victory over death, etc.
5. Hum ility. (Luke 18:9-14; 1 Pet. 5:5b-7)
6. An obedient spirit. (1 John 3:22; 1 Pet. 3:10-12)
a. Submission to the w ill of God. (1 John 5:14; Matt. 26:39)
b. With “holy hands.” (1 Tim. 2:8)
c. Confessing sins. (1 John 1:8 - 2:2)
7. A forgiving spirit. (Matt. 6:14-15)
8. A willing spirit. (1 John 5:14)
C. Proper authority.
1. One m ust pray in the nam e of Christ. (Col. 3:17)
a. “In the nam e of ” = by the autho rity of.
b. Jesus is the Christian’s High Priest (Heb. 8:1-2), Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) and
Advocate (1 John 2:1-2), therefore, all prayers should go through Him.
2. One m ust pray that all things be done in accordance with the will of God. (1 John 5:14;
Matt. 26:39)
D. Proper frequency.
1. One “always ought to pray and no t lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)
2. The Christian should “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thes. 5:17)
E. Proper motive. (Jas. 1:5-7; 4:3)

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 The Model Prayer
Text: Matthew 6:5-15 (cf. Luke 11:1-4)

Introduction
1. This series of lessons is designed to help the child of God learn to appreciate the great blessing of
prayer and to teach him how to pray effectively.
2. Though this text is often called “The Lord’s Prayer,” in reality, it was a model prayer given at the
request of the disciples for Jesus to teach them to pray. (Luke 11:1)
a. Since prayer is a vital part of the Christian’s life, he m ust be taught how to pray effectiv ely
and acceptably before God.
b. The lessons of this model prayer Jesus gave His disciples must be learned by us today if our
prayers are to m eet with God’s approval.

I. The Setting in Which This Prayer Is Found

A. If M atthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4 refer to the same prayer, then Jesus gave th is prayer in
response to a request from His disciples. If not the same prayer, then Jesus was meeting a
similar need on another occasion.
1. Having h eard Jesus pray, they wanted to pray like Him (Luke 11:1).
2. Upon hearing His teaching on how they should not pray, they needed to know how
they should pray. (Matt. 6:5-8)
B. In this portion of the Serm on on the M ount recorded by M atthew, Jesus was warn ing His
listeners not to pray like the hypocrites or the Gentiles. (Matt. 6:5-8)
1. The prayers of the hypocrites. (vv. 5-6)
a. Theirs were prayers of the lips and not of the heart. (Matt. 15:7-9a)
b. Their purpose was to be seen of men.
1) They often prayed at a set time and place each day.
2) They sought to be public when they prayed in order to display piety and
have others think they were religious. (Luke 18:10-14)
c. They could expect no further reward because their purpose for prayer had been
accomplished—they had been seen of men.
d. Note: Jesus is not prohibiting public prayer just as His teachings in Matthew 6:1-
4 do not prohibit public giving.
2. The prayers of the Gentiles. (vv. 7-8)
a. They thought they could weary their gods by repeating their petitions over and
over.
b. This would insult the living God w ho kn ows, without our speaking, all our needs.

II. The Intent of This Prayer

A. Jesus never meant this prayer to be bound upon anyone as a set form.
1. That was not the intent of Jesus even in His day as seen in His use of the ph rase “In this
manner.” (Matt. 6:9)
• Manner: “Kind, sort.” (Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, p. 515)

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 2. “It should be called ‘The Model Prayer’ rather than ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’ ‘Thus’ pray as
he gives them a model. He himself did not use it as a liturgy (cf. John 17). There is no
evidence that Jesus meant it for liturgical use by others...there is no evidence whatever
that Jesus designed it as a set fo rmula.” (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New
Testament, Vol. I, p. 52)
B. Its use today is limited by two significant changes which have taken place since this prayer
was uttered.
1. One can no longer pray, “Your kingdom come,” for the kingdom is now in existence.
(Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9)
2. With the establishment of His kingdom, all power and authority have been given to
Jesus (Matt. 28:18) and prayer is to be offered in His name. (Col. 3:17; John 16:24)

III. The Elements of This Prayer

A. An outburst of praise an d reverence: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Yo ur nam e.”
1. Prayer is an exclusive blessing of the child of God. (Eph. 1:3)
2. The child of God is His spiritual, not physical, child. (John 3:3-6; Gal. 3:26-27)
B. A petition on behalf of the kingdo m: “Your kingdom com e.”
C. A petition for obedience: “Yo ur will be don e on earth as it is in heaven .”
D. A petition for tem poral things: “Give us this day our daily bread.”
E. A petition for forgiveness: “And forgive us our debts, As w e forgive our debtors.”
F. A petition for deliverance from temptation: “And do n ot lead us into tem ptation, But deliver us
from the evil one.”
G. A recognition of God’s power: “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the g lory forever.”

IV. The Models This Prayer Establishes

A. It is a model in reference to brevity and scope.
1. The entire prayer contains only 65 words (NKJV) but they embrace a condensed
statement of the Lord’s chief ideas about God and men.
a. It is both brief and comprehensive.
b. It addresses, in a few short words, a wide range of human needs as well as the
relationship between God and man.
2. An analysis of the prayer in Matthew 6 shows a well-conceived literary structure of four
parts:
a. The address. (v. 9)
b. A series of petitions pertaining to God. (v. 10)
c. A series of petitions pertaining to those offering the prayer. (vv. 11-13a)
d. The closing. (v. 13b)
B. It is a model in reference to simplicity and directness.
1. Instead of being a prayer which would appeal to only the cultured and sophisticated,
those highly educated, it is one that ev eryon e can easily understand. (cf. Matt. 11:25ff)
a. Such simplicity does not indicate shallowness.
b. A study of it gives great insight into the relationship of man to His God.

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 3. Its directness is seen in its requests—each petition is a distinct and definite request.
a. This is based upon the understanding that God w ill meet all of one’s needs.
(Phil. 4:19)
b. Requests should be mad e to God with the same frankness and directness with
which a child makes known his wants to his parents. (cf. Mark 10:15; Phil. 4:6-7)
C. It is a model in reference to order.
1. It teaches that hon oring God sho uld be the first priority of every child of God wh o prays.
2. Before a word is said about personal needs, Jesus taught His disciples that God’s name
should be hallowed, His kingdom acknowledged and His will done on earth.
3. One of our hardest tasks as children of God is to learn to prefer God’s will to our own
and to seek after the things He dem ands of us. (Matt. 6:33; 16:24)
D. It is a model with reference to spirit.
1. The power of this prayer does not depend solely or in great proportion upon the words
used but also upon the spirit in which it is offered. (John 4:24)
2. The spirit which makes prayer effective is that of childlike confidence and trust. (Heb.
11:6; Mark 10:15)
a. It was because of our Lord’s trust and confidence that His prayers constitute such
com plete and sufficient guides as to the proper principles of acceptable prayer.
b. Christ’s spirit of loving confidence m ust be portrayed in our prayers.

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 Common Questions on Prayer
Introduction
1. This series of lessons is designed to help the child of God learn to appreciate the great blessing of
prayer and to teach him how to pray effectively.
2. In any study of prayer, some of the sam e questions often arise.
3. This lesson will look at some of those questions and attempt to answer them from Scripture.

I. “Must Prayer Be Offered in the Name of Jesus?”

A. Several passages of Scripture confirm that prayer is to be offered in the name of, i.e., by the
authority of, Jesus.
1. Colossians 3:17. “And whatever yo u do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to G od th e Father through H im.”
2. John 16:23. “And in that day you will ask Me no thing. Most assuredly, I say to you,
whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.”
3. Ephesians 2:18. “For through Him (Jesus - GT) we both have access by one Spirit to the
Father.”
4. Romans 1:8. “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is
spoken of throughout the w hole world.”
B. Jesus is Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5), Advocate (1 John 2:1), and H igh Priest
(Heb. 4:14-15), therefore, the Christian can have boldness and access with confidence through
Him (Eph. 3:12) to com e to the throne of grace in tim e of need (H eb. 4:16).
C. Most w ho ask the question, “Must prayer be in the name of Jesus?”, in reality are asking, “Does
one have to audibly state that the prayer is being offered in the name of Jesus?”
1. This is a common practice, usually at th e clo se o f the prayer, am on g m ost brethren in
the prayers offered in worship assemblies of local churches.
2. This is similar to what is done when one is baptized.
a. Baptism is to be “in the name of Jesus Christ.” (Acts 2:38)
b. It is a good practice to audibly express that baptism is being done “in the name
of Jesus Christ” when baptizing someone so that those viewing it, especially
non-Christians, will be able to recogn ize and acknowledge that fact.
2. Though it could be classified as a tradition, it is a good tradition.
a. It states to all present, including possibly first-tim e visitors or others who would
not know otherwise, that prayer is through Jesus and by His authority.
b. It reminds the Christian of the wonderful access he has w ith the Father because
of the loving sacrifice of Jesus and His gracious gift of prayer. It is a recognition
of His Lordship over him.
3. In personal prayers, even though they may not be stated audibly (See the first lesson of
this series), it is good to always acknowledge the lov e and autho rity of Jesus.

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II. “Can We Pray to Jesus?”
A. When a Christian prays, all persons of the Godhead have a role, therefore, in that sense, one
canno t pray without involving Jesus.
1. Prayers come before the throne of God. (Rev. 8:3-4)
2. The intercessory roles of both Jesus (1 Tim . 2:1-5) and the Ho ly Spirit (Rom . 8:26-27) are
clearly stated.
3. Therefore, Jesus has knowledge of every prayer offered in His name by His disciples.
B. The New Testam ent plainly teaches that prayer is to be directed to the Father.
1. The instructions of Jesus. (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2; John 16:23)
2. The example of the apostle Paul.
a. Colossians 1:3. “W e give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Ch rist,
praying always for you.”
b. Ephesians 3:14. “Fo r this reason I bow my knees to th e Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ.”
c. Ephesians 5:20. “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the
nam e of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
C. James 1:17 says the Father is the giver of “every good gift and every perfect gift.” If one desires
to receives those things for which he is petitioning, he must make his requests to the one who
grants those gifts.
1. The heavenly Father knows the needs of His children. (Matt. 6:32)
2. The Father supplies “all your need according to H is riches in glory by Jesus Christ.”
(Phil. 4:19)

III. “Does God Hear the Prayer of Sinners?”

A. The usual answer to this question is a swift “No!” with some qualifications such as Cornelius (Acts
10:4). But if God never hears the prayers of sinners:
1. How can His children who have sinned ever receive forgiveness through prayer as
instructed in 1 John 1:9?
2. Why did the apostle Peter tell Simon the sorcerer to “pray God if perhaps the thought of
your heart may be forgiven you” when he was “bound by iniquity?” (Acts 8:22-23)
B. A consideration of John 9:31.
1. In this text the m an who was born blind, having been healed by Jesus, stated, while
making his defense before the Jews, “‘Now we know that God does not hear sinners;
but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does H is will, He hears h im.”
2. Som e have said this verse is not applicable because the m an was not inspired but
several passages of Scripture support his statement.
a. Proverbs 15:29. “The L ORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the
righteous.”
b. Psalm 66:18. “If I regard iniquity in m y heart, the Lord w ill not hear.”
c. 1 Peter 3:12. “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open
to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those wh o do evil.”

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 3. In each of the above Scriptures, the matter under consideration is whether or not God
will even hear the prayers of His own children, Jew or Gentile, w hen they con tinue in
sin.
a. God will not hear the prayer of one who claims to belong to Him if that one
persists in sinning. (Isa. 59:1-2)
b. Wh en a child of God truly repents, he may always turn to God in prayer with
the full assurance th at God w ill hear him but as long as h e co ntinues to sin
impenitently, he has no hope that God w ill hear him.
C. The more accurate question is, “Does God ever hear the prayers of non-Christians?”
1. The case of Cornelius.
a. Though h e was not a Christian, his prayers were heard by God. (Acts 10:4,31)
b. We are not told that for which Cornelius was praying.
1) Even though God answered his prayer by sending Peter to him, I doubt he
was praying fo r Peter to be sent to him or about th e gospel Peter would
preach.
2) He m ay have been praising God, thanking Him or m aking some special
requests based on what he knew.
c. Not realizing that he was not a true child of God, he offered m any prayers to
God for man y things.
1) God heard his prayers for God always hears the prayers of those who
truly seek Him. (Matt. 7:7-11; Heb. 11:6)
2) But he was not a child of God.
d. Since he was not a child of God and did not really have the right to approach
Go d in prayer as his Father, there was only one answer God could give him.
1) That answer was how to become a child of God.
2) Peter was sent with the answer that Cornelius did not even know he
needed.
e. A summ ary.
1) Cornelius was “on the outside looking in”—seeing children of God
praying, and wanting to be like them, he prayed too.
2) His understanding was still imperfect so he did not realize he did not have
access to the throne of grace that those who were already Christians had.
3) God heard his prayer and answered it, not by granting the things the
non-Christian has no right to request, but by providing that which the
man really needed—the opportunity to hear and obey the gospel and
thereby gain access to God’s throne of grace through Jesus Christ.
f. “Another unusual instance of prayer is in the case of Cornelius, ‘a centurion of
the band called the Italian band.’ He is described as ‘a devout man, and one that
feared God w ith all his house, who gave m uch alm s to the people, and prayed to
God always’ (Acts 10:1,2). Truly, he was an unusual character. In response to the
prayers of this man , who was neither a Christian nor a Jew, God sent an angel to

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 instruct him what to do. He must send to Joppa for a man named Peter. ‘who
shall speak unto thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, thou and all thy
house’ (Acts 11:14). The answer to his prayers was in bringing him in contact
with one who could tell him what to do to be saved; this was his primary need.
Today if God hears the prayer of an individual like Cornelius, it will be to bring
him providentially together with one who can teach h im the word and the way
of salvation. God saves the unsaved person through obedience to the gospel, not
in some mysterious mann er in direct answer to prayer. The unsaved person does
not have the full right and privilege of prayer that the Christian has; this is the
blessing of the sav ed.” (H om er Hailey, Prayer and Providence, p. 12)
2. The example of Saul of Tarsus.
a. After Jesus appeared to him on the road to Dam ascus, Saul went into the city
where he penitently spent three days in fasting and prayer. (Acts 9:8-9, 11)
b. God sent Ananias to him “for behold, he is praying.” (Acts 9:12)
1) The prayers of Saul were heard by the Lord.
2) As in the case o f Cornelius, God provided Saul with that which he really
needed—the opportun ity to hear and obey the gospel.
D. When one obeys the gospel, as a child of God h e may approach God as his Father.
1. He m ay do so with the assurance and confidence that Scripture gives him. (Jas. 1:6;
Matt. 7:7-8)
2. No one outside of Christ has that assurance or that right.

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