TEACH US TO PRAY

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Luke 11:1

Are we having conversations with our Father, or is it more like a monologue? Or… are we barely speaking. Do we fully realize the reality of God, or do we just accept the “tradition” of a supernatural, spectral Divine Being?

It is difficult, I know, to wrap our finite, carnal minds around the ACTUALITY of an Infinite, Almighty God, the Father. The problem, which I share with many people, is that we naturally have a difficult time comprehending, seeing, apprehending, and/or fathoming the SPIRITUAL and the INFINITE. Of course we do, because…

The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. 2:14

We can’t see it, touch it, smell it, taste it, or hear it. Well what do you know… those are the five senses. That is our SENSUAL temporal existence. My goodness… many still don’t even really understand that not only was Jesus a REAL man who lived about 2000 years ago, but that He is ALIVE today.

It is easier and more expedient to believe philosophically… that is, assent or acquiesce to the concept of God, but that, at best, is arrogant and at the worse, does not save anyone from the condemnation man is already under. Many of us, saved by the Grace of God, do not seem to be able to crucify the natural and walk in the Spirit. In the flesh we are, at best, only saved sinners. There is a great disconnect with God, the Father if we live in the flesh, not necessarily as “carnal” in lusts, but, worldly. Or perhaps a better description would be spiritually immature. To be Christian, we must walk in the Spirit.

But without faith it is impossible to please God; for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. Heb. 11:6

To connect with God, we must first absolutely believe that He IS, and we must necessarily be born again. This can only happen through Jesus and in Christ. This baptizes us into the family and into the body of Christ… you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:15-16

To really know this relationship and God as a real Father, we must walk in the Spirit, BE in the Spirit, we must remain (abide) in the Spirit. Our best intentions and all the power of our will does not make it happen. In fact, just the opposite… we must lose everything that is “self” and submit to the will of God in our lives. It is not an abstract, theoretical “thing”… to know God; to know His will, it is a reality. Knowing God will not happen without prayer… in the Spirit. We must cast aside our notions of religion and ritual and seek a real, personal relationship with God.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16

Jesus obviously demonstrated something very different, unique and special for the disciples to ask Him, “Teach us to pray.” These men were Jews whose heritage, culture, and duty was to KNOW God… and they, no doubt, went to synagogue “services” and especially to the Temple for sacrifice. But they were convicted of a “lack of communication” with God. Jesus showed them communion with God… He showed them union with God. To pray effectively to and with God the Father is to reiterate His will in and for our lives.

Our Father Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done

on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

-Matt. 6:9-13

[This is the central N.T. passage on prayer. In the Sermon on the Mount Christ had announced the new basis of prayer, viz.: relationship, Matthew 6:9 Matthew 6:28-32. The believer is a child of God through the new birth. (See Scofield "John 3:3"). The clear revelation of this fact at once establishes the reasonableness of prayer; a reasonableness against which the argument from the apparent uniformity of natural law shatters itself. God is more than a Creator, bringing a universe into being, and establishing laws for it; more than a decree-maker determining future events by an eternal fiat. Above all this is the divine family for whom the universe with its laws exists; Colossians 1:16-20; Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 2:10 Hebrews 2:11; Romans 8:17.

[“When you pray, say, Our Father.” What God habitually does in the material universe concerns the reverent investigator of that universe. What He may do in His own family concerns Him, and them, and is matter for divine promise and revelation. Science, which deals only with natural phenomena, cannot intrude there; 1 Corinthians 2:9.] ~Scofield Reference Notes

Christ's law of prayer may be thus summarized:

(1) He grounds prayer upon relationship, and reveals God as freely charging himself with all the responsibilities, as His heart glows with all the affections of a Father toward all who believe on Jesus Christ, Matthew 6:25; Matthew 6:32; 7:9-11. Prayer, therefore, is a child's petition to an all-wise, all-loving, and all-powerful, Father-God.

(2) In the so-called Lord's prayer, Christ gives an incomparable model for all prayer. It teaches that right prayer begins with worship; puts the interest of the kingdom before merely personal interest; accepts beforehand the Father's will, whether to grant or withhold; and petitions for present need, leaving the future to the Father's care and love. Used as a form, the Lord's prayer is, dispensationally, upon legal, not church ground; it is not a prayer in the name of Christ (cf) John 14:13; John 14:14; 16:24 and it makes human forgiveness (as under the law it must) the condition of divine forgiveness; an order which grace exactly reverses (cf) Ephesians 4:32.

(3) Prayer is to be definite Luke 11:5; Luke 11:6 and,

(4) importunate, that is undiscouraged by delayed answers.]~Scofield Reference Notes