“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. 6But 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. 7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
16“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6: 5-7, 16-18
Most of us would profess fairly easily that we believe prayer is important. Most of us would have to confess, perhaps not so easily, that we do not pray as we should. Part of the problem, I suspect, about our failure to pray more frequently is our feeling uncomfortable in prayer. We don't seem to know "how to" pray.
And because we get all hung up in the "how to" part, feeling inadequate for the task, embarrassed by the act, unable to address God as we feel we should, many of us simply don't. We don't pray.
Prayer represents the most clearly defined means through which the people of God have access to the mind and power of God.
In prayer we stretch out our arms to God, We communicate with God as we allow God to communicate with us, and we find comfort in the fact that God's arms are outstretched to us.
Prayer time is our time to confide in God, as we allow God to influence our attitude, our choices, our behavior, and our deepest longings. In other words, it is through prayer that God will touch us and God will heal us and God will influence us.
Prayer is the time that we gain the strength to become better and to become stronger.
Prayer is the means through which we gain strength to live according to the will of God.
No prayer, no growth. No growth, no prayer.
I have concluded, as I look at this text, that effective prayer has everything to do with attitude. Arrogance, doubt, pride, anger-all of these things will hinder prayer. Selfishness, jealousy, rebellious thoughts-intending to do things that are not pleasing to God even when you pray-all of these things will hinder our connecting to God in prayer.
The words may be right; the position may be right, but if the attitude is not right, if there is too much baggage, if there is too much stuff, too much mess in your spirit, you may miss God. If you are walking around carrying grudges, I want you to know that you may very well have too much stuff going on, on the inside to pray.
It’s one's attitude about sin that makes the difference. Mistakes and moral slip-ups do not impede the possibility of entering into the presence of God. That which hinders our entering into the presence of God is how we view the sin that we commit. If you are comfortable with your sin, if you are making excuses for the wrong that you do, I submit to you that that type of attitude will keep you from praying effectively.
First John l: 8 says, "If we claim to be with¬out sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
If you can rid yourself of five key areas when you fall down on your knees or stand in the presence of God, the power of God will fall down on your life, and God will hear your prayers, and God will move in your situation in real power.
These are:
1. Lack of concern. By nature, you and I tend to be lazy and lethargic when it comes to prayer. The flesh does not want to pray, but the Spirit does. So in our moment of weakness He comes along beside us and helps us want to pray.
2. Lack of communion. Many people don't pray because they feel like there is a distance between them and God. But Galatians 4:6 says, "...God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father." The Holy Spirit helps us sense God's presence-the closeness of our communion with Him-when we pray.
3. Lack of content. As humans, not only do we not naturally know what to pray for, we don't even know how to pray! So what does the Holy Spirit do? He teaches us what to say. How does the Holy Spirit do this? By teaching us to listen. When we listen to God in prayer...when we stay long enough at the place in prayer...God is able to clarify His will and teach us what to say when we pray.
4. Lack of capability. We lack the strength, we lack the energy, and we lack the steadfastness to pray. But the Spirit of God comes along and energizes our prayer lives. When we worship God in the Spirit, we are invigorated!
5. Lack of concentration. Is it strange to you how anything and everything will distract you when you finally try to pray? I'm convinced the devil will do anything he can to keep us from talking to God. So the Spirit of God does warfare against the enemy to help us concentrate when we pray.
As you learn to pray with the power of the Holy Spirit, I want you to remember God is at His strongest when we are at our weakest. Consider what the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10:
And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Effective prayer happens when:
One’s spirit is purged of selfish desire and fleshly atti¬tude.
Faith replaces doubt and submission replaces rebellion.
When there is a spirit of cooperation present in the life of the one who prays.
A spirit of cooperation is one that says, “Lord God, just as I am without one plea; I come into your presence. I submit to your lordship. I am determined to get all of the clutter out of my life because I want nothing more than to cooperate with you as you purpose to make my life better.” The best attitude for prayer is the attitude that is humble, receptive, and teachable; this opens up all of the possibilities of God.
When we pray, we do not just pour out our heart to God, but rather we seek God with all of our heart, our soul, our mind, and our strength as we seek to communicate with God with the right attitude.
We are justified today if we cry out, "Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me."
Lift up your hands without fear and doubting and stand in the presence of the Lord knowing that whatsoever ye ask in his name, he shall do it, according to his plan.
Guard your heart and guard your mind against the stuff that might hinder your prayer, and when you pray, stand before God and declare, "Lord, all that I am and all that I ever hope to be, I owe it all to thee. God, you've been good to me.”
