Is My Prayer Acceptable to God?

Introduction

If God’s Word is the health of a Christian, prayer is the breath of a Christian.

If this is the case, then the question we need to ask this morning is:
• Does God hear our prayers?
• Is our prayer acceptable to God?
• How do we pray?

In Matthew 6 Jesus spent time with His disciples, teaching them how to pray.
• Here we have a pattern of an acceptable prayer unto God.
• First, how not to pray, and then how to pray.

How Not to Pray (vv 5-8)

1. Projecting Self (vv 5-6)
• To impress the people around
• Acting out
• No mention of “I” and “me” in this prayer
• The most sincere prayer is when we are alone in secret closet

2. Meaningless Repetitions (vv 7-8)
• Repetition is not wrong—Jesus prayed repeatedly at the Garden of Gethsemane
• But meaningless repetitions to be avoided
• Repeating words without thinking, just to fill the time

3. Prayer with Un-repented Sins (Psalm 66:18; James 4:3)
• Psalm 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”
• James 4:3, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

How to Pray (vv 9-13)

1. Pray in Right Relationship with God (v 9)
• Our Father—we should recognize whom we are talking to

2. Pray in Faith (vv 9-10, v 8)
• Our Father who is in Heaven
• Nehemiah 2:4—“So I prayed to the God of heaven”

3. Pray in the Will of God (vv 9-10)
• Hallowed be your name—Giving glory to God
• God’s will alone is supreme in my life

4. Pray Specifically (vv 11-13)
• Identify specific needs, and pray accordingly
• Avoid general prayers (John 17:9)
• Pray specifically for our needs and for the household of faith

5. Pray Always
• Luke 18:1, “And He spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”
• 1 Chronicles 16:11, “Seek the LORD and His strength, seek His face continually.”
• Prayer is not an Act, but Attitude

6. Pray Persistently
• Luke 11:5-13

7. Pray for the Holy Spirit
• Luke 11:13
• After becoming Christians, possessing the Holy Spirit is our greatest need
• John 14-17—He will convict us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (16:8); He will guide us into all truth (16:13)

8. Pray with the Burden
• Burden for a sanctified life (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
• Burden for spiritual growth
• Burden for service
• Burden to meet Him face to face

How to Pray (vv 9-13)

9. Pray in Right Relationship with God (v 9)
• Our Father—we should recognize whom we are talking to

10. Pray in Faith (vv 9-10, v 8)
• Our Father who is in Heaven
• Nehemiah 2:4—“So I prayed to the God of heaven”

11. Pray in the Will of God (vv 9-10)
• Hallowed be your name—Giving glory to God
• God’s will alone is supreme in my life

12. Pray Specifically (vv 11-13)
• Identify specific needs, and pray accordingly
• Avoid general prayers (John 17:9)
• Pray specifically for our needs and for the household of faith

13. Pray Always
• Luke 18:1, “And He spoke a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”
• 1 Chronicles 16:11, “Seek the LORD and His strength, seek His face continually.”
• Prayer is not an Act, but Attitude

14. Pray Persistently
• Luke 11:5-13

15. Pray for the Holy Spirit
• Luke 11:13
• After becoming Christians, possessing the Holy Spirit is our greatest need
• John 14-17—He will convict us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment (16:8); He will guide us into all truth (16:13)

16. Pray with the Burden
• Burden for a sanctified life (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
• Burden for spiritual growth
• Burden for service
• Burden to meet Him face to face

Conclusion/Application

Matthew 6:9-13
“Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in 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, for ever. Amen.”