Learning To Pray Pt. 3 Jesus Said Pray To Our Father In Heaven

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The Lord Jesus Christ gives us the framework for proper prayer. He instructs us not to pray publicly, but pray privately. He wants us to pray with sincerity and an earnest spirit, not with pretense. 

He wants us to have our minds engaged when we pray so that we think about what we are praying for. Believers should never mindlessly go through the motions of prayer, by repeating phrases or words endlessly. 


Jesus gives us a perfect pattern for prayer. 

Matthew 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 

Jesus introduces a model for our prayers with the words "After this manner therefore pray ye." Jesus is giving us a pattern for prayer and when we follow it, our prayer life will be greatly changed for the better. 

Jesus provides a perfect model for prayer from God, for He is God manifest in the flesh. This model is superior to anything that men can teach about prayer.

We can learn much about the content of prayer and carefully choosing our words to pray in a God honoring manner.

We are instructed to follow the pattern Jesus provided. The words "pray ye" are very emphatic in order to remind us that prayer is both a privilege and a duty. 

We pray to our heavenly Father. 

Matthew 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 

It is striking that this prayer begins by addressing our Father in heaven. We need to be ever mindful of the One, True God to whom we pray. 

Prayer is not some casual thing where we come and make demands of God. 

Prayer is an opportunity to cast all our cares upon the Eternal Father, who already knows our needs and is willing to supply them. 

Prayer is an opportunity to bring our own will into subjection and alignment with His perfect will. 

Prayer is also an opportunity to worship our All Glorious God. 

Our Father is omnipresent.

1 Kings 8:27  But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? 

Jesus' model prayer reminds us that our Father is in heaven, and is omnipresent. He is not bound by any constraints of time, space or matter.  

This phrase reminds us of the omnipresence of God, for the scriptures tell us that the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him (1 Kings 8:27). 

Thus, we are greatly encouraged to pray because God is always near each believer. 

Our Father is omnipotent. 

2 Chronicles 20:5,6  And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 6)  And said, O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? 

Jesus' model prayer reminds us that the Father is omnipotent. Knowing that our Father is in heaven, reminds us of His omnipotent power. 

His majesty and dominion extends through all heaven, earth and the space, time and matter continuum (2 Chronicles 20:6).

He governs all creation and rules from His throne in heaven. His will is both irresistible and irreversible. None can stand before Him. This is God our Father to whom we pray. 

We are greatly encouraged to pray because we pray to an all powerful God. His purposes for us are always good and He will always do what is right. 

Our Father is omniscient. 

Psalm 33:11-15  The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12)  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. 13) The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 14) From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. 15) He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works. 

Jesus' model prayer reminds us that our Father in heaven is omniscient. He knows the beginning and the ending of all things. Nothing ever surprises Him or catches Him off guard. Those who are His children are truly blessed. 

Our Father in heaven sees and is fully aware of the works of all men and nations. Nothing escapes His piercing gaze. He considers all mankind's works and keeps account of all sins.

Those who die without being born again and not in Christ, will face eternal judgment for their sins and wicked works. 

Those who are born again and in Christ will receive eternal life and potential reward or loss of reward for their service to God. 

We are greatly encouraged to pray because our Father knows our heartaches, sorrows, burdens, and failures. He knows our needs even when we cannot adequately express them in our prayers. 

The three petitions of Jesus start with God the Father. They occur in descending order, beginning with our Father, followed by His kingdom and finishing with His will. 

Our prayer should begin with God by praying for His holy name to be hallowed. 

The word "hallowed" is the same word translated "sanctify, sanctified or holy." It means to reverence the name of God as holy and sacred. 

It is a prayer that God's name and Person would be manifested in all the beauty of His holiness. 

Why did Jesus begin this prayer to the Father? There are two very good reasons. 

First, He is teaching us  to come in prayer with a tender and respectful love for God, such as that which children feel for their fathers.

Second, Jesus shows us that we can have a strong confidence in God’s love for us, such as fathers have for their children.

Thoughts to Ponder...

Jesus put our prayer focus right where it needs to be: on our Father in heaven.

He reminded us that our Father is omnipresent, and that He is near each believer and hears us when we pray.

He reminded us that our Father is omnipotent and can do all things, and that He will provide for our needs.

He reminded us that our Father is omniscient and knows our needs before we ever pray about them. He will always do what is right and best for us. 

Finally, Jesus reminded us that at great cost, the Father provided salvation through repentant faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. How could any believer not love a God who loved us so much, even when we were vile sinners?

Do we have that tender and respectful love for God that we have for our earthly fathers? Is this my heart when I come before Him in prayer?

Do we have the confident expectation that our Father in heaven will provide and care for us, infinitely more than our earthly fathers do? Do I expect Him to treat me as His child?

May the words of King David from Psalm 103, encourage each of us when we go to the LORD in prayer. 

Psalm 103:10-14  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11)  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12)  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13)  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14)  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 

For each believer in Christ, this is our Father, to whom we pray. 

Bob



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