THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIAN TRADITION

 

Chapter 10

​

​​

​​

Praying the Godly Way

​​​

Text

Matt. 6:5-8 "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. But 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. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

 

Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

​​

Memory Verse

1 Thess. 5:17 (NIV) Pray continually.

​

 

Introduction

Praying the godly way is not about fancy words or long speeches. It starts with a clean heart (John 9:31) and a life that cares for others (Isa. 58:5-12).

 

Prayer is basically talking to God. But it is more than just talking - your actions can “talk” too. Abel died, but his acceptable sacrifice still “speaks” (Heb. 11:4).

 

When you pray, you are basically talking back to God using His own Word. You are reminding Him of what He said and asking Him to make it real in your life. Check out the model prayer in Acts 4:23-31.

 

Helping the needy is also prayer. Prov. 19:17 says that when you give to the poor, you are lending to God. Ps. 41:1-3 says that kind of giving brings healing.

 

Jesus is praying for you right now (Heb. 7:25), and the Holy Spirit helps you pray when you do not know what to say (Rom. 8:15-16, 26). Prayer is fellowship with God - giving and receiving (Phil. 4:15).

 

Presentation

​

1. Corporate Prayer

This is praying together as a group.

​

(1) Corporate vocal prayer. Everyone prays together based on what the leader brings up (Acts 4:23-31).

​

(2) Delegate vocal prayer. One person leads, and everyone else agrees with “amen” (1 Cor. 14:16-17).

​

Key points:

• Use a language everyone understands so that people can actually follow and agree.

• Keep order and respect the time. God is not impressed by how long you pray or how many words you use (Matt. 6:7-8). It is about sincerity, not length.

 

2. Individual Prayer

This is between you and God one-on-one.

​

Unlike corporate prayer, there is no set order or structure in the Bible for this. The main things are: do not be careless or disrespectful, and do everything for God’s glory (Col. 3:17).

​

You choose the place and time. Jesus often went off alone to pray (Luke 6:12; Heb. 5:7). It can be two minutes in your room or an hour on a walk. It is about the heart, not the location.

​

3. How God Answers Our Prayers

God does not always answer in the way in which we expect:

 

(1) You get exactly what you asked for – like Jonah in the fish (Jon. 2:1-10).

 

(2) You get more than you asked for – like Solomon, who got wisdom and riches (1 Ki. 3:9-13).

 

(3) You get something different, for your good – God told Moses and Aaron that they would not enter the Promised Land, but it was to save their souls for the eternal one (Deut. 32:48-52).

 

(4) Keep praying and waiting – like the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8). God wants you to trust and not give up.

 

(5) God says “No” – because what you asked for would hurt you or not bring Him glory (Jam. 4:1-6).

 

4. What Makes Prayers Get Answered

Five things matter:

​

(1) No doubt / real faith (Matt. 6:8; Mark 11:23-24).

​

(2) Persistence (Luke 18:6-7; 1 Thess. 5:17).

 

(3) God’s timing – you may have to wait for the “fullness of time” (Gal. 4:4-5).

 

(4) Holiness, humility, hospitality (John 9:31; Heb. 12:14; Jam. 1:27).

 

(5) Right motives – are you asking to spend it on yourself (Jam. 4:3)?

​

Conclusion

Do you pray like a son or daughter of the King, or like a beggar? You are royalty in Christ.

 

Prayer, preaching, and singing all announce God’s will. Start talking, praying, and declaring things as though you actually know who you are in Jesus.

 

Remember: where you are is God’s presence because His Word lives in you. So do everything - thoughts, words, actions - in the name and authority of Jesus, giving glory to the Father (Col. 3:17).

​​​​

Evaluation Questions & Answers​

​​​​​​​​​​​

1. Why do we say prayer is “talk back time”?

   • Because prayer is responding to God with His own Word. He speaks first through Scripture, and prayer is us talking back to Him based on what He said, asking Him to carry it out in our lives.

2. What method of corporate praying is more effective?

   • Both work if done right. But the key is order and understanding. When one person leads and others agree with “amen,” everyone stays on the same page (1 Cor. 14:16-17). What matters most is sincerity, unity, and using language people understand.

3. Reading John 2:23-25 and 2 Sam. 7:1-17, can God bless people for nursing a good thought to give services to Him even if not yet doing it? Why?

   • Yes. In 2 Sam. 7, David wanted to build God a temple. God did not let him, but He blessed David because of his heart and intention. God looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). If the desire is genuine and aligned with Him, He honours it even before the action happens.

4. Why are we correct to say that God gave Moses and Aaron an exchanged reply?

   • Moses and Aaron asked to enter the Promised Land, but God said no. Instead, He gave them something better in the long run - He forgave them and secured their place in the eternal Promised Land (Deut. 32:48-52). He traded the temporary for the eternal.

​​

Prayer

Father, thank You for Your Word. Give us an understanding of why we pray so that our daily prayers seek first the things of the Spirit. Then add to us the things we need in this world. Amen.