2. Matthew 6:1-18
Why, How & What

3. Prayer How (vs. 5-8): Regularly: Not “if” but “when” (vs. 5, 6, & 7)
The Christian life is about knowing God, i.e. it’s a relationship (John 17:3)
Relationships of all kinds thrive on communication
Secretly (vs. 6): this is to warn against hypocrisy, playing to an audience.
It is not the only way to pray (cf. ch. 18:19 “if two of you on earth agree...” and Acts 1:14 & pray together)
It is the time alone with God that is the evidence of the reality of our prayer lives.

4. Naturally (vs. 7)
Approach God reverently & humbly
Also confidently & naturally
We are children speaking with our Heavenly Father
Believingly (vs. 8)
The necessity & effectiveness of prayer is not set aside because of God’s wisdom & sovereignty
We pray believing that His will is right, and so we invite him in to our circumstances to fulfill His agenda.

5. Prayer What (vs. 9-15): Verses 9 & 10 = Concerned with God
Verses = Concerned with need

6. Concern with God The worship of God (hallowed) = Who He is
Different from Praise = Thanks for what He’s done
The wise men (Ch. 2) worshiped Jesus before He’s done anything!
He is worthy of our worship

7. Concern with God The work of God (Your kingdom come)
This is the exchanged life
His kingdom comes / My kingdom goes
His Sovereignty and Lordship over mine

8. Concern with God The will of God (Your will be done)
Natural progression from His work
It takes faith in an all wise God to pray for His will and not ours in any situation
Do not be arrogant in asking for your own will
The Israelites moaned in the desert - “In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for and sent a wasting disease upon them”, or as the KJV Version puts it, “he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul” (Ps. 106:14 & 15 from Num. 11:4-34)
King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20 & 21) asked to live longer, God heard and gave him 15 more good years
His son, Manasseh, took the throne at the age of 12!

9. Concern with Need Physical need (Give us today our daily bread)
We ask in humility for what we need now
We don’t ask for a future stockpile
If we have more than enough that is OK but not our entitlement!

10. Concern with Need Spiritual need (Forgive us...as we have forgiven)
This is a constant need
The forgiveness depends on the offended NOT the offender
Our repentance towards God must characterize our attitude towards others

11. Concern with Need
Moral need (Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the Evil one)
‘When tempted, no one should say “God is tempting me”. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.…’ James 1:13
However, God is involved in delivering us from the tempter
We need forgiveness for past sin. We also need deliverance from present evil temptation

12. Concern with Need
This example of prayer is as much to do with others as it is ourselves
“Our, Your, Us, We”

13. Fasting “When you fast...” - expected part of Christian life
Three Scriptural functions of fasting:

14. Fasting An aid to humility:
“I...humbled myself with fasting” Ps. 35:13 (David)
Humility is part of Holiness, fasting is often used
Food is often associated with pride (Deut. 8)
Fasting is used by God to humble the proud
Fasting can be corrective to pride
Isaiah 58 is a chapter devoted to correct humility and fasting

15. Fasting An aid to prayer:
“So we fasted and petitioned our God about this and he answered our prayer” - Ezra 8:23
Daniel & Jonah practice this (Jon. 3:5,10 Dan. 9:3–23)
Jesus references this combination: “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” Matt 17:21

16. Fasting An aid to discpline:
Food is often the area in scripture that causes the most trouble
Eve; Esau; Children of Israel in the Wilderness
Even Jesus was tempted 1st with food (Matt 4:3)
Fulfilling the physical appetite is the Devil’s game
We belong to God

17. Prayer & Fasting It’s not about the techniques It’s about the attitude
God is the motivation
It’s God’s pleasure we seek