Session 3

How To Pray According to Jesus

From Understanding and Applying The Bible

Matthew 6:5-14
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

You might not know…
Prayer is how we have a conversation with God. He hears us, and we can hear from Him.

What does it say?
Jesus is explaining how to pray. It can be broken down into three sections: telling God we know who He is, placing our trust in Him, and asking Him to provide for us.

What does it mean?
The most important part of prayer is posture. Prayer isn’t like a Christmas list you hope makes it to Santa Claus. Notice how the Lord’s Prayer doesn’t say, “Hey, dude who might be God, who might be up there in Heaven, give us daily bread, if you can.” The Lord’s Prayer says, “Our Father in Heaven…Give us this daily bread.” There’s a confidence in who God is that makes prayer work.

What does it mean to me?
I don’t need to pray the Lord’s Prayer word for word every time I pray. I don’t even have to pray it once, if I don’t want to. But the Lord’s Prayer is an example of the prayers I should be praying. I should be praying full of expectation and with firm knowledge that Jesus is going to do what He’s promised. If I pray with the right posture, I’m given power, trust, and certainty in who God is. Prayer is comforting and it brings me that much closer to Him. 

3 of 14

Session 1

God Can Take Care of Me

Psalm 23:1-6 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he ...

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Session 2

God Is In A Position to Help

Psalm 113:7  "Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. H...

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Session 3

How To Pray According to Jesus

Matthew 6:5-14 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the str...

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Session 4

Love Is Most Important

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 & 13 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a...

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Session 5

Focus On Jesus

Matthew 14:22-33 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds....

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Session 6

Jesus From the Beginning

John 1:1-18 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Thro...

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Session 7

Hear and Do

James 1:19-25 19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become a...

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Session 8

When I Mess Up

Psalm 51 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 W...

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Session 9

Seasons of Life

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 1 For everything there is a season,     a time for every activity under heaven. 2 A time to be born and a ...

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Session 10

Love Because God Loves You

1 John 4:15-21 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on ...

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Session 11

True Freedom

John 8:31-28 31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,  32and you wil...

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Session 12

God Will Use Me Specifically

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For...

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Session 13

If There’s Jesus, There’s Hope

Romans 5:1-5 5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we ...

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Session 14

Jesus Took My Place

John 18:29-40 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered ...

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