Spring 2003
Pattern for Prayer
Wade E Taylor

“But you, when you pray, enter into your closet,
and when you have shut your door, pray to your
Father which is in secret; and your Father who
sees in secret shall reward you openly.” Matt 6:6.

This speaks of the importance and power of personal prayer.

“When you pray.” We can go into our “closet” whenever we so choose. We should do this often.

“And when you have shut your door.” Here, in the privacy of my “set apart place” of prayer, I can express my burden and needs to the Lord. To express my deep inner feelings in prayer is as medicine to my soul, and very rewarding. But, there is a greater blessing.

“Your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.” My secret prayer is heard by my Heavenly Father. He will respond to my prayer, and He will openly reward me.

“But when you pray use not vain repetitions, as the heathen
do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much
speaking.” Matt 6:7

There are those who use a “prayer wheel.” It is usually two or three feet across and has cups fastened to it which hold prayers. This wheel is then continually turned. It is thought that as the wheel is turned, each prayer is said. The Word calls this “vain repetition.” We may have a similar problem by feeling we must keep repeating our request. This implies that we do not believe we are being heard.

But we are being heard - “Your Father who sees in secret will …” In order for us to rest in the fact that we are being heard means that we must first establish contact with the Lord through worship, and take time to wait on Him. Once we know that we have His “ear,” then we can present our petition.

Thus, prayer is far more than expressing our needs and desires. It includes a time of communion with the Lord in which we enter into His presence. Here, He is hears us because He has responded to our waiting in His presence. Repetition will not prevail concerning the Lord. This tendency can be corrected by worshipping, rather than repeating.

Jesus gave us the way to enter into the Father’s presence in order to have our prayers heard. This “way of entrance” is the Lord’s prayer, as recorded in Matt 6:9-13. This is not so much a prayer to be recited, but rather, a teaching on how to pray. Jesus said we are to pray “after this manner.”

“Our Father.” First, establish a relationship to God as being your Father. This relates to the Scripture that tells us, “if you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask Him” (Matt 7:11).

“Which is in heaven.” My prayer is now lifted into the realm of the Spirit. The Lord is more interested in what we are becoming in His eternal purposes, than in our temporal desires and needs. He will respond to our temporal needs when the eternal has priority. “But seek you first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you” (Matt 6:33).

“Hallowed be Thy name.” We should not to come to the Lord in an attitude of “wanting,” but rather, of “worshipping.” We should not begin by telling the Lord that we are in a hurry and need something. We first should thank our Lord for who He is, and worship Him out of pure love. And then present our request.

In the Song of Solomon, the Lord told the Bride that she was as a lily. She responded that she was just one among many thousands. The Lord then said she was as a lily among thorns. He saw her as being singularly desirable. She responded that He was as an apple tree. She saw Him as one from whom she could “pick” what she wanted, and walk away. The Lord saw the beauty that was within her, but she saw only what she could get from Him. Thus, the importance of coming to our Lord in pure worship to establish our priorities.

“Thy Kingdom come.” More important than my needs are those of our Lord. Apart from intervention, the Lord has limited Himself to act according to our intercessions and prayers. I will be greatly blessed when I fit into the Lord’s program, rather than trying to get Him to act on my desires and needs. When my circumstances are prayerfully submitted to the Kingdom of God, then all will come into divine order. My need will now find its proper outworking.

“Thy will be done in earth.”

When the will of God is done “in” my earth, it will then be done “on” earth. The problem is not the environment, it is people. When I ask the will of God to be done “in” earth, I am bringing myself into alignment with His will.

“As it is in heaven.”

The will of God is done in Heaven, and we are to pray from that position. “And has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6).

“Give us this day our daily bread.” Now I can ask in faith, believing I will receive the answer. I have spent time worshipping and waiting in His presence. The Lord has made His will known to me. Now I can speak the word of faith, and thank the Lord for His answer. “And whatsoever you shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). To ask “in His name” means asking in the authority of His name. When I have His authority, or permission to ask, I will receive.

Prayer then is far more than asking for the Lord to do as we desire. It includes our spending quality time in His presence. Here, He will hear and reward us openly.