2/2/25 Weekly Bible Lesson: Praying for Relief

Before we get into what Jesus says about prayer, we need to review what prayer is not. In pagan religions, prayer was mostly vain repetitions and attempts to bargain with God. It was not an uncommon practice for them to offer up specific items, or themselves in the form of sexual activities, or even cutting themselves as was demonstrated by the prophets of Baal (see 1 Kings 18:28). This kind of worship focused on the selfish desire to get what one wanted from the gods, instead of worship that is inspired by a desire to give God praise for what He has already done. 

Prayer is also not a public demonstration of our piety and holiness. It is a private matter that needs to be personal and private. Public prayer, although important, should not be our main source of prayer. Prayer is the relational communication that stems from a desire to know God and build a relationship with Him, and it is that desire which builds and promotes a lifestyle of prayer. Martin Luther said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” 

Prayer is an integral part of the Christian life, and it should not be made into a public spectacle, for the sake of the person praying. A marriage that only meets in public is not a healthy marriage for the couple must have times of intimacy to grow closer to one another. Likewise, our times of prayer with the Lord are the same thing. We must take time to be with the Lord, to spend time with Him. 

Verse 9 — The first thing we need to do in prayer is recognize the majesty of God. He is holy and worthy of praise. He is mighty and powerful, and we need to see Him as such. If He is not God in our minds, He will not be God in our actions. He must be the center point of not only our prayer life but in everything. This is an aspect of prayer many people miss or neglect. Prayer should be focused on Him, not us. If He is not first, then we will be, and we will pursue our own desires. 

Verses 10-11 — The passage transitions to God’s direction and will for us. Our attitude must be not my will, but Yours be done, no matter where it is. It is always His will first. This verse recalls Colossians 1:15-18 where Paul states Jesus has preeminence over everything, for in Jesus all things were created. If God set it all in motion, then it should be God who determines how we are to approach not only Him but everything pertaining to this world. 

This also includes the provisions God provides for He is the source of all our blessings. We are truly blessed not only with food but a variety of food to eat and enjoy. We must not lose sight of the fact that God did not have to bestow these blessings, but in His grace, He did. We must ensure we don’t take God’s blessings for granted but rather are always thankful for the provisions we have. 

Verse 12, 14-15 — The teaching of this verse, forgiving others as we forgive them, is certainly one of the most difficult to apply. One of the reasons this subject is so hard is because of pride in the heart of the individual. The inability to let go of the past takes a heavy toll on the person that is unwilling to let go. Such a person is in a prison cell by his own making, and he has the key—forgiveness. 

The Lord expands on the necessity of forgiveness in verses 14-15. Here the Lord makes it clear the one condition of the forgiveness of our own sins is the forgiveness by us of sins committed against us. One of the most difficult duties of life is to forgive others, yet this is essential if we are to be forgiven of our own trespasses. Let us realize this fact and act and pray accordingly. 

Verse 13 — Here we acknowledge the presence of evil and the reality that temptations will come. James 1:13 teaches God does not tempt anyone, but in His providence, He sometimes allows us to experience circumstances by which temptations arise. When temptation comes, we should cling to 1 Corinthians 10:13 where Paul says no temptation overtakes us except such as is common to man. Paul continues, saying God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure. Furthermore, the phrase “but deliver us from the evil one” expresses confidence in God that He can and will rescue us when we encounter evil. 

Conclusion: Jesus's model prayer is perfect for evaluating our own prayers. We must pray in private, without useless words, having forgiven others, and with an unselfishness that places God’s glory and the good of others ahead of our own interests.