Free Your Mind With Prayer

20 Apr Free Your Mind With Prayer

In this article, based on chapters 27 and 28 in my book Free Your Mind, we will discuss some of the amazing things Jesus taught us about prayer. 

Though we do not see God, he sees us when we come to him in prayer, and he will reward us for doing so! Jesus expresses these truths in the passage below:

“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.” (Matthew 6:6)

Jesus went on to give us an example of prayer:

“This, then, is how you should pray: 

Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, 

your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-11)

Here are a few things we learn from Jesus about how to pray:

1. As we pray, we are speaking to our father in heaven as His dear children who have been forgiven and born again through the blood of Jesus.  Let’s set our minds on the fact that we are dearly loved by God and close to Him, and that He will hear us as we pray!

2. As we pray, let’s recall and express to God that he is hallowed. He is holy, worthy of our praise.

3. God’s kingdom has already come, but it is also still coming. As we pray, let’s ask God to bring more of His kingdom to earth as we join Christians around the world in sharing our faith with others.

4. Prayer is a time to surrender our hearts, minds, lives, and actions to what God wants. As we do so, we can be confidently assured that He will strengthen us and bring us joy.

5. We can also ask for God to help us in what we long for each day, knowing and trusting that He will give us just what we need.

6. In prayer, let’s humbly confess any sins we have committed, and also forgive others, just as God has forgiven us.

7. We can ask God not only to lead us away from future temptations, but also to help us overcome the ones we are currently facing.

Jesus has another great teaching on prayer:

Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ The one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” 

(Luke 11: 5-10)

Here Jesus encourages us to be bold in prayer. He says that even if an earthly friend finally gives us what we need simply because we ask boldly, how much more will our loving heavenly Father answer our requests! Jesus invites us to be bold and persistent in our prayers, not based upon our own righteousness, but on the amazing grace and love of God and Jesus!

Jesus then gives us another great promise about God’s answers to our prayers:

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” 

(Luke 11:11-13)

Our Father delights in caring for us and giving us what we need. Brothers and sisters, let’s draw near to our Father as His beloved children, making personal and humble requests, confident that He will honor His promises and lovingly care for us!