When Prayer is Personal

Pastor: Jeff Love

Learning to Pray from the Master Teacher

Matthew 6:8–13

I once heard a story about two guys who made a bet on whether one of them could quote the Lord’s Prayer from memory.The first guy began confidently, “Now I lay me down to sleep…”The other shook his head and said, “I didn’t think you knew it!”

We laugh because we think we know the Lord’s Prayer. But in Matthew 6, Jesus places it right in the middle of teaching about what not to do — giving, praying, and fasting — and then shows us what to do.

He didn’t just warn us about wrong motives; He gave us a model to follow. The Lord’s Prayer isn’t a magical formula to recite over and over — it’s a pattern we can use in any prayer.

Why We Struggle to Pray

In Matthew 6:1–8, Jesus warns about wrong motivations. Whether giving, fasting, or praying, it’s not about impressing others — it’s about pleasing God.

Some people think, “God already knows my needs, so why pray?” (Matthew 6:8).The truth is — prayer isn’t about informing God; it’s about transforming us.

Prayer draws us close to Him, shapes our hearts, and reminds us how much we depend on Him.

The Pattern of Prayer

1. Look Up – Our Father in Heaven (v. 9)

When we accept Christ, we become children of God (John 1:12). That means we have direct access to our Heavenly Father — the One with unlimited resources (Philippians 4:6–7).

“Hallowed be Your name” reminds us that His name is holy. We come to Him with reverence, praying only to Him — not to saints, not to Mary — because only He is worthy.

2. Look Around – Your Kingdom Come (v. 10)

Before praying for our own needs, we pray for God’s purposes in the world.It’s saying, “My kingdom go” before “Your kingdom come.”

This means praying for eternal things — salvation, healing, restoration, comfort, and the advance of the Gospel.

3. Look at Today – Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread (v. 11)

Bread represents everything we need for life. Asking for daily bread keeps us from self-sufficiency.

We don’t pray because we “can handle it ourselves” — we pray because everything comes from Him.

4. Look Within – Forgive Us… As We Forgive (v. 12)

Forgiveness isn’t pretending it didn’t hurt — it’s releasing the debt to God.

When we refuse to forgive, it damages our fellowship with Him. We forgive through the Holy Spirit’s strength, not our own.

5. Look Ahead – Lead Us Not into Temptation (v. 13)

We ask God to protect us from our own weaknesses and the enemy’s traps.This is daily dependence: “Lord, guard my steps and keep me close.”

6. Look Up Again – Yours Is the Kingdom (v. 13)

We start with God and we end with God — praising Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do.

Romans 8:18 reminds us: “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Why This Prayer Still Works

The Lord’s Prayer helps us:

• Keep God’s glory first

• Keep His kingdom second

• Bring our needs third

It’s not about saying perfect words — it’s about keeping a perfect heart posture before our perfect Father.