Teach Us To Pray Part 2 by Apostle Joshua Selman: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

The Priestly Ministry of Prayer

The Bible calls believers many things - joint heirs, light, salt, ambassadors, and kings and priests. The priestly ministry of the believer is not reserved for men of God or serious Christians - it is a ministry for everyone who has come under the lordship of Christ.

The major assignment of the priestly ministry is offering the incense of prayer. Any believer who does not pray is neglecting his or her priestly ministry.

Matthew 21:13 - Jesus said His house would be called a house of prayer.

The Foundation: Teaching vs. Preaching

Believers are built primarily through the teaching of the Word, not just preaching.

- Preaching = To declare, to bring awareness of a reality

- Teaching = To explain, to show the operation and dynamics of that spiritual reality

The protocol for receiving the power of God is that you must first get the light that necessitates that power. The power of God comes to defend and validate something you believe. If there is no light, there is no need for the power of God to come in defense.

The Pattern of Prayer: Matthew 6:9-13

Jesus said "after this manner" - He was giving an approach, not a recitation to be chanted. The disciples' lack of results necessitated this teaching. They were already praying but not getting results.

1. Our Father

Romans 8:15 - "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

When you approach prayer that produces results, you must start with understanding who you are praying to. The word "Father" (Abba) means "source," "sustainer."

Key revelations about approaching God as Father:

• The moment you introduce fatherhood, two spirits must exit: bondage and fear

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• God is the source of all things - don't approach Him as an option
• God is a giver of good things (Matthew 7:11)
• He is "our" Father - not yours alone, but the Father of all believers

Matthew 7:11 - "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him?"

The revelation of God as Father changed everything. When you approach God, approach Him understanding that His heart of compassion is ever before you. This takes away the sense of bondage and fear.

2. Who Art in Heaven

Hebrews 11:6 - "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

God resides in a realm that is not earthly. You must approach Him through faith because He is not seen in this realm. Your faith must come alive because anything you cannot see requires faith.

Faith is conviction about the reality of God, the integrity of His person, and the action you take based on that conviction.

Many believers' prayers fail because they cannot believe God for things unseen. They wait for feelings, visions, or physical evidence. But God never told you to believe His answer is coming because you feel anything.

Warning about feelings: Feelings have destroyed people's lives. The devil is the master of the sense realm. Your confidence in this kingdom must be the Word of God - anything not founded on the integrity of Scripture puts you at risk.

3. Hallowed Be Thy Name

1 Samuel 2:30 - "Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith...for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed."

To "hallow" means to reference, to honor. Do not be confused - God is Father, but be careful that boldness is not pride and dishonor. Although He is your Father, He is still God.

Hebrews 4:16 - "Let us therefore come boldly" - but boldness is not arrogance, not pride, not dishonor.

The proof of genuine love between a father and son is humility. Every son has the responsibility to intentionally make men see the difference between father and son. Never forget who you are talking to.

4. Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done

A believer who wants to approach prayer in a manner that gets answers must be one whose entire scope of prayer is hinged on seeing the will and purposes of God come to pass.

This is the foundation of power in prayer: Prioritize what God wants over what you want. You are not using God just to get needs met - you are here to promote His interests.

When you say "Thy kingdom come," you are saying: "Lord, I prioritize what You want. It is not just what I want. I'm not using You just to get needs. I'm here to promote Your interest."

Examples of kingdom-first living:

• Esther used her access to the king for God's glory and the salvation of her people
• Solomon asked for wisdom to serve God's purposes, and God added riches
• The Shunammite woman served Elisha without asking for anything, and God gave her a son

The secret to power: When everything about your life becomes about Him and His glory, you will see the hand of God in fearful ways. God's heart is only moved when His glory is your priority in prayer.

Average believer's prayer: 2-5 minutes of quick, selfish requests. God sees the selfishness and says, "I've seen this before - it's not the first time you're praying like this."

God is moved by the feelings of your pain, but only His Word compels action. Just because God is touched does not mean He will move.

5. Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

Notice the progression: Once your life is all about His kingdom, then provision becomes a subset that allows you to focus on His kingdom coming.

You don't demand daily bread in isolation - it is part of the entire program that allows His kingdom to come.

God's provision is daily - not monthly. He says, "Every 24 hours there is an allocation. What is today's allocation? Come and receive it."

When you align with His purposes, you can make demands: "Lord, I am here. Give me this provision because I have made up my mind to serve Your purposes."

Types of provision:

• Sometimes God gives you seed
• Sometimes God gives you flour
• Sometimes, because the King's business requires haste, He gives you prepared bread - houses already built, businesses already established

This is time redemption - it's not everything you must build by yourself.

6. Forgive Us Our Debts As We Forgive Our Debtors

This has nothing to do with sin or debt in the literal sense. The revelation is: All men are human.

Psalm 103:13-14 - "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust."

God knows you are frail. When God deals with you, He leaves provision for your humanity. He knows you are free from perfection.

The same revelation you receive in prayer - that God has compassion and allowance for your humanity - you must carry as you approach other people.

Matthew 18:23-35 - The parable of the unmerciful servant who was forgiven much but refused to forgive little.

Key principle: Maintain allowance for the frailty of men. This is something you receive in the place of prayer and a mindset you carry as you approach prayer.

Application:

• Don't kill your child because of a bad report card - all men are human
• Show compassion - be the shoulder for wounded people to lean on
• Forgive those who have wronged you - that unforgiveness clogs the flow of God's power
• Let go of bitterness and envy - they corrupt the purity of what you receive from God

When you hold unforgiveness, you bind yourself: "I'm holding him and not moving. Yet I want to move forward - but I've kept him bound and bound myself."

Forgiveness is a type of giving. When you can forgive, you are giving.

Practical Application

After this teaching, some of you need to:

• Call your pastor, younger brother, or family member you've been angry with
• Make peace with those you've held grudges against
• Release bitterness from your heart
• Show compassion to those who have disappointed you

Stop all those "over my dead body" attitudes. You are a child of God. There is a pattern of prayer: compassion and love.

Summary: The Approach to Effective Prayer

1. Our Father - Approach Him as the source of all things, with confidence in His fatherhood
2. Who art in heaven - Approach Him by faith, not feelings or experiences
3. Hallowed be Thy name - Maintain honor and reverence
4. Thy kingdom come - Prioritize His purposes over your needs
5. Give us our daily bread - Ask for provision aligned with kingdom purposes
6. Forgive us our debts - Maintain compassion and forgiveness toward others

When you approach God with joy and gladness, knowing He is your Father, knowing you can pour your heart to Him, and when you align with His purposes - this is the pattern of prayer that produces results.