Wednesday Bible Study

How to Pray the Sky Down

Main Passage: Matthew 6:5–13

• Prayer Defined

  • At its simplest, prayer is communication between God and His people — fellowship and worship expressed in words and silence.

  • It is commanded by God (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and modeled throughout Scripture, from Genesis 4:26 (“men began to call upon the name of the Lord”) to Jesus regularly withdrawing to pray (Luke 5:16).

• Why We Pray

  • God calls us to it, and it matters — He works through the prayers of His people (Colossians 4:3–4).

  • Prayer is not an optional activity; it is obedience, love, and dependence on God.

• When We Pray

  • Scripture commands us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

  • The early church was devoted to prayer both formally (Acts 2:42; Acts 3:1) and informally, making prayer a consistent lifestyle.

  • Jesus modeled both scheduled prayer (Luke 22:39) and spontaneous prayer as needs arose.

• How We Pray

  • Not for attention or to impress others (Matthew 6:5–6).

  • Not with meaningless repetition or insecurity that God won’t hear (Matthew 6:7–8).

  • Instead, with reverence, honesty, persistence, and trust (Matthew 7:7–11).

• What We Pray (following Jesus’ model in the Lord’s Prayer):

  • Praise: Hallow God’s name — adore Him for who He is.

  • Submission: Pray for His will and His kingdom, not our own.

  • Provision: Ask for daily bread — recognizing our dependence.

  • Confession: Seek forgiveness and extend forgiveness to others.

  • Protection: Ask for deliverance from temptation and the evil one.

• Persistence in Prayer

  • Jesus commands us to ask, seek, and knock — with perseverance (Matthew 7:7–8).

  • We keep praying because God is a good Father who delights to give what is best for His children.

Summary Application:

Prayer is the devoted, persistent communication of God’s people with their Father — praising Him, seeking His will, depending on His provision, confessing sin, and trusting Him to protect and guide.