A Better Way To Pray: Takeaway #6

What's commonly known as “The Lord's Prayer” in Matthew chapter 6 is, technically speaking, not a New Testament/New Covenant prayer; notice how it's not prayed in the name of Jesus.

Right before He died, the Lord said, “Up until this time you have asked nothing in My name. Now ask & you shall receive that your joy may be full. Whatsoever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you” - John 16:23-24.

A New Covenant prayer must be prayed in the name of Jesus.

The Lord was giving us a model for prayer, not something to repeat. If you're repeating His model verbatim then you're just soothing your conscience (Matthew 6:9) & this is nothing more than the vain repetition Jesus taught against in Matthew 6:7.

I've been to countless gatherings & services in my life, countless weddings, funerals, baptisms, etc & I've witnessed my fair share of people blindly repeating Matthew 6 in those situations. How many of those were heartfelt only God knows… I personally know people who only pray Matthew 6 & nothing else, that's the entirety of their prayer life, no deviation, no variance in speed, just repeat the words & they're good to go or so they think…

The same prayers will yield the same results (or lack of).

We are instructed to pray:

• according to His will
• in His name