Developing a Passion for Prayer
Review from Lessons 1 through 3
Lesson 1. Understand the Reasons to Pray
- Prayer is prescribed by God.
- Prayer provides communication with God.
- Prayer is a privilege for believers.
- Prayer is a pathway to power.
- Prayer promises answers.
Lesson 2. Recognize the Purposes of Prayer
- Acknowledgment of God
- Confession of sin
- Thanksgiving to God
- Supplication for others and self
Lesson 3. Realize the Need for Prayer
- We Need to Pray for Redemption
- We Need to Pray for Restoration
- We Need to Pray for Realignment
- We Need to Pray for Revival
Lesson 4: – Recognize the Model for Prayer
We all know about it and most of us know it by heart – that is, the Lord ’s Prayer, or the model prayer that Jesus gave to His disciples. Most of us can recite it by heart, like we do the Pledge of Allegiance, repeating the prayer while not considering the deep meaning of its words.
The Lord’s Prayer is a model that God gave us to help us learn how to pray. I don’t believe that it was intended to be the prayer to end all prayers. Also, I don’t believe that Jesus meant for us to vainly repeat it as a ritual or chant. (That’s not to say that memorizing the Lord’s Prayer and recalling it from memory is a bad thing. Actually, remembering what Jesus taught us is always a good thing.)
As we examine each element of the Lord’s Prayer, we will find a pattern for prayer that serves as the model for reaching out to God.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Let’s look at each of the elements…
1. Understand it as a Model: After this manner therefore pray ye
In these words we find Jesus introducing the Lord’s Prayer. It is an important phrase that precedes the prayer that Jesus used to teach His disciples. The words (as all of God’s Word) are carefully chosen with purpose. “After this manner therefore pray ye” indicates that Jesus is establishing a model or pattern for prayer with the example prayer that follows. It is necessary to note that Jesus did not say that we should pray the very words He spoke, but rather said to pray “after this manner” which indicates that the words that followed established a pattern for prayer.
2. Greet God as Heavenly Father: Our Father which art in heaven,
Next, we find Jesus addressing God the Father, to Whom the prayer is intended. Note that it is a personal greeting to the Father, recognizing the personal relationship one has through Christ. Also, note that the greeting is not only personal, it is relative. It establishes the relationship between the Heavenly Father and the one in prayer. It also signifies knowledge of His position (in Heaven) and His authority. The significance of God as Father and of God as royalty worthy of glory and praise is combined in this greeting.
3. Ask for Glory to God: Hallowed be thy name.
Immediately after greeting God the Father, Jesus shows us the manner in which we entreat the Father with our requests, by first praying for honor and glory to God’s name. By using the word “hallowed,” Jesus shows us that we should pray that God’s name would be holy, consecrated, sacred, and revered by all the earth.
4. Seek God’s Kingdom: Thy kingdom come.
Next, Jesus shows that we should pray that the Father’s kingdom would come to this earth. This signifies first a recognition that there is a King whose kingdom is near. Secondly, it signifies a desire to see His kingdom. Thirdly, it signifies that the one who prays understands that the current world kingdom is not God’s but is the enemy’s (Satan’s). It indicates a desire by the one who prays to see Satan’s earthly kingdom overthrown by God.
5. Seek and Submit to God’s Will: Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
This phrase shows that we should be praying for God’s will to be accomplished on earth. It carries a message of submission to God as we seek His will. As such, it’s not simply a request that God’s will be revealed and be done in a general sense, but that His will be personally revealed to, received by, and performed through the one who prays. It is to ask God, “show me thy will, that I would know and understand it, and that You would accomplish it through me.” This request keeps in mind that as God’s will is done on this earth, we will have an attitude that exemplifies heaven – an attitude of contentment, pleasure, and privilege in doing the will of the Heavenly Father.
6. Ask for Daily Needs: Give us this day our daily bread.
After honoring God, giving glory to His name, and recognizing that His will comes before our will, we should request supplication for ourselves and others. Note that Jesus prays that God would provide “this day our daily bread”. In other words, supply sufficient for the day should be our request. God’s Word tells us that we should not be anxious for anything and not worry about tomorrow. Our prayers should focus on our immediate needs, according to God’s will. It is important to note that this request is made in humility and thanksgiving, as we recognize that without God’s daily provision we would be impoverished spiritually and physically. Therefore, the “daily bread” that we seek should encompass both our spiritual and physical needs.
7. Ask for Forgiveness: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Next, we are shown that it is important to focus on our spiritual condition and the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ. In this element of the Lord’s model prayer, we seek forgiveness for the debt we owe. This forgiveness is needed for the sin debt owed for all of our trespasses. This requires inspection and revelation as we examine our hearts and actions to determine our failures and missteps and reveal those honestly and humbly to God. It is a request for mercy and grace to cover us and recognition that without the Savior we could not hope to clear our indebtedness. Also, it is a reminder that just as we fall short of God’s glory, others around us fall short of our expectations, at times failing us and creating difficult situations for us to deal with. However, just as we are forgiven of our debts by God, we commit to God that we will have a forgiving spirit toward others.
8. Seek God’s Protection and Deliverance: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
The last request is for protection from temptation and deliverance from the evil deeds of this world. God has promised that He will not tempt us, nor will He allow us to be tempted beyond that which we can bear. With that in mind, we should ask God to lead us along paths that are away from temptation. We should seek God’s light upon our path to illuminate the way so that we do not stray into darkness. And, we should seek God’s hedge of protection to shield us from Satan’s attacks.
9. Acknowledge God with Praise: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
In closing, we find acknowledgement of God for His kingdom, His power, His glory, and His eternal being. Although this verse of the Lord’s Prayer as recorded in Matthew does not appear in Luke (Luke 11:2-4), it is a favorable manner to conclude our prayers, by recognizing God for Who He is and for His ability to answer our prayers. It is a declaration of our belief in God, in our faith in Him, and in His singular ability to meet even our greatest needs, not only now, but forever and ever. Fittingly (and so much more the tradition even now), Jesus concludes the prayer with “Amen”, a word that reaffirms all that has been said to this point in glory and honor to God.
Understanding what Jesus taught as He taught His disciples to pray, and using the Lord’s Prayer as a model, we can pray with confidence and power, acknowledging God and seeking His intervention in our lives. It is a good thing to memorize the Lord’s Prayer. It’s a better thing to use that prayer as a model for our personal and intimate conversations with God.
Summary
The Lord’s Prayer provides a template for talking with God. If we remember the prayer that Jesus taught, we can pray in a manner that matches the Bible model. While this is not the only way to pray, it can be argued that it is a proven and effective way to pray, since Jesus provided the instruction. This week, as you pray, recall the Lord’s Prayer and contrast your prayer to the model that Jesus provided.