The Lord's Prayer
Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1
The prayers of Jesus were so powerful that His disciples pleaded with Him to teach them His secret. Jesus is our ultimate authority on and teacher about prayer. There are two things that we notice right away: effective prayer can be learned, and the most effective environment for learning prayer is in the context of discipleship (a mentoring relationship). Jesus taught His disciples and continues to teach His followers by example. Do you want to learn to pray? Desire is the first step. Just say to the Lord,” Lord, teach me to pray!”
Students of the bible throughout the ages have concluded that one of the greatest prayer models of all time has been given to us by Our Lord Jesus in what is known as the “Lord’s Prayer”.
In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On 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 do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13
Jesus models for us how we are to pray. When we were just children, we would go to church and recite this prayer in unison every Sunday morning. And now we can recite it from memory. We recognize that it contains the wisdom of Christ that can be utilized in our corporate and devotional prayer times. Within the Lord’s Prayer are all the elements of our devotional life in God and a progression of moving into the Holy of Holies. Notice the scope of this prayer:
Worship-“Our Father, dwelling in the heavenly realms, may the glory of Your name be the center on which our lives turn.”
Intercession-“Manifest Your Kingdom realm and cause Your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth.”
Personal Petition-“We acknowledge You as our Provider of all we need each day.”
Confession-“Forgive us the wrongs we have done.”
Forgiveness of Others-“As we ourselves release forgiveness to those who have wronged us.”
Guidance-“Rescue us every time we face tribulation.”
Warfare-“And set us free from evil.”
Bold Declaration-“For You are the King who Rules with Power and Glory Forever. Amen.”
Many today find comfort in praying the “Lord’s Prayer” as it is written because it is indeed the model prayer. However, the Lord’s Prayer also serves as a proven pattern to be used as a springboard to launch us into intercession. It’s a wonderful biblical outline for corporate prayer. If you’re having intercessory prayer meetings that are stuck in a rut. Then try praying this model. Notice it begins and ends with a focus on praise for God and His Glory:
“PRAY THEN LIKE THIS: OUR FATHER…”
Our confidence in prayer is established upon our security and the love coming from Father God. We rejoice in the privileges of being His beloved ones, His favorite ones in all the earth. It’s our great privilege and joy to call Him Father. The Father’s love and acceptance is always real, even when we don’t feel it. And it’s always a great joy to approach Him in fellowship with others; He is our Father. And as children of the Most-High God, we have corporate privilege as our birthright. We are the “church of the firstborn”.
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, Hebrews 12:23
And therefore, have the rights of a firstborn.
We step into our full inheritance as His firstborn sons and daughters as we call out to Him, our Abba, Father.
This is what it means to have God as our Father:
We are the center of His attention.
We are the subject of His concern.
We are the recipient of His Glory.
We are the focus of His planning.
We are the object of His Love.
We are His total and continual occupation.
God is our Father. He has a family of many sons and daughters. As an intercessor, you need to pray in agreement or harmony with others. If we’re in strife with other in the body of Christ, our prayers will be ineffective and without punch. Learn to pray in agreement with other intercessors before tackling difficult spiritual issues.
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Acts 2:1
Jesus sent His disciples out two by two. They were sent out with the power and authority to cast out demons and plunder the kingdom of darkness. Having agreement with others in unified prayer is a vital weapon for spiritual warfare. When we’re alone, we become an easy target. If we have an independent spirit, which is a rebellious spirit, we’re powerless to face our foes. Praying in agreement with others keeps us from deception and protects us from an assault.
“DWELLING IN THE HEAVENLY REALM”
To be enthroned with Jesus is our heavenly calling.
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3
Every time we pray, our desires and longings must turn to the dwelling place of the Lord. We find our heart’s true home in the place of prayer. Notice the heavenly gaze of David:
One thing I have desired of the LORD,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD,
And to inquire in His temple. Psalms 27:4
This heavenly attraction must fill our heart in prayer, delivering us from the need to be heard by men. Our cares vanish as we turn our thoughts to the One who is in the “Heavenly realms.”
“MAY THE GLORY OF YOUR NAME BE THE CENTRE FROM WHICH OUR LIVES TURN”
We are to adore and worship His Name! And everything we do must center on him, especially our prayer. His name/names reflect His flawless character. As we recognize His name, we recognize His virtues and His beauty, causing us to worship Him. Too often, we come to pray and meditate on us, on ourselves. It’s time to make the name of Jesus our meditation. It’s a delight to speak of His beauty in prayer for His name reflects Him and His Glory. All the names of God reveal what He’s promised to be in us. Take any one of His many names and make it your meditation. Worship is the true way of hallowing(adoring) the name of the Father God.
“MANIFEST YOUR KINGDOM REALM”
“Come, Kingdom of God” is the cry of God’s people in intercession. With a willing spirit to lay everything aside and say yes to this Kingdom is a desire to say yes to change. We long to be under the Lordship of Jesus, our King. We pray not only that His Kingdom come, but we pray for our hearts to be conformed into His image as we subject ourselves afresh to His Kingdom rule in us as well as in the rest of the earth. We say to our King, “Reign over me and all that is around me. I accept Your rule and will obey You.” When we gather for corporate intercession, it’s good to pray that His Kingdom come to our hearts, our homes, our churches, and to the nations of the earth. May we all lift up one voice as we pray, “Manifest Your Kingdom realm.”
“AND CAUSE YOUR EVERY PURPOSE TO BE FULFILLED”
This is the longing of our hearts: to do the will of God and to see His purpose fulfilled in us. It’s important to speak to your needs and say, “Be fulfilled, purpose of God! Be done in my family, my church, and my workplace.” Proclaim the right of God to enforce His will over you and over every spiritual foe you face. This is a declaration of God’s sovereign power to do within us all He longs to do. We were made for His pleasure, not for sin, discouragement, and fear. This prayer is also a prophecy that God will win your battles and release His wisdom to maintain victory in all situations. As you release these words in prayer, watch as it comes to pass. Take authority with these words: “Cause Your every purpose to be fulfilled.”
“ON EARTH”
Whatever God has in heaven, you can ask for on earth. Holiness, peace, victory, joy, worship, divine revelation, power, glory, freedom, and serenity… all of these virtues are filling heaven even as you read this page. Intercession pulls down heaven to the earth. Prayer warriors will storm the citadel of heaven as violent ones who won’t take no for an answer. We’ll ascend the hill of the Lord with holy hands raised to Him, asking for the heavenly glory to come to earth! There are things you will never experience in God if you don’t ask Him. Begin to pray that heaven will touch your earth! For your made from the dust of the earth! This is your inheritance in Christ, and it’s waiting to be claimed in prayer. Heaven releases itself on earth when the church comes together to intercede and ask.
The standard of the church must be a heavenly one, not a cultural one. We don’t need the ways of men, for the ways of God are higher than man’s ways. We can’t rest, nor can we give Him rest until what’s done in heaven is done on earth. We want heaven’s worship, heaven’s peace, and heaven’s power in the church. May there be night and day intercession before the throne of God pleading for God to move “on earth as it is in heaven!”
“WE ACLNOWLEDGE YOU AS THE PROVIDER OF ALL WE NEED EACH DAY”
He daily provides all that we need. This is our promise in Christ. And we need to be praying daily for our heavenly portion of spiritual and natural bread as our supply. This is an incentive to pray the promises of God regularly. Take His promises and speak His “Amen” over all He has told you He would do. They’re all to be fulfilled as we claim them and touch them in prayer. He provides both the material provisions and the spiritual “bread” that nurtures our life in God: fresh revelation knowledge, healing.
And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
23 But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:22-28
Power for ministry, gifting, and anointing. These are all needs that you can ask Our Father for in your daily prayer and corporate intercession and expect to receive.
Pray this today:
Our Father, dwelling in the heavenly realm, May the glory of Your name be the center from which our lives turn. Manifest Your Kingdom realm and cause Your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just like it is in heaven. We acknowledge you as the Provider of all that we need each day. We love You, Father-God. Amen.
