The universally well-known and loved prayer that the Lord Jesus taught His disciples, called “The Lord’s Prayer” is recorded in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4. This prayer was intended as a “model” prayer for the disciples. We read, “One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord teach us to pray,” and Jesus said to them, when you pray say” ….. Note, the disciples did not ask Jesus to “teach them a prayer,” hence it is actually a model prayer and should be more appropriately referred to as “The Disciples’ Prayer.” Traditionally, this prayer has been memorized and recited on various occasions by both children and adults – and by christians and non-christians alike.
The prayer is directed to God whose abode is in heaven and it appropriately begins, “Our Father, who is in heaven.” This reinforces the relationship of God as the heavenly Father of “born-again’ christians here on earth. We must begin our prayers with worship and reverence for God – “Hallowed be Your Name. Your kingdom come.” This means we approach God reverently and offer our worship to Him. In so doing, we are acknowledging the holiness of our Sovereign God. Prayer must also put first God’s heavenly kingdom coming down to earth.
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Prayer must be in accordance with God’s divine will and eternal purposes, because it is strictly God’s prerogative to either grant or withhold our requests. Only He knows what is the absolute best for us even when we don’t know it ourselves. “Give us this day our daily bread.” Then we ask God to meet our physical and temporal needs, (even our ‘wants’), such as food for nourishment and the upkeep of our bodies to maintain health and strength.
“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. ”At times, there is an overlooked essential element of our prayers, which is the confession of our sins. Our prayers can be hindered and our fellowship with the Father affected because of our failure to confess our sins. The Bibles declares, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). Upon confession of our sins, God will forgives, but He also expects that we will forgive others who sin against us. Jesus said, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will you heavenly Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15). Forgiveness works both ways.
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” One has to be very careful with this petition, God will never “lead us into temptation,” neither can He deny or contradict His word. “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He himself tempts no one” (James 1:13). However, God allows his people to be tested and tried, so that we may be able to resist temptation and stand strong under Godly testing. “But deliver us from evil.” Here is the “heart-cry” of the believer to resist the power of sin and satanic influence each day. Evil always seems not to be far away.
This model prayer ends with a doxology, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” A beautiful conclusion which expresses the Sovereignty of the God and one of His great attributes with His absolute authority and rule in heaven and earth. Usually we end our prayers “in Jesus Name, Amen.” This is exactly as Jesus taught … “I say to you, whatever you shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it to you” (John 16:23).