Going in for FELLOWSHIP and coming out for SERVICE
Throughout the Bible we see countless instances of the use of Prayer. How else are we to speak to our Heavenly Father?
Christ instructed His followers to pray, both by teaching and by example. So fervent and so direct were His prayers that one time when he had finished praying, His followers turned to Him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). They knew that Jesus had been in touch with God, and they wanted to have such an experience. So Jesus taught them the Lord’s Prayer.
When I became a Christian one of the things that caused me great worry was prayer. How do I pray? The person who was the channel for God’s grace for me said it is simple, JUST SPEAK TO GOD he understands everything that we say even if it seems gobbledegook to us and if I wanted a template then use the prayer Jesus taught his followers. It has been the format I have used since.
Let us look at this prayer, for me it is broken down into 9 distinct parts:
THE LORD’S PRAYER
- OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN
Always start by acknowledging God, what a privilege we have that we can call him Father, Abba. What a privilege given to us freely by the gift that was given at Calvary. Throughout Jesus’ ministry he let us know that before the world was he was and that he was sent by the Father.
“I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” John 7:29
“You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” John 8:19
“Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” John 8:58
Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24
In all of his prayers he spoke to his Father giving him the glory. Have we not just read – “go into a room and pray to your Father” Matt 6 v6.
Give glory to the LORD your God Jeremiah 13:16
“Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent John 12:44-45
And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” John 11:41-42
- HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME
We are coming before a holy God and before we received grace through Jesus we could not come to him all of our prayers were fruitless. It is only through this grace that we can come before him in prayer and we should do this with reverence.
“for I the LORD your God am holy’ ” Lev 19:2
“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
Look at when God spoke to Moses in the desert through the burning bush.
Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6 Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Exodus 3:5-6
When we come into his presence he will leave his mark.
Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Exodus 34:29
- THY KINGDOM COME
Since the fall and sin coming into the world God has had a plan to bring all who are called in the name of Jesus to be one with him through the blood that was shed at Calvary cancelling out all our sins. It is our inheritance as followers of Christ. The kingdom was promised in the Old Testament even if those at that time understood it to be earthly and not heavenly. It was Gods promise to Abraham, and throughout that the Messiah was coming.
And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 8:11
Jesus is the Messiah.
and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah. Matthew 1:16
He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah. Mark 8:29
Jesus tells us that he came to save us but also that he was going to prepare a place for us. We are told to look always for his coming, to always look to this. For he will come unawares to us so we must always be ready.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:2-3
For you know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:2
- THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
If we believe that God is all powerful, all knowing and all seeing then we should have faith to say as Jesus said in the prayer at Gethsemane.
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:37-40
We cannot know the mind of God for we as Paul says see things through a cloudy mirror (1 Cor 13:12) and do not understand why things are happening in the world or even to us. God allows us to be tried, tempted and blessed all in good measure. Look at Job who suffered amazingly and throughout always gave God the glory. May we say with Paul
As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:36-39
- GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD
Constantly we see God’s hand in providing for his own, from creation to the coming of Jesus to take his own. Adam and Eve he gave everything that they needed, even after sin came in to the world he provided for their needs. of the children of Israel he gave manna for 40 years in the wilderness so that they had need of nothing.
The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. Exodus 16:35
This was physical needs of the people, and yes God can and does supply for these needs. He also provides for our spiritual needs. Look at the response of Jesus to the Samaritan woman at the well, or when he tells us that when we are born again we will receive the Holy Spirit to feed us with all of our spiritual needs. Think on this if we only have one meal a week we would be very thin indeed, so why do many only have one spiritual meal a week? We should be every day feeding off the word.
Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” 1 Peter 1:23-25
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. John 6:35
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
- AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE ALSO FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS
This is probable the hardest part of the Lord’s Prayer, but it is also a COMMAND. In all of our daily lives we are constantly hit by injustices, hurts, etc. It is easy to forget we are sinners as we are reminded in Romans. The Lord is telling us we need daily cleansing, how many times must I forgive?
there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. Romans 3:22-25
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18:21-22
Unless we forgive all that we think has happened to us how can then we the rich blessings from our Lord. Remember we have been forgiven MUCH, one small thing can harm us in one small way we however harm God and sinned against him in every way. He is prepared to write all of this off through the blood of Christ, by saying I am willing to forgive you of all sins, past, present and future once and for all. So there is a requirement on us to forgive others completely. Ephesians Ch 4 tells us to not let the sun go down in our sin for we open the door to the devil.
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; 15 but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15
God is not only a giving God. He is a FORGIVING GOD. May we always have a forgiving spirit.
- AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL
God does not lead us in to temptation but he does allow us to be tempted, how else can we grow if we are not tested? He knows us inside out, think about it he tells us that even if a sparrow should fall he knows it. There is nothing given to us that God knows that we are not capable of conquering.
Consider Job, God knew were Job’s heart was and allowed Satan to test him, note though Satan’s hands were tied. You can take all away from him but you cannot touch Job.
One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered
the LORD, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” 8 The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.” 9 Then Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. Job 1:6-12
Be encouraged even Jesus was tempted, but look at all of his responses. It is a challenge to us to walk closely with God to know his word and the power that is within that. For it is with this knowledge and our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord that we can as he did respond to temptation and importantly say as he did “Get thee behind me” Satan is defeated even though he do not know it and it does not stop him being slekit, but we have one who has already WON. Praise God and watch and pray that we not be led into temptation.
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,6 saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, ’and ‘On their hands they will bear you up so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ”7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour; 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”10 Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. Matthew 4:1-11
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41
Look at some of the final words of Jesus and be glad.
But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth. John 17:13-19
- FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM
We have come full circle, we started with God and are back with God. This should be our priority to pray this ‘Thy kingdom come’ the world is fallen but God’s plan has been in place from the beginning of time. Importantly for us we have that forgiveness given to us through Jesus Christ and he has become the great high priest interceding at God’s right hand. We must always be alert and not be found sleeping. We are to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. We know that we have a place there because Jesus has told us. So let us praise God – ‘For thine is the kingdom’ all else before this is nothing.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going. John 14:1-4
For you know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:2
- THE POWER AND GLORY FOR EVER
Again we started out praising God as our Father and we must finish our prayers this way. We know a God who is all powerful, all knowing, all seeing and everlasting.
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
Do we seek God’s glory alone? He must increase and I must decrease as John the Baptist said. We are nothing, without God in our lives let us give him praise and the glory and look forward to being able to do this FOREVER.
For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:29-30
Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. 1 Chronicles 29:10-11
For to us a child is born,to us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder,and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace Isaiah 9:6
This prayer taught by our Lord should be our spiritual check list so let us use it always.