Models of Prayer: The Lord's Prayer
The disciples of Jesus came to Him while He was praying, asking for a lesson in prayer. They had seen Him pray always, and they knew that His robust prayer life was the secret behind the miracle power at work in His life. His fervent prayer life gave Him power to exercise of demons, sicknesses and nature.
Our Lord responded saying:
Our Father in heaven: This signifies approaching God on the basis of intimate relationship. Only children can call the master Father. Only those who have come to the saving knowledge of God through Jesus Christ can call God father. This is the first step in prayer that produces power. You must turn back to God.
Hallowed be Your name: This is worship. Our prayer must include worship. Though children of God, we must devote ourselves to worship, service and praise of His name. To worship means to submit yourself to God's will and His plan. Paul in Romans 12:1 that the church ought to submit their bodies onto God as a living sacrifice. It is called a sacrifice because our own fleshly desires are against what the Spirit wants, but in doing this, we desire to put God's will first. He calls this sacrifice a spiritual act of worship.
Your kingdom come: Jesus before His ascension said to His disciples, the Kingdom is within you (Luk.17:21). He was referring to the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of those who believe. There is a work of sanctification by the Holy Spirit (2 Thess.2:13). Through this, we live our lives with a view towards the end, when Jesus will be returning as King over all. 1 John 3:3 says, Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. Our prayer must be made with this view that there is an end coming, so we prioritize God's kingdom in all that we do.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven: God's will is that everyone becomes saved and comes to the knowledge of truth (1 Tim.2:4, 2 Pet.3:9). Heaven is a perfect place, and God desires that the earth be perfect just like heaven. Every good thing that is in heaven he desires for His people on earth. Through faith and prayer we make our requests to God on the goodness of what His Word says, that we may enjoy heaven on earth.
Give us this day our daily bread: After you have put God first in worship, devotion to His kingdom, and saving of souls, then you can ask for your own daily bread. This refers to your daily needs. God is committed to providing our needs, but we need to put His will and His desires first. When we make God's desires our desires, He will in turn give us the desires of our heart.
And forgive us our sins: When a person becomes saved, God wipes away all their sins of the past. Sin breaks the fellowship of God with man. Following salvation, it is not expected that there be any sins in your life.
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