Explaination in depth of the Lord's Prayer

[Heath]

A model for Christian prayer is found in the Gospel of Matthew.

Jesus Christ himself gave all of us a pattern for prayer:

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen" (Matthew 6:9-13 KJV).

Christian Prayer: An Interpretation For All Of Us
The model for Christian prayer in Matthew 6 is known as the Lord's Prayer. Many of us have recited this prayer for years, but have never truly meditated on its meaning. The following are spiritual based on the Lord's Prayer that can help deepen your prayer life with God:

"Our Father" - God wants us to approach Him as "Daddy" (Aramaic: Abba). He wants to take care of us and protect us. God desires intimacy. Remember, He has infinite love and grace. God wants us to be secure in His family as adopted children and heirs.

"Which Art in Heaven" -- Look up to God. Fear Him and revere Him. He is all-powerful and can deal with all our problems, even the big ones. But He loves us so much that He doesn't stay up there.

"Hallowed be Thy Name" -- Holy, holy, holy. Approach God with awe and wonder. Save the word "awesome" for God. Live a life that honors Him.

"Thy Kingdom Come" - "Take this job and love it!" Working on behalf of God's kingdom is the ultimate joy. Bloom where you're planted. Do everything as unto the Lord. Find your gifts and use them. Be open to God's leading each day.

"Thy Will Be Done" - God is the potter; we are the clay. God keeps us spinning on His potter's wheel, shaping and reshaping us as He bathes our lives in tears to make us more Christ-like so He can use us for His will. Surrender daily. Keep your clay moist through daily prayer.

"On Earth as it is in Heaven" -- Thy will be done - not my will be done!

"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread" - Trust! God will provide for our needs. His eye is on the sparrow and I know He cares for me.

"Forgive Us Our Debts as We Forgive Our Debtors" -- Forgiveness = Surrender. Don't carry your own backpack - surrender it to Him. Revealing the feeling is the beginning of healing. Act as if you have forgiven and the feeling will follow. In our weakness, God sends His strength and peace.

"Lead Us Not Into Temptation" - Watch for unrecognized temptation. Pray, so you won't fall. We are tempted every day. It deepens our walk and strengthens our faith - but be careful of spiritual blindness. Open my eyes, Lord, to my blind spots - use honest friends and family.

"Deliver Us From Evil" -- The Evil One, Satan. We are saved from death to life. Jesus is more powerful than Satan - God is greater!

"For Thine Is the Kingdom (obedience), and the Power (confidence) and the Glory (joy), Forever" -- This is our Father's world. Everything we have is His. He is the ruler!

 

[Heath]

Scriptures: Matthew 6:5-6; 7:7-11; 18:19-20
John 16:23-24

The greatest privilege the child of God has is that of prayer! We are invited & encouraged by our Righteous Heavenly Father to come boldly into His Presence where we may obtain mercy and grace.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession. 15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. 16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (KJV)

boldly = frankness; bluntness; in assurance & confidence. openly; plainly.

need = (only use) = well timed;

The purest form of prayer is that of "closet prayer."

Matthew 6:5-6

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (KJV)

What is prayer?

It is drawing near to God, the Heavenly Father. It means to come near to God and turn your mind and thoughts toward Him. A coming together.

James 4:8

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded. (KJV)

Hebrews 10:22

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (KJV)

Hebrews 7:19

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope [did]; by the which we draw nigh unto God. (KJV)

draw near = to approach; come near; go unto.

Almighty God is the heavenly Father of His born again children. HE is our Wonderful Counselor; our Advisor; our Helper; our Wisdom. He is the Father Who not only wants the best for His children, but the One Who can provide it.
The only way one can draw near to God the Father is through Jesus!
The only entrance into the Father's Presence is through His Son.

John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (KJV)

John 16:23-24

And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give [it] you. 24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (KJV)

John 16:26-27

At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. (KJV)

John 14:13-14

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it]. (KJV)

John 15:16

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (KJV)

One draws near to God (prays) for specific purposes.
"Praying," is not merely the saying of some words or phrases.

Matthew 6:7

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (KJV)

One does not come to a Governor, Pres. etc. high official, just to repeat the pledge to the flag, read a poem, etc. BUT FOR A SPECIFIC REASON. This is what prayer is!

Many reasons why a child of God would draw near to the Heavenly Father:
To acknowledge GOD'S absolute sovereignty over you; & your utter dependency upon Him for your every need. Humble yourself.

To establish a right relationship-fellowship. Sin must be confessed and forsaken; ask for cleansing in the blood of Jesus.

Psalm 66:18

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]: (KJV)

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV)

1 John 3:19-22

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, [then] have we confidence toward God. 22And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. (KJV)

Psalm 32:6

For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. (KJV)

= at the time of finding out...of conviction.

Psalm 51:2-4

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, [and] be clear when thou judgest.

To offer praise & adoration in true spiritual worship. This should be 1st after establishing a right relationship with the Father. Read Psa. 145.

John 4:24

God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. (KJV)

To acknowledge God's blessings, His specific answers to prayers; to give thanks for His manifold daily blessings. Remember the 10 lepers.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (KJV)

2 Corinthians 9:15

Thanks [be] unto God for his unspeakable gift. (KJV)

Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Colossians 1:12

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (KJV)

Colossians 3:17

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (KJV)

To submit oneself in obedience to God's sovereign purpose for you.

To inquire of the LORD about personal decisions to be made.

To make specific requests, including intercession for others. This was the first use of prayer in the Bible. Gen. 20:17-18 by Abraham.

To resist temptations.

To fellowship & receive comfort.

In obedience to God's command to pray.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing. (KJV)

Luke 18:1

And he spake a parable unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; (KJV)

Matthew 5:44

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (KJV)

Luke 21:36

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (KJV)

James 5:16

Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (KJV)

1 Peter 4:7

But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. (KJV)

One must pray in absolute faith in God and His Word.
("faith" is strictly a N.T. word: it is not in the O.T.)

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (KJV)

James 1:6-7

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. (KJV)

Romans 4:20-21

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (KJV)

Romans 14:23

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin. (KJV)

The "will of God" as seen in 1 John 5:14.

"Whatsoever ye ask in My Name, THAT will I do! (many scriptures).
Each child of God should have a daily "quiet time" with their righteous Heavenly Father.

a secret closet, undisturbed.

In spirit & in truth.

In unwavering faith in God's truthfulness to hear & answer.

That your joy may be full.