Praying with the Model Jesus Gave Us
Praying with the Model Jesus Gave Us
Week 4, Day 2
After teaching us what prayer is not—showy public displays or endless repetition—Jesus then gives us a positive example. He says in Matthew 6:9-13, “This, then, is how you should pray.” He then gives us what we call the Lord's Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Jesus didn't give this prayer as a ritual to repeat word for word every time we pray, like some kind of magic formula. He gave it as a model, a pattern to shape how we approach God in prayer. It's a simple outline that covers the essentials of what real prayer should include.
First, it starts with worship and reverence: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. We're reminded to begin by honoring who God is—our loving Father—and acknowledging His holiness.
Then it moves to surrender and alignment: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Before we ask for anything for ourselves, we're called to submit to God's purposes and priorities.
Next comes a petition for our needs: Give us today our daily bread. This is simple dependence on God for provision, one day at a time.
Then confession and forgiveness: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Prayer includes dealing honestly with sin and extending grace to others.
Finally, protection and deliverance: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. We ask God to guide us away from trials we can't handle and to guard us from evil.
Jesus gave us this model to show that prayer doesn't have to be complicated or long-winded. It's relational—talking to our Father about His glory, His will, our needs, our sins, and our protection. Use this pattern as a guide, and you'll find your prayers becoming more focused, biblical, and powerful, because they're shaped by the One who knows exactly how to pray perfectly.
First, it starts with worship and reverence: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. We're reminded to begin by honoring who God is—our loving Father—and acknowledging His holiness.
Then it moves to surrender and alignment: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Before we ask for anything for ourselves, we're called to submit to God's purposes and priorities.
Next comes a petition for our needs: Give us today our daily bread. This is simple dependence on God for provision, one day at a time.
Then confession and forgiveness: Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Prayer includes dealing honestly with sin and extending grace to others.
Finally, protection and deliverance: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. We ask God to guide us away from trials we can't handle and to guard us from evil.
Jesus gave us this model to show that prayer doesn't have to be complicated or long-winded. It's relational—talking to our Father about His glory, His will, our needs, our sins, and our protection. Use this pattern as a guide, and you'll find your prayers becoming more focused, biblical, and powerful, because they're shaped by the One who knows exactly how to pray perfectly.
APPLICATION:
Jesus gave us a model prayer to teach us how to pray powerful prayers.
- Ask God to enable our church to be a part of starting 1000 churches over the next three years through our Advancing the Kingdom emphasis.
- Ask the Lord to empower us to help in training 1000 pastors around the world to plant churches and take the Gospel of Jesus where the people have not heard.
- Ask God to use our church to make the Gospel known to every person in McKinney over the next three years.
Posted in Advancing the Kingdom Daily Devotionals