Prayer Help

Lord’s Prayer Template

Our Father Which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.

            Praise God for Who He is- Creator, Father, Holy. We honor Him because He made us. Not only this, but He relates to us as a Father, who, while we were yet sinners, loved us and sent His only Begotten Son to die for us. His care is continual, as He sends His Holy Spirit to dwell with us.

            Our praise and adoration should include the desire to know Him better, to be like His Son and to walk in the new life of His Holy Spirit.

            His name is Holy. He has given us His name. Thus, we are to walk in that holiness. We should express gratitude as well as request revival and renewal in this Holy life.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, in Earth as it is in Heaven.

            Express and remember God’s kingdom. Earnestly desire His kingdom to manifest itself here on Earth. This will include prayer for understanding the nature and extent of God’s Kingdom. Furthermore, repentance and the need for renewal may be in order as we seek to establish our own kingdoms, or the kingdoms of men that are opposed to God’s Kingdom.

            Thus, we pray, like Jesus, Thy will, be done. Not my will, not my kingdom but the Father’s will, His Kingdom.

            Contemplate how the Lord’s will is done in Heaven. It is absolute. The angels and the departed saints perfectly obey our Father. We are to pray for that level of perfect obedience from living and future saints.

            Furthermore, we know that the Lord Jesus will rule Heaven and Earth from Heaven until all of His enemies are subdued beneath His feet. We must pray, work, preach, and live in such a way that perfect obedience is established on the Earth. First, in our own lives, marriages, families, church and then moving outward in concentric circles, to the very ends of the Earth.

Give us this day our daily bread.

            This prayer acknowledges that it is God who supplies our daily needs. We should express our thankfulness and then name many ways that He has supplied our needs. Food from Heaven keeps us alive. God supplies us with manna, bread. The Word, the Bread of Life. Forgiveness of sins in the blood of Christ. Jobs to pay our bills. Homes, cars, clothes, luxuries, hobbies, entertainments, all come from the hand of our most beloved and benevolent Father.

            Are you in need? Spiritually? Physically? Financially? Emotionally? Then this prayer is for you. God is your Father and has promised to provide all things needful for you. The Lord Jesus has also told us that He knows we are needy and need these things, even before we ask. But then He tells us to ask. So, ask God to supply all your needs. Part of this supply is Him teaching us the difference between wants and needs. We need to submit to that part.

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

            This prayer is at the heart of the gospel for all who understand what the Lord Jesus has accomplished. It acknowledges that we are sinners. We need forgiveness first. Without Christ, we are dead in our sins and unable to save ourselves through any means. Unless we are forgiven for our sins, big and small, we will all perish in an eternity of Hell. That is sobering and should sober us every time we pray. But the Good News, is that we are forgiven because Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. God accepted Him and us in Him. Thanks be to God!

            And because God has extended His grace and mercy to us, we must therefore extend His and our grace and mercy to others. God has forgiven you. Forgive others. Do not leave your knees retaining the sins of others against you. In fact, if you do not forgive others their sins against you, your Father in Heaven will not forgive you.

            This prayer is a good check to see whether you are really in the grace of God. Can you forgive sins against you? This can only really be done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you retain sins and do they eat at your soul like a bitter canker? That is an indication that the Holy Spirit has not illuminated you. So, ask God to grant you the grace of His forgiveness and the ability, by the Holy Spirit, to forgive others.

            In this place, we offer petitions for the needs of others, other sinners, those who have wronged us, those who are sick, needy, or spiritually dark. In this place as well as in the Give us the Day our Daily Bread Petition, we may ask God to supply other’s needs, job, spouse, or other earthly comforts or healing.

           

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

            Like the petition to ask God for our daily bread, this prayer is an acknowledgment of our utter helplessness without the Lord. We are human and prone to do evil. Even the regenerate heart is in a constant battle with the remaining fleshly mind and body. If God does not deliver us from evil and keep us from falling into temptations, we will backslide and run the risk of trampling under foot the blood of covenant.

            We should acknowledge our temptations, name them, repudiate them and turn to Christ. If we have fallen to the temptation into sin, we should repent, perhaps seek help from a parent, spouse or pastor, and ask for additional prayer that we might stand fast in Christ Jesus.

            If we are delivered, it is the work of God in our lives and not our own willpower or works. We do not save ourselves. Thus, we give God the glory for keeping us from falling headlong into sin.

For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory, forever. Amen.

            We prayed, Thy Kingdom Come. It is His Kingdom. We are servants. We submit to Him at the beginning and end of our prayers.  Thus, our wills are taken up in His and we are glad to please our good and gracious Father.

            His power enables us to live faithfully. His power brings His will on Earth as it is in Heaven. Praise Him for that. His power provides our daily bread. Thank Him. His power enables us to forgive others. His power keeps us from temptation and overthrows the wicked.

            His glory is the chief end of man. Do we live for His glory? Then rejoice. If not, turn from seeking your own glory and glorify Him. As we look around at the world, do we see that the Kingdoms of this World have become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ? Do we believe that God has the power to accomplish this? Are we pleased for Him to work through whatever Providences He deems necessary to bring about His Kingdom? Do we know that God works all things for His own glory and for the good of His saints? Do we act upon this knowledge with faith, boldness, zeal, peace and joy? Give Him the glory.

            Forever. There is no end to God’s Kingdom and Power. And He will receive the glory, forever. Amen. So be it. This is true. It shall be done.