Part 8 of 8We have come to the end of our brief study of prayer, from the unique perspective of the early church apostles. We have seen what the apostles prayed, how they prayed, when they prayed, why they prayed, and for whom they prayed. How wonderful that the Word of God is able to enlighten our prayerful path! No longer must we pray according to our own human nature and limited understanding. Thanks to the Holy Ghost and the Word of God we are able to perceive God's methods, and pray as He has ordained! What a blessing!
I want to observe one last facet of this grand Christian doctrine: the Lord's Prayer. The Lord's prayer is Jesus' response to the disciples inquiry, "Teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1), and therefore should be heeded deeply. In my humble opinion, one of the most critical things to realize concerning this Scriptural prayer is the fact that it is a pattern for all prayer, rather than mere words to be perpetually repeated. In other words, I believe that men are in error if we assume this prayer is to become rote, continually reiterated word for word, just for the sake of praying it. So many believers (and entire denominations) may habitually say these words, while completely missing the point Jesus was trying to make in His teaching. This dissertation was in response to the disciple's request, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1). Therefore, I believe this prayer presents to us many spiritual truths, by which our own prayer is to be fashioned, formed, guided and matured. Jesus said, "after this manner [fashion, likeness, similitude], therefore pray ye..." (Matt 6:9). He was not telling us of an exact phrase to religiously dictate over and over, but of a divine fashion and most excellent model to bring our hearts to His; He did not provide this prayer as a mere copy to be merely repeated, but as a motivation and inspiration to commune with God, and as an instruction in prayer. Jesus even preceded this prayer by instructing us away from "vain repetitions" (Matt 6:7).
Interestingly, every clause of the Lord's Prayer is rooted and found in the Old Testament Scriptures, denoting that our prayers must be Scriptural if they are to be acceptable, which we have seen in previous posts: "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us" (1 Jn 5:14). But we cannot know His will if we are ignorant of His Word.
Let us now briefly observe this model which Jesus has given us...
- "Our Father" (Matt 6:9b) - How very appropriate that this instruction commences with "our Father".. The spirit of adoption is our only needful prerequisite. Prayer within the covenant God has given us is successful prayer! Like the prodigal son, we too must come to ourselves, arise, and go to our Father (Lk 15:18)! For as the heart realizes exactly to Whom it is praying, divine faith arises and the power needed is very present. This position of divine intimacy and Fatherhood is to be the foundation of all prayer; this is the fashion by which real prayer is made! God is the lover of my soul, and the Father to which I can turn - faith to pray, therefore, is made simple. We're praying to "our [loving] Father", not a harsh and worldly task-master.. Why therefore should we neglect to speak with Him? "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him" (Ps 103:13).
- "Which art in heaven" (6:9c) - No request or petition is too hard for a God "which art in heaven". This is one reason why Jesus instructs us to pray with this mindset. If God is seated in heaven, then He is all-powerful, and no petition is above Him. If He is seated in heaven, then He has wholly overcome, and even death and the grave must bow at His feet! If God is seated in heaven, then we can trust that He is wholly in control, and infinitely elevated above the pseudo-controls of men upon earth: "The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool" (Isa 66:1). If God is seated in heaven, then we know His view is far better than our own, seeing the end from the beginning, and never once fretting of my destiny, natural provision, and spiritual outcome. He is providently directing all things from on high! "But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased" (Ps 115:3). A God "which art in heaven" is one worthy to be adored!
- "Hallowed be Thy name" (6:9d) - Primarily, this verse depicts the worship that our prayer is to possess. This term "hallowed" is frequently translated "sanctified." It means "to set apart for a sacred use". Thus, the words "hallowed be Thy name" signify the pious desire that God’s matchless name might be reverenced, adored, and glorified, and that God might cause it to be held in the utmost respect and honor, that its fame might spread abroad and be magnified. "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name" (Ps 96:8)! Appropriately, these words come before any petition is made, thus showing us of the preeminence that worship is to have. All other requests must be subordinate to this one and be in pursuance of it. We cannot pray aright unless the glory of God be dominant in our desires. We are to cherish a deep sense of the ineffable holiness of God and an ardent longing for the honoring of it. May the adoration of King Jesus be sought far above all of our earthly needs and wants: "Let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee" (Ps 5:11).
Secondly, this verse tells of the subject of holiness. Most people subtly think that their personal righteousness will somehow aid in an answer to their prayer.. "If I just behave for a few hours, maybe my prayer will be heard?" Thankfully, Jesus instructs us to pray after a much different form and fashion: "Hallowed be Thy name".. In other words, the righteousness of God is the only right we have toward a Divine audience and answered petition. Yes, the "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (Jas 5:16), but it is not one's own righteousness that progresses this availing, but the righteousness of God (Isa 64:6). The rewards of His goodness are made our very own, all because of divine propitiation! His merit is the ground upon which we may boldly stand; Our boldness, access and confidence is only by "the faith of Him" (Eph 3:12).. "For 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. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:15-16). Jesus' consecration is our only way into the holiest (Heb 10:19-20)! His name alone is hallowed; may we never strive to stand and pray upon our own graces: "For through Him [and only Him] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph 2:18)! Friends, what an appropriate model to pattern!
- "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (6:10) - Here we have one goal and aim of real prayer. Any petition that does not strive for God's will is surely not originated in His heart, nor breathed by His Spirit. On the contrary, the one who sincerely prays this necessarily intimates his unreserved surrender to God; he implies his renunciation of the will of Satan (2 Tim 2:26), his own corrupt inclinations (1 Pet 4:2), and his rejection of all things opposed to God. He therefore humbly and contritely acknowledges that he cannot do His Father’s will without Divine assistance, and that he earnestly desires and seeks enabling grace. What is my aim in prayer? Do I aim for the will of God, for myself and for the body? When we pray, "Thy will be done", we ask God for spiritual wisdom to learn His will: "Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts...Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes" (Ps 119:27, 33). Also, we beg God for spiritual inclination toward His will: "I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart...Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies" (Ps 119:32, 36). Furthermore, we ask God for spiritual strength to perform His bidding: "Quicken Thou me according to Thy Word...strengthen Thou me according unto Thy Word" (Ps 119:25, 28; Phil 2:12, 13; Heb 13:20, 21). Our Lord teaches us to pray, "Thy will be done in earth", because this is the place of our discipleship. So many of us may pray for this or for that, all the while neglecting what Jesus desires in the matter. Scripture calls this asking "amiss" (Jas 4:3). Do our desires align with His? Do our wants contradict His will for our lives? As a model of all prayer, Jesus' words here encourage us to this better end: "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us" (1 Jn 5:14).
An important facet of this truth is that it is duly fueled by our worship. It is no coincidence that the phrase "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done" is directly following the phrase "Hallowed by Thy name...". Truly, there is but a small step from rapturous worship to the glowing selfless spirit, which is a sure outgrowth of filial love and reverent adoration. The fashion and form of accredited prayer is to be for the execution of God's will upon the earth, and a glimpse of God in worship is often a precursor, as it was for the prophet Isaiah: "...I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple... Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me" (Isa 6:1, 8).
- "Give us this day our daily bread" (6:11) - As the heart is caught up in the rapture of God's grandeur, it is made ever-more aware of its own faulty state, and desperate need. Reader, a heart that properly seeks God in communion will be a heart well-aware of its humble dependence upon Him. "Give us this day our daily bread", for without your kind bestowment, we are but an utter mess! And what a respectable request to be made.. "daily bread"! So many are striving and begging for carnal delicacies, while neglecting the more suitable and Scriptural petitions. Are we content with bread? Are our hearts happy to partake of the Bread of Life? Can we honestly sing, "Just give me Jesus"? Yes, God will of course bless us, and often overwhelm us, with the temporal joys of this life (Prov 10:22), but such are not to be the sole aim and focus of our prayer (Prov 30:8-9; 1 Tim 6:8). Rather, may we follow the pattern established by the Lord Himself: "Give us the day our daily bread".
- "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (6:12) - As we're caught up in communion, hallowing God's name, not only is the heart displayed its humble dependence, but it's sinfulness too. Again we see the prophet Isaiah who, upon a glimpse of God's glory, says, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" (Isa 6:5). This same instance occurred with Moses (Exod 34:5-9), Simon Peter (Lk 5:8), and with John (Rev 1:17). The glory of God will expose you! Not only are we brought to humbly ask for daily bread from our great High Priest, but we're also made to beg for His mercies, "forgive us our debts"! Our sins are here viewed, as in Luke 11:4, under the notion of debts, that is, undischarged obligations or failures to render to God His lawful due. Without the Lord Jesus, we are yet indebted to pay our own punishment for sin. No provision is made for our need, be it a natural need or a spiritual one, apart from His graces. But when He is present, no need is left unanswered! No natural requirement (Lk 12:29-30), nor any spiritual deficiency is overlooked by El Shaddai, the "breasty, all-sufficient" One (2 Pet 1:3; Rom 8:32).. "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly" (Ps 84:11). When Jesus is present, as Paul has stated, no longer are we debtors to the flesh: "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father" (Rom 8:12-15). For there is forgiveness with Him, that He may be feared (Ps 130:4). "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31). The onus to forgive, therefore, is also upon us. As the people of God, we have a responsibility to show like-minded mercies to those who mistreat and abuse us, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another (Col 3:13; Eph 4:32).. "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt 4:14-15). "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Ps 32:1).
- "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (6:13a) - Knowing the natural state of the heart far from God, the prayerful saint then realizes his need to supplicate for grace, for "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt 26:41). He is better motivated to ask for God's perseverance away from all evils. Friends, the man who is really forgiven, is anxious not to offend again; the possession of justification leads to an anxious desire for sanctification. Per Jesus' words, men ought to pray with this in mind.
It is important to understand that the word "tempt" has a twofold significance in Scripture, (1) to try (the strength of), to put to the test; and (2) to entice to do evil. When it is said that "God did tempt Abraham" (Gen 22:1), it means that He tried him, putting to the test his faith and fidelity. But when we read that Satan tempted Christ, it signifies that Satan sought to bring about His downfall, morally impossible though it was. To tempt is to make trial of a person, in order to find out what he is and what he will do. We may tempt God in a legitimate and good way by putting Him to the test in a way of duty, as when we await the fulfillment of His promise in Malachi 3:10. But, as is recorded for our admonition in Psalm 78:41, Israel tempted God in a way of sin, acting in such a manner as to provoke His displeasure. It should be clear, therefore, that we are not to pray simply and absolutely against all temptations. Jesus Himself was tempted by the Devil, and was definitely led into the wilderness by the Spirit for that very end (Matt 4:1; Mk 1:12). Not all temptations are evil, regardless of the aspect in which we view them: their nature, their design, or their outcome. It is from the evil of temptations that we pray to be spared. We are to pray that we may not be led into temptation; or, if God sees fit that we should be tempted, that we may not yield thereto; or if we yield, that we be not totally overcome by the sin. Nor may we pray for a total exemption from trials, but only for a removal of the judgment of them. God often permits Satan to harass us, in order to humble us, to drive us to Himself, and to glorify Himself by manifesting more fully to us His preserving power. Thus we read the words, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience..." (Jas 1:2, 3).
- "For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen" (6:13b) - These closing words act as a plea to enforce the many forgoing petitions. As the result of this prayer, there follows a triumphant ascription of praise, "Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever, Amen." We rejoice that our King reigns! Jesus here encourages us to pray with the security of whose we are. We serve a great and powerful King, whose dominion will have no end! These many preceding prayerful truths, therefore, are to become a reality! Furthermore, I love how the Lord's Prayer opens and closes with praise. As another has said, "The best pleading with God is the praising of Him; it is the way to obtain further mercy, as it qualifies us to receive it. In all our addresses to God, it is fit that praise should have a considerable share, for praise becometh the saints; they are to be our God for a name and for a praise. It is just and equal; we praise God, and give him glory, not because he needs it - he is praised by a world of angels, but because he deserves it; and it is our duty to give him glory, in compliance with his design in revealing himself to us. Praise is the work and happiness of heaven; and all that would go to heaven hereafter, must begin their heaven now".
Much more can be said of this grand topic, but this must suffice for now. May God give us grace to beseech Him as Scripture encourages. May the Holy Ghost and His good Book conduct the soul and be our guide!
- The End -
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