The Way To Pray

True prayer is a private, intimate transaction between God and His child.

The Way To Pray In response to the disciples’ request, “Lord, teach us to pray,” Jesus taught them the so-called Lord’s Prayer (Lk. 11:1-4; Mt. 6:9-13). These twelve, who lived in constant company with the Lord for three years, were the awed witnesses of His fervent, consistent and often intense prayer relationship with His Father. It provoked in them a craving to pray as He prayed, and to enter into a similar intimacy with the Father of whom He taught them.

Since Luke abbreviates the prayer, and since translations vary in their annotations of it, in this article we will refer to Matthew 6:9-13.

The common use of this prayer as a rote or ritual prayer is anticipated and discouraged by Jesus’ prior caution against “babbling like pagans” (Mt. 6:7 NIV), which accomplishes none of the objectives of true prayer. Jesus also warns against public praying “to be seen by men” (Mt. 6:5-6). True prayer is a private, intimate transaction between God and His child.

Though the prayer comes as part of the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, which has His kingdom on earth in view as its setting, its principles are not limited to a prophetic future time. Our Savior, the King Himself, taught that the kingdom of God is “within (among) you” (Lk. 17:21). As His loyal subjects, sworn to obey Him, we represent the kingdom on earth even now, by virtue of the fact that the King is present within/among us; He reigns in our lives. It is only reasonable to believe that this is how He Himself prayed. So, let’s pray ...

“Our Father” - We approach God as children of the loving Parent who gives us life and everything we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). He’s not just the Father, but our Father, who knows us intimately and cares for us personally. He is not our Father in that He exists to serve our purposes. But the supreme God is ours in that He is available to us any time, anywhere. As Paul writes, He is “for us” (Rom. 8:31). He is, as we say today in the most absolute sense, “always there for us.”

The possessive “our” is plural not singular. To be sure, He is always, but never exclusively, my Father. I always have His undivided attention, but He is just as available to each and every child of His. How ironic, then, to approach our Father, expecting His undivided attention and forgiving grace, while clinging to differences, dissensions or animosities with our spiritual siblings who enjoy the same access to Him. To remain at odds, or refuse to acknowledge each other, pains His loving Father-heart! Both Paul and Peter teach that relations between husband and wife affect our prayer life (1 Cor. 7:5; 1 Pet. 3:7). Is it not also true of strained relations among the children in God’s family?

“In heaven” - From His lofty perspective in the control room of the universe, our Father sees, manages and directs all His creation. He has unlimited access to all the resources necessary by which to intervene in response to our prayer.

Our Father’s perspective is not distorted (as is ours) by proximity to the noise and visual interference of earth. He sees the big picture clearly and in perfect perspective, and sees us, our problems and our needs in proper proportion. Neither His perception of a problem nor His ability to meet our need can ever be impaired. He is never distant or remote. With what supreme confidence do we then approach Him!

“Hallowed be Your name” - True prayer is worship - bowing down to Him and surrendering to His supreme worthiness. So, we begin by exalting His name. He has exalted His name and His word above all things (Ps. 138:2). And so should we.

He must be approached with the utmost respect and reverence. “Hallowed be your name” is not just a formulaic platitude. With our whole being we submit ourselves to its authority, craving above all else the honor and exaltation of that name. We commit to live so as to enhance that name, not detract from it nor reflect negatively on it in any way.

God has now exalted Jesus’ name to the highest place in the universe (Phil. 2:9). Our Savior taught us to pray to the Father in His name (Jn. 16:23-27), the name equal to the Old Testament “Jehovah,” the name of God, the Son. There is no higher, more glorious nor more powerful name in which to pray. How can our prayers not be effective? But we do not approach God to get what we want for ourselves. The only valid basis for prayer - the only platform from which to pray acceptably - is a commitment to seek the honor, exaltation and glory of Him who alone is worthy. We come in worshipful reverence.

“Your kingdom come” - This is not a plea that He come to reign on earth now. His kingdom is a sure thing, to be established here in due time. We’re not asking Him to move up His itinerary but expressing our hearts’ longing that He have His rightful sway in this rebellious world.

The entire universe is subject to the Creator’s every wish and command (Col. 1:15-17). The Son “sustains all things by His powerful word” (Heb. 1:3). Only earth and its inhabitants stand in rebellion against Him and remain, since Genesis 3, under the sway of the arch-enemy/arch-rebel, Satan. Our supreme desire as we pray to our Father is for His anointed King (Ps. 2:6) to finally put down the rebellion and establish His rightful rule (1 Cor. 15:24-28). We pledge allegiance to Him alone, longing to see Him universally acknowledged as supreme without rival or detractor.
And we pray with that priority.

“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” - I believe that the expression “as it is in heaven” properly applies to all three of these clauses - His name, His kingdom and His will. All are always true in heaven. And nothing will be right on earth until they are in effect here.

But this third one, especially, we cannot express simply as a pious platitude. If I truly want God’s will on earth, I will be available to do His will in the only area of earth where I can make it happen - my own life. If I am not an available vehicle for His will, I cannot honestly pray “Your will be done on earth,” as I am only an insincere hypocrite.

What an opportunity to stand up for the Creator! When my life is a daily expression of His will, I am both a witness and an advocate for God - and a target for the enemy whose usurped “authority” I challenge by my submission and allegiance to the true Authority.

While earth persists in its rebellion, His redeemed, as earthlings who have sworn loyalty to the Creator, stand and live and pray in harmony with His ultimate purpose, which is “to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ” (Eph. 1:10).

The position of the believer in Christ relative to this rebellious world is defined in John 1:10-13, and emphasized elsewhere in that gospel, particularly in the upper room discourse and the Lord’s prayer (Jn. 13-17).

So, then, when I pray, do I honestly, wholeheartedly long for His supreme exaltation and rightful universal rule? In other words, do I pray to advance God’s agenda - the only valid agenda? Or do I still plead with God for my own agenda?

“Give us this day our daily bread” - Having truly confessed that my priorities are God’s, not my own, I bring my petitions from the same platform of worship and commitment to His will. This is essential. James warns against praying for the wrong reasons, describing the dire consequences (Jas. 4:1-3). But surrendered to God and His agenda, I can ask anything I want, assured that it will be granted (Ps. 37:4; 1 Jn. 5:14-15).

I have long struggled, as many do, with how to pray according to God’s will. Can I know His will? I believe the short answer is: Though I do not know His specific will in a matter, when my life, motivations and ambitions are surrendered to Him, and I am bowed to His will as the craving of my life, then His Spirit harmonizes my petitions with His will (Rom. 8:26-27). It is my spirit and attitudes that must bow to His will, even if my mind is not fully or specifically enlightened. If my real motive in praying is to advance His will and His agenda, it will be answered.

Petitions that flow from a heart and life pledged to God’s honor and glory (“hallowed be Your name”) are acceptable to Him. I would not urge shortening our prayers (most of us need to pray more, not less), but I believe our petitions may well get briefer when we understand that we don’t have to argue each case to convince God. Our petitions become simply a matter of bringing Him the concerns of hearts in tune with His.

This first petition is for the supply of our own needs: our daily bread. In a time of weekly, bi-weekly or monthly paychecks, and shopping for a week’s supply of groceries at a time, it seems strange to ask for “daily” bread. Practically speaking, we do not appear to be day-to-day dependent. But I believe God wants to remind us that we need Him and His supply each day. Even though today’s dinner may be in the pantry or freezer, I still look to Him and thank Him for providing it daily. In a day of long-range plans and weekly/monthly itineraries, we need to realize that our lives, well-being and walk with God are a matter of ongoing, ever-conscious dependence on Him and thankfulness to Him, each day, hour and minute.

“Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors” - I believe the idea here is horizontal, not vertical: not sins against God but against people - which, of course, ultimately offend God. We know that God’s forgiveness of our sins is not based on our willingness to forgive others, but on the sole basis of our Savior’s sacrifice. Even under the Law, sins were forgiven, passed over, on the basis of a blood sacrifice.

But an unforgiving spirit in one who has been forgiven by a holy and just God is a deviation, as the Lord Jesus taught in the parable about a forgiven-but-unforgiving servant (Mt. 18:21-35). There, forgiveness granted is ultimately revoked in view of the forgiven’s unwillingness to forgive. Jesus’ teaching does not contradict the principle of forgiveness based on a blood sacrifice rather than performance. It is really a matter of how our unwillingness to deal with interpersonal problems affects our free-flowing fellowship with God. It goes back to praying “Our Father” while quibbling with another of His equally-loved children.

Paul urges us to “forgive each other just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph. 4:32), thereby gratefully extending the blessing we have received. A loving God has forgiven us without any merit of our own, on the basis of His sacrifice. How then can we refuse to forgive?

Second Corinthians 5:19 is a remarkable statement: “God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” Can we hold grudges when God does not? In the very next statement Paul tells us that “He has committed to us the message of reconciliation” and has given us the “ministry of reconciliation.” As God’s agents, here to extend his reconciliation to all, can we fulfill our ministry while persisting in unreconciliation with anyone? Such an unforgiving spirit can only inhibit our prayers.

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” - Does God lead us into temptation? According to James 1:13, “God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.” Instead, temptation reaches us from within, through our own hearts, says James 1:14-15.

Our Savior was “led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil” (Lk. 4:1-2). Note that He was not tempted by the Spirit, nor led into temptation by the Spirit, but led to the place where the devil tempted Him. If we are pledged to His will being done, God will lead us and fortify us against temptation.

Satan could never induce our Savior to sin; the temptation only tested and proved His true character, showing that in Him was no inclination to sin. God allows us to be tempted also, to strengthen and purify our faith and the quality of our lives (Jas. 1:2-4; 1 Pet. 1:6-7).

Paul gives us a most encouraging insight in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out.” God is there when we are tempted, providing the “out” that we need, because the situation is never out of His control. As we seek His help (Heb. 4:14-16), He gives us the victory.

I see this petition as a turning to God in every moment of temptation, calling on His mercy, grace and resources to rescue me. We have a further almighty resource in our Lord’s intercession before the Father to “protect (us) from the evil one” (Jn. 17:15). Satan is very present in our world and very near to our lives, but our Savior’s mighty intercession and the Holy Spirit’s work in us keep us from falling prey. Only our own rebellious will can allow us to fail.

When tempted, I like to paraphrase this petition by praying, “Lead me away from temptation.” Are we always available for Him to lead us? Or are we more available for the tempter? Our sinful nature is more than eager for the latter.

The evil one was defeated by our Savior at the cross (Heb. 2:14). He can have no power over us unless we surrender to Him. As long as we cling to our Savior, “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37).

Since temptation is a constant in our life on this planet, we can never afford to be complacent or off guard. Our resource is unfailing and almighty - we need only stay with Him.
“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” - This final clause is treated differently in the various translations. Whether the clause is authentic or not, it is consistent with the most basic premise of prayer - that it is first and foremost, a seeking for God’s glory and exaltation, for his universally acknowledged rule. It reaffirms the opening clauses.

While this prayer does not seem to cover all contingencies nor features of a complete prayer experience, in kernel form it’s all here. Confession of sin is implied in our approach to our Father, as well as His forgiveness and our abandonment of any hindrance to the relationship. Further, there is acknowledgement of our susceptibility to temptation, and thus, the confession of our weakness toward sin.

Intercessory prayer is not specifically treated, yet there is concern for relationships (that is, forgiveness) which involves a desire for the well being of others.

In summary, the Lord’s teaching on prayer covers, in addition to the worship platform for praying, the three major categories of petition: needs, relationships and behavior that honors our God. So, let us pray.

By Bill Van Ryn