By Unknown
Objectives:
1. To examine the Lord’s Prayer.
2. To adopt the Lord’s Prayer as our pattern of prayer.
3. To understand that the Lord’s Prayer is actually our prayer in that He spoke this prayer to teach us to pray in like
manner–not necessarily to be repeated as a memorized prayer.
I. The Disciples
A. “…Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1)
1. They had been praying; but when they heard Jesus praying, they knew they lacked the intimacy and power they desired to have in prayer
2. Their prayers had been prayers of
a) Petition
b) Thanksgiving
c) Praise
3. They were taught prayers by their fathers in the synagogue
4. Their prayers, though, were basically one-way prayers
a) They realized that Jesus’ prayers consisted of a two-way flow of power
1) The Christ, who limited Himself for our salvation, drew power and direction from the unlimited strength and mind of God.
II. The prayer Jesus taught
A. “After this manner, therefore, pray ye.” (Matthew 6:9)
1. Notice Jesus said manner which means
a) Method
b) Fashion
c) Mode
d) Style
e) Way
f) Form
2. Many people memorize the Lord’s prayer and pray its exact words, but Jesus taught it as a pattern of prayer
B. “Our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9)
1. Our Father
a) God is our Father and we who have obeyed His Word are His children (John 1:12-13)
1) We must submit to His Fatherhood (II Cor. 6:17-18)
2) This relationship comes from being born again of the water and the Spirit and going on to live holy lives (John 3:5; Acts 2:38; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 12:14; I Peter 1:16)
3) Even though each of us is one child in a family of many children, we always have His undivided attention!
a– He is as much ours as anyone else’s!
b– He knows who we are because we are His!
4) As His children, we are privileged
a)- Angels are directed by Him to watch over His own (Psalm 91:11; Hebrews 1:14)
b) We must come into the presence of God with reverence and respect
1) He is our Creator
2) He is the one true almighty God
a– There is no place for a dispassionate or unemotional manner when approaching Him
c) As our Father, He is
1) Our Provider
2) Our Protector
3) Our Corrector
a– He corrects us because He loves us and is always ready to give us a hug after the chastening!
4) Always with us
a– “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come [back] to you.” (John 14:18 Amp)
b– God’s Spirit is everywhere
c– God’s Spirit resides inside those who have received the gift of the Holy Ghost as evidenced by speaking in
tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance
2. “. . .which art in heaven”
a) We must always be below the source of blessings–the Lord God Who is the Supreme Authority
1) We look beyond our own abilities
2) God is in control–not us! He is sovereign
a)- We depend upon Him
b) We acknowledge by saying “. . .which art in heaven”
1) Our faith that there is a place called heaven
2) God’s transcendence
a– He alone exists apart from His creation
B. “Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9)
1. Hallowed means sanctified, consecrated and holy.
2. God’s name, Jesus, is important to Him
a) His Name is to be revered and respected (Exodus 20:7)
1) His name must not be used in a careless way
3. We must not live in a way that would bring reproach (dishonor, disgrace or scandal) upon His Name (II Timothy 2:19)
4. There is no higher Name
a) Every knee should bow (Philippians 2:9)
b) No other saving name (Acts 4:12)
C. “Thy kingdom come.” (Matthew 6:10)
1. God’s kingdom on earth, at this time, is inside Holy Ghost, Jesus’ Name people (Romans 14:17)
a) His kingdom came to this earth on the day of Pentecost
b) We can increase His kingdom here on earth by witnessing 1)”Thy kingdom come” equals praying for souls to be saved
2. God’s kingdom on earth, in the future, will be during His millennial reign
a) Praying “Thy kingdom come” equals praying for the return of Christ (Rev. 22:20)
b) Praying for God’s kingdom to come creates an awareness in a person that they need to stay ready for His coming
1) We become less “earthly-minded”
2) We are declaring that we are on the Lord’s side!
D. “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
1. God’s will is perfectly carried out in heaven
a) Sin is not permitted there
b) Every created being in heaven conducts himself according to God’s will
2. God’s will for those in the earth is
a) For all to be saved (II Peter 3:9)
1) We are praying for souls to be saved
b) For our hearts to be unconditionally surrendered to His will
1) “Not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42)
a– He wants only the best for us
b– He does only the best for us
E. “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11)
1. We can trust the Lord to supply our every need be it spectacular or ordinary
a) God is concerned with our daily needs (Matthew 7:9, 11)
b) God is limitless
c) God is gracious
d) God is generous
e) God is interested in our total well being
(I Peter 5:7)
f) God does not want us to be consumed with undue worry
1) “Take no thought for your life” (Matthew 6:25)
F. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
1. Sin in a person’s life should cause feelings of guilt and condemnation so that they will quickly repent (II Corinthians 7:10)
2. Our forgiveness is predicated upon our forgiving others
a) We forgive others out of love, not just so that we might be forgiven by God
1) Forgiveness means releasing the debt
a)- Forgetting (the emotions connected with the trespass will not re-surface)
G. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13)
1. God’s people will be tempted, but some temptation is avoidable
a) “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation” (Matthew 26:41)
b) It would seem, then, that temptation is somewhat regulated by prayer
1) Discernment of the enemy and his tricks heightened
2. God does not tempt people (James 1:13) but God does limit temptation (I Corinthians 10:13)
H. “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13)
1. This is closing our prayer with praise and worship!
Memory Verses
The Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6:9-13
Sources:
Holman, Denzil Conquest through Prayer. Hazelwood, MO; Word Aflame Press, 1988. Davis, R. M.; Dillon, Jewel; Myers, Karen; Pasley, Maryalice; Rigdon, Dan; Stewart, James; Yadon, Loren Spiritual Growth & Maturity. Hazelwood, MO; Word Aflame Publications, 1984. Tenney, Thetus Prayer Takes Wings. Tioga, LA; Focused Light,
1994. Anderson, H. M.; Bernard, David; Buie, R. M.; Coleman, R. C.; Erickson, Gary; Gilstrap, Robert; Hassebrock, G. W.; Luther, Bill; McGarvey, Vernon; Reynolds, Ralph; Segraves, Dan; Sponsler, George Doctrines of Christ. Hazelwood, MO; Pentecostal Publishing House, 1993.
