When we learn to pray just like Christ prayed, 2012 will be the breakthrough year of your life.
Our Father in Heaven… Hallowed be your name… Your kingdom come… Your will be done… On earth as it is in Heaven… Give us this day our daily bread… Forgive us our debts… As we forgive our debtors… Lead us not into temptation… but deliver us from evil… For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV)
1.“Our Father…” Jesus established a relationship of love between the believer and his God. Just as our earthly father is easy to approach, so is our Heavenly Father.
2.“…In Heaven, hallowed be your name…” While God is our father, He still is our God and deserves our respect. By recognizing His position, we recognize that His ability and power help us far beyond the ability of our earthly father. This is why Christ taught us early in each prayer to pause and thank God for that relationship… recognizing His great glory and power.
3.“…your kingdom come…” This world has been wrecked by the havoc of satan. Our Lord teaches us to pray His kingdom will come into the hearts of men and on the face of this earth. All Christians must pray daily for Christ’s kingdom to come.
4.“…your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” Our prayers should be prayers of faith imploring God to bring forces to bear on this earth so men will be responsive to His glorious Will.
5.“…give us this day, our daily bread…” God desires we ask Him each day for our daily needs. Everything we need is supplied by God. Freely we have received that we are now able to freely give.
6.“…and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors…” Jesus made it clear in Mark 11:26 that if we do not forgive others, forgiveness is withheld from us.
7.“…lead us not into temptation…” Our Lord teaches us to pray that we escape temptation. While the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. We must never think we can resist temptation in our own strength.
8. “…but deliver us from evil…” Almost in the same breath, our Lord Jesus admonishes us to pray to and rely on God to deliver us from the evil one. The effectual prayer of a righteous man avails much. Victory in every area of our lives is in God… and not our own strength.
9. “…for yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever…” Jesus has now come to the full circle of prayer. His prayer began with praise and now concludes with praise. Our praise to God in all matters is our act of faith that His kingdom,His power, and His glory are forever and ever. We clearly express the mighty power of our Lord’s Prayer that defeats Satan.
10. .“…amen.” This final note of our Lord’s Prayer is one of confidence. We do not speak empty words into empty air. Rather, we have the divine assurance that what we ask in Christ’s name will be done. A resounding “AMEN” fills the air, which means: So be it!!!
This is the pattern to powerful praying in 2012. Christ prayed it… and Christ taught it. It is “The Lord’s Prayer.” However, it is also the Believer’s Prayer. Build your prayer life around these ten short sections and watch your prayer life soar to new heights this year!!
