I was doing a Discovery Bible Study with a young man I was discipling. He chose to follow Jesus in December 2011. I wanted to introduce Him to Jesus' teachings on prayer so I facilitated a Discovery Bible Study with him in Matthew 6:5-15. To my amazement I watched the Spirit reveal truth to him and saw the Lord's prayer through new eyes. In the Discovery Bible Study model we ask the question, "What do you learn about God in this passage?" My friend looked at, "Your Kingdom come Your will be done," and said, "God is a king." He looked at, "Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one," and said, "God is a guide." All of a sudden I realized that the Lord's prayer is just that simple. I don't believe that Jesus ever intended the prayer outline He taught His followers to be quoted by rote. Jesus was giving His followers an outline to pray through. After reading Larry Lea's book, Could You Not Tarry For One Hour, I began praying through Larry Leas's outline of praying through the Lord's prayer. Through the years I have expanded an outline for the Lord's prayer I use as a guide to pray for ministry events for years. It is very a detailed and thorough approach to praying through the Lord's prayer. It is overwhelming for a new followers of Christ to get their arms around such a complex approach to prayer. Looking at Jesus' teaching through my disciple's eyes I saw that each request in the Lord's prayer reveals an aspect of the person and character of God as an object of our prayer. So I am suggesting that when believers pray through the Lord's prayer they pray one statement or request at a time and then declare who God is. You are king! Then ask Him to establish His Kingdom. You are a guide! Then ask Him to guide them into a lifestyle of righteousness. So here is what it looks like:
Our Father who is in heaven,
You are my Father!
Enter into a time of prayer and intercession for the Kingdom by affirming the Father's love for you.
Hallowed be Your Name,
You are Yahweh!
Prepare yourself to intercede for the Kingdom by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal within your heart, your sense of need for God in order to accomplish the work He has given you to do. Confessing your sin, inadequacies and weakness, surrender your life to Jesus. Ask Jesus to set Himself a part as Yahweh and appropriate His present ministry in your life so that you may abide in the Vine, Jesus, and bear fruit for the Kingdom.
Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven,
You are the king!
Listen to the Spirit for what the Father is doing and by the power of the Holy Spirit call on the resources of heaven to war against the powers of darkness that the Kingdom of God may be established in your life and ministry. In this way intercede for those the Father is entrusting to you.
Give us this day our daily bread,
You are a provider!
Turn your attention to God's provision in your life for today. Declare the character of God as a provider, remind Him for His promises to provide and ask for His provision to meet your needs.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,
You are forgiver!
Begin considering the day that is a head of you. Ask the Spirit to search your heart and convict you of your sin. Confess your sin to your heavenly Father and allow Him to cleanse you and forgive your sin. Ask the Spirit to search your heart and bring to mind those whom you resentful and bitter towards that you may forgive and release them.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
You are a guide and You are deliverer!
Ask the Spirit to search your heart and reveal the nature of your struggle with sin (world, flesh and devil). Seek the leadership of the Father, appropriating His provision to overcome the temptations you will face today in your battle against the world, the flesh and the devil. Call upon His resources to set you free from the bondage of sin today.
I asked three young adults that my wife and I are discipling to use this simple outline of the Lord's prayer for their prayer time. They found that it took them to a deeper time of prayer.
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