Lord, Teach US to Pray Pt. 2

Matthew 6:9-13 “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread.12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

Let’s continue looking at the Lord’s prayer and perhaps for you what may be a different perspective.

Before we look at verses 11-13, I want to interject something else that I hope will bring some clarity for you.

WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE.

Read the story of the prodigal son.  The father in this story represents our heavenly Father and is a picture of his heart towards us. Pay close attention to the father’s reply. 

Luke 15:11-12 KJV And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

v.29-31 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

Ephesians 1:11 ESV In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, (his eternal, unchangeable plan).

Once again, ask yourself some questions. Do you need to ask for what is already yours?  Do you need to ask to use what is already yours?  I know I don’t have to ask.

So, let’s look at what Jesus says about what we eat.

Daily bread-Matthew 6:25-26 KJV Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

God loves mankind so much more than all his other creation. He put his spirit in us. No other of his creation has that honor.

What about forgiveness of sins?

Forgive us our debts-Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down at the right hand of God.

We know “this man” is a reference to Jesus. His sacrifice covers ALL sin, for ALL people.  This means forgiveness of sin past, present, and future.

While most people have no problem believing for forgiveness of past and present sin, future sin sometimes is in question. If it’s not true that future sin is forgiven then we’re all in trouble, because every sin committed after Jesus’ death is future.

Verily, verily I say unto you, JESUS IS NOT GOING BACK TO THE CROSS FOR YOU. HE DID WHAT HE CAME TO DO.  IT IS FINISHED!

Now onto temptation and deliverance.

Let’s start with deliverance.

Colossians 1:13-14 KJV  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Simply said, we HAVE already been delivered.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us-James 1:13 NKJV  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Who does the tempting y’all?

And for those of you who still think God tests and tries us; God doesn’t need to test you.  He tested Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus passed the test AND you are in Jesus! Praise God!

Ephesians 2:12-13 “remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.…”

We’ve pretty much come full circle.  I used the Ephesians verse in part 1 of this writing. 

I want to wrap up with this thought, scripture, and prayer.

If we don’t need to bring most of our everyday issues/concerns to him because he’s already taken care of them, provided for them, or given you the power and authority to do so, then what is prayer mostly about?

This is what God said: And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to Him!” Luke 9:35

My prayer for you is in the words of the apostle Paul; that you would know how much Christ loves you and his words would transform who you are. Be blessed my friends, you are loved.

Ephesians 3:14-19 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.