Praying into the Our Father prayer

All week we’ve been finding prayer inspiration using Jesus’ teaching on prayer found in Matthew 6:5-15!

​Within these verses we find the "Our Father" prayer, along with instruction from Jesus to find a private place and talk to our Father who is unseen, assuring us that He sees us praying in secret, and will openly rewards us, Matthew 6:6. 

A few verses after that instruction, He tells us, "This, then is how you should pray…"  And then gives us Spirit filled words that an untold number of saints, throughout the centuries, have known and treasured as the "Our Father" (or the Lord's) prayer. 

In yesterday's podcast episode about the Our Father prayer, you are led to listen and repeat the prayer, after pondering its beauty and its power for intercession.  You are called to notice its unique ability to unify God's people in a common language of prayer. 

The "Our Father" prayer crosses denominational lines, borders, and even languages.  In a room of strangers, whether believer or unbeliever, many would know the prayer and be able to join in its holy expression in a moment's notice.  

We should treasure these ancient words, breathed by our Holy King.  "This then is how you should pray… Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name…"

But Jesus encourages that prayer should not be the same words repeated over and over, Matthew 6:7.  Right before He gives the "Our Father" prayer he tells us not to babble on like pagans, using many word repetitiously, thinking that somehow our many words could influence whether or not the Father hears us. 

So in the exercise you'll find below, and in today's podcast episode, you pray "into" the Our Father prayer, honoring Jesus, our holy Friend and Savior, obeying His model for prayer-

He begins by teaching us to speak to and acknowledge the Father with honor and respect- "Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name."

He encourages us to lift our eyes and pray for the Father's Kingdom and will to descend- "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

He tells us to ask for supply for both body and soul, as he teaches us in John that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.  So we are to pray- "Give us today our daily bread."

He instructs us to ask for mercy daily, under the condition of also releasing others from owing us anything- "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors" (i.e. those who sin against us).

We are to ask for protection against temptations of flesh- "Lead us not to temptation."

We are to ask to be delivered from the enemy of our soul- "Deliver us from evil."

(Notice the plural pronoun "us" that Jesus repeatedly uses. 

It's intercessory style prayer, taking us beyond the small world of our own lives and perspective, connecting us with each other's needs, praying in agreement.  "Give us, forgive us, lead us, deliver us…"  Listen in to episode #342 to hear more on the power for intercession within the Lord's prayer.)  

If you count what Jesus tells us we are to pray for, you find 7 areas of prayer:

1. Praise and worship of the Father
2. Praying His kingdom reign and will into our hearts and the world
3. Asking for His supply and word to sustain us
4. Asking to be forgiven
5. Forgiving and releasing others from any debt we feel they owe us
6. Asking for His guidance leading us from temptation
7. Asking for deliverance from the enemy who seeks our soul.

Regarding those 7 areas, its inspiration to pray "into" the Our Father language, instead of using the prayer as a repetitive exercise.

Next is an exercise to do just that.  It's also the exercise in today's podcast.  Agree with the deeper sentiment that Jesus wants us to express to the Father.  After, experiment with expressing your own heart as you pray "into" the Our Father prayer.  

Let’s pray…

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name.  You are not just my father, but OUR Father, you set the lonely in families, you sought us and adopted us, we are now yours through Christ.  Hallowed be your name.  May you be honored and revered through US, through your children today.

May your kingdom come, may your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.  Part the heavens in a fresh way Lord and come down.  May your fame be made known throughout the whole earth.  Be glorified, be known, release the Kingdom message into hearts, bring the world under subjection of your reign and rule.  Your kingdom come, your will be done.

Give us today our daily bread.  Thank you for giving daily supply, thank you for releasing our hands from striving.  Thank you for fresh provision.  Speak a word to us Father that sustains and satisfies the deepest places within us.  We confess that we do not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Forgive us our trespasses, our debts.  Lord we’ve fallen short this week.  Impatience, quick judgments, disdain, offense, worry, doubt, apathy towards Kingdom things.  Have mercy on us God, you know we are merely dust, you know the weakness of our frame.

As we forgive our debtors.  Find us today holding no accounts; releasing any demands of anyone owing us anything.  For you have forgiven us debt we could never pay, for the imperfections of our soul.  Do a deep work in your people to let go, so that we may also be forgiven.

Lead us not into temptation.  Get ahold of our flesh nature God.  Stand in the way of any wayward leaning in us.  Lead us by your Holy Spirit.  Turn our eyes from worthless things.  Cleanse and purge our souls from lusts of the flesh.

Deliver us from evil.  The enemy is always prowling about as a roaring lion seeking whom He may devour.  Rescue us from his wicked schemes, deliver us from his lies and perversions.  Hide us under your wings.  Shelter us from the storms of his design.

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen.  You alone deserve the glory Father.  King of kings, Lord of lords, maker of heaven and earth.  Amen.

There is so much inspiration for fresh prayer language through the "Lord's prayer"!  Use its structure to linger longer with Him!  Pray into the language.  Go deeper into His holy  expression!

Listen to all the episodes this week for more reflections on the "Our Father" prayer!  And listen in to the weeks prior, for a series of 9 episodes  praying through Psalm 23!

Please consider supporting our mission of prayer!  We want to reach more with the podcast and inspire others to linger longer with God!