Mat 6:9-13
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (10) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in 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 lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Prayer Revival
Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
“Our Holy and Heavenly Father”
Psa 68:4-5 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. (5) A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
The Lord’s Prayer is not merely a “prayer” to be prayed. It is a pattern given for prayer by the Lord, Jesus Himself. Notice He says, “After this manner, therefore pray ye”.
Throughout this series, we are going to be looking at “the pattern” Jesus uses to teach us to pray.
The opening sentence of this prayer pattern contains some very powerful statements of recognition, that can come from any level of understanding that the person praying might have of their relationship with God. The deeper though, that their understanding is, the more powerful these statements become.
First, Jesus says that we not only have the privilege of addressing, but should address, God as our Father.
Isa 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?
Psa 147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
Rom 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
The second statement of recognition that Jesus says we should make as we begin our prayer, is that Our Father is in Heaven.
Job 22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
Isa 64:1-2 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, (2) As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!
Job 28:7-10 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen: (8) The lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. (9) He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. (10) He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
The third thing Jesus says we should recognize, but certainly not the least important, is that the name of Our Heavenly Father is Holy. Not only should we recognize that His Name is holy, but that we should address Him as such in each petition we bring before Him and in our worship of Him.
Lev 22:2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.
Psa 99:1-3 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. (2) The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people. (3) Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
Psa 99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
Psa 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.
Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
The Psalmist David says: Psa 100:3-4 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
When we come into the presence of God, we do not come as strangers or foreigners. He sees us as His children. It is as much a pleasure for Him to have us come into His presence, as it is for us to get to come into His presence. His throne is in the heavens. He looks down and sees all aspects of every situation, even past, present, and future. The earth is His, the world and all they that dwell therein. His resources are limitless and His power unfathomable. Everything about Him is holy. Every command that He issues, every judgment He makes, every concern of His heart, every promise, every word that passes His lips, every thought, every answer He gives, every move He makes and directs us to make is motivated by, directed by, governed by His holy character. No wonder David says to enter His gates with thanksgiving and courts with praise. Coming into the presence of God in prayer should be the most joyful and pleasant experience in our life.
Jesus says that every time we come to God in prayer, we should begin with this pattern of recognition. Coming to Him in this way encourages and increases our expectations because we see Him as He is. Coming to Him in this way establishes our faith because we see Him as He is. Coming to Him in this way fills our heart with peace because we see Him as He is. Coming to Him in this way gives direction to our prayer because we see Him as He is. Seeing Him “as He is” opens before us a whole new realm of possibilities!
Prayer Revival
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
“Establish Your Will In My Life”
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
The first sentence in this beautiful “pattern” of prayer that Jesus taught contained some powerful “statements of recognition” pertaining to God and how we should recognize and address Him. The second sentence contains some powerful “statements of recognition” pertaining to us. They are statements that cause us to contemplate our greatest of needs.
Mat 6:25-34 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? (27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? (28) And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: (29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? (31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. (33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (34) Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Jesus says that our greatest needs are not the things we eat, drink, wear, or where we live. Unfortunately, these things consume so much of our prayer time that we accomplish far too little of what God wants us to accomplish in that special time. In this portion of scripture in Matthew 6: 25 -34, Jesus says that God knows we have need of all those things and is quite capable and willing to take care of them for us. The thing we should be most focused on, is seeking “the kingdom of God and His righteousness”. This is a reiteration and expansion of what He said previously in verse 10 of His pattern for prayer. There, He says that after recognizing God for who He is and what He is capable of, the second step is to pray that “His kingdom” would come. So what is He telling us to pray for here?
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
1Co 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
Consider for just a moment the glories and benefits of the “kingdom of God”. The Bible says that God is love. He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son that anyone could have eternal life. In the first sentence of our prayer pattern, we addressed the fact that He is Holy and sees us as His children. His resources are limitless and His power unfathomable. It is no wonder that the next step would logically be that we pray for Him to have complete rule in our lives as well as in the rest of the world. What a world this would be if all hate, bitterness, jealousy, envy, strife, and greed were done away with and we were ruled by love and compassion for our fellow men. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was no sin and every life was an extension of the holiness of God?
I cannot make that choice for all the world, but I can certainly make it the choice of my life. As I allow that choice to change my life, I will influence others, thus changing the world around me little by little.
Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
It is always in the best interest of the world that the will of the Father be accomplished, and the focus of every Christian’s prayer should be such. Father, let my will be banished! Let your will be the source of my every thought and the direction for every step I take. Let Satan’s will be crushed and his plans thwarted. Let your will be accomplished in every nation, in every government, and in every individual life!
Psa 93:1-5 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved. (2) Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. (3) The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves. (4) The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea. (5) Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, forever.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done!
Prayer Revival
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
“Sufficient for the Day”
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
The first sentence in this beautiful “pattern” of prayer that Jesus taught contained some powerful “statements of recognition” pertaining to God and how we should recognize and address Him. The second sentence contained powerful “statements of recognition” pertaining to our greatest of needs, the fulfillment of God’s will in our life and the establishment of His kingdom in our hearts. This third sentence again contains more powerful “statements of recognition”, pertaining to our dependence upon God.
The first of these statements is “give us this day”. Without going into a lengthy sermon or discourse here, Jesus, as He is so capable of doing, with one statement proclaims emphatically the dire necessity of “daily prayer”. He does so by combining the statement “give us this day” with “our daily bread”. In both portions of this request, He emphasizes the present day. Notice though, what He tells us to pray for. He says to pray for bread, the most basic of necessities. That places this emphatic statement on a new level! What He is really saying, with emphasis, is that we should go before God daily with the understanding that He is the source of provision for even our most basic of needs!
Jam 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Without Him we are nothing and have nothing!
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
He is so vital to our being that we should gladly, daily acknowledge and even rejoice in our dependence on Him. As humans, it goes against our very nature to declare our dependence on anyone, or anything. We like to think we are independent, and capable of “taking care of ourselves”. But when we couple this verse and its meaning with the first two sentences of this “prayer pattern” that Jesus taught us, we begin to understand how wonderful and glorious it is to be dependent on God and why Jesus would instruct us to pray “in this manner”.
This is the “pattern” we have thus far:
Daily, we enter into the throne room to have fellowship with, and place our petitions before our Father, who is the creator of all things and has all at His disposal. His throne is in the Heavens. From there He watches lovingly over His creation. His character is holy, and everything He says or does, any decision He makes, any judgement He issues forth, is governed by His holiness. His kingdom is a kingdom without beginning or end. He is and always was and always will be. He sets the boundaries of the oceans, controls the seasons, sets the orbit of every star, planet, and moon in our vast solar system, and with it all He proclaims His love to us. He doesn’t stop there though. He loves us so much, that He sent His only begotten Son to become the perfect sacrifice for our sins to make it possible to establish His glorious kingdom in our lives, that His will, particularly to bring salvation to every man and fullness of joy to every heart, might be accomplished in this world as it is in Heaven. Understanding all this, we daily come into His presence asking Him to provide for us our most basic needs, thus proclaiming with gladness and thankfulness our absolute dependence upon Him!
The Psalmist David said it this way in his twenty-third Psalm:
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want!”
Mat 4:3-4 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (4) But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Again, without going into great detail, Jesus covers all aspects of man’s basic needs. The physical body certainly needs sustenance to survive. Even more basic and necessary though is the need for sustenance for the spiritual side of man. The physical body will someday die and return to the dust from which it was created, but the spiritual “soul” is eternal. Thus it is even more necessary for us to daily go to Him for spiritual sustenance, which is only available through His word. He is the only source for spiritual sustenance.
He is the only source for “life”!
Joh 10:10... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Rom 8:31-32 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
In describing something as “basic”, we might get the mistaken impression that it is of less value or importance than other things. As you can see though, the basic things are really the most important and the most necessary. The physical body must have bread, or sustenance in order to live. The spiritual “soul” must have the nourishment of God’s divine utterance. All other things pale in comparison to those “basic” needs. Those “basic” needs are the foundation for all else that we enjoy as a part of our lives. So you see, if God cares enough to meet, and is capable of meeting our basic needs; He is certainly willing to meet, and capable of meeting any other need that arises in our lives. In fact, He delights in meeting our every need and blessing us beyond measure.
Rom 8:31-32 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (32) He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Psa 37:3-6 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. (4) Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. (5) Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. (6) And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
When we see and understand God “as He is”, capable of meeting, and delighted to meet, our most basic (most important) needs, we will begin to understand that truly, “all things are possible” through Him. When we see and understand what God has already done to meet our most basic (most important) needs, we will begin to understand that He has already done everything necessary to meet every need that rises in our life. We can, and should, Jesus says, go to Him daily and present to Him our care, that He might fulfill His will in us and through us.
1Pe 5:6-7 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Prayer Revival
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
“As You Have Forgiven Me”
Luk 6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
According to Bible commentator John Gill, there is nothing more frequent in the Jewish writings than to call sins, “debts”. The “prayer pattern” we are studying here is a part of the “sermon on the mount”, which is recorded in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. In Luke chapter 11 we read that the disciples of Jesus ask Him to teach them to pray. There again, He uses this same “pattern for prayer” with just a small change in wording. The portion of the pattern we are studying tonight, in Luke 11, is worded in this way:
Luk 11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.
Notice that here, He first calls “our debts”, “sins”. He is not speaking of “financial debts” that we owe men, or that they owe us. He is talking about sins against God. God made man to manifest His glory and the glory of His kingdom.
Gen 1:26-28 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (27) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
To manifest the His Glory through the lives we live, and to bring glory to His Name and to His Kingdom, is the mark, or the course, that God has laid out before man. Just as the lanes on a track are laid out to keep the runners on the course that has been designated for them, leading to the finish line where the rewards are handed out, God has designated a particular path for each individual to “run” in the race of life. To step outside the boundaries of that designated path, is to “miss the mark”. That is the basic definition for sin. Stepping outside the boundary lines, or missing the mark, will hinder our race and that of those around us, and if we stay on that course, will cause us to forfeit the rewards that God has laid up for those who “finish their course”. To “miss the mark” is, to “sin against God and the purpose for which we are designed”. In other words, on account of them, we owe satisfaction to the law and the justice of God. Dr. Gill says that the proper debts that we owe God are love, obedience, and gratitude, and that in default of these we owe punishment.
There is no possible way we can pay these “debts”. There is no one, or nothing that can possibly pay them for us. There is only one hope, God’s forgiveness. And why would He forgive our “debts”? For the sake of Christ, who shed His blood as our sacrifice, the price of our redemption, and satisfaction for our judgement!
Heb 10:8-21 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; (9) Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. (10) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (11) And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: (12) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; (13) From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (14) For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. (15) Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, (16) This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (18) Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (21) And having a high priest over the house of God; Heb 10:22-23 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (23) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Eph 1:3-7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Col 1:12-23 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: (13) 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: (15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; (20) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (21) And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled (22) In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight: (23) If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Act 26:15-18 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. (16) But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; (17) Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, (18) To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
The first sentence of this “prayer pattern”, contained powerful “statements of recognition” pertaining to God, and how we should address Him. The second sentence contained powerful “statements of recognition” pertaining to our greatest of needs, the fulfillment of God’s will in our life and the establishment of His kingdom in our hearts. The third sentence contained power “statements of recognition” pertaining to our dependence on God. Like those, this sentence contains extremely powerful “statements of recognition”.
In making this request, we are stating that we understand that only by the “amazing” grace of God can we find forgiveness for our sins. We rest solely upon His mercy.
Were it not for His mercy, we could not even come into His presence. Only by His grace is this prayer even possible. Without His mercy and grace, we would be without hope and without help. We would have to face this world with its problems by ourselves. We would have to face death on our own and the only possible destination for our soul would be eternal torment in the lake of fire called Hell. But by His grace and the shedding of the divine blood of our savior Jesus Christ, He makes it possible for us to enter into His holy presence and address Him as our Heavenly Father! He makes it possible for us to ask that His Kingdom would come into our lives and His will would be accomplished in earth as it is in Heaven! By His grace, we recognize Him as the provider of our most basic and important needs, both physical and spiritual, and daily enter into His presence to receive that provision! And though it is His will that we sin not, if we sin, we can come with a repentant heart, at any time into His presence where our advocate, who is also the atonement for our sins, will gladly plead His blood, and He will be just and faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!
Think for a moment about how great God’s desire to forgive us our debts, or sins, must be. First, there is the fact that He planned redemption before He ever formed man from the dust of the earth. Then there is the tremendous sacrifice He was willing to make and the tremendous price He was willing to pay for our redemption. After Jesus made that great sacrifice on Calvary, He went back to the Father to stand before Him as our advocate, and no matter how great or repulsive our sin might be, He is willing, and even anxious to plead His precious blood as the redemptive price for the forgiveness of our debt. But He didn’t stop there. He sent the Holy Ghost to convict us of our sin and then draw us to Christ that we might receive forgiveness for that sin. He left His Holy Word to speak to us of the law and of grace. He established a church in this world with the fundamental purpose of reaching us with His gospel. Within that church He calls preachers to preach the Word, and He gives spiritual gifts to equip the saints to reach all who are lost with the Hope of His Mercy! You see, His desire to forgive us is beyond measure!
It is no wonder God would want us to have the same willingness to forgive those who sin against us. Just as He is anxious to forgive us our debts, that our fellowship with Him might be reestablished, He wants us to be anxious to forgive others their indebtedness to us, that our fellowship with them might be reestablished. It is a glorious thing to receive forgiveness and it is a glorious thing to grant forgiveness. He is not talking here about monetary debts. If we borrow money or receive a service or product, we should expect to pay that debt. If we loan money, or deliver a service or product, we can expect to receive payment, though we are to be gracious and merciful in collecting. But here He is talking about those who have offended or done real injury to us by word or deed. He is talking about those who affect us through unkindness or any other offense. We are to learn mercy and grace at His feet and in His presence. We are to exemplify His mercy and grace in our actions toward others. The Spirit of mercy and grace that is so much a part of His holy character should dominate our character. Father, if this is your heart, let it be ours also!!!
There is one other thing that must be mentioned in discussing this phrase. Notice that small word at the center of this request.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Remember, this is Jesus’s instruction on how to pray. He does not tell us to ask for forgiveness from God with “no strings attached”. He says, to ask God to forgive us as, or in the manner that, we forgive others. How powerful is that “statement of recognition”? We must recognize that we are not to expect forgiveness from God if we are unwilling to forgive our fellow man. How many people do you think have shut down the flow of God’s mercy toward them by refusing to be merciful? Have you ever been guilty of this?
Mar 11:25-26 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (26) But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Mat 5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; (24) Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Mat 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: (15) But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Before we ever sinned against God, He had made provision for our forgiveness. Our confession of, and repentance for sin does not change God. It changes us. He did not wait until we had repented to love us.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
He does not expect us to wait for others to repent of their trespasses against us to exhibit, or commend, our love toward them. This verse says He died for us. We must be willing to let our hurt, anger, bitterness, and desire for judgement against them die also, even before repentance is made, or if it is never made. Christ died for us with “no strings attached”. Their repentance should change them, not us. We should already be loving them, and forgiveness should already be made in our heart.
Psa 103:10-12 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. (11) For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. (12) As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Father,
Help me to be merciful, that I might receive mercy from you!
Help me to extend grace, that I might receive your grace!
Help me to forgive, that I might be forgiven!
Prayer Revival
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
“Direct My Paths For Your Glory”
Mat 28:18-19 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
The word temptation here means, “putting to proof”, or “adversity”. It implies an attack fierce enough to bring about destruction or at the very least a hindrance in our walk with Christ. We understand through our study of the Bible that we will be tested, or as it is written here tempted. In the twenty-third Psalm, David speaks vividly of the various situations that man might face in his life. At one minute he may be at rest in a pasture full of rich, green nourishment, drinking from cool, clear, spring fed waters, or walking along the peaceful paths God’s righteousness. In the next minute he may be passing trough the valley of the shadow of death, or find himself in the midst of the encampment of his enemy. We will be tested and tempted and we should not want it any other way.
1Pe 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold thatperisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Heb 4:15 For we have not a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities: but one tempted in all things like as we are, without sin.
Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Jesus was Himself tempted by the devil in the wilderness. In 1 Peter 1:6-7 we learn that the trial of our faith is much more precious than gold which perishes. There are several reasons why this type of temptation is valuable. When our faith is tempted, we are better able to understand the trials and temptations of others. We become more sensitive to their need and the possible negative outcome of the testing, thus we raise the level of the fervency of our prayers to assist them in turning the experience into a positive outcome. Testing, or temptation purifies us like gold in the fire. See what Job, the man of great temptation says:
Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
The pressure or adversity of the temptations we face is like the pressure that the potter uses to mold the clay. It is that pressure applied at the right time, in the right places that produces the vessel that the potter desires, a vessel that can be used for the purpose he has planned for it.
Temptation, or adversity in our life allows the glory of God to be demonstrated when He steps in to bring deliverance. His provision and protection through the time of tempting, is a witness to the world of His great love for us. Our faith, built upon our understanding of Him, that causes us to stand fast, never wavering and filled with peace in the midst of the tempting, is a testimony to the world of solid foundation that a life can have.
Knowing the necessity of temptations, or trials, in our life and what they are capable of producing helps us to understand what Jesus is not telling us to pray for in this verse. So what is He saying that we should address in our everyday prayer life? To understand that, we must take what we know He is not saying and couple it with a good understanding of some words in the rest of the verse.
First, look at the word “lead”. It means to carry inward. James tells us that God does not tempt us. The great commentator of old, Adam Clark says this is a mere Hebraism: God is said to do a thing which He only permits or allows to be done. I think this is evident from what we have read thus far, and understand of God. So, taking a closer look at the meaning, “carried inward” we can understand that Jesus is saying to pray “that we not be carried, or drawn (from one level to another) into our temptation. Man can be tempted without giving in to, or embracing the temptation. Adam Clark gives us a picture of the process temptation often follows:
1st. A simple evil thought.
2ndly. A strong imagination, or impression made on the imagination, by the thing to which we are tempted.
3dly. Delight in viewing it.
4thly. Consent of the will to perform it. Thus lust is conceived, sin is finished, and death brought forth.
Jam 1:13-15 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: (14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
The next word we should notice is that little word “but”, which means “on the contrary”. Jesus says to pray in this manner, (in my words), “Father, don’t let me be drawn from level to level into my temptation, on the contrary “deliver” me. The word “deliver” implies great force, as in; “rescue, snatch, pluck, break or destroy our chains or bands”. It is a very emphatic word and suggests a very emphatic act. It is no wonder Jesus uses such and emphatic word, look what and who he says to ask for deliverance from. “Deliver us from evil”, or as some have interpreted, “the evil one”.
When Satan tests us, or brings temptation into our lives, he is not doing so to mold us into a better person. He savagely bombards us with temptation from every direction with the sole intent of destroying our relationship with God, and our testimony of the glory of God.
It is said in the Mishna, Titus. Beracoth, that Rabbi Judah was wont to pray thus: “Let it be thy good pleasure to deliver us from impudent men, and from impudence: from an evil man and an evil chance; from an evil affection, an evil companion, and an evil neighbor: from Satan the destroyer, from a hard judgment, and a hard adversary.”
Now we have, “Father, keep me from being drawn from level to level into my temptation. On the contrary, rescue me with whatever force necessary from the intent of Satan to destroy my witness!”
Let’s be honest, most of the time when we pray for God to deliver us from temptation or trials, it is because we don’t want to face something hard or painful. We like living a life of ease with as much peace as possible. But just as all the other requests in the Lord’s “pattern for prayer”, there are some powerful “statements of recognition” contained here also.
The first is that temptation, “proving”, can be of great benefit to us and the life we live for Christ. If we allow our temptations to mold us, as the potter does the clay, into vessels of honor and beauty that bring glory to the kingdom of God, there is no end to what God can accomplish in our lives. If we allow the flames of our temptations to burn away the dross of our lives, the end result will be purity that brings glory to the holiness of God. If we stand firm through our temptations, we will be made strong and our faith will expand as we move into the work and realm of His kingdom that God is leading us into.
The next thing we recognize is that temptation can be extremely destructive. If our temptation draws us level by level into it, we will lose our standing in God’s kingdom, our testimony to the world, our influence on others, and eventually our relationship with God itself.
“But”, just recognizing those things does not keep us safe. Thus, we come to this great statement of recognition in this prayer, “Father, I know that temptation can bring total destruction to my life, but I am incapable of keeping myself from its destructive powers. I am totally dependent upon your mercy and your power to rescue me out of, or keep me safe through the onslaught that Satan is bringing against me. Let his plans be thwarted and his devices destroyed. Use this temptation to bring glory to Your wonderful kingdom! Whether you use it to mold me, polish me, strengthen me, or to bring recognition to your keeping power, or delivering power in bringing out of it makes no difference to me. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done!
Having a greater understanding of all that, really brings the ending of this “prayer pattern” to life. Other than the Amen, which we will discuss briefly later, Jesus ends with this amazing conclusion; “for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.” The word for implies that the person praying recognizes that there is a reason that we can pray this way, and that we should pray this way. We can pray this way because - the kingdom, the power, and the glory are God’s forever. We should pray this way because - the kingdom, the power, and the glory are God’s forever.
Those things make it possible for me to pray that way, but more importantly, they make me want to pray and live that way. Everything about this prayer has led me deeper and deeper into the glories of His kingdom and the wonder of my relationship with Him. I want my life to exemplify His kingdom, His power, His glory, and His eternal being. That is why I must enter the most holy throne room of my Heavenly Father daily. That is why I long for His kingdom to be prevalent and His will to be accomplished in every area and situation of my life. That is why I cast my care upon Him and depend solely upon Him for both natural and spiritual sustenance daily. That is the reason I want to be like Him in mercy, grace and forgiveness. And finally that is why I long for His will to be accomplished in my temptations.
Oh that we might bring glory and honor to the majesty of Your Kingdom Our Father!
Let me be hid in you!
Then, of course, there is the Amen. It signifies faithful and true. Some suppose it is taken from the initial letters of adoni melech neetnem, My Lord, the Faithful King. In the Greek, it means - “so be it”, or “let it be so”. The main point is that Jesus says to end our prayer with a rock solid affirmation that what we have prayed is indeed our desire and through Him we fully expect it to be accomplished.
Amen!
