The Lord’s Prayer: A Guide When You Pray

Prayer is one of the primary ways to commune with God, and something the Lord desires us to practice daily and frequently. But how? How do we pray in alignment with God’s will and how do we grow in our practice of prayer?

In the Gospels, Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus to specifically teach them how to pray. Jesus’ response is what many of us now call The Lord’s Prayer or The Our Father Prayer:

 

9 “This, then, is how you should 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 today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

-Matthew 6:9-13 NIV

 

Within this prayer, we discover some key lessons in talking with God. Let’s take a closer look at the Lord’s Prayer and discover how we can use it as a guide for our own times of prayer:

 

1. Praise

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,

(verse 9)

Jesus begins praying with these words: “Our Father.” Jesus teaches us that prayer is a conversation between a child and their good and loving Father. In prayer, you can approach God as your Heavenly Father, who is perfect and loves you completely. 

Jesus also teaches us to begin our prayers in praise-- one where the spotlight and focus is not on us, but on God. When you pray, begin by glorifying the Lord in a posture of humility.

2. Submission 

your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.

(verse 10)

Next, Jesus shows us to seek the Lord’s will above our own. When you pray, after praising the Lord, take time to submit your plans to the Lord, seek His ways, and trust in His guidance in your life. 

In Matthew 6, Jesus also teaches that we can pray with confidence “your kingdom come.” There is darkness and brokenness at play in this world, but as a follower of Jesus, you can boldly ask for God’s Kingdom to reign here on earth. When you pray for God’s Kingdom to come, your faith is strengthened and you can boldly pray for things like salvation, healing, deliverance, and restoration. Ask God to work wonders and move mountains as Heaven invades earth and light overcomes darkness. 

3. Petition

Give us today our daily bread.

(verse 11)

In this portion of Jesus’ prayer, Jesus models for us to ask our Heavenly Father for what we need. Prayer is always an opportunity to seek and trust God to provide for us and sustain us. He wants to take care of us, and is pleased when we ask Him for provision and guidance. Notice that this is a daily petition (daily bread) and not simply something we practice every now and again when facing dire circumstances. 

When you pray, after you praise God and seek His will, you can take time to ask the Lord for the things you need and trust that He will intervene, provide, and make a way for you. Every need you have– big and small– matters to Him.

4. Confession

And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.

(verse 12)

Jesus teaches us to ask the Lord for forgiveness for the sins we commit, and that confession is a healthy part of how we pray to God. Not only is prayer a way in which you can experience God’s mercy, but you can also ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to practice mercy towards others. 

After praise, submission, and petition, spend a few moments confessing your sins to God, receiving His forgiveness, and ask the Lord to help you forgive others who have wronged you or you have taken offense towards. 

5. Leadership

And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.’

(verse 13)

 

Finally, Jesus teaches us to seek God’s God guidance and protection in our daily lives. 

Every day you wake up, have decisions to make, interactions with others, places to go, meetings to show up for, with a handful of unexpected events to navigate. It’s a new day to you, but it’s not a new day to God. He knows your every day before you’ve lived it, and He wants to lead you throughout every day— guiding you on His path of righteousness and delivering you from the temptations and schemes of Satan.

 

Before you end your time of prayer, spend a few moments asking for the Lord to lead you today, and to protect you as a Good Shepherd protects and leads His sheep.

 

“Prayer delights God's ear; it melts His heart; and opens His hand. God cannot deny a praying soul.”

- Thomas Watson