The Model Prayer

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

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

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

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

For yours is the kingdom, power, and glory forever. Amen.

(Matthew 6:9-13).

This is not a prayer for us to memorize and chant but this is a MODEL the Lord teaches to follow in prayer. This prayer teaches us the following:

1. The Object of Our Prayer. When we pray, we call God, Father: "Our FATHER in heaven.” This shows that prayer is an intimate relationship like that of father and child. We come to God not only to make known our requests but also to share and talk with Him.

2. The Pray-ers. When we pray, we refer to "OUR”, which shows that we are not the only ones who pray but together with many others we call God, Father. Praying "OUR Father in heaven” also reminds us about our relationship with other Christians. We must live and behave like brothers and sisters because we have the same Father in heaven.

3. The Place Where We Direct Our Prayer. The Lord teaches us to pray "Our Father IN HEAVEN.” Heaven is where God is, and also implies that God is great, magnificent, ruling over the whole universe. We come to God as a kind Father and also as a mighty Father who has the power to save us.

4. The Content of Our Prayer:

a. For God: "Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Opening the prayer is a word of praise and adoration. This is also a way by which we pledge our lives to live for the glory of God's name, the coming of His kingdom and the accomplishment of His will.

God's NAME is about God Himself. Praying "hallowed be your Name” does not mean praying for God to become holy (because God is always holy), but to remind us that God is holy and that we must live in such a way that we ourselves and others do not take lightly the holiness of God.

God's KINGDOM is about the reign of God. Praying for "your kingdom come” means to pray for many people to submit themselves under God's authority. God's kingdom will come completely when Christ returns; thus, praying "your kingdom come” also implies longing for Christ's second coming.

Praying "your WILL be done on earth as it is in heaven” means we want the plan and will of God be done on earth as it is already done in heaven. Praying in such a way also implies that we are willing and ready to do the will of God.

Praying is praising God's name, His kingdom, and His will, and also reminding ourselves to honor God, submit to Him, wait for His coming and to be ready to do His will.

b. For Ourselves:

The Lord teaches us to ask for three particular requests: Physical needs ("Give us our daily bread”), spiritual needs ("Forgive us our debts”), and protection needs ("And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

The physical needs. We have physical needs and God wants us to depend on Him daily. God did not tell us to pray for a yearly supply of food but for each day. Praying for food implies other needs such as clothing, housing, etc.

The spiritual needs. Sins will hinder our relationship with God; therefore, we need God's forgiveness daily. We pray for God's forgiveness with the understanding that we are ready to forgive others. We are sinful and yet God forgives us, we must do the same for others.

The protection needs. Temptation is what we face daily. Praying "lead us not into temptation” does not means asking God stop temptations from coming to us, but it implies asking God to give us victory over temptation: "Do not let me be tempted to the point of falling into the trap of the evil one.” The next petition brings out this meaning: "but deliver us from the evil one.” "The evil one” could the evil people or the devil. So, "lead us not into temptation” also means to deliver us from the hand of the devil. By our strength we cannot stand against the devil, we can only have victory over the devil by the strength of God.

The last part of the prayer is an affirmation of the believer that God is holding the reign ("kingdom”), power ("authority”) and glory forever.

Lesson 2

Study Questions

1. The Lord's Prayer is a _____________________ the Lord teaches to follow in prayer.

2. Prayer is an intimate relationship like that of ___________________________.

3. Praying also reminds us about our relationship with _________________________.

4. Heaven is where God is, and also implies that God is _______________________ ___________________________________.

5. The Model Prayer has two parts

a. For ________________.

b. For ________________.

6. Opening the prayer is a word of _______________________. This is also a way by which we pledge our lives to __________ for the ___________ of God's name, the _________________ of His kingdom and the _____________________ of His will.

7. Praying "your kingdom come” also implies longing for ______________________ _________________________.

8. Praying "your WILL be done on earth as it is in heaven” also implies that we are willing and ready to do the ____________________________.

9. The Lord teaches us to ask for three particular requests:

a. ______________ needs.

b. ______________ needs

c. ______________ needs

10. Why does the Lord teach us to ask only for our DAILY bread? ______________________________________________________________

11. We pray for God's forgiveness with the understanding that we are ready to __________________ others.

12. We can only have victory over the devil by ________________________________.