The Lord’s Prayer Pt 2

Matthew 6:5–15 ESV

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

This is the 2nd part of most likely a 4-part series on the Lord’s Prayer, we will see how God will lead. Our prayers are very important. Jesus demonstrates this by taking time out to talk about how our prayers should be conducted and a template on how we should pray. Many times, we may start out our prayers by what we need or want. Sometimes we request wants before needs and sometimes we equate wants as needs. A good rule of thumb is if you will die without it, such as air, water, food, then it is a need and everything else is a want. So how would the Lord have us pray?

Last week:

Acknowledge - acknowledge the name of the Lord is holy and sanctified and we should show honor and respect.

Today:

2. Confess - Confess that we want to see the kingdom of God come and the will of God to come to pass as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10 ESV

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

What is the kingdom? This word for kingdom is a word for an area that is under the control of a king. It is used interchangeably in meaning between this kingdom now which belongs to Satan:

Matthew 8:12 ESV

while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

versus the kingdom of heaven:

Matthew 8:11 ESV

I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven,

Jesus states this again:

John 12:31–32 ESV

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

The Apostle Paul will later write:

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

“So , when the Bible says that Satan is the ‘god of this world”, it is not saying that he has ultimate authority. It is conveying the idea that Satan rules over the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Satan’s schemes includes promoting false philosophies in the world - philosophies that bind the unbeliever to the truth of the Gospel. Satan’s philosophies are the fortresses in which people are imprisoned, and they must be set free by Christ.”

God’s Will - What is God’s will?

Think about it. We want God’s will to be done in earth as it is in heaven. Do we really? Do we really mean it? When my supervisor tells me to do something, I do not try to negotiate with her. I do it. In Heaven, when God gives an order, He does not go to the negotiating table with the Seraphims, Cherubims, or angels to pitch His idea and try to sway the other heavenly beings to do His will. No. He says it and it is done. Period!! There is no negotiating. We all have been guilty of this at one time or another. Trying to negotiate with God to get the great I Am to submit to our will.

I have been guilty of this myself. When we lived in Springfield, MO, Mike came to me and told me he believed God was calling us to move to Illinois. I was not feeling called at all. {Honestly, women, are there not times our husbands may say God is calling and we think they are confusing an idea with God’s will. I thought this was one of those times.} Maybe we do not want to listen because it makes a mess of our perceived perfect world. It took the Lord speaking to me, “It is ok to miss the people, but do not fight me on this.” WOW!! I was so ashamed that God had to speak to me this way. How many times do we really say, “Your will be done as long as it fits into my will!”

So, what exactly is God’s will:

1 Samuel 15:22 ESV

And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

To obey: to hear intelligently with the implication of attention and obedience.

To listen: to attend or give attention to.

Wow!! This does not fit in with western civilization. But, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, we are no longer citizens of this world. We have a citizenship in a far greater country. Until it is our time to enter into this greater kingdom, we have been given a passion to see accomplished. This is God’s passion for this world:

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 6:9–10 ESV

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Conclusion:

A - Acknowledge

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

B - Believe

Acts 16:31 (ESV)

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

C - Confess

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.