“After this manner therefore pray ye: `Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.'” (Matthew 6:9-13).
In teaching His disciples how to pray, our Lord Jesus Christ began by voicing three petitions for God, followed by three petitions for ourselves and ending with three declarations for God’s pleasure.
What He taught us to request for God is much more important than what we are to request for ourselves.
Even before beginning to ask something for ourselves, we should ask something for God’s pleasure.
Likewise, before we finish praying for something for ourselves, we should always declare that even what we prayed for be for expressing God’s kingdom, power, and glory.
Our petitions for things for ourselves, should always be secondary to petitions for what is for God’s pleasure.
Let us consider and pray the three initial petitions for God’s pleasure:
Hallowed be thy name. (May Your Name be honored as holy in my life.)
Thy kingdom come. (I acknowledge You, Father, as King in my life.)
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Not my will, but Your will, Father, be done in my life now and always.)
Now consider and pray the three requests that we are to pray for ourselves:
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive our sins as we forgive those that sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
The prayer ends with three declarations for God’s pleasure:
For Thine is the Kingdom. (I submit to Your rule).
and the power. (I submit to Your power).
and the glory, forever. Amen. (I willingly give up boasting and pride and give You, Father, all the glory now and forever).
Let’s pray:
“Father, I confess that I have often selfishly prayed for my own needs without even thinking of praying that Your Name would be honored as holy in my life. Thank You for reminding me of this.
May all I do today honor Your holy Name.
May Your kingdom be established in my life today and forever. Lord Jesus, You are my Owner, my Boss, and my King. I am your slave. Father, You rule in my life, in my home, in my business, in my school, where I live, where I happen to be, moment by moment.
Today and always, may Your will be done in my life and not my own, selfish will.
Give me my daily bread, not only food, but also Your Word. Speak to me from the Bible and may Your Word be nourishment to my innermost being, strengthening me to do Your will and showing me how to do it.
Forgive my sins as I forgive completely those that have sinned against me.
Rescue me when I am tempted. Don’t let me do evil. Deliver me from the evil one.
Father, You are the King of my life today, tomorrow, and forever. I want to obey You.
Father, You have the power and all the authority. You are my Boss. You tell me what to do and how You want it done.
Father, to You be all the glory. When someone congratulates me, cause me to immediately transfer all such congratulations to You, so that You, not me, will get all the glory today, tomorrow, and forever.
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
From Dialogues With God – Chapter 8