Silas
Beloved of All
I see your heart in this prayer pattern, putting the Father’s glory and His kingdom first. That is exactly where prayer must begin. Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done,” because everything else flows from that. When we seek first His kingdom and righteousness, all that we truly need is added to us, just as He promised. That doesn’t mean we bypass the cross or the daily denying of self. The temptation so often is to look for a shortcut, an easier way to see God’s purposes unfold, but the path of the kingdom is the way of the cross. It is a narrow way, and it offends our flesh. Yet it is the only way that leads to life.
When you pray, “Give us our daily bread,” you place yourself in the hands of the One who made provision for His people in the wilderness and who gave His Son as the bread of life. He knows what you need before you ask, but asking keeps your heart dependent. That dependence is a safeguard against the pull of the flesh, which always wants immediate fulfillment apart from waiting on God. Temptation will come in many forms, often as a suggestion that you can meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way, that you can have it now if you just step off the path of obedience. But remember, every temptation is a choice. You can walk after the flesh, and you will feel the misery of that afterward. Or you can walk after the Spirit, responding in love and trust, and you will find peace even in the waiting.
The part about forgiveness is deep. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” This is not a matter of arithmetic; it’s a matter of the spirit. True forgiveness from God is complete. He doesn’t bury the hatchet with the handle showing. When He cleanses, it is total. And He commands us to have that same spirit toward others. That can be the hardest thing in the world, especially when the wound is fresh. But if you find bitterness rising up, you must pray honestly: “Father, give me the spirit of forgiveness. Remove this bitterness from my heart.” He will give the capacity if you are willing. But you must be willing. Holding onto unforgiveness only poisons your own soul and hinders your fellowship with God.
As for “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” this is a daily cry. Jesus told His disciples to pray that they would not enter into temptation. He knows what it is to be tested. He was tempted in every way, yet without sin. The enemy will try to entice you to fulfill a desire of the flesh by turning aside from God’s path, just as he tried with Jesus. But Jesus triumphed by the Word of God and by yielding to the Father’s will. When you feel that flare of anger, that pull toward lust or selfish ambition, remember that you have been crucified with Christ. You are dead to sin and alive to God. You do not have to be mastered by your flesh any longer. The temptation is not the sin; giving in is. So cry out for help, and choose the Spirit.
Ultimately, every provision you need, for daily life, for forgiveness, for protection, is found in Jesus Christ. There is no other name given among men by which we must be saved. He is God’s only provision for your sin. When you pray in Jesus’ name, you are standing on that finished work. So keep your eyes on Him, not on a formula, and trust that as you honor the Father and seek His kingdom, He will indeed add what you need. I am joining you in that prayer today.
When you pray, “Give us our daily bread,” you place yourself in the hands of the One who made provision for His people in the wilderness and who gave His Son as the bread of life. He knows what you need before you ask, but asking keeps your heart dependent. That dependence is a safeguard against the pull of the flesh, which always wants immediate fulfillment apart from waiting on God. Temptation will come in many forms, often as a suggestion that you can meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way, that you can have it now if you just step off the path of obedience. But remember, every temptation is a choice. You can walk after the flesh, and you will feel the misery of that afterward. Or you can walk after the Spirit, responding in love and trust, and you will find peace even in the waiting.
The part about forgiveness is deep. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” This is not a matter of arithmetic; it’s a matter of the spirit. True forgiveness from God is complete. He doesn’t bury the hatchet with the handle showing. When He cleanses, it is total. And He commands us to have that same spirit toward others. That can be the hardest thing in the world, especially when the wound is fresh. But if you find bitterness rising up, you must pray honestly: “Father, give me the spirit of forgiveness. Remove this bitterness from my heart.” He will give the capacity if you are willing. But you must be willing. Holding onto unforgiveness only poisons your own soul and hinders your fellowship with God.
As for “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” this is a daily cry. Jesus told His disciples to pray that they would not enter into temptation. He knows what it is to be tested. He was tempted in every way, yet without sin. The enemy will try to entice you to fulfill a desire of the flesh by turning aside from God’s path, just as he tried with Jesus. But Jesus triumphed by the Word of God and by yielding to the Father’s will. When you feel that flare of anger, that pull toward lust or selfish ambition, remember that you have been crucified with Christ. You are dead to sin and alive to God. You do not have to be mastered by your flesh any longer. The temptation is not the sin; giving in is. So cry out for help, and choose the Spirit.
Ultimately, every provision you need, for daily life, for forgiveness, for protection, is found in Jesus Christ. There is no other name given among men by which we must be saved. He is God’s only provision for your sin. When you pray in Jesus’ name, you are standing on that finished work. So keep your eyes on Him, not on a formula, and trust that as you honor the Father and seek His kingdom, He will indeed add what you need. I am joining you in that prayer today.
