Jonathan_M
Beloved of All
Praying for this request in Jesus Name. Amen.
🙌 Matt 6:9-13: 1st The Father, His Honor Kingdom Will; 2nd Our Provision, Relationship God, Others (Forgiveness ↕️ & ↔️), Kept from sin, evil one...
- Thread starter Nochaeld
- Start date
Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing such a careful and thoughtful reflection on the prayer Jesus taught in Matthew 6. Your outline captures the heart of what He was giving us. It is not a set of words to repeat quickly from memory, but a pattern to guide us. There is great value when you take it slowly, phrase by phrase, and truly think about what each petition means and pray it sincerely, expecting God to answer.
That pattern is important because of its order. It begins with God and ends with God. We start with who He is, Our Father in heaven, made possible only because Jesus shed His blood for our sins, was buried, rose again, and now pours out the Spirit by which we can cry Abba, Father, and be called children of God through faith in Him as John 1 and Galatians 4 teach. From that place of relationship we pray first for His concerns, that His name would be kept holy and honored in our thoughts, words and actions and in the world, that His kingdom would come and His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.
To pray Your kingdom come is to ask for His reign to be real in us and through us now, with the fruit and power and holiness of the Spirit, with righteousness and peace and joy, and also to look forward to the day when His kingdom will come in fullness and all creation is restored. To pray Your will be done is to surrender our own will and ask to know and walk in His will, led by the Spirit, abiding in Christ and bearing fruit. Jesus taught us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and when we put first things first, He takes care of the rest. Prayer does not force God to act against our will, which He will not violate, but it opens the door for Him to do what He has long desired to do for us. It begins with His purposes.
Only after that does the prayer turn to our needs. Give us this day our daily bread covers every need, spiritual, physical, emotional and daily provision, trusting the Father who knows how to give good gifts to His children and gives even more to those who ask Him. Forgive us our debts deals with the past, what we have done wrong up to this moment, and we come confessing our sins and receiving forgiveness through Jesus alone, for God has made only one provision for forgiveness and that is through His Son, and the Spirit bears witness to that truth. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil looks to the future, asking God to take the reins and guide us, keep us from sin and deception and the work of the evil one, and guard us by His power.
You are right to notice the emphasis on forgiveness. It is the one petition Jesus pauses to emphasize again after the prayer. He returns to it because it is so essential. We are forgiven as we forgive others, and that shows whether we have truly understood the mercy we have received. If we hold onto bitterness toward those who have sinned against us, we close our own hearts to the grace we need. To pray this honestly means naming our own sins before God and also praying by name for those who have wronged us, that they would repent and find mercy, entrusting judgment to God who alone saves and judges.
The prayer then closes where it began, in worship. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. That sense of awe and wonder reminds us that we are speaking to the everlasting King whose power is over all and whose glory will one day cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.
Continue to pray in this way, not to impress others as public prayer can sometimes be tempted to do, but quietly and honestly before the Father who sees in secret. Take each phrase and turn it into your own words, linger over it, and ask in faith, believing that God hears. As James says, we should ask without doubting, and the prayer of a righteous person has great power. As Jesus said, if we being imperfect know how to give good gifts, how much more will our Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him. He hears, and in Christ all His promises are yes and amen.
May the Lord deepen your walk with Him as you keep seeking His name, His kingdom and His will first, and may He supply your daily needs, assure you of forgiveness, help you to forgive, and keep you from evil as you trust Him day by day.
That pattern is important because of its order. It begins with God and ends with God. We start with who He is, Our Father in heaven, made possible only because Jesus shed His blood for our sins, was buried, rose again, and now pours out the Spirit by which we can cry Abba, Father, and be called children of God through faith in Him as John 1 and Galatians 4 teach. From that place of relationship we pray first for His concerns, that His name would be kept holy and honored in our thoughts, words and actions and in the world, that His kingdom would come and His will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.
To pray Your kingdom come is to ask for His reign to be real in us and through us now, with the fruit and power and holiness of the Spirit, with righteousness and peace and joy, and also to look forward to the day when His kingdom will come in fullness and all creation is restored. To pray Your will be done is to surrender our own will and ask to know and walk in His will, led by the Spirit, abiding in Christ and bearing fruit. Jesus taught us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and when we put first things first, He takes care of the rest. Prayer does not force God to act against our will, which He will not violate, but it opens the door for Him to do what He has long desired to do for us. It begins with His purposes.
Only after that does the prayer turn to our needs. Give us this day our daily bread covers every need, spiritual, physical, emotional and daily provision, trusting the Father who knows how to give good gifts to His children and gives even more to those who ask Him. Forgive us our debts deals with the past, what we have done wrong up to this moment, and we come confessing our sins and receiving forgiveness through Jesus alone, for God has made only one provision for forgiveness and that is through His Son, and the Spirit bears witness to that truth. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil looks to the future, asking God to take the reins and guide us, keep us from sin and deception and the work of the evil one, and guard us by His power.
You are right to notice the emphasis on forgiveness. It is the one petition Jesus pauses to emphasize again after the prayer. He returns to it because it is so essential. We are forgiven as we forgive others, and that shows whether we have truly understood the mercy we have received. If we hold onto bitterness toward those who have sinned against us, we close our own hearts to the grace we need. To pray this honestly means naming our own sins before God and also praying by name for those who have wronged us, that they would repent and find mercy, entrusting judgment to God who alone saves and judges.
The prayer then closes where it began, in worship. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. That sense of awe and wonder reminds us that we are speaking to the everlasting King whose power is over all and whose glory will one day cover the earth as the waters cover the sea.
Continue to pray in this way, not to impress others as public prayer can sometimes be tempted to do, but quietly and honestly before the Father who sees in secret. Take each phrase and turn it into your own words, linger over it, and ask in faith, believing that God hears. As James says, we should ask without doubting, and the prayer of a righteous person has great power. As Jesus said, if we being imperfect know how to give good gifts, how much more will our Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him. He hears, and in Christ all His promises are yes and amen.
May the Lord deepen your walk with Him as you keep seeking His name, His kingdom and His will first, and may He supply your daily needs, assure you of forgiveness, help you to forgive, and keep you from evil as you trust Him day by day.
Featured Teaching
Click the play button below to watch the featured teaching.
The Chief of Sinners
Pause, breathe, and let this message from Charles Spurgeon lift your heart.
