“Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”
So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Luke 11:1-4
Luke 11:1-4 is commonly called the Lord’s prayer. But it’s actually the Lord’s lesson on how to pray. It doesn’t end with verse 4 but concludes with verse 13. As it’s through prayer that God’s kingdom is released into the earth, it’s also through our prayer that God’s will is accomplished on earth.
Verse 2, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” tells me that God’s kingdom is not coming into our world unless we pray it in. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. Everything belongs to Him, but He put man in authority over it. Just as a man can build an apartment complex and lease out the apartments, he cannot legally enter that apartment uninvited, God is the landlord of the whole earth, but he cannot come into your house and do as He wills uninvited.
Through prayer we receive our daily needs-verse 3 “give us day by day our daily bread.” Praying people look to God as their provider, their trust and security is in God, therefore they walk in peace in the midst of every financial storm. Prayerless people have to look to the world for their provision.
Verse 4 tells us that through prayer, we escape the snares of the devil. God’s people who fail to pray for deliverance from temptation are the ones who are constantly falling into it. God’s grace does not automatically keep us from temptation and the evil one. If it did, Jesus would not have instructed us to pray for deliverance from it.
Following Jesus’ example of how to pray, verse 5-13 offer 4 more vital facts about prayer.
“And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.” Luke 11:5-8
Through intercessory prayer, we can meet the needs of others. God will arise and bless us with what it takes to meet the needs of hungry and hurting humanity.
Verse 9 and 10 tell us that prayer involves more than asking. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Ask-vague prayers go unanswered, be scriptural and specific. Seek God’s mind, will and direction in what you are praying for. Knock- after you’ve asked and sought God’s direction, get up and take action.
“If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” Luke 11:11-12
We get exactly what we pray for, nothing more, nothing less. God only gives good gifts to his children. If you prayed for wisdom and understanding and got sick, don’t be deceived. God didn’t give you a serpent when you asked for a fish. God didn’t send you a snake to teach you a spiritual lesson.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:13
There is a greater measure of the Holy Spirit available to those who ask. God never forces Himself upon anyone. If you want more of Him, you must ask. More of God is a good thing!
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