Page 88 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

VEMBER 2009~ 89

LORD,
TEACH US

TO

“AND 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 NKJ

Nearly every sincere believer in Christ has committed this prayer to memory. It is often invoked at
solemn gatherings of believers and is often traditionally quoted in unison at funerals. However, this is
not a prayer by which we are to die, but rather is a prayer by which we are to live out our lives as
Christians. The Lord’s prayer was given in response to the disciple’s request, “Lord, teach us to pray...”
In the Matthew 6 account of The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus said, “In this manner, therefore pray…” (Matt. 6:9).

The danger with simplistic rote “…THE EFFECTIVE, FERVENT PRAYER
memorization of this prayer is that it OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILS MUCH”
tends to breed familiarity to the point
that the true meaning and purpose of its James 5:16
contents become greatly diminished. “…HE WHO HAS BEEN BORN OF GOD
Jesus is teaching His disciples
HOW to effectively pray, KEEPS (GUARDS) HIMSELF,
not merely WHAT words to say. AND THE WICKED ONE DOES NOT TOUCH HIM.
To truly be effective against the forces
of evil, this prayer must be viewed as a WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD,
pattern for how to pray as believers AND THE WHOLE WORLD LIES UNDER
while living out our lives on an earth that
is under the sway of the wicked one THE SWAY OF THE WICKED ONE.”
(Eph. 2:2), who is guiding the present 1 Jn. 5:18-19
course of this evil age

(1 Jn. 5:18-19).