Most Christians know they should pray. Far fewer know what to do once they start.
Jesus’ disciples ran into the same wall. In Mark 9, a father brought his son, tormented by an evil spirit, to the disciples, and they could not help him. Jesus set the boy free, and later the disciples asked Him privately why they had failed. His answer: “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29).
Some things only change through prayer. Prayer is the most powerful thing the church has, and too often it is the last thing we try. The good news is that Jesus did not leave us guessing about how to pray. He gave us a model.
Why Prayer Is Hard
Three obstacles keep most people out of prayer:
1. Discomfort. Prayer feels unfamiliar, so we avoid it. Time and practice take care of this one. 2. Condemnation. We know ourselves too well. We feel unworthy to come before a holy God, so we don’t. Only the cross answers this. 3. Content. Even when we feel comfortable and accepted, we don’t know what to say.
The Lord’s Prayer speaks to all three. It is not only words to recite. It is a framework, a path through the things God invites us to bring to Him.
The Lord’s Prayer
The prayer appears in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. Many churches pray it together in the traditional form:
> Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
It moves through seven parts.
1. “Our Father”: Come in on Grace
Prayer begins with grace. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
We often reduce the cross to “Jesus died because He loves us.” That is true, but it leaves out what the cross accomplished. Jesus’ finished work credits His righteousness to everyone who believes. Because of the cross, even though you are unworthy to ask anything of a holy God, you are welcome to ask everything of Him.
That is how you tame condemnation, and you will have to tame it every time you pray. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Begin by declaring what is true: those “who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17). Come in like you belong there, because in Christ you do.
2. “Hallowed Be Thy Name”: Pray to Who God Is
God’s name for Himself is “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Throughout Scripture, His names also reveal His character:
- The LORD who heals. “I am the LORD, your healer” (Exodus 15:26).
- The LORD will provide. Abraham named the mountain “The LORD will provide” (Genesis 22:14).
- The LORD is peace. Gideon called his altar “The LORD Is Peace” (Judges 6:24).
- The LORD is my shepherd (Psalm 23:1).
- The LORD is my banner (Exodus 17:15), who goes before you into battle.
Knowing who God is changes what you expect when you pray. Many prayers sound more like begging than expectation. When you know His character, you know what He is like and what He will do.
3. “Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done”: Align Your Priorities
Before the day runs you, bring it to God. Pull up your calendar and pray through it: “Lord, how do You want this day ordered? How should this meeting go? Is what I’m planning to say what You want said?”
The Holy Spirit can show you something you would never have seen on your own. It is hard to keep a strong spiritual “wireless signal” through the day without a hard-wired connection first. That hard line is prayer.
4. “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”: Bring Your Needs
God cares about physical provision, and money touches nearly every part of life: your home, your family, your health, your ability to give. If you are not bringing your finances to the Lord, you are leaving a large part of your life untouched.
Malachi 3 connects faithful giving with God’s provision and protection. He promises to “open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” and to “rebuke the devourer for you” (Malachi 3:10-11). Prayer is not a substitute for work, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10), but work brought to God in prayer can change your situation quickly.
5. “Forgive Us Our Trespasses”: Pray Through Your Relationships
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). Pray for your spouse and children, your boss, your coworkers and the leaders over you, praying “for kings and all who are in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:2), whether or not you agree with them.
Offenses get resolved faster when you take them to the secret place before you take them to the person. Forgive in prayer first, ask God’s forgiveness for your part, and then go and make it right. Jesus ties our forgiveness of others to our own: “with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).
6. “Deliver Us from Evil”: Pray for Protection
The prayer says deliver us from evil, not only from sin. Believers face real spiritual opposition: “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness” (Ephesians 6:12). Many people use this part of the prayer to put on the armor of God piece by piece: the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:10-18).
7. “For Thine Is the Kingdom”: End in Worship
The Lord’s Prayer ends where all prayer should end: with God’s greatness. “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!” (Psalm 34:3).
A simple way to do this is with a worship song that makes much of God. Let it play. Sing along. Carry it with you into the rest of the day. The best way to leave the secret place and enter the public square is with your eyes on how big God is.
Start with 27 Minutes
If you are just beginning, try a simple daily rhythm: about 15 minutes reading the Bible, 7 minutes in prayer (thank God for one thing, then ask Him for three to five), and 5 minutes in worship. Over time, the Lord’s Prayer will give those seven minutes far more depth.
Jesus said, “My house shall be called a house of prayer” (Matthew 21:13). At Citylight Church, we are learning to pray together, and you are welcome to learn with us.