Prayer for revival is on the rise in America. Its encouraging to see that there are many prayer movements starting. And its important, because historically revival comes when his people-regardless of the size-pray desperately for God to move on their lives.
Let us look at scripture to determine how we should pray.
In Luke 11, the disciples asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray."
Jesus said, "This is how you should pray: Our father who are in heaven hallowed be thy name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
Let us examine this passage in a very basic way.
First, "Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name".
The focus as we begin to pray is to glorify God. To worship and behold him. As we enter his presence we focus on who he is...beholding his glory. The beginning of prayer should always be toward him. For as we see His heart, and see who He is, then we will pray for what is on his heart. Everything will flow from glorifying him.
From this first portion of prayer, we also are reminded that He is our Father and we are His children. He will not give us a stone if we ask bread. He see's us as his children and desires the very best.
"Hallowed be Thy name"...We should tremble as we reflect on the reverence and respect due to the name of God. Taking His name in vain is a sin so great it is listed in the sins of murder and adultery. We serve a Holy God! And we must come before him in reverence.
Second, "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done."
His will is for His Kingdom to come.
And we know that what we ask according to His will He will grant us.
1 John 5:14-15 says, "This is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask according to His will, He will hear us: and if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."
Let us pray for the rule and reign of Christ. Not just on earth, but in the lives of the lost. That it come upon those who are bound and that He would reign over their lives. Pray for the lost sinners you meet in the street.
Notice that up till now in the Lords prayer the focus is not on ourselves, but on others.
Here we pray for revival to come. That His name would be glorified in the nations, that His glory would descend and souls would be saved.
Third, after focusing on God and then others, now we pray for ourselves. "Give us this day our daily bread". This is to say, "Lord without your substance, without your spiritual nourishment, I will die" This is to see Him as our life line, our provider.
Fourth, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."
As we come before him and see his Holiness, His purity, our heart is exposed. We see our faults and failures...our lust, our pride, our gossip, our attitude, our hidden agendas etc. We are broken in his Holiness. We are humbled and acknowledge who we are in light of who He is.
Our repentance should be after acknowledging Him.
Fifth, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
He is our deliverer. We are in a spiritual battle, and God will be our victor! He is our only hope of deliverence.
The more we recognize Him, the more we see we need Him!
Lastly, "For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen"
We end our prayer in praise and worship to the worthy eternal King of Kings!
Jesus said, "This is how you should pray".
Blessings,
Team GT