"Pray, then in this way:" Christ when teaching His disciples how to pray was not enjoining us to some formula of words which are to be repeated word for word as though it was the only prayer which the Lord hears, rather He points out what ought to be the object of all our wishes and prayers. Contained within the prayer are six petitions. The first three are toward the glory of God, without any regards to ourselves, which are rightly placed in there proper priority. The remaining three relate to those things which are necessary for our sustenance, salvation and sanctification.
"Our Father" For those whom God has saved by His grace, through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and who have repented of their sins, God gives them the right to be called children of God. This is made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus, to reconcile us to God, for without this sacrifice man cannot be reconciled to God and is at enmity with God. But in Christ there is a righteousness wherein we can receive with Jesus the inheritance of God, and are adopted as sons through Jesus Christ. (Eph. 1:5)
"In Heaven" As Christians we do have God as our Father, and what a glorious and awfully we may approach Him because of the redemptive work of Christ, and have communion with God as sons and daughters, through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Yet our Father is in Heaven, He is enthroned far above the earth ruling and reigning with power and might, in the presence of the ceaseless worship of the holy angels and the saints that have gone before. He has no lack or need of worship, but to Him and only Him is all worship due.
"Your Kingdom come" What is the Kingdom of God? Lets me start by explaining what the Kingdome of God is not! The Kingdom of God is NOT of this world. (John 18:36) God's Kingdom is not made up of castles, knights, ramparts, or walls. The Kingdom of God is Jesus Christ. That is what John the Baptist meant when he said, "Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand." (Matt 3:2) The word "kingdom" means sovereignty, or royal power. Jesus is the sovereign Lord ruling, with royal power, over heaven and earth perfectly. This God came to earth to seek and save that which is lost. So when we pray, "Your Kingdom come,” we are praying for the sovereign reign of God, both in the Second Coming, and also His reigning over our lives, as our Sovereign Lord, conforming us into the image of Jesus Christ.
"Your will be done" When we talk about the will of God there are some things we must understand. God’s will is already happening in a sense, in every aspect of life. He ordains everything that has been, is, or shall be. Every birth, every death, every calm, every storm, every perfect moment, and every tragedy, everything is being divinely orchestrated by God, for the purposes of His Glory and the Christian’s present and ultimate good. Now if God’s will is being done in everything, than what is it we are praying for? It is true, God allows everything to happen, that happens, though some of which is not according to His perfect will. So we pray that all creatures obey Him, without opposition or reluctance, as is done in Heaven.
"On earth as it is in Heaven" This has been subject to twisting by faith healers and prosperity preachers, who say, "well in heaven there is no sickness or poverty, therefore we shouldn't be sick or poor, and if you are you don't have enough faith.” Heaven is a place, an actual place, where God reigns with power and might, receiving glory and honor and praise that is due Him. God's Kingdom and will is done on this earth primarily when we preach the gospel, and His Kingdom is populated when souls get saved, and when every aspect of our lives is transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, and conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, to the glory of God.
"Give us this day our daily bread" In the time this was written almost everyone worked very hard to put food on the table and clothes on their backs. These people were not working to buy a second donkey to ride around to show up the neighbors, or to buy the latest style of turban. They labored just to survive. Men were looked up to and honored for providing the necessities for his family. It is not so today in our culture. Men are frowned upon for not having a large TV or the newest SUV. So what is being said here? When we pray, we ought to pray for what we need to live, not what our wandering lustful hearts desire.
"And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." This is a cry and a plea for mercy. The word for "forgive" in the Greek literally means "to send away", or "leave alone". This is the same word Jesus used on the cross when He cried out "Forgive them for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34) In the same way we are crying out to God, not that He forgive someone else but to forgive us for our debts against Him. (Debts: sins, moral fault.) The debt we owe is astronomical. Our debts consist of, our lying, thieving, dishonoring, coveting, pride, blasphemy, perverse and murderous thoughts, idolatry. It also includes our failures to love God as we ought, honor Him as we ought, glorify Him as we ought, thank Him as we ought, worship Him as we ought, seek Him as we ought, and know Him as we ought. So many and so gross are our debts against an infinitely, holy, perfect, righteous and good God, that all the worth of all the earth with its gold and jewels, and all the worth of all the worship of every created thing could not satisfy the debt we owe. Our sins being against an infinitely holy God require a sacrifice of infinite worth, Jesus Christ, the Righteous, paid the sum of an infinite debt, as He hung on that cross suffering the wrath of God in our place, and rose again for our justification. Now as believers, justification is a one time act, in which we are made right before God. So as believers this prayer is not for justification, for that is already accomplished, but it is a confession and repentance of sin that remains in the believer, looking always to the cross and seeing our forgiveness and reconciliation in Christ Jesus. "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just o forgive us our sins and cleans us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
"As we also have forgiven our debtors" In the same way we have been forgiven by God, we ought also to forgive. This does not mean, "God forgive us because we forgive others," rather, "God forgive us, and because You have so graciously forgiven us, we will in like manner forgive others.”
"And do not lead us into temptation" Now we know from the epistle of James 1:13 that God cannot be tempted with evil nor can He tempt anyone. So what does this verse mean when it says, "do not lead us into temptation?” In Scripture the word "temptation" can be used in two different ways. For example in James 1:2 is says "Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of you faith produces steadfastness..." The Greek word for "trials" comes from the same word "tempted" used later in verse 13 "Let no on say when he is tempted...." In verse two "trials" referrers to hardships, persecution, and affliction in our lives from the world, through which our faith grows and produces steadfastness. On the other hand in verse 13, the word tempt is used more in terms of as a desire to sin, a lust for that which is evil. For we see in verses 14 and 15 that temptation entices our own lust, lust births sin, and sin brings forth death. It is from this kind of temptation that we are praying for God to lead us away. For our sinful flesh, though regenerated by the Holy Spirit is still enticed by the things of the world. The plea is, "God leas me far from, not just sin, but even just the temptation to sin. It can only happen by Him leading. Fleeing temptation is impossible apart from the grace of God.
"But deliver us from evil." This half of the sentence is more pointing to the grace of God in a cry for rescue. Firstly we prayed for His leading away from temptation, but now it’s a cry for deliverance from evil, or the evil one. As Christians we do battle against evil spiritual forces of darkness. This prayer is about humbling ourselves and looking to God for our deliverance. We are not looking to our own merits, our praying, or even our faith. These are tools used in the battle against evil, but first and foremost we must humble ourselves before a Might God, who is might to save. Then we must turn to the Truth of God, the Righteousness of God, the Gospel of God, the Faith of God, the Salvation of God, and the Word of God. All of which are gracious gifts given by God to deliver us from evil. The strength is not in us but in the Lord Almighty.
"For Yours is the Kingdom and the Power and The Glory forever! Amen!
