AUDIO
TRANSCRIPT
Today we are going to do something different. Instead of discussing and explaining a portion of scripture, we are going to pray through it. In Luke 11:2-4, Jesus offers to us a way to pray, a template for prayer, called The Lords Prayer. Many of us have this memorized and it’s very familiar to us. I didn’t grow up in church but even I grew up knowing the Lords Prayer because of my Catholic grandma. But today, instead of just reading through it, we are going to use it as a launching pad for our own prayers and a way of deepening our prayer life.
I will note here, that the version found in Luke uses slightly different wording and is a little shorter than the one we see in Matthew 6, and I’ll be using the New Living Translation today.
We’re going to read each section of the prayer and I’ll help give some prayer prompts and then we’ll pause and actually pray off of that section. If you’re watching or listening, you’ll need to physically pause the video or podcast and you can use as much time as you need before moving on to the next prayer movement. For the sake of focusing and deepening our prayers, I also suggest that you either pray out loud or write down your prayers. And you can easily do this together with your family, roommates, life group, or friends. So let’s jump in.
“Father, may your name be kept holy.”
Before we ask Him for anything or before our own selves and own situations come into the picture, lets take time to simply declare Truths about Him and His holiness. In your own words, declare His holiness and goodness.
Pause and pray now
“May your Kingdom come soon.”
In this section, let’s pray for the ways we long to see His Kingdom come - ultimately longing for His second coming, but also what areas of your life or the world are you longing and hoping to see His Kingdom come? Perhaps in the midst of personal illness or turmoil in the world - Would His Kingdom come.
Pause and pray now
“Give us each day the food we need,”
Pray for specific needs in your life, that God would provide all you need for this day.
Pause and pray now
“and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”
Take inventory of your life and confess things you need to confess, repent of things you need to repent of, ask for forgiveness, and pray through situations where others have wronged you. Are you harboring bitterness and unforgiveness towards anyone? Would you lift that up to the Lord now.
Pause and pray now
“And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
Now let’s pray against Satan’s schemes in our lives. Maybe there’s specific temptations you need prayer to hold strong against or just general prayers of protection from sin and the enemy.
Pause and pray now
Hopefully through doing this, the Lords Prayer has become richer and more enlivened for you and I hope it will be a tool that you can go back to again and again to orient your heart toward the Lord in the way that He wants us to. And may you be blessed as you draw nearer to Him.
Thank you for taking the time to develop this template, this is a very helpful way to the view the Lord’s prayer and help me better focus on deeper level.
Thank you for this