Pray Like Jesus - Part 2
By Allan E. McNabb

In this short series, we’re exploring components of the model prayer and applying them to our 21st century prayers, while also reviewing Jesus’ teachings that immediately follow.
“‘Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen]’” (Matt. 6:9-13).

Thus far, we’ve discussed these lessons from Jesus’ prayer:

  • Pray for brethren.
  • Pray to God as your Father.
  • Praise and glorify God.
  • Pray about the kingdom.
  • Pray about God’s will.

Pray For Daily Needs
In the model prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray for our daily needs, saying, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Although God promises to give us the basic necessities of life (Matt. 6:25-33), He desires for us to ask for them in prayer, thus acknowledging our dependence on Him for everything, which helps us remain humble.

When we pray, asking God to supply our basic needs, we cast our heaviest burdens on Him (food, drink, clothing, shelter), which helps us overcome worry and anxiety, as we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God (Matt. 6:33; Phil. 4:6-7; 1 Pet. 5:6-7).

Although we’re prone to take the necessities of life for granted, we must discipline ourselves to thoughtfully pray for them, knowing that we depend upon God for everything in life.

Pray For Forgiveness
Jesus teaches us to pray for forgiveness, saying, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

It’s a sobering thought that God forgives us, partially based on our forgiveness of others.

Immediately after the prayer (as recorded in Matthew) Jesus says, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matt. 6:14-15).

Jesus illustrates this lesson when Peter asked how often he should forgive his brother.  He tells a parable about a king who forgave a slave who owed about $400,000,000.  But when the slave refused to forgive a fellow slave who only owed $16,000, the king summoned him and said, “‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’” (Matt. 18:32-33)?

The parable concludes with the king handing the unforgiving slave over to the torturers.

Then Jesus teaches the spiritual lesson we should learn, saying, “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart” (Matt. 18:35).

In other words, we’ll be lost for eternity, if we don’t forgive others from our hearts.

  • “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you” (Col. 3:12-13).
  • “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment” (Ja. 2:13).

Pray For Deliverance
Jesus teaches to pray for deliverance, saying, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Peirasmos, the Greek word translated “temptation” in Matt. 6:13, has caused some confusion, sounding like God leads people into temptation.  But that’s not the case, since God tempts no man (Ja. 1:13).

Rather, peirasmos denotes a trial (which can be tempting), not a temptation from Satan.

For example, James uses peirasmos twice, saying:

  • Ja. 1:2  “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.”
  • Ja. 1:12  “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Say Amen
At the end of the prayer, Jesus said “Amen,” which means “so let it be.”

By saying Amen at the end of a prayer, we beseech God one final time to hear our petition.

And when listening to a public prayer, we join together as listeners and say “Amen,” assenting to the things said and beseeching God to hear our prayer (1 Cor. 14:6).

To Be Continued
In the next article, we’ll consider some of Jesus’ teachings immediately following the model prayer.