Part 9 – The Person of Prayer
The Petition of Prayer
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. The Lord’s prayer is a prayer of petition. It begins with praise, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, and it ends with praise, for thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory for ever.
In the middle is the petition. Petition is a request. Petition is to ask Give us, forgive us, lead us and deliver us.
- God wants us to ask.
The Lord’s prayer is about asking. It is a prayer of petition.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Joh 14:14 If you shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Mat 6:8b for your Father knows what things you have need of, before you ask him. NKJV
Mat 6:8b Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him. GNB
Joh 16:23 And in that day you shall ask Me nothing. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
Joh 16:24 Before now you have asked nothing in My name; ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.
Mat 7:7 Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. Mat 7:8 For each one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, if his son asks a loaf, will he give him a stone? Mat 7:10 Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a snake? Mat 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
It is all in the Lord’s prayer. Ask is all about us. God wants us to ask anything we want. There is however a filter. We must ensure whatever we ask is God’s will.
Matt 6:10 is the filter for what we ask. We are asking for His kingdom to come not ours. We are asking for His will to be done, not ours.
Mat 6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
1 John 5:15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.
Psa 20:5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfill all thy petitions.
This is a prayer of petition. May all your petitions be fulfilled. The Lord’s prayer is divided into two. Focus on God. It starts with God and it ends with God. Focus on us – The middle part of the Lord’s prayer.
When we focus on God, God changes our desires. When we focus on God, our desires become God’s desires. Our focus becomes God’s kingdom. Thy kingdom comes before us. Therefore, the will of God and our will must be aligned. It is about God first, but he wants us to ask. It is ok to ask. Ask God, but make sure that you put God first.
“If you have not chosen the Kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead.” William Law. “Put God first and you’ll never be last.” “The secret of a happy life is giving God the first part of your day, the first priority to every decision, and the first place in your heart.”
The Lord’s prayer can be summarised into two words: Praise and Ask.
2. His Kingdom is here
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come.
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent! For the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
Mar 1:14 And after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom of God, Mar 1:15 and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel.
Mat 12:28 Maar as Ek deur die Gees van God die duiwels uitdryf, dan het die koninkryk van God by julle gekom.
Mat 10:7 And as you go, proclaim, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
The Kingdom has come because the King (Jesus) has come. Kingdom = King and dominion. The kingdom is here because the king has come to rule.
Luk 17:20 En toe Hy deur die Fariseërs gevra is wanneer die koninkryk van God sal kom, het Hy hulle geantwoord en gesê: Die koninkryk van God kom nie met sigbare tekens nie. Luk 17:21 En hulle sal nie sê: Kyk hier! of: Kyk daar! nie; want die koninkryk van God is binne-in julle.
Luk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The rulership of the King is within you. The kingdom of God has come but is continuing to come. It is past, present and future tense. Does the king rule over your life? When bad things come, does he still rule in your life?
Matt 13 says the kingdom of God is like seed, wheat and leaven.
All the above is growing.
When we pray, let thy kingdom come, we are saying the Lord is ruler over my life, and the King’s rulership is growing in my life.
3. God’s will is the best for us
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Act 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God.
1 Thess 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Joh 7:17 Whoever is willing to do what God wants will know whether what I teach comes from God or whether I speak on my own authority.
I must be willing to do the will of God. If I do the will of God, I will understand God. I will understand the Bible.
Luk 22:42 “Father,” he said, “if you will, take this cup of suffering away from me. Not my will, however, but your will be done.”
The key is that I want to do His will. That is why I pray, “Thy will be done”. I am submitting my will under the authority of God. You have a choice, if you want to grow and understand the will of God, read the bible; praying, fasting and giving. We can submit our will to God. You have a choice. God always know the best for you. God’s will is the best for you.
Rom 12:1 So then, my friends, because of God’s great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. Rom 12:2 Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God—what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
Before we pray: give us, give us, we pray: Thy, Thy will be done. We submit our will under the Lordship of God.
Pro 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Proverbs 3:6 (TLB) In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
4. As it is in Heaven
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Rev 21:3 I heard a loud voice speaking from the throne: “Now God’s home is with people! He will live with them, and they shall be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. Rev 21:4 He will wipe away all tears from their eyes. There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared.”
The sting of death has been removed when I accepted Christ.
1Co 15:54b “Death is destroyed; victory is complete!“ 1Co 15:55 “Where, Death, is your victory? Where, Death, is your power to hurt?” 1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Conclusion
The Lord’s prayer is about Praise, Ask and Praise. It is about the King’s rulership in your life. Understanding that God’s will is the best for your life and death has been destroyed. Victory is complete. God always gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our King.