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So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  – Luke 11:1

Prayer, a Vital Necessity for Finishing Strong – ‘When You Pray…’

In His lesson on prayer, Jesus began His statement by saying, ‘When you pray…’, signifying the necessity of prayer. He didn’t make it a conditional or optional statement by using ‘if’ because prayer is an inevitable path in the journey of faith. Jesus didn’t just teach prayer, but He lived an exemplary prayer life. His consistent prayer life was what inspired His disciples to request Him teaching them how to pray. This was revealed in Luke 11:1 – ‘And it came to pass as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His Disciples said unto Him, “Lord, teach us to pray…”’Prayer is best learned by praying, and it is best taught by exemplifying. This was a common practice with Christ.

”’Prayer is best learned by praying, and it is best taught by exemplifying.

Each day comes with new needs and demands for prayer, and as we end our day, if we are sensitive enough, we will have seen a thousand and one reasons to end the day in prayer. For Christ, it was a lifestyle that He lived all through His earthly life and ministry. So also, if we must succeed in our walk and work on this side of eternity, then prayer is a nonnegotiable constant factor. We must be determined to make it a lifestyle rather than an occasional religious ritual.

Prayer, an Expression of Our Relationship with God – ‘Our Father…’

So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven – Luke 11:1

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba Father” – Romans 8:15

Prayer is a relationship and not a ritual. When we come to God in prayer, we are not just approaching Him as our Creator, but as ‘Abba Father’. This statement of fact connotes a deep intimacy between a loving father and his son or daughter. As a child approaches their father without any fear of being let down, God, our loving Father, wants us to approach Him in prayer. For this reason, He beckons on us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Prayer, therefore, is the expression of that father-child relationship with God in loving fellowship. Our ability to see prayer from this perspective will greatly determine the effectiveness of our prayers. Beyond our desire to pray, God is much more ready to answer just as a loving father will not give stone to his child instead of the bread requested for (Luke 11:11). By our new birth experience, we are no longer in bondage to the spirit of fear, but have been given the right by adoption whereby we can boldly call Him

Beyond our desire to pray, God is much more ready to answer just as a loving father will not give stone to his child instead of the bread requested for

Prayer, an Expression of Dependence on God – ‘…In Heaven…’

So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. – Luke 11:1

Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? – Isaiah 66:1

As Jesus continued to teach His Disciples (whom we are today) the art of prayer, He provided an address to reveal where the Father dwells: ‘in heaven’. Although God is Omnipresent (All-pervading, Ever-present), He administers His rule from heaven. This also signifies His sovereignty over all. Christ also revealed this truth when He declared, “He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all” (John 3:31). As we live with the reality of His presence within us, it is equally important to behold Him from His Throne where His rule is administered.

The Saints of old had this understanding, therefore, they would always lift their hands or eyes toward heaven when in prayer (2 Chronicles 6:13; Psalms 121:1; Luke 6:55). This speaks of focus and total dependence on God who is above and is above all. When we look up to Him in prayer, there we draw strength, and every distraction is warded off. Christ also exemplified this practice of looking up to heaven as an art of total dependence on God. Of Him, it is written, ‘… And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me”’ (John 11:41b), and in Matthew 14:21, we are told, ‘… and looking up to heaven, He blessed and brake, and gave the loaves to His Disciples, and the Disciples to the multitude’.

When we look up to Him in prayer, there we draw strength, and every distraction is warded off.

Jesus, being God Himself, could do nothing in the flesh (earthly bodily form) without expressing His dependence on the Father through prayer. We likewise, must learn from His example as we express our total dependence on Him in prayer.

To be continued…