With so many struggling to learn how to pray, we continue to teach you how.
When God made man, He looked at Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and all the Elohim first and then said, “Let’s make man in our image.”
Can you believe in a few years these people got mad at each other because of their color? When the very reason they are of 5 different colors is that they are created out of dirt and there are 5 colors of dirt?”
When you read Genesis, you see that God went to the dirt like He did when He created Adam to create every animal. Scholars say that to name every animal on the earth could have taken as many as 5-7 years. Now, do you see when you pray and start with “Father, hallowed be thy name,” how it is so powerful?
When was the last time you sat down and said, I am just going to sit here and tell God how thankful I am for Him? How many of you can sit and tell your spouse or children how much you love them and all the things you like about them? Shame on us if we do not have a love affair with God that is the same way.
Next, it says, “Your Kingdom come.” Do you know how many Christians get born again then think they must hold on to die before everything is OK? Do not wait until you get to heaven to walk in victory or abundance. Jesus said to pray the Kingdom here!
I am a Nevadan, I live near Las Vegas, but I do not believe that God wants Las Vegas dependent on the gaming industry; I believe God wants Las Vegas dependent on Him! We should be starting businesses; if we have them, we should be growing them bigger. In heaven, there is no bankruptcy or divorce. Thy Kingdom come! When we pray, we should be telling God we want the Kingdom on earth!
Next, it says, “Give us each day our daily bread.” Do you notice something that is missing here? He does not say ask; he says, give us. Jesus is speaking to God’s followers here; these are devout men that understand God’s principles and are flowing with them. They are walking with God. When you are in that place, you do not have to ask God to honor His word; He does it. You do not have to beg God to honor His word while He sits with streets of gold.
Look at the next one; it says, “Forgive us our sins.” Repentance is not just a one-time thing. Some of you are in the position you are in because you think you only need to repent once. I go to the Father daily and ask for forgiveness for things I have done. If you are a husband and do not go to your wife often to ask for forgiveness, you are not doing a good job setting the tone for your home. Be a person that is quick to repent.
This next one will get you. “For we ought also to forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” We have all had people do us wrong, and we may have every right to be upset. But it does not permit us not to forgive. The Bible says to forgive everyone.
Next is, “Do not lead us into temptation.” The actual Greek here says, do not allow to be led into temptation. It is a warning against yourself. When you pray this, ask God to help us place safeguards.
God is not going to lead you into temptation; the book of James says that God does not tempt you. Have you ever heard people say, “God was tempting me?” That is a lie. I knew a guy one time that was struggling with drug addiction. God had delivered him. One time he came up to me and said, “I need you to pray with me, God is tempting me with drugs to see how true my commitment is.” I told him that was a lie; God does not set you up to fail. That is not how He operates. God will set you up to succeed.
This is how Jesus tells us to set up our prayer life. Did anything there mention asking? Let us dig deeper. Look at Luke 11 verse 5.
“Then He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, Friend, lend me three loaves.” Luke 11:5
If he is a friend, he will be shamed into doing it but will do it. You can shame people into doing things for you when they do not want to. But listen to what Jesus tells us about his Dad.
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” Luke 11:9
It says everyone who asks will receive. Everyone means it does not matter your skin color, man or woman; there is no wiggle room. If you can put steam on a mirror, you are an everyone. He does not say, ask only if it is my will. This means asking specific requests.
