Back in the 80's there was a brother who led a prayer movement
based on a breakdown of the Lord's prayer which I have used ever since.
It goes as follows.
"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." In ancient
cultures a name was a means by which they knew the character of a
person. In a similar way, the names of God, as He has revealed them to
us, let us know His nature and character. We begin our prayer by
praising Him for His character as revealed in the names by which He
introduces Himself to us.
We praise Him for His guidance because He is our Shepherd according to Psalm 23:1.
We praise Him for the peace we experience because He is our peace according to Judges 6:24.
We praise Him the protection He provides because, according to Exodus 17:15, He is our banner.
We praise Him because He is our healer, no matter the agency He chooses to employ according to Exodus 15:26.
We praise Him because He is simply THERE according to Exodus 48:35.
We praise Him because he is our righteousness according to Jeremiah 23:6.
We praise Him because he is our provider in Genesis 22:14.
And there are so many more attributes of God revealed by the Names
He uses to describe Himself so we praise Him for those revealed
attributes.
"Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." It is under this clause I pray for 4 categories of need.
1) Father establish Your Kingdom, Your rule and governance, in my
life. Bring those areas which are still in rebellion against You under
Your complete sovereignty.
2) Father establish Your Kingdom in the lives of my family and
friends. Under this category is when I pray for those nearest to me that
God will establish His Kingdom and His reign in their lives.
3) Father establish Your Kingdom in the life of my church. God be
glorified by the place where we belong and be glorified in our church.
4) Father establish Your Kingdom in our nation and in the government's which rule on every level of civil governance.
We always pray for His Kingdom in our lives first so we have moral authority to speak His Kingdom into other areas of our lives.
"Give us this day our daily bread." He said elsewhere, "sufficient
unto the day is the evil thereof." In other words, I have enough to
keep me busy today that I do not need to worry about tomorrow until it
gets here. Praying for today's needs keeps me in the present tense with
God. It also reminds me not to clutter my mind with things which are not
needful in my immediate situation.
"Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." Father, there is a
chance that someone will be offensive to me today. Just as you
provided me forgiveness of my sins before I knew I had committed one, I
choose to forgive whatever is said or done to me today before it is
done. And Father, for those offenses from the past I am already
carrying, I bring that person to You to deal with as Your wisdom sees
fit. They are no longer mine to demand punishment for. They are Yours.
Punish them, or let them go. They are Yours to deal with.
"And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil." Father
please help me learn the easy way today rather than as the result of sin
and foolishness. I want to listen to You so my steps are directed
before I place them rather than corrected after I have stepped
foolishly.
For Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory, forever.
Amen. The prayer ends as it began, with praise. We go in with praise. We
go out with praise.
One thing about this method of prayer I have most appreciated is I
can jump into this prayer anywhere along the way any time through out
the day and address an immediate need.
Pastor Robert
