Our Father In HeavenA study on “The Lord’s Prayer” by Dr Jose Poulose

Some features• It is probably the most commonly used group and individual prayer.• This is how Jesus taught His disciples to pray.•Words are simple but the meaning is profound.•We have a Father in Heaven.•He is the Maker and sustainer of all.•He cares deeply about us.

Our Father in Heaven•The concept of Fatherhood can be traced back to God, our maker. In the eternal Godhead, we see the perfect picture of Fatherhood; it is God the Father who sent His only begotten Son to die for us. In the pages of the bible, God’s holy word, this concept is seen everywhere. One of the most amazing things about God of the bible is that He wants to relate to us as a Father.

A perspective on the Fatherhood of God• The Psalmist declares, “A father of the fatherless, a

defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation” (Psalm 68:5). What a comforting thought it is to know that God in His holy habitation is the Father of the fatherless; from that perspective, there are no real orphans in this world. The Fatherhood of God is also very evident in the famous prayer that Jesus taught His disciples; we commonly refer to it as the Lord’s Prayer even though the bible does not use that description. This is what Jesus told His disciples: “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father 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 our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:9-13).

Right Motive and Not Vain Repetition•  Before He taught them this model for prayer, Jesus told them about two vitals ingredients for genuine prayer. First, not to pray just to be seen by others, like the hypocrites. Secondly, not to use vain repetitions, as the heathen do (Matthew 6: 5-8). Although there is nothing wrong in repeating the prayer as such (Luke 11:2), the context tells us that what the Lord intended here was something else. This prayer is to serve as a template for all our prayers; we can apply the principles of this prayer to any and every situation that we face in our lives. Remember that He was teaching His disciples how to pray. He was asking them to use this prayer as a model for all our prayers, when He said, ‘In this manner, pray’. That instruction is for us too!

OUR• Remember that Jesus was teaching a group of disciples. The importance of corporate prayer in our worship is emphasized in the very first word. Yes, it a great blessing to come together for prayer. Jesus also said, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18: 19, 20). Let us not ignore group prayer with fellow believers.

Father In Heaven• The prayer should be addressed to our Father in heaven. If

you are walking down the street and someone addresses you as Daddy or Mommy, you will not acknowledge them if they are not your own children. The same is true of God; He does cause the rain to come down for the righteous and the unrighteous, but He is not everyone’s Father. Our Father in heaven has real children on this earth; how do we become the children of God? The bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12, 13). These verses refer to the process of rebirth by repenting from our sins, accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord, believing with our heart that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9, 10). We must ask Jesus to wash our sins by His blood and fully surrender our life to His Lordship. That is how we become the children of God. Please remember, you do not become a child of God just because your parents are Christians; you do not become one by joining a church either. Salvation comes to us by grace and through faith in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:9). Dear friend, are you saved? If not, repent of your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior now!

Hallowed Be Your Name Hallowed here means God is holy, set apart, and unique in His character and attributes. God’s holy name has been profaned in so many different ways; Israel profaned His name through disobedience. When we disobey God, His holy name is profaned because of us. Let us pray for His name to be hallowed in and through us and all around us.

Your Kingdom Come!•  When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, the spiritual aspect of this prayer is fulfilled. “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14: 17). But one day Jesus Christ is going to come back and establish His literal Kingdom on this earth. That is when the second aspect of this prayer will be fulfilled.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven:•  Please note that heaven is the place where the will of God is perfectly carried out. The angels are at His command. When Satan tried to rebel against God, he was thrown out of heaven. But here on earth, there is so much rebellion against His will. Hence, we pray for His will to be done here on earth just as it is in heaven. That can only happen after the return of Jesus. It is another way of saying, ‘Come, Lord Jesus’.

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread•This refers to our daily needs. Our Father is concerned about every aspect of our lives; we can boldly ask Him about anything, so long as it is in line with His word. Always remember to worship and adore God before making your requests to Him.

And forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors•Forgiving others must be a regular part of our prayer life. We cannot harbor bitterness against someone and expect God to bless us. Dear friend, are you bitter against anyone? Forgive them from your heart and watch God move on your behalf.

And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one:•Always remember that there is an evil one in this world, known variously as Lucifer, Satan, devil etc. We can ask our Father’s protection against his schemes. Remember that God Himself does not tempt anyone (James 1: 13).

Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen:•That is right; ultimately, everything belongs to Him. God does not share His glory with others. Let God alone get all the glory in everything. The kingdom, the power and the glory belong to Him and Him alone! Amen.

Remember..• Remember some of the most powerful weapons of prayer: The name of Jesus Christ, the blood of Jesus Christ, the word of God, praise and worship, prayer of faith, prayer with expectation, agreement prayer, fasting prayer, enforcing the victory of Calvary, corporate prayer, forgiveness, persistence in prayer, a clean and a contrite heart before God etc. These are just a few. Use them freely in your prayers. Prayerfully give a copy of this article to family, friends and those around you. Never give up. God has great plans for your life. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Want to Know Your Heavenly Father Personally? Then Just Pray From The Bottom of Your Heart!• “Dear Father in heaven, I am a sinner. I admit that I cannot earn heaven by my good works. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary for my sins. I believe that He rose again from the dead on the third day. Lord, wash me and cleanse me from all my sins by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior now. I want to live according to your WORD daily. Thank you Lord”

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