Matthew 6:7-13
7-13 “The world is so full of so called prayer warriors, who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right;
Do what’s best-
as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You’re in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You’re ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes. The Message
The Lord’s prayer is said to be an example of how God wants His people to approach Him in prayer. In the book of Esther, the king asked her in four different instances what was her petition and her request because he was willing to give to her up to half his kingdom (Esther 5:3, 6; 7:2; 9:12b). This freedom we have as followers of Christ to approach the throne of God the Father with boldness in order to obtain the things we need or want is something we ought to give importance to because this example of prayer reveals the heart of God and His character toward His children.
The first part of this prayer according to the Scripture instructs us to ask God to reveal who He is to us. For this we start with praise and worship as we acknowledge Him and make Him the center of our attention while we lift Him higher than our circumstances. This causes God to rise up and reveal the part of Him necessary to meet our need and turn chaos into order. We will also see Him leveling every obstructing mountain and make every crooked way straight so His best for us can be supernaturally manifested in the earth. This will also help us expand our knowledge of Him.
The next part highlights our need to be nourished and have our needs met so we can do what we are called to do. This way we will not be tempted to neglect seeking to hear every word that comes out of God`s mouth to guide us and lead us in His path of righteousness. Communion with Him is our first need because it transforms us into His image and likeness. This happens as He removes the dirt and the dross from us with the water of His word so we can be clothed with robes of righteousness. This heads us in our path of maturity where our knowledge and application of the ways of His Kingdom help us walk and live as citizens of heaven on earth.
Learning to forgive is a must for every child of God because as citizens of heaven we are made conduits that extend to others the mercy and grace God lavishly grants to us daily. There are times when we get wounded by others that are also wounded, but continually seeking the One who was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities because by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). When we are emotionally healed then we do not leak out of our pain and become imprisoned in a jail of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness that cripples us and keeps us from walking firm and steadily towards our destiny and God's blessings for us.
Another important reason we are called to walk in forgiveness is because, like Esther and David, who developed a heart after God’s own heart and were mindful of what concerns God the most, we must also show we are taking more mature steps as we ask God to give us His inheritance in the saints. This means that we concern ourselves with the welfare of His people and do everything He commands—no matter what He asks us to do and what it costs us because reaching the harvest of souls God wants to reap through us consumes our being. For this, we allow Him to teach us how to be fishers of men and how to walk in the ways of His kingdom. Thus, with a bright and shining light that comes from His fire of zeal that burns within us, we can walk in His power and authority and the fire helps light the way for those souls to see Christ in us, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:9-12 says, 9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard of it, have not ceased to pray and make [special] request for you, [asking] that you may be filled with the full (deep and clear) knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [in comprehensive insight into the ways and purposes of God] and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things--
10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
11[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy.
12 Giving thanks to God the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the sainsts (God`s holy people) in the light. AMP
Keeping this at the forefront of our minds will ensure our protection from persecution and the enemy`s attempts to obstruct the harvest of God`s souls. Praying boldly like Esther and the Apostles of the early Church for the removal of the enemy and his obstructions we can get to the harvest and reap it for God`s Kingdom.
So going back to the initial passage in the Message version, verse 13 says,
"You are in charge,
You can do anything you want!
You`re ablaze in beauty!
Yes, Yes, Yes!"
The Amplified version of this verse says, ..."For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
So, to bring these two versions together we can say: For His is the kingdom—the earth and everyone in it belong to Him and He is in charge; His is the power—He will do anything He wants and will confront every enemy of His plan and purpose to reach the lost and remove him; and His is the glory with His fire in us to light the way for lost souls to come to Christ. To Him alone be all the glory.∎
10 That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing and increasing in and by the knowledge of God [with fuller, deeper, and clearer insight, acquaintance, and recognition].
11[We pray] that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, [to exercise] every kind of endurance and patience (perseverance and forbearance) with joy.
12 Giving thanks to God the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the sainsts (God`s holy people) in the light. AMP
Keeping this at the forefront of our minds will ensure our protection from persecution and the enemy`s attempts to obstruct the harvest of God`s souls. Praying boldly like Esther and the Apostles of the early Church for the removal of the enemy and his obstructions we can get to the harvest and reap it for God`s Kingdom.
So going back to the initial passage in the Message version, verse 13 says,
"You are in charge,
You can do anything you want!
You`re ablaze in beauty!
Yes, Yes, Yes!"
The Amplified version of this verse says, ..."For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
So, to bring these two versions together we can say: For His is the kingdom—the earth and everyone in it belong to Him and He is in charge; His is the power—He will do anything He wants and will confront every enemy of His plan and purpose to reach the lost and remove him; and His is the glory with His fire in us to light the way for lost souls to come to Christ. To Him alone be all the glory.∎
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