FOOD FOR TEENS:THE LORD'S PRAYER

Dear Teen, I welcome you to this glorious month of November, I pray that God’s Grace will continue to increase in your life in Jesus amen. In this edition I would like us to look at the Lord’s Prayer as it is commonly referred to. When you look at the subject of prayer, Jesus taught it meticulously so that every believer would understand the dynamics of prayers and go on to use it as a tool to living a successful Christian life.

Matthew 6:6 says, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Please note that the prayer Jesus taught us here was not cooperate prayers but personal or private prayers, that is why He told us that we should enter into our closet. This form of prayer should take up most of your personal prayer time with the Lord. Matthew 6:7, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”

Jesus told us firstly how not to pray, He told us that prayer is not about the motions but the substance, the content is what God looks at, not whether you prayed but how and what you say in your prayers. Matthew 6:9, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” Jesus gave us the blueprint of a proper prayer when He told us to pray in this manner, He didn’t tell us to pray this as a prayer but pray after this manner I.e. He gave us a prototype of how we should pray.

Below are the most critical components of our prayers

1. Our Father which art in heaven: it is very important for us to note that we pray to our Heavenly Father. Many people pray without any consciousnesses of whom they are offering prayers to, they focus on sounding right than on whom they are praying to therefore they make vain repetitions. One time I was praying but my mind was overwhelmed with a lot and I literally felt the Holy Spirit telling me to take off the distractions and focus on Him who is seated upon the throne. When you pray, always carry in your consciousness, the fact that you are before your father who is seated upon the throne. No wonder the Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Then hallow the one who seats on the throne firstly, don’t enter His presence without at least entering with a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Your thanksgiving should precede your entrance into the throne of grace. Psalm 100:4, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

2. Matthew 6:10, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” A lot of people have said that the kingdom of God has already come therefore there’s no need to pray for the kingdom to come again but what Jesus was giving us here was a blueprint. The word Kingdom consists of two words king & Domain, so a kingdom basically means a king’s domain. So when we come into the throne of grace, the first thing we must do after praise worship and thanks is to draw from God the aura of His presence. Genesis 1:2, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” It is after the the Spirit of God moved before God spoke. This is why we pray in tongues, we allow the waters of the Spirit of God to proceed from the throne of grace into our lives and our lives become charged with the Spirit of God, which is now what we refer to as the Kingdom of God. At this point the will of God becomes easy to discern and the will of God is only revealed in the place where the Holy Spirit is revealed. Romans 8:26-27, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [27] And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The will of God is revealed as you stir up the gift of God which is in you in the person of the Holy Spirit. So most times when we pray in the Holy Ghost and then we begin to feel the presence of God, this is how you make the kingdom come into your space and the will of God begins to rule over your life. Concerning this will of God, always ask that His will be done in your life, it is in heaven. if we say Jesus is our Lord, one would expect that we would totally submit our will to Him.

The very important thing about asking that His will be done in your life is that, you expose yourself to God’s plans on the earth, remember in the days of Noah, everyone was eating and drinking, doing businesses and getting married, it would seem like they were prospering but they didn’t align themselves with the will of God except Noah so when the flood came it took all of them, it didn’t care if their business or marriages were doing well or if they were blessed with the fruit of the womb, it went after only those that were not aligned in God’s will which was the ark built by Noah. Stay in the will of God for your life at all times.

3. Matthew 6:11, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Please don’t go about your daily activities without asking the Lord for His supply into the works of your hands. Psalm 104:21, “The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.” You can go about your work, no matter how skillful or talented or intelligent you might be but like the young lions still seek your meat from the Lord and you will see all things work together for your good. What happens when you sought the Lord for His supply is exactly what is captured in Isaiah 55:12-13, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Hallelujah!!!

4. Matthew 6:12, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” This simply how you obtain mercy in the place of prayer, if you ought against someone and has refused to forgive, in this place of prayer the Holy Spirit is going to quicken that issue in your heart and instruct that you forgive, if you show mercy and forgive by releasing that person from the Judgment of their actions towards you and pray for me them, God in turn releases His mercies towards you which He wrought for you through Christ Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” This is how you obtain mercy from the throne of grace. It’s not that every time you come into God’s presence you must start confessing any sin but if the Holy Spirit convicts your heart of sin in the place of prayers, duly ask for God’s mercies, repent and move on.

5. Matthew 6:13a, “ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:” Always pray for safety and God’s protection everyday, ask Him to deliver you from every evil works. It is a very integral part of our prayer life, ask for His guidance and protection everyday not just for you but for you and your loved ones and brethren

6. Matthew 6:13b, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” End every prayer the same you started, with Praise and thanksgiving unto your Heavenly Father.

Anyone who prays in this manner can never fail, his life will just keep progressing from one level to another. Avail yourself of this great tool that can literally change your life for good. God bless you and see you next month.