On one occasion the apostles of Jesus Christ vocally stated their confusion when it came to prayer. As they witnessed their Lord engage in one of His favorite pastimes, they came to Him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1). Then the text indicates that Jesus immediately said what has come to be known as the model prayer. Instructing His apostles He said, “When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil” (Luke 11:2-4). Knowing the authority with which Jesus spoke, the principles of prayer He gave two thousand years ago are still good today. For what did Jesus teach His disciples to pray?
First, Jesus taught His apostles to pray for the state of the church. Following His glorification of God, the first thing He mentioned in this model prayer was the kingdom. In that day, the church had not yet been established, and thus their prayer was for its coming. Today, we certainly do not have to pray for its coming any longer, but the principle remains true in the fact that we should pray for the state of the church. On various occasions there are additional examples of Paul, in his epistles, stating the fact that he continuously prayed to God on their behalves. For instance, to the Philippian church, he stated, “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you…” (Philippians 1:3). Prayers should be saturated with petitions for the spiritual strength of the congregations of which we are members as well as for the strength of the church universal. Our prayers need to individually petition God on behalf of various works in which we are engaged. Especially consider events that may be upcoming such as gospel meetings or other evangelistic opportunities and keep in mind that no successful event of that kind comes without plenty of prayer on its behalf. Those whose duty it is to preach and teach on a regular basis need our prayers on behalf of their efforts. The leaders of congregations whether it be elders or otherwise should continually be mentioned. Perhaps much of the state of the church in various places can be blamed on a lack of prayer. So always, when bowing to your knees in prayer, do so for the cause of the church.
Second, Jesus taught His apostles to pray for the will of God. The will of God is something for which many will vocally pray, but something very few actually want to see fulfilled. Why? Because they must involve themselves personally for the will of God fully to be done. The entirety and perfection of God’s will can never be done as long as there are Christians who are lethargic enough to do nothing in His service. God’s will is that every one of His children truly worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). God’s will is that every one of His children have a passionate concern for lost souls and thereby teach them the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). God’s will is that every one of His children have a servant’s heart that brings forth fruit by performing benevolent deeds for others (Galatians 6:10). But as long as God has a single child whose indifference hinders them in any of these areas or others, God’s will is not being done. The fulfillment of God’s will takes my personal commitment, and it is with that doubtless devotion that we should pray “thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.” Paul provided a three point outline as to why we should pray for God’s will, rather than our own, to be done. That three point outline is a three fold description that includes it as being “good, and acceptable, and perfect” (Romans 12:2). It is good because that is its ultimate goal—for good to be done to all. It is acceptable because of its goodness that cannot be condemned. And it is perfect because it is without flaw or blemish. Man’s will, on the other hand, is often bad, unsuitable, and flawed. God’s will seeks what’s best for all the world, while man’s seeks what’s best for only himself. To which would you rather entrust the direction of your life and the destiny of your soul? However, when you pray for the fulfillment of God’s will, be prepared for how He might fulfill it. God does not work on our timetable, and neither does He necessarily work according to our “logic.” The fulfillment of God’s will may come in forms we never expect. It will, however, always be good as only God’s will can be. Therefore, when bowing to your knees in prayer, remember not only to pray for the state of the church, but also for the fulfillment of God’s will.