There is a thread in Jesus’ teaching which guides us into connecting with God in prayer as well as praying according to His will regarding our lives. This is huge. When we understand the truth about prayer – windows and doors of heaven open to us. Windows of insight. Doors of communication with our Father.
Jesus began His public ministry fasting and praying. Pretty difficult to fast 40 days without praying, right?! His temptation occurred when He was 30 or so years old. Woven throughout the Gospels, His example and teaching to His disciples, and in the book of Acts and Revelation is Jesus’ teaching on prayer. He didn’t just talk about it – He did it. Let’s follow a part of this thread:
“Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in heaven, Your Name is holy. Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” – Matthew 6:9-13
True praise. True bending of will. Reliance for food and covering. Forgiving others as we have been forgiven by God. And then a request for protection. Everything belongs to the Father – and Jesus understood this better than any human.
We are also taught to take our God-connection in prayer and use it on behalf of the Kingdom growing around us. This involves binding and loosing. What?
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” – Matthew 16:19
“Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” – Matthew 18:18
He wanted His disciples to understand the scope of their connection. We may never change the world in a macro way, but we have been sent to our lives to intercede (pray for) for God’s will for those around us.
Make sense?
Dave and Burnadette
Selah!