Provision, Relationships, & Glory… what more can we ask for?

See Matthew 6:9-13

Let me share with you what I feel the Holy Spirit has been impressing on my heart as I recently re-read this passage. There are two main points I want to make in this short article.

First, Jesus instructed us to pray this prayer on a daily basis – give us today. If we faithfully pray this prayer (not praying verbatim, but praying the concepts), we will see the kingdom of God come in our lives and in our spheres of influence in natural and supernatural ways!

Second, heaven is where God’s loving, good, and just will is established. Sin and the devil have no influence whatsoever there. On earth, God’s will is not YET perfectly established. Therefore, Jesus taught us to pray for God’s will to “be done on earth as it is in heaven.” There are three areas that will be transformed as we pray for our Father’s will to be established in our spheres.

  1. Provision: “Give us this day our daily bread.”   Our preoccupation with material needs must be transformed… from worry… to prayer. God will supply our needs through jobs and better jobs, prosperous businesses, inheritances and unexpected means. If our heart-orientation is Kingdom focussed we will have more than enough to serve God’s purposes.
  1. Relationships with God and with others: “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”  Every obstruction to meaningful relationships is removed through forgiveness!  If we are offended by someone, we mustn’t triangulate. We must not share our offence with another without first going to the one who offended us. We are only spreading our poison when we do that.  Rather, let’s go to the people who have offended us and let them know how their actions or words made us feel. If our hearts are secure in the Father’s love we get to be vulnerable with each other. Relationships are toxic when there is little to no grace or forgiveness exemplified in our interaction with each other. This is why we at CTF have an emphasis on inner healing.
  1. Living in the glory! “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Imagine what life would be like if the enemy did not have any hooks in us by which he could harass us! What could life be like if our own self-centredness were losing its rule over our thoughts, words and actions? Well, it is possible to live on this earth in the awareness of the increasing blessings and favour of the Lord. How do I know? Because Jesus told us to pray that way! God is not going to teach us a prayer that he is not fully committed to answering! … Let that sink in …                           As the enemy loses ground in our lives, we are able to increasingly enjoy the fullness of God’s glorious kingdom!

Father, Let your glorious kingdom come and Your will be done in our lives… in every way, today!