Teach Us To Pray

Luke 11:1 (NKJV) Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

There are many things the Disciples learned from Jesus, yet one thing they asked to be taught by the Lord was “to pray”.  We see the Lord’s response to their query in the next three verses.

As a leader, that is a key responsibility we have is guiding disciples into an effective prayer life.

This prayer, more accurately called the Disciples Prayer, serves as a model not only for past disciples, but present-day disciples as well.  Especially in the world we live in today.  Prayer and knowing how to pray and actually praying are vital.

We find there are at least 9 imperatives for a successful prayer life discovered in this “pattern” or “model” for prayer.  As we approach God in prayer, these are underpinnings for our prayer times.

• The nature of God as Father; benevolent, kind, caring, attentive
• Honor to Him and His name; His names reveal His heart and passion for humanity
• For His kingdom to come; His rule and climate of the Kingdom
• His will to be accomplished on earth as in heaven; His will is discovered in His word and in His ways
• Dependence on daily sustenance and supply; the focus is today, not the future nor the past
• Daily cleansing; not navel gazing, but walking free of any thing that would gender condemnation or guilt
• Walking in forgiveness toward others to the scope of our being forgiven by the Lord and others
• Leading in paths of righteousness, i.e. not into situations that will tempt us beyond our capacity to resist
• Protection from the evil one, i.e. like a current that sweeps us from evil.

These foundations enable us to launch on the adventure of being a disciple of prayer.