The Lord's Prayer: Seven Step Model

Most of us have heard The Lord's Prayer being prayed. Maybe we have read it in Luke 11:1-4 of the Bible. Maybe we have prayed it ourselves or even memorized it. But do we understand how to use The Lord's Prayer as a model for praying? Have we been able to teach our children or others to pray using The Lord's Prayer as our guide? Learn how this prayer, presented in seven steps here, can help us pray as Jesus prayed.

Taught by the Master

After spending many days with Jesus, one of His disciples asked Him to teach the disciples to pray. The disciples had witnessed Jesus gaining strength from prayer. They had observed how He received His power for a life of service. They had recognized that His strength came from a life of prayer. No doubt, this was the reason the disciple asked to be taught by the Master.

The Lord's Prayer: Luke 11:1-4

1And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3Give us day by day our daily bread.
4And 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. (KJV)

Step #1: Recognizing Father God

Jesus begins by acknowledging God as heavenly Father. It speaks of an intimate relationship between a father and child, not a distant relationship. This is the type of relationship Jesus wants his followers (and us) to have with the Father.

Step #2: Honoring Him as Holy

Jesus speaks of the Father's holiness--revealing the character of God and the holiness of His name. What we learn from this part of His prayer, is to remember our Father's holiness and supremeness--even as we acknowledge Him as our Father.

Step #3: Honoring His Will

In His prayer to the Father, Jesus teaches a very important lesson. He demonstrates how to subject Himself to His Father, to accept the Father's will and the Father's way, over self-will. In so doing, He honors the Father's will, allowing the Father's will to reign and His kingdom to come. We too, can pray that the Father's will reigns and takes precedence in our lives.

Step #4: Asking for Our Needs Met

Next, Jesus petitions for daily food. In this part of the prayer, He expresses daily need for the Father's provision. But more than that, He teaches the disciples to recognize the Father as all-sufficient. He is the provider. Man is not self-sufficient; man is dependant. From this, we acknowledge that our daily needs are met through the sufficiency of our Father.

Step #5: Asking Forgiveness

Jesus teaches His disciples to seek forgiveness for their wrongs. Like the disciples, we also commit wrongs--whether deliberately or by omission. We too, have much need to be forgiven.

Step #6: Forgiving Offense of Others

As Jesus prays this prayer, he teaches the disciples that it's important to forgive wrongs done by others, since their own wrongs are forgiven. Applying this teaching to our lives, we see our need to forgive those who have offended or wronged us--bearing in mind our own forgiveness.

Step #7: Asking for Protection

Finally, Jesus asks His Father for protection from harm. He teaches His disciples about the protective love of a Father--a Father who guards His children from evil and who can keep them from falling to temptation. We also depend on the Lord's rescue. Our Father protects us from the enemy of our souls, and in His strength, we can resist temptation.

The Lord's Prayer: Guide and Model

The prayer Jesus modeled--The Lord's Prayer--was perfect for the disciples and is perfect for our understanding and use. It can guide our prayer-life, and we can use The Lord's Prayer to teach others to pray.