Do you struggle with how to pray?

Jesus gave us a model prayer in Matthew 6:9–13, commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer.” I’d like to go through it line by line, in some cases word by word, to explain why I think it’s the perfect way to start a conversation with God. But be careful about mindlessly memorizing and repeating it. Jesus warned in verse 7,

And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. (Matthew 6:7, NKJV).

The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus teaches us how to pray:

9 “In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9–13, NKJV)

Dissecting the Lord’s Prayer Verse by Verse

V9a, In this manner, therefore, pray:

Jesus said we should pray like this—it’s our model—but a couple of verses before, He said, “Do not use vain repetitions.”

So, which is it?

Jesus sets our minds and hearts on the right path with a correct framework. Six petitions follow, with the first three focused on God and the last three on our needs. Later in the same conversation, Jesus tells the crowd not to worry about their own needs.

He said,

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:33–34, NKJV)

So, it’s appropriate for the model prayer to begin with our focus on God.

V9b, Our Father in heaven,

Pause and really think about this verse. Please don’t let this part become “vain repetitions” or “empty phrases,” as the ESV translates. Nearly 25% of American children live without a father in the home. You may have grown up without a father or, like me, had an emotionally absent one.

The Greek word for “father” in this verse is “patér” and would have been “Abba” in Aramaic, the everyday language spoken by Jesus. Abba is an informal term for father, conveying a sense of familiarity and intimacy. It resembles the English term “daddy” or “papa” and reflects a close and loving relationship with the father figure.

It brings me great comfort as a Christian man having a Heavenly Father who loves me, will never leave or forsake me, and wants to have a relationship with me.

You can also have a Father in Heaven. You can be adopted into His family.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12–13, ESV).

Do You Know How Much God Loves You?

The Apostle Paul said it beautifully.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38–39, ESV).

Jesus expressed God’s love for you more succinctly when referring to Himself.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, ESV).

Your biological father may have failed you, but become a child of God, and your Heavenly Father never will. But remember, if you never make this decision, God didn’t fail you. You rejected Him.

V9c, Hallowed be Your name.

Hallowed means to treat one as holy. God is your father when you accept His Son as your Savior, but He is holy, and we should revere Him.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews expresses it this way:

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28–29, NIV).

God is not your bro.

V9d, Your name.

Scholars have written volumes of books about the many names of God. Each name tells us something different about Who He is and His character. Instead of covering God’s names here, read Dr. David Jeremiah’s excellent article.

Let’s talk about how much God cares about His name.

The third Commandment of the Ten is:

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7, NIV)

God rescued the rebellious Israelites out of Egypt for “His name’s sake”

Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power. (Psalm 106:8)

God wanted to destroy the Israelites when they worshipped a golden calf, but Moses pleaded with Him, saying,

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self. (Exodus 32:13, NIV).

God relented (Exodus 32:14, NIV) because Moses reminded Him that He swore by His name.

God will save a future remnant of Israel, not because they deserve it, but because of His name’s sake. He told Ezekiel,

Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. (Ezekiel 36:22, NIV).

And God wants to lead you, too, for His name’s sake.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3, ESV).

V10, Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

This prayer can bring you great peace if you say and believe it with sincerity. His will shall be done. He is God Almighty — El Shaddai, one of God’s names.

King David said,

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. (Psalm 33:6–7, NKJV).

The peace comes when you trust in His will. My wife and I begin our morning prayers with the Lord’s Prayer, and when we worry or fear something outside of our control, we must remind each other that we pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done.”

We mean it, or we don’t. We’re not spouting out empty words.

Long ago, when we had tiny faith, and it looked like our unborn daughter would die in my wife’s womb, God pointed me to His promise,

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV).

All things, even tragedies, can work together for the good of God’s children when we grow closer in our devotion to Him and our will aligns with His.

Is the implication here that we shouldn’t pray for our needs or the needs of others but, instead, simply accept God’s will?

Of course not.

Yes, We Should Pray

The English Standard Version (ESV) has 316 instances of a form of the word “pray.” Here are a few:

• Isaac prayed for his barren wife Rebekah, and “the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah conceived.” (Genesis 25:21, ESV).
• Paul tells us to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV).
• James teaches us that the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. (James 5:16, NIV).
• James also reminds us that our prayers can move and change the mind of God. The prophet Elijah prayed earnestly that it not rain, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. He prayed again, and God sent rain. (James 5:17–18, NIV).
• Abraham negotiated with God when God told Abraham that He was going to destroy the wicked city of Sodom. God said He would spare the city if Abraham could find 50 righteous people. Abraham talked God down to 10 righteous people. (Genesis 18:23–25)

God hears our prayers; sometimes, His response is a yes, and other times, a no. But His “no” is always better than the “yes’ we wanted.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9, ESV).

God protects and provides with every yes and no He gives us.

By the way, our child lived. One of God’s names is “Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord Who Heals.” He heard our prayers.

We just have to accept His will, no matter what it is.

Now, the Lord’s Prayer transitions to our needs.

V11, Give us this day our daily bread.

This verse harkens back to Exodus 16 when God provided manna from heaven for the Israelites. They were starving in the wilderness and grumbling against Moses. The Lord told Moses that He would rain down bread from heaven and the people should gather only enough for the day, saving none for the next morning.

But of course, some people did save bread, and by morning, it was smelly and full of maggots.

So, why did God want to provide the Israelites with “daily bread?’

He wanted them fully dependent upon Him.

It’s not a harsh requirement because the truth is, we are all 100% dependent on God for every breath.

God told Jeremiah:

5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. 6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. (Jeremiah 17:5–6, NLT)

Daily bread is a challenging concept in the 21st century when Americans have a three-month food supply in their pantries and deep freezers and credit cards to buy more. But the “daily bread” inclusion in the Lord’s Prayer is our daily reminder of Who provides the bread.

He is Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Shall Provide.

V12, And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

Most translations of the Bible use the words “debts” and “debtors,” however, a couple say “trespasses” or “sins.” Check out this Stack Exchange article for an explanation. Most scholars agree that Jesus referred to moral failures as sins.

God knows how hard it is for us to forgive, and the Lord’s Prayer is a reminder.

Jesus said,

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.(Matthew 5:23–24, ESV).

The strongest warning comes from Jesus just a few breaths after teaching the Lord’s Prayer.

He said,

14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14–15, ESV).

The Best Way to Practice Forgiveness

I’ve put this lesson into practice a few times when I’d rather chew my right arm off. Forgiveness is hard to offer people who hurt us, especially if they aren’t asking for it, but it’s our responsibility as Christians to forgive someone before they even ask. The best way to forgive someone is to pray for them. Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. (Matthew 5:44).

The KJV translates “persecute” as “curse.” It comes from the Greek word “kataraomai,” which means “to doom.”

I never want to pray for anyone who persecutes, curses, or tries to doom me, but Jesus commanded it, right? Sometimes, you have to fake it before you can make it.

Do you want to hear about a miracle?

The habit of praying for someone who hurt me became sincere (eventually), and God changed my heart toward the person. The person didn’t change, but God changed me.

It’s no surprise. He is Jehovah-M’Kaddesh: The Lord Who Sanctifies.

V13a, And do not lead us into temptation,

Whoa! God leads us into temptation? Absolutely not.

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one (James 1:13, ESV).

God is holy and calls us to be holy (1 Peter 1:16), and it would contradict His nature and command if He tempted us. God doesn’t lead us into temptation.

Instead, as King David said,

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.(Psalm 23:3, NKJV).

So, what does Jesus mean?

The Greek word for “temptation” is “peirasmos,” which means “hard testing, a trial, or temptation.” Jesus teaches us to pray that God keeps us from trials and adversity that would test us and cause us to sin.

My wife loves McDonald’s double cheeseburgers yet tries hard to avoid them. I love McDonald’s caramel Frappé, but I would be leading her into temptation if I pulled into a drive-thru at lunch to order a Frappé. I should wait for a time when she’s not with me.

Asking God to lead us not into temptation is asking Him to keep us away from tempting situations.

We Do Have Tempters

Scripture is clear that Satan and his demons are our tempters.

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’? (Genesis 3:1, ESV).

---

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1, ESV).

---

16 For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life — is not from the Father but is from the world.(1 John 2:16, ESV).

---

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.(Ephesians 2:1–2, NIV, emphasis mine).

---

3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? (Acts 5:3, ESV).

God Will Test Us

God doesn’t tempt us, but God will allow Satan to test us, as He did with Job and Peter. Both men waivered, and Peter failed miserably three times, but God had a higher plan. He was equipping Peter to strengthen his brothers.

Jesus told Peter,

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. (Luke 22:31- 32, ESV).

Peter failed, but his faith didn’t, and the experience taught Peter great lessons that he passed down to us.

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith — more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire — may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6–7, ESV).

---

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12, NLT).

---

And James encourages us,

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4, ESV).

Our Weapons Against Temptations

As Christians, we have two advantages over temptations.

1 — God Is Faithful

Paul tells us,

13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV).

2 — Jesus Prays for Us

Jesus prayed for Peter’s faith not to fail (Luke 22:32), and Jesus prays for us.

20 I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. (John 17:20, NLT).

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrew 7:25, ESV).

Knowing that God is faithful in providing an escape route when we’re tempted and that Jesus prays for us is a wonderful relief, but we can help our own cause — have the common sense to avoid tempting environments. Billy Graham was wise never to allow himself to be alone with another woman.

Asking God not to lead us into temptation as we pray the Lord’s Prayer is a confession of humility. The prayer is also a healthy reminder that we need God because our spirit may be willing, but our flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41).

We need to surrender to God and allow Him to lead us. He will because He is Jehovah-Rohi: The Lord My Shepherd.

13b, But deliver us from the evil one.

The KJV, ESV, and NASB translate the last term as “evil,” while the NIV and NKJV translate it as “the evil one.” Either way, we know that evil comes from Satan, and we need God’s deliverance.

The NLT translates “deliver” as “rescue,” and I think about how God delivered (or rescued) the Israelites out of the evil hands of the Egyptian pharaoh. God used Moses to rescue His people, and today, God the Father uses His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue us.

13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:13–14, NLT).

13c, For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

This ending of the Lord’s Prayer is in the KJV and the NKJV, and the NASB has it in brackets, while other versions omit it. Bible scholars debate if Matthew wrote, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen,” because it’s absent from early Greek manuscripts. Yet, some early Church writers and many later Greek manuscripts included the phrase.

The passage also echoes the author of 1 Chronicles 29:11:

11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. (1 Chronicles 29:11, ESV).

I’m not hung up on whether Matthew wrote it because it’s great theology. The Kingdom, power, and glory are His forever, and its inclusion is my daily reminder that He is God, I am not, and I’m hopelessly defeated without Him. But with Him, I have victory because He fights my battles.

He is Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord Is My Banner.

Should You Say the Lord’s Prayer?

The Lord’s Prayer is an excellent way to begin your daily prayers. It trains you to focus first on God and surrender your will to His before presenting Him with your laundry list. Hopefully, this article has enlightened you about the Lord’s Prayer, considering it is so well-known and often overused. Remember, Jesus doesn’t want us to use “vain repetitions.”

---

If you enjoyed this post and got value from it, please share it on your social media channels or send the link to a friend. I also invite you to follow the blog via email. 🙂