Teaching on the Lord’s Prayer (A)

Matthew 6:9 Amp.  Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name.

He loves to hear you pray—when you do it the right way. If we complain, He gets up and quietly walks out the door. It is not that He does not care about us. He cares so much that He wants us to grow. He wants us to learn how to receive from His lofty hand. Please say lofty. He wants to hear you pray today more than ever before.

Some people say that they don’t have time for prayer. Even with a busy schedule, there are ways to incorporate it. You can get up an hour earlier, go to bed an hour later at night, pray in the car, etc. Our team learned how to do night watches for forty days where we were up all night praying. You cannot know Him without a prayer life. With a little prayer life, you can become more sensitive to Him. But if you really want to know Him, it takes time. It is just like getting to know someone. Have you ever met someone and thought that they were one way, but after spending time with them discovered that they were very different than you first thought? We cannot know how wonderful, powerful, and extraordinary He is unless we have a prayer life. We have to learn how to talk and walk with Him.

I have prayed, “Teach me heaven’s language for prayer.” We need to learn how to talk to God as to move His hand on behalf of situations and people. As we move closer to a heavenly language, then faith is going to follow.

In Matthew 6:9, He says to “Pray, therefore, like this.” He is telling us how to address the Father. He wants us to remember who we are coming before. “Hallowed be Thy name.” From there on, your prayer must be aligned with holiness. You are not going to tell Him what you want, but your position must be to hear what He wants. You are going to hallow His name through your prayer. His name will be kept holy.

The Lord wants to know, “Do you want what you’re praying for, or do you want what I want to give?” You can pray something in that is not God’s will, such as praying for a husband. You may say, “God, I want this and that in a husband.” If you pray it enough, He may give it to you. But then character begins to reveal itself that you had not anticipated. What then? He will teach you to overcome in all things. Doesn’t that sound fun?

He knows what we will pray before we pray it. He looks at our hearts. “Our Father in heaven” puts Him and you in the right position.

Many years ago, I was going through a rough time. I was traveling with another individual, and we went to a church to minister for five days. Each day, rather than going out to dinner, I would hide myself away in a room before ministering. I would lie down and meditate on the Lord. Immediately, I would be before the throne. It was quiet and not highly lit. I would be there laying before His throne, and He would commune with me there. One day, it was just me. Another day, there were perhaps half a dozen before the throne as well, quietly meditating on Him and doing the same thing that I was doing. I had a terrible affliction at that time. After the five days, the affliction was gone. That is a place you are in every time you go to Him in prayer.  

He looks into your heart to see what is there. He wants to impart into our heart life and truth. We are talking to someone who is in heaven. We do not get impatient or frustrated with Him.

Another time, maybe five years ago, I was feeling impatient with the Lord. I did not say anything about it to Him, but He knew what was in my heart. He took me up, and I was before His throne. I was off to the sides, but my heart was filled with glee to be there. There were a long line of people coming before His throne—kings, presidents, and other very influential people. There were also those of low means, but they looked so dignified in that place. Everyone was in the same line, regardless of earthly status. I was watching. I did not know if He even knew I was there, but I was full of glee to be there watching what was happening. 

After He saw the last person that He needed to see, He beckoned to the angels. He told them to close the door. Then He turned to look at me. He saw me. He said, “There, now, it is your turn.” He invited me to come. See, I had a lesson to learn. He wanted me to know He has lots of important people with whom He also needs to talk. I am to sit there patiently in His presence, with glee, with no impatience allowed. And then, He will turn to me.

We talk to Him with honor. We talk to Him with praise and thanksgiving. We wait for Him because we honor Him. We wait with a patient heart because we trust Him. We begin our prayer, “Our Father Who is in heaven.” It is meant to remind you that He is your Father, and He cares for you as His very own dear child. “Hallowed be Your name” by the prayer I am about to pray.