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Intention

That we pray as Jesus taught His disciples to pray.

Scripture

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory [now and] forever. Amen.”

­– Matthew 6:9–13 NKJV

Reflection

Recently, I have been reflecting on the power and biblical model of corporate prayer. When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, He started by stating foundational, unifying truths:

Our Father. (We come to you, Father, in perfect union, as one family.)

In heaven. (We come humbly, under your headship.)

This very prayer tells us how to pray! Have you noticed that Jesus taught a corporate prayer? The Lord continuously used plurals (our/we/us) when describing those who would model this prayer. The implication is as simple as it is profound: Jesus modelled that we are to pray as ONE family, joined in agreement with one another, under God!

He continues:

Hallowed be your name. (Receive reverence and praise from all the Earth.)

Your kingdom come. (May the gospel of Jesus go to all the Earth. Jesus, Come!)

Your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. (May the world submit to your way.)

Give us today our daily bread. (We ask for today’s provisions.)

And forgive us our sins. (Wash us anew in the blood of Jesus.)

As we forgive those who sin against us. (We agree to follow the example of Jesus and refuse to hold onto unforgiveness.)

Lead us not into temptation. (Discipline us, so that we grow to maturity.)

But deliver us from evil. (Save us from any snares we have wandered into.)

Every prayer point above is entirely non-divisive amongst His body. Every believer can wholeheartedly agree with every statement – and so perfect unity is achieved in the prayer. But it is certainly not little things the Lord teaches us to pray!

Jesus taught us to pray “Your kingdom come; your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven”. Think about that for a second. He didn’t say: “that Earth may be closer to heaven”, but just AS IT IS in heaven. If Jesus told us to pray that, then it is entirely possible!

For yours is the kingdom. (Because we, the Church, belong to You!)

The power. (And you can do it all, by Your Spirit of power! (2 Tim 1:7))

And the glory. (Jesus, who is fully God’s glory (John 13:31–32; Heb 1:3) is the way this can be.)

Forever. (We know these prayers will be answered, because “It is finished!” and Your Church, your Spirit and Your Son Jesus can never be taken from You.)

Amen. (As one, we all agree.)

How can all this come to be? Because we (the kingdom), the Spirit (the power) and Jesus (the glory) all belong to the Father!

WE have been given the authority to speak it into being, the Spirit has all the power to see it come to be, and Jesus is the way who has won every victory before it is prayed.

But we, the kingdom, MUST FIRST PRAY!

Let us then, humbly unite to pray for all the Earth and for the Church, just as Jesus taught us in His Word.

Video

Prayer

Father, we come to you as one body under Your headship. Receive due reverence and praise from all the Earth! May Your gospel go to all the world, and the Earth submit to Your way. Come, Lord Jesus!

We ask for today’s provisions. Wash us anew in the Lamb’s blood, as we follow His example. Discipline us, so that we grow to maturity, and save us from any snares of the enemy.

We expect these prayers will come to be, because “It is finished!” and Your Church (kingdom), Your Spirit (power) and Your Son Jesus (glory) can never be taken from you.

Amen!

Author Bio

Joelle Cullen is a Doctor of Medicine student, completing her final years of study at the Hervey Bay Hospital, QLD. Joelle is passionate about seeing the next generation of young people arise and run, by the power of the Holy Spirit, into the fullness of what Jesus won at the cross.

Prayer Points for Wave of Glory

1. Pray for a wave of the “knowledge of the glory of the LORD” to sweep the globe and the WPA in Australia on 3–6 October. Isaiah 40:5
2. Pray for awakening for Australia and millions to find Christ. Isaiah 64:1–2
3. Pray for a global awakening for the world and billions to find Christ. Romans 10:1

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