Online Articles
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name – God must be given due honor and respect in view of all He is and has done.Your kingdom come – The term "kingdom" has application to the final manifestation of the Lord at His second coming and the saints' eternal heavenly home (II Tim. 4:1, 18). There is, therefore, a sense in which the kingdom has not yet come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven – This is both acknowledgment of and sub-mission to the omnipotent power of God. Bending to the will of God is vital to acceptable prayer and to the strength of our faith.
Give us this day our daily bread – The first three phrases addressed God: His name, kingdom and will. The prayer now turns to human needs, the first being daily sustenance.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors – Sin is here pictured as spiritual indebtedness to God (Mt. 18:21ff). Man's only hope for fellowship with God is His willingness and provision for forgiveness.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one – The prayer presents a positive desire: to be delivered from the evil one (Satan) or any evil one who may seek to do us harm.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen – All must humble themselves at His feet in prayer and personal will to be accepted of Him. To do otherwise is spiritually suicidal.
