Jesus was very intentional with his words – what he said, why he said it, and the way he said it. The Bible contains the words of God, and it is God’s way of revealing himself to us. When we give our hearts to Jesus Christ, there comes with that an instant desire to know the Bible.
We’re continuing to look at the Lord’s model prayer – the words Jesus spoke to his disciples. Those words are imperatives to us – (intentional commands or mandates). Every line of the Lord’s model prayer is an imperative – a proclamation – a declaration – a decree. When we come into alignment with God’s Word and his will, and pray accordingly – things happen – things move, things shift.
When we say what he says, and declare what he declares in His Word, something happens the atmosphere shifts. Also, when we know His Word, and who it says that we are, we know what to do. Our identity is secure, we know we’re his, and we know how to do – he’s told us how to pray (The Lord’s Prayer). Then, we should fully expect something to happen. Why else would Jesus give us a powerful prayer, first talking about the holiness and awesomeness of God in the reverential fear of the Lord through the word hallowed (holy – set apart), and then lead us into a declaration – a proclamation of the kingdom of God – “Your kingdom come – Your will be done – on earth as it is in Heaven.”
Why would he give us this – tell us to say it and declare it as an imperative – and not mean that something’s supposed to happen? This is not just a religious exercise or a game, but it’s a cooperative partnership with God that we need to enter into. He’s inviting us in – to co-labor with him so that things change. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 NKJV)
Jesus would not have teased us with these amazing promises and Kingdom principles, only to play a trick on us. That’s not the kind of God we serve. No – he’s given us the weapons of warfare, and we’re told in Second Corinthians – “for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds…”
Doesn’t that sound like we’re supposed to move something? “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God…” And, we’re to take captive every thought, and submit it unto the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV). That’s the Word of God, and, if we believe the Bible, then we can step into that with authority and confidence. We can say to Satan, “Not today – you’re not going to win this one!” We should always be looking for opportunities to pray for people – to just say, “Are you okay?” Let’s pray – expecting God to move – to believe him and take him at his Word.
Matthew 6:9-13 KJV. The Lord’s Prayer. Pastor Jimmy prays it like this (and we can too): “Good morning Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus, Abba Father – Our Father in Heaven, holy is Your name. Your kingdom… come. Your will… be done – on earth – as it is in Heaven. Give us today, our bread for tomorrow – and forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors – and, Father, I thank You that You would never lead us into temptation – but You do deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.” That’s taking it and making it into something that is more personal – more in line with our language – but, it’s very accurate to the original language.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
The Lord’s Prayer is an imperative – we speak it, proclaim it, and declare it as a command – not commanding God, but Jesus wants us to say it with authority because he is conferring authority on us. He did that in the Great Commission, and also when he sent the disciples to cast out demons and to heal the sick – and they went out, and saw miracles happen, and Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning.”
Also, when Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV). That’s God’s will. That’s what we’re supposed to do – to go and make disciples of the nations, baptizing them, and teaching them what Jesus said and taught.
We need to always remember the power of our words. What we say matters. Our words carry power to effect change. God saw to it when he gave us the example in Genesis One.
When he stood over the earth – as the Holy Spirit hovered over the earth that was without form and void, and began to speak – in the beginning, God said… and then he said – and there was – demonstrating – teaching – modeling to us that our words are powerful. Our prayers are effectual, and mighty in God upon world problems, and those of our country, and the issues that we face.
But, we have to understand who we are – that way we’ll know what to do – and also what God’s Word says, so that we’ll know how to do it. Jesus said, “When you pray, say…” Focus on this proclamation – “Give us this day our daily bread…” recognizing that your words matter and that they’re powerful. Use them wisely! – because they’re not only powerful in a positive way, to generate movement and change, but they can also be powerful in a negative way, to destroy and tear down. The closer you are to Him, the more empowered you are by His Holy Spirit. The more anointed you are with His presence, the more careful you need to be with your words. We must watch what we say – it’s important to put a guard on our mouths.
In the Lord’s Prayer, when Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread,” that phrase is typically understood to express the basic need for sustenance – we need bread – meat – food to eat to exist – it’s basic. The Greek word for “daily” is epiousios (ep-ee-oo’-see-os) which only occurs here in the New Testament. It can also be rendered as “future” as in Jerome’s translation: “Give us today the bread of tomorrow” (The Lexham Bible Dictionary) or “our bread for tomorrow”.
In the Old Testament, over a million people in the wilderness were hungry – and God, miraculously and supernaturally – super-normally – fed them manna every morning. If they tried to cheat by gathering more than a day’s amount, the worms would eat up their manna. In time, they grumbled and complained about the manna, and God sent them quail. He was providing for them and was constantly present with them as a pillar of fire by night and as a pillar of cloud by day. The power and tangible presence of God Almighty was with them in the desert – his warmth at night and shade during the day – and yet they complained, grumbled, and whined.
Later, in the New Testament, we see a shift – we see Jesus come and bring provision and abundance. After he fed the five thousand, they had twelve baskets full of fish and bread left over. Jesus provides more than just what we need for today – for us and our family. It’s selfish of us to settle for only that, when God has assigned people all around us to bless. He provides abundance to us so that we can be a blessing to others. He comes with more than merely enough bread for today because it’s not just for us, but also for everybody around us.
We’re here to bless others, but we can’t do that without something to bless them with so that we can give out of his abundance, and make a difference, and help people – to make a difference in their lives by letting them know that God loves them so much that he sent us into their path to bless them. God is a God of abundance and increase – He is Jehovah-Jireh and El Shaddai.
John 10:10 NKJV
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” The very nature of God is to pour out without limit because he’s the God of Abundance.
3 John 1:2 NKJV
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” God wants us to prosper – to be well – to be whole. Prosperity simply means to have good success. God wants us to have good success – he’s not tricking us or setting us up. He wants us to do well. He’s a good Father who loves his kids.
1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV
“ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested.’ ” Jabez came boldly before the Lord. He came and he asked, and God blessed, expanded, and enlarged his territory – the God of Abundance.
Genesis 17:1-2 NKJV
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.’ ” El-Shaddai literally means Almighty God – God of More Than Enough – the God Who Supplies. God loves you!
Joshua 1:7-8 NKJV
“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do [walk in obedience] according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In the middle of their captivity, hope and a future were awaiting.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
Debt means an offense – sin – trespass – something owed. Forgive us our offenses – when we’ve offended others – even as we forgive those who offend us. We need to give up our right to stay offended. We need to make up our minds to not stay in that place. When we detect it – when it rises up in us – when we’re hurt or offended, we just say “NO! – not today, Satan. No way! I refuse! I off-load that because the Lord says I can bring anything to the cross.”
Also, we turn and bless the one who offended – in whatever way the Lord tells us to – write a note – send a text – give them a call – or an email without the tone of the one they sent you! Something in love and blessing and kindness – bless and do not curse, Scripture says, and we want to be obedient to His Word. An offense could be a sin – trespass – something owed.
This is also God’s provision. He’s a Good Father. He cares about us. How many things have we missed because we haven’t pressed in – or not dared to believe – not dared to walk in faith? God’s called us to action – to do something – to ask – and to move. We co-operate with him and co-labor with him.
Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
We are in a relationship with God – there are assignments and missions he gives us. Out of the core of who we are, what does he want us to do? Then we give him our “Yes – here am I. Send me!” We present ourselves on the altar and ask God to set us ablaze. Unforgiveness is a blessing-blocker. It will stop our fellowship with God – that Life and intimacy – that it-is- well-with-my-soul. It will not be there when we live in, walk in, and express unforgiveness.
Until we forgive others, it will do us no good to pray for God’s blessing on us, because we are blocked up and stuck. Only then will God show up as we forgive and release others – release control over others (actually controlling us). We pray daily, “Am I offended – am I angry? I give up my right to stay angry or offended or to be validated by other people,” because Jesus validates us. When we give up our right to be offended and angry, we can walk in grace, forgiveness, and joy, and it’s not on us anymore, and we’re not responsible for them. We bless and don’t curse. We release.
Mark 11:25 NKJV
“And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”
Luke 6:37 NKJV
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
Ephesians 4:32 NKJV
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Colossians 3:13 NKJV
“Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
James 5:16 NKJV
“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
1 John 1:9 NKJV
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Forgiveness is a big deal. Un-forgiveness is a big deal. Jesus says, “Come before Me – release it – give it to Me – because I have so much waiting for you on the other side of your forgiveness.” Our expectation should now be that God’s going to show up suddenly – immediately. He’s with us all the time, but we should expect a move of God that’s unprecedented – not just a repeat of a previous move of God.
We don’t want to be left behind or miss the wave. God wants to show up in Fredericksburg, Texas and all around us. He’s waiting for people who are willing to put themselves on the altar and say, “Light me on fire, God! Send revival and spiritual awakening, and let it begin with us right here. Let Bridge Church be an epicenter of many fires – explode them all over our county!”
We have to get bold – to enter into what Jesus told us to do. It’s called obedience – saying, “I want to line my prayers up – my mentality – my faith – everything with Your Word, and when I do that, I believe You will honor Your Word that is spoken, declared, and proclaimed out of my mouth!”
Prayer
Father, we honor You. We bless You and thank You for the privilege of praying for one another. May we take what we’ve learned and apply this imperative, this proclamation – this decree – this declaration of authority and strength, aligning ourselves with Your original intent in Scripture to pray the Prayer You taught us to pray.
That’s our heart. Remind us, Holy Spirit, to pray this prayer often throughout the day, and, Lord, to learn to use it as a template for our prayer life. Father, thank You that You’re changing our lives in this beautiful prayer! We honor You! In Jesus’ name. Amen
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on The Bridge
Featured Image by Chris Liverani on Unsplash
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