Our Father . . . , Give us . . . forgive us . . . deliver us. Matthew 6:9–13
There is not a single first-person pronoun in the model prayer. Most people pray about “I,” “me,” and “my,” but none of these words appear in this prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Jesus taught us to begin with “Our Father,” and then He instructed us to carry out the unity protocol with “Give us,” “forgive us,” and “deliver us.” The model prayer is a family prayer. Every regenerate person belongs to the family of God; we are all brothers and sisters. That’s why Christians feel a kindred spirit with other Christians anywhere in the world. God’s family is huge, and He desires us to be unified.
Consider Jesus’ amazing prayer in John 17:11: “that they may be one, as we are.” He earnestly pled, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21–23). The aim of Jesus’ prayer was the oneness of all true believers. Each of us has a specific function, yet we are all related. We have the same Father. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. God’s heart yearns that His body be fused together, especially in prayer. Aren’t you glad you are part of the family of God?
Carnal divisions grieve the Spirit of God. The flesh manifests itself through deeds such as hatred, quarreling, fierce wrath, strife, contention, seditions, and disunion (see Gal. 5:20). Disorder in the home hinders prayer (see 1 Pet. 3:1–7). On the individual level as well as the corporate level, we can have no genuine prayer apart from the Holy Spirit: “We know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us” (Rom. 8:26). This reminds us of our inadequacy in prayer while assuring us that the Holy Spirit is the real intercessor. In the book of Acts, we find thirty-eight references to prayer and fifty-three references to the Holy Spirit. The amazing vibrancy in prayer of the early church was due to the preeminence of the Holy Spirit in and among them. When the Holy Spirit is grieved, prayer becomes impossible. We may say our prayers, but we will have no connection with heaven without the filling and leading of the Spirit.
There is tremendous power in unity, yet unity can be built around wrong things. At one time the earth had only one language. A group of people settled together in Shinar. Fearing that they would be dispersed, they conspired to build a gigantic tower reaching into the heavens. But “the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do” (Gen. 11:6). So the Lord intervened by scattering them and confounding their language. The Lord recognized the power of the people’s solidarity in an evil cause. He knew that the power of common purpose would empower them to fulfill their desires. It is astounding that these people’s misguided unity was opposed by God Himself, who took drastic action. Their city was called Babel—a monument to divine intervention thwarting an evil objective.
If godless unity can achieve big things, what can be accomplished when God’s saints come together in believing prayer? The potential is astounding! We must cast off our defeatism and defensiveness. We need to stop asking the Lord to help our unbelief (see Mark 9:24) and instead ask Him to forgive our unbelief! We need to stop looking for excuses and loopholes that derail God’s redemptive purposes. We must look beyond the erroneous theological teachings that nullify God’s promises. A seminary graduate commented that his education left him with more doubts about God answering prayer than reasons to exercise faith. We must let the Scriptures grip our hearts as we lay hold on them by faith. God has chosen to partner with His church in the implementation of His will on Earth. That’s the reason He instructs us to pray that His will be done on Earth as in heaven (see Matt. 6:10). Not everything is predetermined. Some things will never be accomplished apart from our divine collaboration with God in prayer. God does not impart holy desires to mock us. He implants these sacred aspirations in our souls to inspire us. It’s time for us as God’s family to band together in believing prayer.
Consider the corporate fasting that occurred throughout the Bible (see 1 Sam. 7:5–6; Ezra 8:21–23; Joel 2:15–16; Jon. 3:5–10). Notice that these groups of people bonded together to fast for specific things. Unity in prayer and fasting is powerful—and it is doable. Any church could conduct a perpetual fast if only seven people would commit to fasting one day a week or thirty people would agree to fast and pray one day a month.
Think of it. Agreeing in prayer brings the power of heaven to bear upon Earth.
Reflection
- Most people pray about “I,” “me,” and “my,” but none of these words appear in the model prayer.
- The model prayer is a family prayer. It begins with “Our Father” followed with “Give us,” “forgive us,” and “deliver us.” We are in this together.
- Jesus’ prayer in John 17 reveals the Lord’s overwhelming desire that His people be one. We must make the effort to maintain unity.
- Corporate fasting and prayer in the Scripture produced miracles.
Application
- Locate individuals with a heart for prayer and seek God together with them. Then pray as Jesus taught by first worshiping “our Father.” Focus on His name, His kingdom, and His will in prayer first. Then practice the unity protocol as you intercede by praying, “Give us,” “forgive us,” and “deliver us.”
- Are you facing relational breakdown with other Christians? Do all within your power to heal any divisions between you and others. Reconciliation is not always possible, but you can do your part to restore broken relationships.
- Dare to pray big, believe big, and expect big.
- Agreement in corporate prayer and fasting is powerful. Band together with others for breakthrough in specific matters.
This chapter is from “Approaching God’s Throne: Protocols For Prayer” by Harold Vaughan.
