Jesus had received a mandate from the Father to bring the government of heaven into the earth. He was to bring the unseen into the seen. Because of His time with the Father in prayer and His commitment to that mandate (Jn.5:19), He was able to speak the language of the Kingdom (Jn.12:49). When Jesus ministered to the man at the pool of Bethesda He spoke language to the man which the man had never heard (Jn5:8) and the result was liberation from a lifetime of infirmity. The language Jesus spoke was addition, multiplication, even creation. People are waiting to hear the language of life that is in Christ Jesus. Best thing to do is imitate Him.
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Debts and Debtors
Kathy — “Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. . .” And forgive us our debts AS we forgive our debtors. I wonder if a healthy father-son relationship means having to continually ask for forgiveness? I think many Christians feel this part of the prayer is a directive to always be sure we are still saved, but that is not praying as a son. A healthy son does not continually question if he is still a part of the family. This statement, more than a petition to be forgiven, is submission to a mature son’s discipline and training. Forgiveness untethers us so our lives do not revolve around our conflicts. Forgiveness changes our focus from failure to future.
Daily Bread
Kathy — The prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread” is not a frugal request for bread crumbs to fight off hunger and poverty; rather it is an agreement with unlimited means for whatever is needed to walk out our purpose and bring glory to our Father. He knows not only what we are to accomplish and steward in our day, but also in our lifetime, and He also knows the provision and timing of portions necessary to do so. “Give us this day our daily bread” is deliberate agreement with our Father’s apportioning for life and purpose on a daily basis. That means if I need $5000 today so it will gain interest and be an exact amount needed forty months from now, that $5000 will be part of my daily bread today. As sons we steward relationships, money, circumstances, business and mandates. If we trust Father to apportion our daily provision, that provision will be neither limited nor wasteful, but I believe understanding this as a declaration of agreement will definitely blow our doors with the changes it brings to our lives. That prayer is agreement with (1) Father’s economy, (2) Father’s accounting and (3) Father’s agenda.
Our Daily Bread
Kathy — Give us this day our daily bread. . . In a healthy father-son relationship, a son does not ask his father for enough food to be sustained for a day. (Matt.6:8 already stated Father is aware of our needs even before we are.) Give us this day our daily bread, more than a request, is a declaration of trust that our Father will decide the right portion, daily. Rather than a mere petition, it is a declaration of agreement when we realize that our Father already knows the portion of provision (physically, financially, circumstantially) that we need in our lives today, not just to survive but to be fulfilled and equipped and successful.
Thy Will
Kathy — “Thy will be done on earth as in heaven” . . . (Matt.6:10). A son can choose to agree with His Father’s will whether he knows it specifically or not in any situation because he knows his Father and trusts his Father’s wisdom. A son/daughter can also pray this prayer of agreement because he/she understands the “givens,” those conditions, designs and circumstances that reflect his/her Father’s will.
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