Being God in the human flesh, our Lord Jesus knows better than anyone else what happens in the heavenly realms when we pray. He is in the best position to teach us to pray, and the prayer that He taught His disciples, the Lord’s Prayer, is the foundation upon which all our prayers should be built.
A note on the translation of the Lord’s Prayer: The word “evil” has the definite article in the Greek text, which gives it a double meaning – both evil in general and the evil one, the Devil.
Prayer is not what it seems. When we pray, whether we perceive it or not, we are engaging a spiritual battle that is presently being waged in the heavenly realms.
Keep your prayers honest and simple before God.
When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. (Mat. 6:7)
Remember that you are a child, precious in the sight of your Father in heaven.
Our Father who art in heaven. (Mat. 6:9)
Pray that God’s Name be honored in your heart and in your relationships.
Hallowed be Thy Name. (Mat. 6:9)
Pray that you would be humble enough to allow the King to reign over you.
Thy Kingdom come! (Mat. 6:10)
Pray to surrender your will wholly to God so that His will would be done.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Mat. 6:10)
My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will. (Mat. 26:39)
Pray for God’s help and grace to sustain you for today.
Give us this day our daily bread. (Mat. 6:11)
Confess your sins, even the hidden sins in your heart, and repent.
Forgive us our debts … . (Mat. 6:12)
Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Mat. 4:17)
Pray to forgive those who have wounded you.
… as we forgive our debtors. (Mat. 6:12)
Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. (Luk. 23:34)
Pray for God’s protection from the temptation of the evil one.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. (Mat. 6:13)
My prayer [for the disciples] is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. (Joh. 17:15)
Be reconciled to your family and neighbor for your prayers to be acceptable.
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (Mat. 5:23-24)
Above all things, seek the Kingdom of God and a right relationship with Him.
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mat. 6:33)
Pray with confidence in God’s goodness for you.
How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! (Mat. 7:11)
Pray with confidence that God has already heard and answered your prayer.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mar. 11:24)
Persevere in prayer.
Will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? (Luk. 18:7)
Pray in humility for God’s mercy.
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Luk. 18:13)
Pray for those who persecute you.
Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Mat. 5:44)
Persevere in prayer for spiritual battles against demonic powers.
This kind can come out only by prayer (Mar. 9:29)
Pray for the Church to become a house of prayer.
My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. But you have made it a den of robbers. (Mar. 11:17)
Prayer for co-laborers in ministry.
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field. (Luk. 10:2)
Pray that God would grant you His Spirit.
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! (Luk. 11:13)
Pray in the name of Jesus, i.e., in submission to His authority.
Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (Joh. 14:13)
Let your prayers be formed by abiding in the Word of God.
If you abide in Me, and My Words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (Joh. 15:7)
Pray for unity in your family and the church.
Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name – the name You gave Me – so that they may be one as We are one. (Joh. 17:11)
Pray that you would be sanctified by the truth, the Word of God.
Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth. (Joh. 17:17)
Pray that you would be filled with God’s love.
I made known to them Your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them. (Joh. 17:26)
Pray that your faith may not fail in times of temptation.
Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. (Luk. 22:31-32)
Watch and pray as often as you remember.
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. (Mat. 26:41)
Entrust your spirit into the hand of God, wholly trusting Him.
Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” (Luk. 23:46)