Pastor Jon Burgess
July 22, 2018 - W1829

Welcome New Hope! As we continue the Ohana Factor series, I’d like to dig a little deeper into the power and authority of The Lord’s Prayer.  Almost everyone is familiar with that prayer as seen in commercials and multiple movies—sometimes, I believe, that because it’s so familiar to people it just goes in one ear and out the other!

The power of the Lord's Prayer is that its Kingdom values are upending the kingdoms of this world! The Kingdom of God is not so much about a religion but about a relationship—not so much a program but about the person of Jesus Himself.

The Lord's Prayer is structured with six petitions:  The first part of the Lord's Prayer is vertical to God; the second part is horizontal, relating to our own lives and the things that God is calling us to participate in. If you have difficulty remembering that, just think about the Cross: The vertical part points toward God; the horizontal points towards those around us.

The Ten Commandments are structured in the same way: The first five commandments relate to our vertical relationship with God (the most important relationship in our lives); the second five corresponds to our horizontal relationship with each other. The first and great commandment in Matthew 22:38 tells us to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength (vertical relationship) and to love our neighbor as ourselves (horizontal one).

Jesus taught the disciples the Lord's Prayer because …

Luke 11:1 (NIV) says, "One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'”

I love that Jesus was modeling prayer for them—prayer was such a natural part of His life and the disciples wanted in on that kind of intimacy. They learned that…

1. Honesty Leads To Intimacy

Most of us know we should be praying more, but we don't know where else to go after praying for our food, that our team wins the game, the parking spot that I need when I show up late to New Hope service—where else do I go with prayer? Jesus tells us where to start in Luke 11:2 (NKJV), “He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: "Our Father in heaven…"’”

Jesus taught by revealing the Father to us and inviting us into the same relationship He had with our Father! You can't be intimate with someone you don't talk to; I talk to my boys and encourage them to journal/write out their prayers. I say, "Hey, guys, if I only talk to you once a week, you wouldn't know me very well, and I wouldn't know you very well." Also, we shouldn’t be praying alone.  I believe that Jesus is showing us a different way to pray—together and out loud to our Father.  Jesus unpacks that further...

Luke 11:11-13 (NIV) says, "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?  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!"

It's important to know that even if your earthly father wasn't trustworthy, your Heavenly Father wants the best for you and will set you up for success; you can trust that He will bring it to pass! That makes me want to talk to God all the time (not just on Sundays) even when life is difficult! Through Jesus' sacrifice, we have access to our Father and…

2. Intimacy Leads To Clarity

Starting our prayers with, "Our Father," leads to intimacy, but it also gives clarity and reminds us that He is a father we can trust—He will not give us something different from what we ask; we will receive what is best for us! 

Prayer is our ticket into the reality of the Kingdom of God! It's the proof that what we read in scripture can now belong to us—The Lord's Prayer is an invitation!

Prayer is when heaven meets earth, or, as Jesus put it in Luke 11:2 (NIV), “…hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, May Your will be done..." It's simply our agreement with what God has already designed for us even before any of us were born—that His will would be done right when we wake, work, and worship!

Let’s allow God's kingship to reign over every part of our lives (His kingdom values determine our kingdom values); we are in the world, but not of the world. We represent a different kingdom…

Luke 11:9-10 (NIV) says, ⁹“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

It takes courage to be a Christian today, to live for the King instead of for things. For many, their king is pleasure (whatever they feel like doing that day or whatever is popular). We are called to live to the beat of a different drumbeat!

3. Clarity Leads To Authority

We understand that wherever we go, we’re walking in the authority of Jesus! Just as Joseph served as prime minister of the Egyptian Pharaoh (Genesis 41) or Daniel served the court of King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon (Daniel 4)…

Matthew 8:8-10 (NLT) says, “⁸But the officer said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word…and my servant will be healed. ⁹I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, “Go,” and they go, or “Come,” and they come. And if I say to my slaves, “Do this,” they do it.’¹⁰When Jesus heard this he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, ‘I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!’”

That is the same authority that God has given us wherever we go; that whenever fear and faith collide, that's where we live! Understand that we don't go out every day as victims, but as victors! Here’s an example of what this looks like… 

Luke 10:17?24 (NIV) says, "The seventy?two returned with joy and said, 'Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.' He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven… (Jesus is saying that when we walk in the authority given to us, the devil must flee! He is fallen and cannot stand against Jesus in us!) …I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you… (He addresses that we are in a spiritual battle. We don't fight against flesh and blood. We fight against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  So when we're calling those things that are true in heaven to be true on earth, we're telling the devil, “I'm sorry, this space isn't yours anymore!” And Jesus goes on to say) …However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Often when praying, we may feel like novices, but that's okay because Jesus says that's a good way to come (like a child). Let me reveal the things of the kingdom of God…

There’s been so many shootings in our culture: many difficult and tragic moments, whether in businesses or schools, and often churches will call their people to prayer in these situations. Most recently, the New York Daily News wrote saying that God isn't fixing this—in other words, praying has become a political hot potato! 

While the world may be giving up on prayer because they say it doesn't result in anything, I believe God is calling us in these last days to pray even more; that we would be people of prayer and action! Don’t pray just empty or repetitive words. Pray knowing that we're walking in authority—and authority leads to action!

Look around. There’s a whole bunch of people sitting on your right, left, in front and in back of you, who also have a heart to learn how to pray; sometimes the best way to learn how to pray is to pray together. So stretch out your hand towards the city of Honolulu and pray for God's will to be done, for His kingdom to come.

Pray the Prayer Of Peace found in…

Numbers 6:24 (NIV) which says, "The Lord bless you and keep you."  This is an invitation for God's involvement—His promise of provision and protection. 

God, we thank you that you have promised us your provision and protection over our families, co?workers, friends and neighbors. God, we pray for your protection over our island, your provision for those that are lacking in provision, and for those that are having difficulty making ends meet. God, we thank you that You're blessing our finances and health, keeping us safe when we're going back and forth to work and keeping us from accidents on the road and helping us to be alert as we drive.

Numbers 6:25 (NIV) says, "The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you." Invitation for God’s illumination—seeing people and situations the way He does.

God, that when there's tensions in the office or in the home that we'd be able to see them the way you see them—not just throw up our hands and give up, but to walk in the authority that you've given us, over our children, in our marriages, in our office space, with our bosses, our co?workers, and our friends. God, help us to see your face shining, that we would see what you're seeing so that we could do what you're doing.

Numbers 6:26 (NIV) says, "The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace."  This is an invitation for God’s intimacy—experiencing His favor, gentleness, and mercy.

God, we live in a time of chaos, crisis and fear. We just ask that your peace that passes understanding would guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  This is an invitation to your intimacy, that we would experience your favor, gentleness, and mercy right here, right now that everywhere we go, we would know that we are peacemakers bringing your peace into chaos.  This is the authority that you've given us, the privilege you've called us to, and the responsibility you've given us to walk in. And we say, yes, Lord, your will be done, your kingdom come, right here on Oahu as it is in heaven! Amen.

And to close out our time together, I want to invite Kahu Shon Kihewa and pray the Lord's Prayer in Hawaiian and finish our time together in this beautiful and intimate way.

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1. Starting your prayer off with “Our Father…” how will you be honest in the rest of your prayer to become more intimate with God?

2. After being honest in prayer, what kind of clarity have you gotten in your situation?

3. What are some reasons you feel more courageous for being a Christian? Is it because you often find yourself taking the higher road with a coworker? In a relationship?

4. How do you feel since God placed you in those relationships so that you can encourage more people around you to pray together and feel the power of The Lord’s Prayer?