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6 Things Jesus Taught Us To Ask For

“I will share with you what has been powerful in my own life,” commented Dr. Scott Sherwood. “I realize that every good thing that has happened to my life is a result of someone else's prayer for me.” Knowing this, makes Dr. Sherwood want to see those results in other people's lives as a result of his prayers for them.

Jesus taught us to pray. So… this is how we should pray. In Matthew 6:9-13, known as the Lord's Prayer, Jesus gives us 6 things to organize our prayer life - 6 things to ask for when we pray. Jesus asks these 6 things from His Father, so we should too. 

1. Ask that God's name be glorified (“Hallowed be Your name” v.9). The first thing I say when I get home to my wife or children is important, because this sets the tone for the rest of the evening. So it also is when we pray to God. The first thing we say is our 1st priority.

2. Ask for God's kingdom to come - Obedience to His will in our lives and in the world. (“Your kingdom come. Your will be done.” V.10) This sounds like an overreach to us. It sounds bold and audacious. Jesus teaches us to ask this, however. So, what haven't you asked for, within God's will, that you feel is too outlandish to ask for? “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). God has the ability to bring His Kingdom; God has the ability to bring about His will to be done.

3.  Ask for today's daily bread. His provision for life. He provides. We receive. (“Give us this day our daily break.” V.11) Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart: glorify His name, His will and His Kingdom.

4. Ask for forgiveness. Sanctified people can ask for forgiveness. Sometimes what we did was not with the intention to be rebellious, but what we did wasn't the best. Even at our best, we still need His grace and His forgiveness. And we ask for forgiveness, because Jesus said to ask for forgiveness. (“forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” V.12) He also added that we are to forgive others. Relationships are important. When someone sins against us, it's like they took something from us. We need to forgive and say to those who have “debts” against us, “I forgive you. You don't owe me anything anymore.”

5. Ask to be delivered from temptation and led away from the Evil One. This is a powerful prayer for ourselves. (“And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.” V.13a)

6. Ask for Him to be glorified and His power forever - To yield to Him. It is only His Kingdom, His power and His glory. Recognize that we need all three of these in our lives. (“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” V.13b)

We should order our prayer lives around what Jesus taught us. Thinking about NBC: What is it we need? What is it we can contribute? What is impossible? As an organization, it would be great to have a culture that we would just stop and ask God when we have a problem or something difficult. Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Notice that ask, seek, and knock is A.S.K.! Let's pray the way Jesus prayed. Let's pray the way Jesus taught us.

 Dr. Scott Sherwood, Nazarene Bible College President

Published: 01/28/2022

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