WHAT? v. 10. This prayer has three-fold request.

Thy Kingdom Come –

A Request for Jesus to Return to the Earth– The word “kingdom” does not refer to a geographic location, but to dominion and sovereignty.  When we pray “Thy Kingdom Come,” we are praying for Christ’s rule upon the earth.  This coming Kingdom points ahead to the time when Jesus will rule and reign upon the earth in perfect glory, peace and righteousness – What a day!

b. This Is a Personal Request– We are literally praying for the Kingdom of God to be realized in our own lives.  If you are saved, the Kingdom of God is in you – Luke 17:21.  Simply put, when we pray this prayer, we are asking Jesus to have supreme rule in our lives.  We will never be effective     as saints of God until we are able to pray, “My kingdom go and Thy Kingdom come!” (This is the whole intent of  6:33)  

Thy Will Be Done –

Thy Will… This is a cousin to the previous line, for when God’s Kingdom is realized in the world, His will would be done here     as it is done in Heaven.  This phrase is also telling us to place God’s will paramount in our lives.  It is the prayer prayed in the will of God that receives the answer of God. Prayer never changes God’s mind, but it does hasten His activity in the world.  Prayer moves Heaven in the earth!  

Our Needs – Physical & Spiritual

We Should Pray About Physical Needs – There is no sin and no shame in asking God to meet our physical needs.  He has promised to supply them all – Phil. 4:19; Psa. 37:25; Matt. 7:7-11; Rom. 8:32. We need to look to Him for those things we lack, He has what you need – Psa. 50:10; Rom. 8:17.

We Should Pray About Our Spiritual Needs – More spiritual needs are mentioned here than physical ones.  The reason?  Our spiritual needs are greater by far than our physical needs.  Notice some spiritual needs that we need to pray about.

Forgiveness for Self – “Debt” = Something owed that must be paid back.  It can be translated as “sin, trespass, short comings, resentments, what we owe to God, or anything we have done wrong.”  We all need to seek God for the forgiveness of our personal sins – 1 John 1:8-10.  Even Paul admitted that he was imperfect – Phil. 3:12) When we spend more time in His presence, we become more aware of His holiness and our sinfulness.  Someone has said, ‘The greater the saint, the greater the sense of sin and the awareness of sin within.”

Forgiveness of Others – An unforgiving spirit will totally destroy one’s prayer life. (Ill. What a man said the John Wesley.)  Society exalts vengeance over forgiveness, but society is wrong!  Unforgiveness will eat you alive spiritually, filling you with bitterness, anger, rage, anxiety, depression, etc. Paul calls it a “root of bitterness,” Heb. 12:15. (The way of a root!)  There are three great reasons why we should practice the forgiveness of others.

You Are Never More Like God Than When You You are literally bringing Heaven to earth when you forgive a brother in Christ – Matt. 18:18!

It Is Only Reasonable That Those Who Are Forgiven Forgive – (Matt. 18:21-35) He has forgiven us a massive debt; we can surely forgive our brother a much smaller one!

Failure to Forgive Results In Chastening – (Matt. 18:31-35) When we choose not to forgive, we will be tortured by bitterness, resentment, and loss of fellowship with God. In fact, when we refuse to forgive, we are usurping the place and power of God Himself – Rom. 12:19-21.  We are playing God and none of us is qualified for that job.

To Be Delivered from Temptation –  Everyone is tempted, but God tempts no one – James 1:13.  Our prayer should be that God will direct our paths so that we may avoid the places of temptation, Psalm 37:23.  This is a prayer to maintain close fellowship lest we be tempted – James 1:14.

To Be Delivered from Evil – Literally, this is a prayer for help in avoiding sin, 1 Cor. 10:13.  This is a plea for God to change us, hedge us, keep us, and walk with us that we might be sheltered from the power of the Evil One!  This is help to avoid the pitfalls of sin.