The Need for a Strategy

The first disciples of Jesus struggled with how and what to pray. Many of us can relate. Jesus not only gave them an example to follow, but he also gave them a pattern, known to us as the Lord’s Prayer (see Mt 6:9-13 and Lk 11:1-4).

The author breaks the Lord’s Prayer down into seven key components:

1. Getting Started (‘Our Father…’)
2. Getting Focused (‘Hallowed be your name…’)
3. Experiencing Divine Intervention (‘Your kingdom come…’)
4. Praying for Provision (‘Give us this day…’)
5. Experiencing Forgiveness (‘Forgive us our sins…’)
6. Developing Spiritual Protection (‘Deliver us from evil…’)
7. Final Issues (‘Yours is the kingdom…)

Throughout the remainder of the book the author expands these seven components into a working strategy of prayer.

Action Plan for Week One (i.e., for five days)

1. Read Luke 11:1-13 each day and one Psalm each day (try Ps 1-5)
2. Pray slowly, reflecting on each of the above seven components
3. If something comes to your mind as you reflect on a key component turn it into a topic of prayer.
4. Record that topic of prayer on the prayer notebook sheet labeled with the corresponding key component (see prayer-notebook to download copies)

For example, as I am reflecting on ‘Give us this day’ (i.e., Key Component No. 4) I begin to think about a financial concern. I pray about that concern and I place that topic of prayer on the prayer notebook sheet labeled ‘Praying for Provision’ (see prayer-sheet-example).

If you like, share with the rest of us how it is going during this first week.

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