JESUS’ MODEL PRAYER FOR DISCIPLES
Luke 11:2-4
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.”
THE LORD’S MODEL PRAYER the first word – OUR
The first word is a weighty and crucial word for a child of God in following Jesus’ model prayer that throughout is addressing the Father as from “us,” “we” and “our.” This word confirms our need to understand that Jesus never suggested an isolated gospel of individualism or that anyone in God’s Family, including Himself, should ever stand alone.
This is in marked contrast to the lying doctrines of the devil, the enemy of God and deceiver of the saints. Satan’s success in his own delusion as well as in his deception of human beings is completely dependent upon the “doctrine” of isolation; Or better stated: Personal Sovereignty.
If the deceiver can successfully delude one of us into believing that we are isolated and self-dependent, he can pour his gall through us and support us with plenty justification – at least in our own mind. There could never have been a Nero, a Hitler, an Idi Amin, Sadam Husein or a broken Terry Clark, for that matter; There would never have been the need for mental institutions; There would never have been murder, theft, adultery, fraud nor any courts to judge them – if this doctrine did not exist and have power to seduce Man.
Jesus never stood alone. Whether He can is not an issue because the fact is that He won’t. During His public ministry He never stood alone. He never broke relationship with our Father. He said what He heard the Father say and did what He saw the Father do. Only in that moment on the Cross when the Father had to turn away did he not stand with Him. And that was only to stand with us in our dark separation from God. Having carried out the instructions from the Father qualifies Him now to stand with us and the Father. All things are in His hands and authority.
There is no success, alone. There is no winner in any sphere who is isolated. “Sinner” is, in a classical sense, one who chooses not to be in relationship. The concept of individualism and self-sufficiency is an illusion that lies at the core of Satan worship and fundamental illness. The antecedent and antidote for individuality syndrome is the “spirit of power, love and a sound mind,” characteristics of personality from God our Creator.
Personal Sovereignty, deified individuality, is the death of all satisfying and fruitful relationship.
More on the antidote in the forth-coming series – BODY WORKS