How to Pray Through the Lord's Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer was given to us to demystify prayer. In Luke, it is Christ’s answer to the request, “Lord teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

The Prayer gives us the proper tone and the main categories to lay before the Lord. It is a form and structure; not given to restrict, but to guide our prayer.

I began praying the Lord's prayer daily a few years ago, in the morning. As this habit developed, I began writing out my own prayers under each petition. This helped me remember exactly what I wanted to pray. Over time, I have found this has focused my concentration, sharpened my prayer language, and since I am no longer grasping for words, it has granted a certain inward stability and confidence, which I believe Christ intended.

The inspiration for this came from Luther's A Simple Way to Pray, The Baptist Catechism (questions 107-114), and The Book of Common Prayer.

Below is an example of how to use the Lord's prayer this way. Note:

• Under each petition is an example prayer

  
  

• Under each prayer are two or three anchor passages. I use these to meditate on or prayerfully recite. They are doorways used to extend prayer.

  
  

• Here is an editable Word doc of what you will find below. Edit the prayers and passages under each petition. Make it your own. Print it out. Put in your Bible. And work through it after your daily Bible reading. (Print on both sides" so it's all on one sheet)

  
  

• Don't be restricted by this. Use it as a guide, but having prayed through the Lord's prayer in this way, then be free to cast your cares on the Lord (1 Pet. 5:7), petition Him according to what is in your heart (Phil. 4:6), and entreat Him with sanctified desires (John 15:7).

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Our Father in heaven

Lord I come to you today in confidence that you are no aloof, but that you are my heavenly Father through Your Son; merciful in my sin, gracious in my needs, patient in my weakness. Help me approach you now as a child, not performing in this prayer, but asking out of faith and love.

• “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

  
  

• “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:13–14)

Hallowed be your name

Lord, unite my heart to fear Your name! Help me approach you with reverence and awe because You are a consuming fire! Save me from trite visions of you, and inspire my feeble mind so that I see you as awesome as prophets of old. May your church uphold You as holy, and may Your glory fill the earth!

• “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1)

  
  

• “…Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified…” (Leviticus 10:3)

  
  

• “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)

  
  

Your Kingdom come

Father, may I seek first your Kingdom in my heart and home. I lay my plans and purposes before You. Set Your agenda for my life. May Your righteousness, peace, and joy be upon my family and Church, and defeat O Lord, the kingdoms of this world; of secularism, Islam, Judaism, and false religion. May the kingdoms of this world become the Kingdom of Christ!

• “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

  
  

• “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” (1 Corinthians 15:25)

  
  

• “Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”” (Revelation 11:1)

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven

Father, grant me to be filled with the knowledge of Your will, and help me obey and submit to You in all things.” May my family and church be pliable to your Word and submissive to Your Spirit.

• “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” (Colossians 1:9–12)

  
  

Give us this day our daily bread

Father, You have not left me begging for bread, but have supplied all our needs. We have never been without. Forgive me Lord for grumbling and complaining. Thank You for Your constant provision. Grant us what we need for today. Amen.

• “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” (Psalm 100:4)

  
  

• ““Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25)

Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors

Father, please forgive me of my sin in the name of your Son, Jesus. Help me become more aware of my sins and sinfulness, so that knowing that I have been forgiven much, I would love much. Please wash away the consequences of my sin, inward and outward. And if there is any hindrance in my life caused by sin, please cleanse and renew me. And help me Lord forgive my brother from the heart.

• “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23–24)

  
  

• “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

  
  

• “Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:12–14)

  
  

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil

Father, please save me from falling to the tendencies my flesh. Help me resist the devil, fight the flesh, keep in step with the Spirit, and look unto Jesus! Deliver us from evil Lord, and lead us in paths of righteousness for the sake of Your name! Amen.

• “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:1–6)