Jesus, in Matthew 6:9-13, You tell us how to be born again and how to help others ask for the privilege of becoming a member of God’s family, enter His Kingdom, and live there forever. Help me learn how to lead my friends through this prayer with power, wisdom, and love.

Jesus, since you said: This, then, is how you should pray, help me and my friends pray it from our hearts. Help us understand what we are praying together. Then help us believe you heard our prayer and fulfilled our requests. Help me now review Your prayer with feeling and comprehension: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts (sins), as we also have forgiven our debtors (those who have sinned against us). And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Mat 6:9-13).”

Jesus, as you help me break this prayer down, let us do it together so I can understand what it is my friend will be asking from God, their heavenly Father. Let me help them understand that this isn’t a magical set of words like “open sesame” and the doors to the Kingdom of God open to them. Help me show them that they are asking for these things and their heavenly Father is giving them to them.

Jesus, help me explain to them that this prayer is designed so that they can ask God to make them a part of His family and let them into His Kingdom. They are asking Him to cure them from their spiritual disease of sin. Help me show them that God wants them to understand and desire what it is they are asking for.

Jesus, as my friend asks God for the things in each phrase of this prayer, help me make sure it IS what they really want for their future here and in eternity. Let me lead them through it in such a way that it isn’t just a ritual or recitation of the words. As we go through each phrase together, help me ask them whether or not it represents their true desires and wishes. Help me find out whether or not they are willing to make each phrase their prayer to God. Keep me from pushing them through it. Let me relax and allow them to establish a close and loving relationship with their heavenly Father.

Jesus, help me explain to them that this is the kind of prayer we MUST all pray in order to become God’s child, a member of His family, and to enter into His eternal Kingdom. Let me explain to them that from this prayer on, they will start a life of talking to their heavenly Father, asking Him to heal them from all the causes of the issues of life; and, they will start asking for His help in living a life of power as a new person.

Jesus, if my friend ultimately decides to make God their heavenly Father and starts living the Christian life for the rest of their life, help me explain to them that this prayer will ALWAYS incorporate the main requests they will continue to have on a daily basis.