Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say; “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
Luke 11:1-3 (NIV)
Jesus established a culture of sonship and stewardship when He taught His disciples to pray to the Father. Prayer communicates two things — who God is and who we are to God and how we understand this relationship influences how we live and act for Him. We not only grow more intimate with God as our Father through prayer, but we imitate God as His beloved children,
Jesus tells us that we have the privilege and responsibility of carrying out our Father's will on earth as it is in heaven. We do it through a series of actions that reflect the character and the kingdom of God. We can rest on God’s provision because God is both faithful and trustworthy. We can act with forgiveness because God is both forgiving and merciful. We can confront evil and injustice because God is both perfect love and perfect justice.
As God's sons and daughters, let us learn to be good stewards of what God has given us. Our identity determines our purpose. Our purpose shapes our priorities, and our priorities will reveal how well we live out our lives in the reality of the Kingdom.
Most of the time, we allow our circumstances to determine our faith rather than our faith determining our circumstances.
Remember, you are no longer a part of this world. Stir and continue to stir yourself to the truth that the Kingdom is near, and you will experience its reality in increasing measure both now and in the days ahead. Once you are established in the kingdom that cannot be shaken, no weapons of the opposing kingdom can overwhelm you with fear (Hebrews 12:28). This explains why Jesus' disciples were so successful in preaching the gospel, healing the sick, and casting out demons—they were fully convinced of the Kingdom's presence and power.
Have a clear sense of seeing everything through the Kingdom's lens. It is to realise that all of our circumstances are in Christ, and their outcomes are already determined by His finished work on the Cross. Take hold of this truth, and you will live a life of freedom and victory.