TEACH US TO PRAY (Part 1)

info@dougfortune.org

by Doug Fortune

There are basically two major cries of my heart right now. One is found in Philippians 3:9; "And that I may actually be found and known as IN HIM... For my determined purpose is that I may KNOW Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly..." (Amplified Bible) The other, which we will concentrate on for now, is found in Luke 11:1; "And it came to pass, that, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of his disciples said unto Him, Lord, TEACH US TO PRAY..."

 I also see three things right now that are imperative to the Church moving into the next dimension in God- prayer, worship, communion. Although these three are as intertwined as God expressing Himself in three-ness, in this writing we will look to prayer.

Prayer has become that which sustains me, it is as necessary as my breath... in fact it IS my breath, because HE is my breath. Jesus, the Master Teacher, and the One who's life WAS prayer gave us the key to prayer and the heart of prayer. The words He gave us are not like some magical incantation to be repeated without understanding. Rather they are the framework upon which the essence and heart of prayer are interwoven.

 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9)

 He starts by giving us this instruction

 After this MANNER! The word translated as "after this manner" is houto in Greek. It means- in this WAY, referring to what precedes or follows. There really IS a manner or a way to do things. Jesus said, "I AM the WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6) That word translated as "way" is hodos in Greek. It means- a way, a travellers way or journey; metaphorically it means a course of conduct, a way or manner of thinking, feeling, deciding.

 When Jesus the Christ said, "After this MANNER (Way) therefore pray ye", I believe He was saying that HE (His Life through us) is the MANNER or WAY that prayer is to have expression. Prayer is so much more than words. Prayer is a lifestyle. Prayer is to be the essence of who we are... the essence of Who He IS IN US.

 This makes me think of another WAY we can read of in the book of Genesis; "...and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the WAY of the Tree of Life." (Genesis 3:24) The Literal Bible reads, "flaming the sword whirling around to GUARD the WAY of the Tree of Life." The word translated as "the WAY of" is derek in Hebrew. It means a road (as trodden), figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, a lifestyle. It is the equivalent of hodos in Greek. You see, the flaming whirling Sword is there to GUARD the "course of life or lifestyle" which leads to the Tree of Life. As we pass through this flaming whirling Sword, "the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17), which is "sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul (carnality) and spirit" (Hebrews 4:12), indeed our lifestyle, our manner of thinking, feeling, deciding is transformed. All this leads to the Tree of Life, Who is none other than Christ Himself. The Tree of Life within us in turn brings forth a prayer that heals the nations; "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the Tree of Life... and the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the nations." (Revelation 22:2)

 The tree of Life in Us

 Jesus Christ, the Tree of Life said, "After this manner THEREFORE pray ye." The word translated as "therefore" is oun in Greek. It is a primary word which means CERTAINLY! We can pray certainly! How many times have I prayed prayers that in essence sounded something like this, Well Father, there's this situation (I guess You probably already know about it) and I really don't know all the details so I can't help You out with suggestions, but I really wish that You would fix it, that is IF it is according to Your will (even though I'm not sure what Your will is and I really don't have time to find out right now), oh yes, and I ask this in Jesus' Name (I almost forgot to tack that on there, it's kind of like saying "the end"!). We can pray CERTAINLY when Christ, the Tree of Life within us, brings forth a prayer in His Name, in His nature! Let us explore this CERTAIN prayer that that Christ is showing us.

 Jesus begins with words that set the very foundation and atmosphere of our prayer- OUR Father. Let that word stir within you for a while... OUR. Not MY Father, although He certainly IS my Father... OUR Father. In one word, He instantly takes the emphasis OFF of ME, and redirects my thinking to another level. I find it significant that it is the very FIRST word of our prayer. OUR is corporate, it speaks of a joining together. OUR is personal and possessive, but in plurality.

 During one of our corporate prayer times of "Contemplative Praying of the Scriptures" in our local fellowship recently, I was meditating on those words- OUR Father. I believe that the Spirit spoke to me and said, This is the HOUR to experience the "OUR" of our Father! I was then impressed to begin to look around the Worship Center at the "OUR" of our Father. I no longer merely saw the familiar faces I am used to seeing. Tears began to stream down my face as I saw OUR Cheri, OUR Jerry, OUR Cynthia, OUR Kellie, OUR Arthur, OUR Karen... do you see the picture? The "OUR" of our Father is an interconnected FAMILY because our commonality is that we all have the same Father. We all have the same DNA from OUR Father. We all have the same bloodline from OUR Father. "For IN HIM we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His OFFSPRING. Forasmuch then as we are the OFFSPRING of God..." (Acts 17:28-29)

 As I looked around the Worship Center at the "OUR" of our Father, I saw my brothers and sisters, my "siblings." Granted, some are older brothers and sisters with more maturity and different functions than the younger siblings, yet still siblings, still equal. Yes, I might be the "pastor" (for lack of a better term), but I am really an elder brother whose function it is to look out for my other siblings. I am not the "father" of the ministry, only our FATHER in heaven can fill that role. "But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are BRETHREN. And call NO MAN your FATHER upon the earth: for ONE is your Father, which is in heaven." (Matthew 23:8-9)

 I realize that in writing this I will probably be "in trouble" with many church leaders, however I must be true to what I believe Christ is revealing in this hour. There is no more place for the hierarchical systems that much of modern Christianity is built upon. Yes, even many structures that have emerged in recent years are modeled upon a faulty pre-supposition concerning spiritual authority.

 Spiritual authority is organic, not man-made, not man-appointed.

 Spiritual authority must first be recognized spiritually and then it will bring forth a spiritual submission that is voluntary. If someone has to try and convince me of their spiritual authority, then they might not really have much after all. If I only submit because I am told that I must, then I don't really understand spiritual authority. We submit to the Anointing, to the Christ within a person, not because of some title.

 There seems to be much teaching out there on "Spiritual Fathering" these days. I believe that the essence of a true "Fathering" ministry is to always point others to THE FATHER. I think of my dear friend, the late great Dr. Kelley Varner. He is referred to as a spiritual Father to countless individuals all across the globe. However, he was always careful to point people to THE Heavenly Father. In many ways he seemed more of a spiritual elder brother, however he carried a spiritual authority that few carry today. I also think of my good friend, Wade Taylor. Wade also is referred to as a spiritual Father to countless individuals all across the globe. However, Wade never seems to have the need to be the center of attention, and he also carries a spiritual authority that few carry today. "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:11-12)

 I said all that to say this, Our Heavenly FATHER has NO grandchildren! It is a good thing if I have godly and Fatherly influences in my life, people that express the Life and ministry of THE Father, thus pointing me to THE Heavenly Father. However, if I believe that I am somehow an extra generation removed from our Heavenly Father, then I do not understand my spiritual origin. We are all siblings, we are all equal. Yes, some are older brothers and sisters with more maturity and different functions than the younger siblings, yet still siblings, still equal.

 "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (1 Corinthians 1:12-13) "So let no one exult proudly concerning men [boasting of having this or that man as a leader], for all things are yours, Whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Peter), or the universe or life or death, or the immediate and threatening present or the [subsequent and uncertain] future--all are yours, And you are Christ's, and Christ is God's." (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 Amplified Bible) Christ Jesus is the true Elder Brother that points us to THE Father.

 Whether we realize it or not and whether we act like it or not, we are ONE... we are the "OUR" of our Father! "For as the body is ONE, and hath many members, and all the members of that ONE body, being many, are ONE body: SO ALSO IS Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12) Using the analogy of the human body with many members in ONE body, the Scripture declares, "SO ALSO IS CHRIST!" It is clear to see that the "OUR" of our Father is really Christ, expressed as a many-membered body. Indeed, this is the HOUR to experience the "OUR" of our Father!

(To be continued...)