"Awake-in-Him" Awakening to the Reality of JesusНамуна

AWAKEN IN PRAYER

Prayer is one of the most familiar practices in the Christian life, and yet, it’s also one of the most misunderstood. For many, prayer is reduced to a list of requests we bring to God, hoping He’ll say yes. But when Jesus teaches us how to pray in His Sermon on the Mount, He reveals something far more profound.

The Lord’s Prayer is so much more than something we simply recite. It is a framework that awakens us to who God is, what He’s doing, and how we can live awake to His reality.

“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘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.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”
(Matthew 6:9–13 NIV)

From this prayer, we see at least four things that prayer does. Each one awakens us to a deeper power in how we approach God.

1. PRAYER CONNECTS US

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name…”

The true power of prayer isn’t in request; it’s in relationship. Every time we begin with “Father,” we’re reminding ourselves of our God-ordained, Christ-purchased position as sons and daughters.

Prayer is not a transaction with a distant deity; it’s communion with a loving Father.

How we see God determines how we approach Him. If He’s only a stern judge, we’ll pray in fear. If He’s a disinterested creator, we may hardly pray at all. But if He’s the Father Jesus reveals, then prayer becomes the natural instinct of a child running into the arms of their parent.

Practice: Begin your prayers by naming God as Father. Don’t rush to your requests. Start by resting in His love for you.

2. PRAYER EMPTIES US

“Your kingdom come, your will be done...”

So often we pray as if God is simply weighing our requests and responds with a yes, no, or not yet. But Jesus teaches us that prayer is more about aligning with God’s will than securing our own.

To pray “Your will be done” is to let go. It means emptying ourselves of our own will, selfishness, pride, fear, and worry, and trusting Him with what remains. The peace of God doesn’t meet us at the answer; it meets us at the surrender.

In Gethsemane, Jesus modeled this perfectly: “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Prayer loosens our grip so God can take the wheel.

Practice: In prayer, name one thing you’re holding onto too tightly, and release it to God: “Not my will, Lord, but Yours.”

3. PRAYER SHAPES US

“On earth as it is in heaven...”

Prayer isn’t about escaping earth; it’s about inviting heaven to break into our reality. As we empty ourselves of our will, the Spirit begins to reshape us into the likeness of Christ.

That shaping happens both in the world around us and in the world within us. Prayer positions us to be transformed through repentance, forgiveness, and the Spirit’s renewing work.

The more we pray, the more we change. And as God shapes us, He uses us to shape our families, workplaces, and cities with the culture of heaven.

Practice: Each day, pray “Your kingdom come” over a specific place, maybe it’s your family, workplace, or a relationship; and ask God to start by shaping you.

4. PRAYER FILLS US

“Give us today our daily bread.”

God wants so much more for us than just to survive on scraps. He graciously fills us daily with what we truly need. This prayer points back to manna in the wilderness and forward to Jesus, the Bread of Life. It’s both provision and presence.

Through prayer, God nourishes us physically, spiritually, and relationally. Just as bread sustains the body, forgiveness sustains the soul. Prayer reminds us: He is the Source; we are the receivers.

Practice: Ask each day: “What bread do I need today?” whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Then ask: “Who needs bread through me today?”

Prayer isn’t just an obligation; it’s the lifeline of life with God.

• Prayer Connects Us → We find our identity as sons and daughters.
• Prayer Empties Us → We surrender our will and worries.
• Prayer Shapes Us → We are transformed into the likeness of Christ.
• Prayer Fills Us → We are sustained daily by His presence and provision.

May we be awakened in prayer to the nearness of the Father, the truth of His kingdom, and His presence at work in us.