"For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."
I. A DOXOLOGY OF PRAISE
The word "doxology" comes from two Greek words. One word is doxa which means "glory or praise." The other word is logos which means "word or to speak." So a "doxology" is a spoken word of glory or praise to God.
God is not some celestial type egomaniac who needs us to shower Him with praise in order for Him to feel good about Himself. The praise we offer to God is not for His benefit, but for ours. Praise does something for us. It reminds us of God’s greatness and glory. It alters our perspective. It changes our attitude.
A. The "Model Prayer" Commences with Worship
1. Rather than rushing into the presence of God greedily and irreverently, we have been taught by the Lord Himself in this "Model Prayer" that we are to approach the Father in a spirit of worship.
2. We should approach our heavenly Father with a deep sense of awe, being absolutely amazed that sinners such as we are afforded the opportunity to approach a place so incredibly holy.
B. The "Model Prayer" Continues with Petition
1. While we do not enter our prayer time greedily asking for our needs to be met, it is certainly appropriate for there to be a time of asking.
2. On a spiritual level we are to ask that God’s dominion, rule, or authority be established in our lives and that His will be done in and through us on a daily basis.
3. On a personal level we are to petition the Lord for our needs to be met, our sins to be forgiven, and the strength to face the trials and tribulations of life without sinning.
C. The "Model Prayer" Concludes with Praise
1. With praise being "the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name", it is only fitting that we close our prayer time with thanking the Lord for His goodness. If we do not praise God for His blessings, how can we expect Him to favor us with His blessings?
2. Psalm 67:5-6
3. We ought to praise God in appreciation for what He has done, and we ought to praise Him in anticipation of what He is going to do.
II. A TRILOGY OF POSSESSIONS
Notice the word "for", which here has the force of "because" or "on account of the fact." God is able to grant our requests "because" or "on account of the fact" that His is the:
A. Authority
1. "For thine is the kingdom"
2. These words set forth God’s universal right and authority over all things, and His ability to answer our prayers as He will.
B. Potency
1. "For thine is ... the power"
2. Not only does God have the authority to answer our prayers as He will, but He has the power to do so.
3. Nothing is too hard for God (Matthew 19:26). He has the sovereign power to overthrow all our enemies and to subdue every evil force that would come against us.
C. Glory
1. "For thine is ... the glory"
2. It’s not for our glory and praise that we ask for our needs to be met, but it is for the honor and glory and praise of the Father.
3. Our prayer ought to be "that God in all things may be glorified" (1 Peter 4:11).
III. THE FINALITY OF PRAYER
"Amen" is a word that speaks certainty, assurance, and eternal reality. The word "Amen" means "so be it." "Amen" at the end of our prayer does not simply mean "I’m done", but it speaks to our:
A. Our Content - When we say "Amen" we are affirming that the content of our prayer has been in accordance with God’s will (1 John 5:14)
B. Our Conviction - The "Amen" at the end of our prayer is the expression of our heartfelt conviction that our heavenly Father is able to grant our requests.
C. Our Commitment - When we close our prayer with "Amen", "so be it", we are committing ourselves to doing our part to bring about the things for which we’ve prayed.
