“The Model of Prayer”

QUESTION 98. What is prayer?
A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to his will, in the
name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.
QUESTION 99. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
A. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is
that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called the Lord’s Prayer.
QUESTION 100. What doth the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?
A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven, teacheth us to
draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and
ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.
QUESTION 101. What do we pray for in the first petition?
A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name, we pray that God would enable us,
and others, to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; and that he would
dispose all things to his own glory.
QUESTION 102. What do we pray for in the second petition?
A. In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray that Satan’s kingdom may be
destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought
into it, and kept in it; and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.
QUESTION 103. What do we pray for in the third petition?
A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, we pray that
God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all
things, as the angels do in heaven.
QUESTION 104. What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
A. In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread, we pray that of God’s free
gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing
with them.
QUESTION 105. What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A. In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, we pray
that God, for Christ’s sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.
QUESTION 106. What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
A. In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we
pray that God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us
when we are tempted.
QUESTION 107. What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever. Amen, teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God
only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; and, in
testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.