Q.105: What is prayer?

A. Prayer is an offering up our desires to God, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, believing, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgements of His mercies.

( Psalm 32:5-6; 62:8; Daniel 9:4 Matthew 21:22; John 16:23; Romans 8:26-27; Philippians 4:6; James 1:6; 1John 5:14 )

Q.106: 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 prayer which Christ taught His disciples, commonly called the Lord’s Prayer.

( Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4; 1John 5:14 )

Q.107: 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.

( Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:13; Acts 12:5; Romans 8:15; 1Timothy 2:1-2 )

Q.108: 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 unto His own glory.

( Psalm 67:2-3; 83:1-18; Matthew 6:9; Romans 11:36 )

Q.109: 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.

( Psalm 68:1, 18; Matthew 6:10; John 17:19-20; Romans 10:1; 2Thessalonians 3:1; Revelation 12:10-11; 22:20 )

Q.110: What do we pray for in the third petition?

A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done on 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.

( 2Samuel 15:25; Job 1:21; Psalm 67:1-7; 103:20-21; 119:36; Matthew 6:10 )

Q.111: 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.

( Genesis 28:20; Proverbs 30:8-9; Matthew 6:11; 1Timothy 4:4-5 )

Q.112: 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 rather encouraged to ask because by His grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.

( Psalm 51:1-2, 7, 9; Daniel 9:17-19; Matthew 6:12; 18:35; Luke 11:4 )

Q.113: What do we pray for in the sixth petition?

A. In the sixth petition, which is, 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.

( Matthew 6:13; 26:41; 2Corinthians 12:8 )

Q.114: What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach?

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 make 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.

( 1Chronicles 29:10-13; Daniel 9:4, 7-9, 16-19; Matthew 6:13; 1Corinthians 14:16; Revelation 22:20-21 )