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Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

PRAYING THE LORDS PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL BREAKTHROUGH

A Paper Submitted to Dr. Rodney Earls In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course Spiritual Foundations
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EVAN 500

By Arnitta Johnson

18 September 2011

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Bibliographical Entry Towns, Elmer L. 1997. Praying the Lord's Prayer for spiritual breakthrough. Ventura, Calif., U.S.A.: Regal Author Information Dr. Elmer L. Towns started his teaching career at Midwest Bible College in St. Louis, Missouri for three years. He became dissatisfied with the books he used and wrote his own, an amazing journey that extends his publishing beyond 100 books listed in the Library of Congress, 7 listed in the Christian Booksellers Association for writing the Book of the year, The Names of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Towns was President of Winnipeg Bible College for five years, leading it to receive American Accreditation and Provincial authority to offer degrees from 1960 to 1965. He taught Religious Education and Evangelism at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago, Illinois, from 1965-1971. In 1971, he co-founded Liberty University with Dr. Jerry Falwell and was the only full-time teacher for the first year. Today he is the Dean of the School of religion. His personal education includes a B.S. from Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a M.A. from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary also in Dallas, a MRE from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and a D.Min. from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. His wife of 55 years, Ruth teaches a Christian Woman class at Liberty University. They have three children and ten grandchildren and live in Forest, VA (As indicated on the Spiritual Breakthroughs: Elmer Towns Web site http://elmertowns.com/index.cfm?action=bio) Content Summary The purpose of the book is to help the reader develop highly effective ways of praying to God beginning with the Lords Prayer. The theme of the book is talking to God and is woven
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throughout the book in various chapters depicting panoramic views of the Lords Prayer. Throughout the book, Dr. Towns is passionate about his relationship with God. He encourages his readers to join him in talking to God daily as he structured his work on the Lords Prayer. Throughout the introduction, Dr. Towns provide personal experiences about his relationships with God, which affords the reader a birds-eye view of starting the day with prayer. The introduction also contains a critical factor in examining the Lords Prayer called the seven petitions. Chapter one examines how long a person should pray, and surmises that effective prayer is a sincere approach and asking for the right things (27). Chapter two is devoted to approaching God the right way which starts the prayer with calling him our Father. Starting the prayer with the right approach in mind as well as the right person (Jesus Christ) says to God that you are not alone because Jesus is coming with me even in corporate worship. Chapter three explains the first of the Thy petitions: Hallowed Be Thy Name. Dr. Towns asserts that God has a name and His name is holy (62, 65). Not only does God have a name, but we can praise Him through the Lords Prayer and God openly accepts our worship as He looks for us to worship him (John 4:23). In chapter four, Dr. Towns emphasizes a kingdom on earth as his readers invite the reign of God into their personal lives. The second petition, Thy Kingdom Come teaches that God is the ruler of our lives, and He owns us and everything we need to exist on earth. Chapter five will develop the reader for the third petition which is thy Will Be Done. The objective is to put Gods will first as He has a plan for our lives. Chapter six will transition the reader between the Thy and Us Petitions. Dr. Towns uses the term The Hinge to wrap up the Thy section of the book. He posits there are three petitions in the first section, and four in the second, with the fourth petition serving as a hinge (111).

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The focus of chapter seven is the first of three Us petitions. The first petition deals with Give us Our Daily Bread. Chapter seven teaches us that we have daily needs, but it means much more than simply asking for bread; this chapter teaches that bread is a symbol word and God will supply our needs, which is more than food. The next petition in chapter eight talks about forgiveness: forgive us our debts. This chapter deals with the believer asking God to forgive us, but more importantly, making the right choice to forgive others. Chapter nine talks about the petition that says, Deliver us from evil. This chapter deals with the presence of evil and the temptation to yield to the traps of life. Dr. Towns asserts the importance of remembering that God is the only one that can deliver from evil. The final chapter of the book concludes with the benediction, which teaches how to finish right. The benediction covers for thine is the kingdom, for thine is the power and for thine is the glory, forever. Amen. Dr. Towns states, when you have finished praying the Lords Prayer, you have said everything to God you need to say, you know everything you need to know, and you have become everything God requires you to become (212). Evaluation Dr. Towns without a doubt achieved his intended purpose in helping his readers learn how to talk to God. His book is analytical and practical, yet offers a simple remedy to incorporate the Lords Prayer daily. His theme of talking to God is woven throughout the entire book. Dr. Towns was very convincing as he shared how the Lords Prayer can change a persons life if prayed properly. He taught that praying the Lords Prayer daily will bring the presence of God into the life of the believer. When the presence of God shows up, there is worship, freedom and liberty. Dr. Towns gave seven petitions of the Lords Prayer, and boldly claimed that if believers pray these seven petitions daily, every need will be covered. The first three petitions focus on God,

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and next four focuses on believers, and it ends with a declaration. God wants his people to pray, that may be why Dr. Towns pointed out that God did not create self sufficient people, He created people to have needs, to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever (128). Keeping with his theme, Dr. Towns teaches his readers that repetitious wording is not praying the Lords Prayer. He is adamant that we understand that the Lords Prayer is the model prayer that Jesus taught His disciples. In fact, its a prayer one can use to not only learn how to pray, but also lengthen prayer and worship times with God. Dr. Towns emphatically teaches that if we praise God, even in a cold Holiday Inn, He will come (Ps 22:3, 18). When we pray to our heavenly Father, Dr. Towns wants us to pray with the fervency of knowing that everything we as believers need is encapsulated in those 63 words (or 57, depending on which version: Matthew or Luke). Dr. Towns submits that believers should pray with their hearts, minds and soul to get the spiritual breakthrough they are seeking. In the first of the Thy petitions, Thy Name Be Hallowed (Holy), Dr. Towns is biased on theological doctrine concerning the names of God. He says God has a name, and the reader will learn to call God according to His importance to you. Dr. Towns emphasizes several positive points about the Lords Prayer. Interwoven throughout the book are tidbits concerning journaling, prayer lists and essential facts to help the reader understand each section better. Dr. Towns book contains such a wealth of positive information on prayer, that it is hard-pressed to find room for improvement. With that said, one area that proved a bit distracting was the abundance of call out boxes that divert the reader from his critical analyses of the Lords Prayer. In other words, there is an overwhelming amount of information on some of the pages, particularly when it comes to chapter six, The Hinge (113). In fact, because of the overabundance of information and details; I would not recommend

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this book to a new believer. However, I would recommend this book to all church leaders and laymen who are serious about effectively talking to God, and doing the work of the ministry, as well as, seminary students who are required to learn about the components of prayer. There are several ways to implement this book in ministry. One way is to start a small group session with men, women, leaders, or prayer ministries. Small group settings are wonderful settings to expound upon foundational Scripture verse by verse and day by day. However, an individual can use this book to learn effective ways to talk with God by mastering one chapter at a time, and then applying the life principles. Reading this book opened my understanding about the Lords Prayer to many facets that I did not realize. For instance, I did not realize the Lords Prayer is primarily divided into two main sections, the Thy Petition and the Us Petition, yet Ive read and quoted these verses since a child in VBS. In conclusion, Dr. Towns has provided his readers with one of the best applications of the Lords Prayer that is on the market. It is practical, biblical, devotional and makes its reader want to pray and implement the tools presented throughout the book. The Lords Prayer is a pattern to include everything we are required to pray when we talk to God (216). Prayer is personal discipline that transforms us into dedicated disciples, and prayer is a call to change the world (100). As Christians seeking to change the world by being witnesses for Christ, it is imperative that believers submit themselves to God in prayer that effectual, fervent and powerful enough for spiritual breakthrough.

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Reference Towns, Elmer. Biography. Spiritual Breakthroughs:Elmer Towns. http://elmertowns.com/index.cfm?action=bio (accessed September 18, 2011).

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