It is the beginning of this model prayer which brings us into focus with God's will. We sometimes run right over the first part and pray for blessings, forgiveness and protection. But it is the first part of this prayer which is so powerful.
Jesus first says, "Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name . . . " The word hallowed says something significant about how we pray. The word means "to acknowledge God as holy, separate from profane things--it means we are dedicating ourselves to God." Our focus is not on things of the world, but on God who is holy. It is a prayer of submission where we come and surrender ourselves before God.
Jesus then says, "your kingdom come . . ." This is a dangerous prayer because you are asking for God's kingdom to come which means His kingdom is going to collide with your kingdom. It means you want God's kingdom to become your kingdom--a place not where you reign as king, but a place where you surrender to God's authority. He is not going to just come and play in your sandbox, you are asking Him to take over your sandbox.
Jesus finally says, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The word will means "what one wishes or has determined to be done." Jesus says we should pray that God does what He wishes or what He has determined on earth. Many times we try to impose our will on God. We determine this is what we are going to do with our life or the life of the church and we ask God to participate within our will. We have it backwards. We call upon God's will to be done and He let's us participate.
You see the later things in this prayer all fall in line within God's hallowed name, His kingdom and His will. Maybe our prayers are not being answered because we are not first focusing on His will for our lives and the life of the church. It starts with prayer--prayer that is focused on God's will. This is how we should then pray.