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The Lord's Prayer Continued--Let Your Kingdom Come

Writer's picture: Pastor PeggyPastor Peggy

Since we are working our way through the Lord's prayer


RESPONSIVE PRAYER OF CONFESSION:

L: Lord, we pray that You would renew our selfhood as the People of God – we are not to be the remains of a goal-less club, but rather, the Bride of Christ, the King who is over all things. Father God, through Your power and through Your people,

C: Let your kingdom come

.L: Help us to show the world the true personality of Your Church: by faithfulness to the Master; by love for Him and His creations; by participating in His work of giving flavor to the world, in His humility.

Father God, through Your power and through Your people,

C: Let your kingdom come

L: We ask You to give us the privilege, through Your grace, of regaining our role as renewers of our world, as the people who heal our society, who improve our surroundings, who improve circumstances. Father God, through your power and through Your people,C: Let your kingdom come.

L: Give us the power to obey Your will for our lives, for each other, and for others, in acceptance that understanding comes by a spirit of obedience to You, and that the source of life is Your light. Father God, through Your power and through Your people,C: Let your kingdom come.

L: Let us learn to make neighbors and how to love them. Let us expect great things from You. Let us always learn; let us persevere through the process of extending and inheriting God’s kingdom; let us be called ‘repairers of the breach’ and ‘restorers of streets to be lived in.’ Father God, through Your power and through Your people,

C: Let your kingdom come.


The Lord’s Prayer is…

Not about posture—God’s people prayed standing, kneeling, lying, with folded hands, uplifted hands, bowed heads, lifted heads, eyes closed, eyes open, etc. The Lord’s prayer is about an open heart to God.

 

Not about a Place—God’s people prayed on a mountain, in a field, in a boat, in a house, in the Temple, in battle, doing their jobs, walking in and out of their homes, etc. The Lord’s prayer is to be prayed anywhere.

 

Not about a Time—God’s people prayed in the morning, noon, evening, and at night when they go to bed—before meals, before harvest, during work, and in worship. The Lord’s prayer is for any time of the day, any time in your physical growth and any time in your spiritual growth.

 

Everyone’s prayer—The Lord’s prayer should be prayed by all people, at all times, in all circumstances, in all places, in all weather, in all houses, in all the outdoors, in all work, in all play, in all relationships, in all trouble, and in all place of happiness—because the Lord’s prayer is a for all-everything prayer!

 

As we continue on the Lord’s prayer, taking it line by line, we come to “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

 

When we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we are recognizing that God is the ruler of our lives. When we pray “Thy kingdom come,” we are acknowledging a few basic truths about God’s Kingdom.

 

First is that God is our Ruler-King. In a way this concept of a King is difficult for us to understand because we live in a democracy—our constitution begins with “we the people.” In our form of government there are 3 branches: The legislative branch (congress) who determine the rules by which we live. Second is the judicial branch (courts and judges) who interpret and apply our laws to specific cases. And then there is the executive branch (president) who administers government for us.

 

As Christians, we live under God, who is King. God rules his kingdom just as the American democracy is ruled by three branches of government. God determines the rules of His kingdom in heaven, as well as on earth. He judges rule breakers and rewards those who keep his law. Finally, God is the executive Administrator of his kingdom.

 

When you pray, Thy kingdom come, you are inviting God to rule in your heart by His principles. That makes His kingdom internal and personal. He is your personal King and you are His subject. You are praying, “Thy kingdom rule in my heart, as Thy kingdom is ruled in heaven.”

 

The rule of God on earth is called the kingdom of God. Not everyone is a member of God’s kingdom. A person must join the kingdom and pledge allegiance to the King. Jesus said in John 3:3, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” A spiritual birth is necessary to enter into God’s Kingdom. John 1:12 says that “as many as have received him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.”

 

After we enter the Kingdom, we must strive to please God, our King. Matthew tells us to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

When we pray “Thy kingdom come” we are not just surrendering our own selves to God but we are also praying for those who as of yet have not given their lives to Christ. It becomes a prayer tool for evangelism. Do you have those in your life that are not serving the Lord, who have not given their hearts to Christ—then this is the opportunity also to pray for them!

 

2 Peter 3:8-9: Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

 

Another aspect of praying “Thy Kingdom come,” is you are asking for the return of Jesus to establish His kingdom on earth. It recognizes that God’s kingdom is not presently ruling on earth and your heart is crying out for Jesus’ second coming! This type of prayer resonates with the last prayer of the Bible in Revelation 22, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”

 

When Jesus the King comes and sets up His kingdom rule, all earthly kings will no longer rule. God will be King-Ruler. Rev. 11:15 says, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

All persecution will cease!

All death will cease!

All hatred and racial prejudice will cease!

All criticism and attacks on the church will be gone!

 

God’s desire is to rule here on earth but people reject Him just as they have throughout history.

 

When you pray, “Thy kingdom come,” you are asking for God’s kingdom to manifest itself through your life! Jesus says in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

 

Praying “Thy kingdom come,” implies that you can make a difference in the world because it is your choice to follow after the Lord! You have decided to live your life for God and desire to have Him glorified in and through your life. Every time you pray this; you are planting a seed that in time will manifest itself in your life. It will produce the fruit of God in you as you water it and allow the Word of God to prune your life that you might bear full spiritual fruit in your life!

 

But all of this entails another important aspect—that of submitting your life to the plan of God on a daily basis! When you pray “Thy will be done,” you are not just asking God to move in our world, you are asking God’s will to be done in your life on earth, as His will is done in heaven. God has a plan for each and every life!

 

When you pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, you understand that there is a difference between the two places! In heaven, angels don’t pray to do God’s will—they just do it! In heaven God’s will is done instantly, not later—it is done enthusiastically, not halfheartedly—it is done completely and perfectly—but not so much here on earth.

 

The crux of this is that each and every one of us must surrender our will to God’s sovereign rule.

 

Many ask, but how do I know what God’s will is for my life?

 

Let me explain it this way—God’s will could mean two things:

1.     His overall plan for your life—like a blueprint an architect would follow in constructing a building. You basically would be praying, “Thy long-range blueprint for my life be done.” You are asking God to build your life as He might construct a building using His plans.

2.     Means you trust the decision-making ability of God. You are asking God to guide your decisions by His decision-making ability. There is the Big Picture and then there are the little details that go into the big picture coming to reality. You are asking the Lord for daily guidance in your life.

There are also several expressions of God’s will:

1.     Automatic—these are the laws by which God runs the universe. God’s will is done automatically every time you breathe. You don’t have to make the decision to breathe—it just happens. God’s plan included a respiratory system for each of us, and the creation of air for us to breathe! Another example would be the law of gravity! Or the law of planting and harvesting—you harvest the seeds you plant!

2.     A second expression of the will of God would be what we would call God’s desire. This consists of things He desires to be done, but that are not always done. God desires everyone to know Him—but that is not always done. God doesn’t desire anyone to perish but for all to come to eternal life—but not everyone has.

3.     A third expression of the will of God is what He commands. It is the will of God that you and I would be obedient to His Word in every way, every day.

Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

This comes from daily surrender, daily listening to the Lord’s voice, daily spending time with Him and learning to discern the needed guidance etc. that is needed in this life.

GOD’S WILL IS GOOD—FOR YOU, FOR YOUR FAMILY, AND IT IS GOOD FOR GOD!

When you are asking through the Lord’s Prayer—Thy will be done—you are not asking God to do His will or to change His will; and you do not ask God to bless your will. You are asking God to help you find and do His will in your life.

This doesn’t matter if you are like Klaire and Kit, who are young and just starting their lives or if you are retired and closer to the end of your life—God’s will is an everyday, every moment affair of our lives!

God’s plan will not be forced on you—it is choice. You don’t pray to bend God’s will—prayer bends your will to His! It is the submission of yourself to God! You are submitting your attitude to God. You are submitting your struggles to God. You are submitting your habits to God—good or bad!

Praying these aspects of the Lord’s prayer is a personal discipline that transforms us into dedicated disciples of Christ—desiring for the utmost His glory and working in and through our lives.

Finally, the Lord’s Prayer teaches us not to rush into God’s presence like children—babbling about our problems—or anticipating a gift of some sort. We are taught to come into God’s presence to glorify Him…to acknowledge His agenda…to seek His will. The Lord’s prayer teaches us to pray “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,’ in order to let God reveal His plan in our lives.

Lord, my hearts cry—you are my Father, let your name be holy in my life and glorify your Name through me—and Lord let your kingdom come and your will be done on earth and in me!

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