When we pray: Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10) it is in the CONTEXT of strong and virulent demonic opposition and resistance to His Kingdom coming and His will being done. That’s why we need to pray FERVENTLY in faith for this, for the context is one of warfare, of one Kingdom driving out another.
The Kingdom comes to drive out the present kingdom and replace it. For now, prior to the LORD’s coming, the Kingdom comes into peoples lives. It doesn’t transform the world. We are talking about His Kingdom coming and His will being done in the lives of specific people, whom we pray for by name.
That’s why we need to intercede for one another, and continually uphold one another in prayer. If we want to see the Kingdom come and His will be done IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE we know, then we will have to stand firm in intercession for them.
The violent take the Kingdom by force (Matthew 11:12) – Why is praying the LORD’s Prayer such a violent, militant act? Bcos there is ground to be TAKEN. The enemy has taken much ground, even in the lives and minds of Christians, and we need to violently take that ground back by the fervent prayer of faith, in the authority of Jesus name, so that the enemy has no ground or place of authority in their lives and in their minds.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. If His Kingdom comes it means the kingdom of darkness is shattered and displaced by a greater Kingdom – one authority has to yield to a much GREATER authority. If His will is done it means NO ONE ELSE’S WILL is done – the enemy’s will is not done.
The context of Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, can be explained like this: God is committed to doing His work in peoples lives, and satan is committed to blocking, confusing, thwarting, distracting, or doing ANYTHING he can to hinder the work of God in peoples lives.
As saints of God we find ourselves in the center of this conflict, so we pray.
We don’t try to escape the conflict, for to do so would not be an escape at all, but simply the enemy’s kingdom taking ground in our lives – there is no neutral ground, no neutrality in this Kingdom conflict. Just by the very fact you are praying Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven indicates that the Kingdom is effectually working in your heart.
May 27, 2012 at 12:59 am
“Continue in the faith.” (Acts 14:22)
Perseverance is the badge of true saints. The Christian life is not a beginning only in the ways of God, but also a continuance in the same as long as life lasts.
It is with a Christian as it was with the great Napoleon: he said, “Conquest has made me what I am, and conquest must maintain me.” So, under God, dear brother in the Lord, conquest has made you what you are, and conquest must sustain you.
Your motto must be, “Excelsior.” He only is a true conqueror, and shall be crowned at the last, who continueth till war’s trumpet is blown no more. Perseverance is, therefore, the target of all our spiritual enemies.
The world does not object to your being a Christian for a time, if she can but tempt you to cease your pilgrimage, and settle down to buy and sell with her in Vanity Fair. The flesh will seek to ensnare you, and to prevent your pressing on to glory.
“It is weary work being a pilgrim; come, give it up. Am I always to be mortified? Am I never to be indulged? Give me at least a furlough from this constant warfare.” Satan will make many a fierce attack on your perseverance; it will be the mark for all his arrows.
He will strive to hinder you in service: he will insinuate that you are doing no good; and that you want rest. He will endeavour to make you weary of suffering, he will whisper, ”Curse God, and die.” Or he will attack your steadfastness: “What is the good of being so zealous?
Be quiet like the rest; sleep as do others, and let your lamp go out as the other virgins do.” Or he will assail your doctrinal sentiments: “Why do you hold to these denominational creeds? Sensible men are getting more liberal; they are removing the old landmarks: fall in with the times.”
Wear your shield, Christian, therefore, close upon your armour, and cry mightily unto God, that by his Spirit you may endure to the end.
– Charles Spurgeon
May 28, 2012 at 12:10 am
if we pray for God to build His Kingdom and perform His will today, then our confidence (the reason we are praying this) is that God alone can bring His Kingdom in peoples lives, and, when His Kingdom comes in OUR lives, and His will is done in our lives, then we participate in His work, under His leadership, direction and empowerment.
If i’m praying for the Kingdom to come in your life, it shows the Kingdom has come in my life.
The LORD’s prayer is an invitation by God to participate with Him in His Kingdom work, and be His instrument.