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The Lord's Prayer Part 2: Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven

 How often have we prayed “Thy Kingdom come” and not understood what we are really praying?  Wait a minute! We live in a republic not a kingdom. Aren’t kingdoms kind of going obsolete around the world?  No, this kingdom is God’s kingdom, He is the King and of His Kingdom there shall be no end!  Each time we pray this we are praying for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and for Him to establish His Kingdom on earth-as it is in Heaven.  This is very important for us to understand.  For those who are skeptical, consider the accuracy of the Bible.  In the Old Testament there are about 300 scriptures foretelling the first coming of Jesus Christ, which is historically verified.  Now, what are the odds that all of them have come to pass? However, there are over 2400 in the Old and New Testament that speak of His Second Coming and they too will all come to pass.  Thy Kingdom Come soon!

The second portion of this verse of the Lord’s Prayer gives us a lot of needed understanding, for it strongly infers that God’s will is not being done on the earth as He desires.  That becomes quite obvious when we compare the forgiveness, peace, love, tranquility, health, holiness, etc. of heaven with the sin of earth where chaos, violence, rebellion, pain, death, suffering and all sorts of wickedness that is flourishing.  If God’s will was always being done on earth there would be none of these horrible things happening!  Let’s not forget that sickness, disease and death are not God’s will.  St. Paul said death is an enemy that will be defeated. (1 Corinthians 15:54).   St. Peter preached in Acts 10:38  “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” This shows clearly that sin and sickness are enemies of Christ.  But sin and suffering continue to spread in the world at this time but we are to pray for God’s Kingdom reign to come and His will be done! God uses the Church to enforce His will on earth including praying for the sick and those who are bound by sin and addiction.  Someday soon Jesus Himself will return and set all things in order and bring judgement to all.  Those who refuse to repent will be judged at Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the age.  Come Lord Jesus come!

1 John 5:19, warns the Christian; “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” The world is deceived and is in rebellion being led by the first rebel satan.  It is at enmity (war) with God.  (Romans 8:7).  As people of God we are now at enmity with the world’s culture…spiritually not physically however.  We are in the world but not to be part of it “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”  (1 John 2:15-17). We are to be constantly pushing back against the worldliness of this culture by praying, proclaiming Christ and doing all we can to fortify and further His Kingdom and praying for His will to be done here on earth.  Or as Chuck Colson said:  “Redeeming culture is the never ending mission of the Church.”  That means we are to be the true salt and light of this world.  Let’s get about our Father’s business!

Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!


Pastor Gary A. Smith

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