On the United Nations campus in New York City, there’s a plaza where people often gather to promote world peace. Many times you see people gathering there to promote one issue or another. Inscribed on the wall of this plaza are these words from the Prophet Isaiah 2:4 - “They shall beat their swords into plowshare, and their spears into pruning hooks, nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Neither shall they learn war anymore.”
Sounds good. But don’t you find it fascinating that most countries in the United Nations reject the Bible yet use the Bible to express their desire for global peace. What’s equally fascinating is that the inscription leaves out—I think intentionally—the opening words of the same verse which states: “For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between nations.”
This verse in the Bible refers to Jesus Christ second coming to earth and the Peace only He can bring. Doesn’t it make you laugh at the United Nations, who do not seem to believe in or prioritize Christ, usurping this verse to make it sound like they are going to bring in peace. FORGET ABOUT IT. The Bible tells us that there will be no peace until Jesus returns to earth the second time.
The word Law as referred to here, has no reference to the Law of Moses, but rather to instruction, direction, and teaching. Again this is the coming Kingdom Age, when the Messiah. The One Greater than Solomon, will rule the world by Wisdom, Grace and Love. The words, “judge among” means to arbitrate between or to rebuke. Unfortunately, man’s courts of arbitration are doomed to failure but to the Messiah’s Court, success is praised here by Isaiah.
When Jesus was teaching His disciples how to pray, He included a very specific request: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). How should you think about and apply what Jesus said?
Pray for the Progress of God’s Kingdom
This request relates to your desire for the future, literal, physical kingdom to be established on earth (see Revelation 19 & 20). This kingdom hasn’t arrived yet—if it had, you would instead be praying, “Thank you, Lord, that your kingdom came.”
You’re told to pray with urgency and great anticipation for God’s kingdom to come to earth. Christians, it is possible to be so enamored with the blessings of the earth that you become distracted from the glory of God’s coming kingdom. Frankly, for prosperity preachers who claim wealth and health for the believer, or for those who believe wrongly that you can live “your best life now,” heaven will be anti-climactic! So Christians, you pray with longing and anticipation for God’s plan to progress, to move forward. “Father, let your kingdom come soon!”
Pray for the Personal Reign of God in Your Heart
There’s also an immediate application to this prayer. When God’s physical kingdom arrives, you are not going to be in charge. God will be the ultimate authority in control of His Kingdom.
Here’s the point: you can’t really pray for the government of God to be established on earth if you really don’t want God to be in charge of your life right now.
The immediate surrender of this prayer--Your kingdom come; Your will be done—is like handing over the keys to your castle each and every day, or like handing over the keys to your brand new car to someone to drive. For God’s will to be done on earth means God’s will must be the only desire of your heart.
This humble surrender of personal desires and expectations was best exemplified by Jesus, praying at the Mount of Olives just hours before His death. Facing an excruciatingly painful death and bearing the weight of every sin every committed, Jesus prayed: “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He was praying for God, the Father’s will, to be done!
This prayer means that the Father’s agenda trumps your agenda. He is in control and you are not. Things might not always go the way you want them to . We have a lot of wants don’t we?
We are to entrust our career and relationships to God’s will. He has a blueprint for your life. Yes, each and everyone of us.
Are you getting the message? Surrender to God for He is totally in control.
Pray for the Passion to Honestly Desire God’s Sovereignty
So, the question remains: are you truly willing to pray this prayer today?
I love the way John Wesley prayed—inspired, no doubt, by this model prayer—in his book of prayer recorded in 1755. He said, “I am no longer my own, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering. … Let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.”
That’s exactly how we need to pray, “Father . . . your kingdom come, Your will be done!”
Sounds good. But don’t you find it fascinating that most countries in the United Nations reject the Bible yet use the Bible to express their desire for global peace. What’s equally fascinating is that the inscription leaves out—I think intentionally—the opening words of the same verse which states: “For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between nations.”
This verse in the Bible refers to Jesus Christ second coming to earth and the Peace only He can bring. Doesn’t it make you laugh at the United Nations, who do not seem to believe in or prioritize Christ, usurping this verse to make it sound like they are going to bring in peace. FORGET ABOUT IT. The Bible tells us that there will be no peace until Jesus returns to earth the second time.
The word Law as referred to here, has no reference to the Law of Moses, but rather to instruction, direction, and teaching. Again this is the coming Kingdom Age, when the Messiah. The One Greater than Solomon, will rule the world by Wisdom, Grace and Love. The words, “judge among” means to arbitrate between or to rebuke. Unfortunately, man’s courts of arbitration are doomed to failure but to the Messiah’s Court, success is praised here by Isaiah.
When Jesus was teaching His disciples how to pray, He included a very specific request: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). How should you think about and apply what Jesus said?
Pray for the Progress of God’s Kingdom
This request relates to your desire for the future, literal, physical kingdom to be established on earth (see Revelation 19 & 20). This kingdom hasn’t arrived yet—if it had, you would instead be praying, “Thank you, Lord, that your kingdom came.”
You’re told to pray with urgency and great anticipation for God’s kingdom to come to earth. Christians, it is possible to be so enamored with the blessings of the earth that you become distracted from the glory of God’s coming kingdom. Frankly, for prosperity preachers who claim wealth and health for the believer, or for those who believe wrongly that you can live “your best life now,” heaven will be anti-climactic! So Christians, you pray with longing and anticipation for God’s plan to progress, to move forward. “Father, let your kingdom come soon!”
Pray for the Personal Reign of God in Your Heart
There’s also an immediate application to this prayer. When God’s physical kingdom arrives, you are not going to be in charge. God will be the ultimate authority in control of His Kingdom.
Here’s the point: you can’t really pray for the government of God to be established on earth if you really don’t want God to be in charge of your life right now.
The immediate surrender of this prayer--Your kingdom come; Your will be done—is like handing over the keys to your castle each and every day, or like handing over the keys to your brand new car to someone to drive. For God’s will to be done on earth means God’s will must be the only desire of your heart.
This humble surrender of personal desires and expectations was best exemplified by Jesus, praying at the Mount of Olives just hours before His death. Facing an excruciatingly painful death and bearing the weight of every sin every committed, Jesus prayed: “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He was praying for God, the Father’s will, to be done!
This prayer means that the Father’s agenda trumps your agenda. He is in control and you are not. Things might not always go the way you want them to . We have a lot of wants don’t we?
We are to entrust our career and relationships to God’s will. He has a blueprint for your life. Yes, each and everyone of us.
Are you getting the message? Surrender to God for He is totally in control.
Pray for the Passion to Honestly Desire God’s Sovereignty
So, the question remains: are you truly willing to pray this prayer today?
I love the way John Wesley prayed—inspired, no doubt, by this model prayer—in his book of prayer recorded in 1755. He said, “I am no longer my own, but Thine. Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering. … Let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to Thy pleasure and disposal.”
That’s exactly how we need to pray, “Father . . . your kingdom come, Your will be done!”
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