This study was first taught on September 1, 2010

Topic: The Believer’s Responsibilities (2): Prayer (8)

No audio available for this study.

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Background
We saw last week that once we have entered into the presence of God through worship, the priority of our prayer is actually not our own petitions but the establishment of the kingdom of God, and the execution of His will.

Focusing on the establishment of the kingdom of God, we noted that “Thy Kingdom come” is a prayer that means the dethronement of every other kingdom including our own personal kingdom and ambitions. Only after these dethronements, can the kingdom of God be truly established in the heart and life of individuals. We also noted that “Thy Kingdom come” means welcoming the arrival, and enthronement, of God’s righteousness (standards), peace, and joy into our hearts, lives, and environment.

We saw that the kingdom of God is far more valuable than the pursuit of the people of the world and carnal Christians. We observed that so precious is the kingdom of God, that only by giving up everything can we truly attain to it. We noted that this requires great effort, zeal, forcefulness, and endurance.

We noted that the devil and his agents recognize the value of the kingdom of God and are working extra hard to deter those who want to go in from grasping it; but those who know the worth of the kingdom of God pressing in. In order to press into the kingdom of God, we must be willing and prepared to pay a great price: not allowing discouragement, and disparaging remarks about Christianity from dissuading us; and, not allowing ourselves to be distracted by comfort, wealth, the ‘good life’, and other distractions.

We noted that from the moment the kingdom of God comes into a person’s life and is enthroned, it begins to grow and increase unto eternity. For this cause, therefore, we must pray fervently, that the kingdom of God come into our lives as well as in our communities.

Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 6:10
Tonight, we shall look at the second half of the scripture text: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” May the Holy Spirit continue to teach us, as always, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” is a prayer that suggests that the problem with the will of God is when it is to be executed here on earth, because it is always done in heaven. Many do not want to pray this prayer because they feel that God’s will, is not favourable to them. Nothing can be further from the truth.
Romans 8:5-9; 3:10-18, 23; Acts 7:51; Genesis 6:3; Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 12:2; John 7:17-18; Matthew 16:21-23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Philippians 2:19-21; Hebrews 10:5-7; John 4:31-34; Matthew 26:37-45; Colossians 3:1-3; 1 John 5:14-15; Matthew 15:8-9; 1 Samuel 15:1-35; Luke 12:47-48; Galatians 5:16-25.

Conclusion
The problem with the prayer “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” is not with the will of God, but with the men who are on earth to execute it. Many believe, erroneously that the will of God will not be favourable to them. But these are essentially carnally minded people who find it repulsive to do the will of God. Other people who do not yield to the will of God or who are unwilling to pray this prayer are people who are stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ear, and who resist the Holy Spirit; they are people who do not trust and acknowledge God, but lean on their own understanding; they are people who have not renewed their minds by replacing their own understanding with the word of God; they are those who are mindful of the things of the world, and not on the things of God.

The prayer “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” is essential because;
(i) The problem with the execution of the will of God is with those of us here on earth;
(ii) The default mode of many who come to God in prayer is not God’s will;
(iii) If we yield to or permit the will of God, our petitions take on a heavenly focus, and the answer is easily granted;
(iv) The confidence that we exhibit in prayer comes only because we are praying according to God’s will;
(v) Our worship is a farce if God’s will is not uppermost in our hearts; and,
(vi) There are repercussions of eternal proportions if we do not seek to do God’s will.

To be able to prepare ourselves at all times to pray “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” therefore, we must be yielded to the Spirit of God, and follow His leading no matter where it will lead us (Hebrews 11:8).

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