By Ron. v. Leerdam
The prince of this world, the evil one is seeking to extend his rule through terror and misinformation. We can think of the false religions of our day and age who oppose the one true living God.
What are our children being taught at school?
What does the media promote?
What do the powers of darkness promote?
Greed, self interest, the love of possessions etc..
I must say that I find it most distressing. War brings so much grief, tragedy and loss of life. What a far cry from the kingdom of God. Let’s compare the nature of the kingdom of God and the usurper Satan and his evil hosts for a moment:
Satan wants to corrupt this world.
He is antichrist, opposing the one true God.
Think of the false religions, fanatics who have declared war against God, truth, peace, justice and love, mercy, compassion and grace.
There are so many false religions where Satan has deceived so many people with his lies – remember Eve?
There are those who have corrupted Christianity with false doctrine.
Compare the above with The kingdom of God and his Christ: Christ came into the world he created and declared war against the prince of darkness. There is a spiritual battle for the hearts, minds, souls and lives of those who live in darkness.
God’s Kingdom is a declaration of truth in the face of falsehood and lies.
It is the mission of setting free the captives and the liberation of those bound to their sin. Jesus calls us to be instruments in the hands of almighty God and so we pray, “Your Kingdom come.”
The implications of praying this prayer are massive and life changing.
If we are brutally honest, isn’t it true that the inclination of our evil hearts is to be selfish, self-serving, self interested and “Me first”?
So often we are all about ‘what I want’. We crave what makes us feel happy, beautiful – skin deep (have you seen the adds of thin lizzy?).
How futile is living just for the things of this world!
Jesus came to set us free from living a futile life.
He came anointed by the Holy Spirit to anoint us for Kingdom service.
This becomes clearer as we study the parables of the kingdom of God – the truths proclaimed by Jesus. In essence all of them are telling us what it means to pray, “Your kingdom come.’
Jesus says to his disciples and to you and me, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and the gospel will
save it. What good is it to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Matthew 26:24-26
Men and women give up their lives in the face of opposition and persecution in order to reach out to the lost. The way to extend the kingdom of God is not by the
power of the sword or might, but by the power of the Spirit of God – the power of love! The way of the kingdom of God and the cost of discipleship is to live out the ‘beatitudes’.
Matthew 5:3-12 NIV
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
1 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Love covers over a multitude of sins. Love conquers evil. Love brings healing.
This is the way that God has brought reconciliation between Himself and sinners.
The gift of our heavenly Father’s one and only Son, who through His suffering and death, has brought us peace with God. Think of the restoration of the Apostle Peter… The question Jesus asked Peter after his denial was,
“Do you love me more than these?”
Jesus blood was shed and His life was given for a complete forgiveness of all our sins. Through faith in Him we have eternal life. Jesus taught His disciples to say when they pray.
Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name
Thy kingdom come.
What is the kingdom of God?
It is His rule.
What is the goal of His rule:
A kingdom of righteousness, justice, mercy, compassion, and peace.
God’s rule or God’s kingdom ushers in peace with God, ourselves, our neighbors and nature.
God’s kingdom has come, yet it is still coming. The king does reign. He reigns over all things; All power & authority has been given to Christ. Christ reigns and rules over all things in heaven and on earth for the well-being of his church. He is on the throne but His kingdom is not yet complete. The day of the completion of the kingdom, The day when the goal or end of the kingdom is reached is still in the future.
Not every knee has bowed, not every tongue has confessed Christ as Lord to the glory of the Father hence Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “THY KINGDOM COME.” I want you to see the 3-fold aspect of the kingdom of God:
- It begins with the individual.
2. It is over the Church.
3. And ultimately the whole world.
IT BEGINS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.
“Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way
that more and more we submit to You.” Lords day 48
We submit to God because we have tasted the kingdom of grace,
We have received God’s grace in Christ. Some of the blessings of God’s kingdom are:
Knowing God’s love and mercy.
Our adoption as the children of the living God.
Having our sins forgiven and been washed clean.
Having peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Having the knowledge that every good gift comes from our heavenly Father.
We have the blessed hope of life everlasting.
We have been set free from the futile way of life that we were caught in.
Set free from the tyranny of the devil, we make it our goal to put the past behind us,
our sin, our folly, our ignorance, e.t.c. and strain to what is ahead, press on to reach the goal for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. Our high calling is to be ambassadors of the kingdom of righteousness and peace. To live out the beatitudes!
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:25-34
We are called to live such holy lives that those who slander our good behavior in Christ may be ashamed on the last day. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NIV
To pray, “Your kingdom come”, is asking God to reign over our life by His Word and Spirit in such a way that more and more we submit to Him.
We are on a journey: a process of sanctification.
We claim spiritual progress not spiritual perfection.
(Knowing more & more God’s amazing love for us – affects self esteem for He has made us worthy.)
God’s rule is manifest more and more in our
relationships :
- with Him
- with our families
- With God’s people
- With our neighbor.
Lord help us to really know you: to bless, worship, and praise you for all your works and all that shines forth from them:
Your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth.
We know, by God’s grace, there is a growth in personal righteousness and holiness, as we submit more and more to His rule. But too often it can seem we take a step forward and then take two steps backwards. Led by God’s Spirit, we study His Word.
By God’s grace we see spiritual growth as we seek first God’s kingdom.
Lord, Your kingdom come! Rule over my life!
So as we pray we expect God to be busy in us.
We claim spiritual progress not spiritual perfection.
Can those converted to God obey the 10 commandments perfectly?
No. In this life even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience.
Nevertheless, with all seriousness of purpose, they do begin to live according to all, not only some of God’s commandments. Heidelberg Catechism. Q&A 114
God’s reign is also over the Church.
Who is our Lord and king?
Christ has been given all rule, power and authority God in His wisdom did not give us new life in Christ, faith and freedom from the tyranny of the devil so that we might travel this life alone. He has made us the body of Christ. Together we submit to the rule of Christ. “Lord keep your Church strong and add to it.” Those who come to faith are added to the Church. They are to be members of the ‘household of faith.’ Together we are to demonstrate the nature of the kingdom of God. The Church is to grow stronger and grow in number. Indeed the Gospel is to be proclaimed to every tribe, in every language and to the ends of the earth.
Matthew 6:19-21 NIV “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
We need to ask ourselves, Why do many say they are believers and yet have no fellowship with the Church? Is it because we do not invite them?
Is it because the Church is deficient in some way?
What things demonstrate the nature of the kingdom of God in the Church?
Hospitality, acceptance, love, grace, forgiveness, compassion, holiness, justice, etc.
We are called to encourage one another. We are called to pray for one another that the Lord through His Word & Spirit may rule over us and enable us to submit to His Lordship. We pray, Lord, Your kingdom come! Rule over the Church! So as we pray we expect God to build His Church.
Ultimately we pray for God to rule the whole world.
“Destroy the devil’s work; destroy every force which revolts against You and every conspiracy against Your Word. Do this until Your kingdom is so complete and perfect that in it You are all in all.”
The Church of which we are members is an agent of the kingdom of God. We are to declare to the world the Lordship of Christ and work so that more and more His rule is acknowledged in every sphere of life. Education, the arts, the family, government, medicine, science work. e.t.c What sort of ambassadors are we? We need to ask as a church,
“What is the unique part we have to play in the coming of the kingdom of God?”
You have to ask yourself, as I also must ask, “What is the unique purpose that God has placed us here for?”
Lord, help us to direct all our living – what we think, say, and do – so that Your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised. In other words, that we may love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves. To pray Your Kingdom come means that we ask God to make us more like Jesus. Our communion with God is made more intimate only as by faith we draw near to God, keep in step with the Holy Spirit and imitate Jesus. In the great commission to make disciples of all nations, Jesus promise is, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Again, His promise is,
“My grace is sufficient for all your needs.”
Prayer is our life-line to our Father in heaven. The Almighty maker of heaven and earth comes to us and invites us to be His instruments to establish His eternal, everlasting kingdom.
Prayer is the Christians life breath.
Prayer is the Church’s life breath.
In prayer we lift up our hearts to God.
We enter into His throne room. We enter into our heavenly Father’s house
joining with the angels and the saints of God in communion with our Father in heaven. So as we pray we expect God to be busy using us so His rule is extended throughout Penguin and beyond.
“Your kingdom come.”
AMEN.
Mama by the water 
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