“Thy kingdom come....”.
Matthew 6.10
As Jesus taught his disciples to pray for the continued expression of His Kingdom to come, we understand, that for us to govern we must first be under government ourselves.
As we view Jesus earthly walk, we find this Kingdom we are praying for is not of this world. And while Jesus did have to contend with people, his battle was not with flesh and blood but with spiritual forces working behind the scenes. We find Jesus’ word was with power and authority. The natural worldly elements and all spiritual activity bowed to his commands. We find nothing that Jesus was not able to rule over and reign in.
Keep in mind that any environment Jesus found Himself in, he was in by the will of God. In adverse conditions Jesus stayed put, not because he was helpless, but rather by obedience, to establish the purposes of God. Jesus himself said, “Satan is coming and has nothing in me, but that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.“
As we pray, your Kingdom come, we are essentially asking and holding the expectation for our King to come and establish his government. We are asking him first and foremost to rule and reign over us.
Isaiah, in chapter nine, prophesies about this coming king and his kingdom, declaring that the government shall be upon His shoulder: of the increase of His government and the peace it carries that there shall be no end. He comes to establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness which always produces peace.
Jesus is the head of his body, the church, with individual members working to uphold His government with justice and righteousness, meaning, every member’s WILLING submission (obedience) to Him is required. Divine order having been established in us is a pre-requisite to government being exercised through us.
Justice and righteousness simply can not be dispensed apart from the King. We are called ambassadors for a reason. We are Citizens of Heaven. We are simply living here, now, to serve at the King’s pleasure. Jesus was the express image of the Father.
Jesus told Pilate during His trial that He had no authority over him except what had been given to him from above. Jesus was not submitted to Pilate but rather to His Father. Jesus had to submit to the will of the Father in all things for the Fathers purposes to be achieved.
I don’t think we fully understand the need for order being in us before order is established in our environments. Just because we know what the word says, does not mean that His word has full and final authority in our hearts. We are called to be fully submitted, love wholeheartedly, serve willingly and faithfully... you get the idea. The disciples question, why couldn’t we... was met with ‘this kind doesn’t come out without prayer and fasting’.
We know prayer and fasting are tools that shape us. They are as much times of realignment with God and His purposes as they are standing in the gap for others. Can the two really be separated? Isn’t all prayer for the purpose of coming into agreement with His will and then praying from the place of knowing? We either seek to know or know and seek for that will to be done. The prayers of a “righteous” man avail much. Righteous simply speaks to right order before God ~ Right standing, right ways, right thoughts, right words, all enable us to express Him rightly.
Thy Kingdom come, includes a cry for His works to be manifested through us. With
right order pursued and working in us, we can be trusted. We can speak to mountains they are moved because we speak not our own words. Because the Father shows us what to do and how to do it, we cast out devils they go, blind eyes see, deaf ears hear and captives are set free. We are fruitful and multiply His kingdom.
Being just like Jesus, requires us, to be just like Jesus, in all things.
Your Kingdom come, is a cry for His order and rule. First and foremost, it has to be set up in us so that we can extend order and rule in our environments. Without His order and rule over us we are simply lawless and we all know, power without righteous rule is harmful and dangerous.
Acts three tells Jesus was a man attested to by God with mighty works and wonders and signs, that God did through him in their midst.
Shall we be anything less?