THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray. In considering the subject of intercession, it is important to refer to the Lord’s Prayer (as it is popularly called), which is actually the principle of prayer as it was clearly laid down by our Master, Jesus.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matt.6:9&10

Every part of the Lord’s Prayer is important and each teaches us different aspects of prayer. For example, “Our Father which art in heaven” teaches us that our prayer should be directed to God, not an angel, a prophet or any of the saints that have gone before us. “Hallowed be thy name” teaches us that God needs to be approached in prayer with a holy fear and humility of heart (in the attitude of worship). However, our focus in this study; “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done …” reveals that intercession is God’s idea. Jesus commands it and He expects it to be part of our normal prayer life.

Thy Kingdom Come: It is obvious that Jesus was not asking the disciples to pray for the coming of the heavenly kingdom (His second coming) because that would be like praying for winter or summer to come. There is a fixed time for this in God’s program and praying for it to come will amount to a waste of time because it is bound to come. By asking the disciples to pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth, Jesus was referring to His kingdom lifestyle, which is revealed in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Rom. 14:17) The kingdom lifestyle is a life that is void of sin and all kinds of evil. It is an experience of salvation, healing, deliverance and an awesome relationship with God. Therefore if at anytime things are going on the contrary (as it is everywhere in the world today), God expects us to stand in the gap and pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done in place of the existing evil. When men choose darkness over light, when they choose to enjoy the pleasure of the world rather than serve the Lord, when they choose to engage in other religions because of their ignorance, then Christians should remember that we have been commanded to pray that His kingdom come and His will be done.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-3 we read; I exhort therefore that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Intercession is good and acceptable in the sight of God; it is the will of God and it is a worthy service. According to the above passage, God’s will is that all men might be saved. What a wonderful place this world will be if all men are saved. It means there will be no killing of one another, there will be no corruption and greediness in government, there will be no betrayal, oppression and immorality; then we will be able to lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty.

Kings and Priests: Have you ever wondered why Christians are referred to as kings and priests in the book of Revelation? (Rev. 1:6, Rev. 5:10) I believe these two titles clearly reveal our ministry as intercessors. A king rules by authority. God has given us the authority as believers to rule on earth. A believer who knows his position in the Lord will decree the will of God in any situation (by prayer according to the word of God) and it will come to pass. By the grace of God, I have witnessed an open door for a Christian Fellowship in an environment where it was highly prohibited because some Christians exercised their kingship authority through prayer and bold actions. I have also witnessed a heavy downpour of rain which was as a result of an authoritative prayer by some bold believers to prevent some traditional rituals. Intercessors are Kingdom Enforcers and this is what God has called every believer to be.

Priests: In the Old Testament, a priest represents the people before God. He speaks to God and makes sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. Jesus, our High Priest did the same thing for us and He expects us to do the same. Instead of offering animal sacrifice or our own body, we are to offer up our prayer on behalf of others, this is intercession. You are not yet a king or a priest until you learn to intercede.

The Love Factor: Why do we have to intercede? 1. God commands it (by asking us to pray for His kingdom to come). 2. It is good and acceptable in the sight of God. 3. He has made us kings and priests (which connotes that He has put the ability in us) The summary of these reasons is the love factor. Intercession fulfills the two greatest commandments on which all other commandments hang. Love God: If you love God, you will do His will; you will go after that which pleases Him. If you love God, His concern will be your concern, therefore, there is no way you will not be an intercessor. Love your Neighbor: If you love your neighbors, you will not rejoice over their calamity, you will not want them to perish, you will not make fun or gossip about their ungodly manners. Instead, you will want them to have the life, the joy and the peace that you have. You will want to talk to God about them and ask for His touch upon their lives – that is intercession.

In conclusion Do you desire a refreshing and fulfilling experience in your prayer life? Do you wish to take your prayer life to a dimension that God destines it to be? then learn to intercede. When God told Isaiah to cry, he asked; “what shall I cry?” (Isaiah 40:6) If this is the question in your heart, all you have to do is look around you, your family, your church, your community and the world around you. If your heart is in tune with God, I guarantee you that it will not be long before you discover a situation about which you need to cry “Lord, let your kingdom come and your will be done!”