Understanding The Lord's Prayer Part 2

[saint701]

Hello Christianity Oasis!

I hope you all are doin' great!



Blessings!

Thy Kingdom Come...Wow! What a great request...Heaven on Earth...I have no words to describe just how wonderful it would be to have only the Kingdom of Heaven in all of its fullness here right now. Such will be the ultimate fulfillment of all of our hopes and dreams of everlasting life and love and glory! But is our Lord asking something of the Father in addition to a future vision of His Kingdom here? Hmmm..thy kingdom come...are we missing something here? I believe so.

There was a time in my Christian walk when I would drive to a country back road or out on an interstate to make my requests known to God. I intendeded to be heard. "Lord Jesus," I would yell, "I have a covenant in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for you to do me good!" Then I would proceed to tell the Lord what I was in need of by yelling it out. The Lord would then acknowledge my faith and show me mercy and grace. That was wonderful. I always got a big load off my chest and would feel light and happy afterward.

But in all honesty I was like so many others of the past 30 years, thinking the Lord was out there in His Kingdom somewhere, not considering many of the scriptures that contradict that thinking. (Of course the Kingdom of Heaven is also a literal place where our Heavenly Dad, our Lord, the Spirit of God, angels and saints dwell, but there is another side to where the Kingdom of Heaven can be found). For example, in the 18th chapter of John we find Pilate talking with Jesus. Here is a portion of the conversation.

John.18

[36] Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
[37] Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Now what our Lord said above doesn't necessarily change our perspective that our Lord's Kingdom is out there somewhere, but then we discover Luke chapter 17.

Luke.17

[20] And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
[21] Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

For many years I had a tendency to fly right on by those verses in Luke. After all, most of us are preoccupied with thoughts of our Lord's second coming and discussing when our Lord may appear. The idea of the Kingdom of Heaven being within us can stretch our faith beyond what we can believe. Even those of us born again and filled with the Spirit of God have a tendency to diminish that reality while magnifying everything outside of us.

But the Apostle Paul teaches us otherwise. In Romans chapter 14 he has this to say to us.

Rom.14

1.[17] For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

And probably Paul's greatest statements to us about the importance of the Kingdom of Heaven being recognized within us are found in the following scriptures.

Col.1

1.[27] To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Gal.2

2.[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:

Here we present the final scriptures that agree with all that we've shown you before of the Kingdom of Heaven having already come, in particular Rom.14:17 above where Paul defines the Kingdom of God being where the Holy Ghost is.

Acts.2

[1] And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
[2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
[3] And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

My conclusion...? Those of us with the Spirit of God living within our hearts are living in the Kindom of Heaven right now. The Father's Kingdom has come on Earth.

My recommendation...? If not already filled with the Holy Spirit, seek Him to come live within you, for such is a right of all believers everywhere, and necessary should we desire the Kingdom of Heaven to be within us.

Next, "Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven."


Blessings!
Love, in Christ Jesus, saint.