The Coming Kingdom

The Coming Kingdom and Heaven on Earth

Matt 6:9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven. NKJV

This chapter began with the emphasis on the wrong way to give charitable donations and to offer prayers to God. Then Jesus says: “In this manner, therefore pray: Our Father in heaven Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The hypocrites came before God in such a way that they were trying to attract attention to themselves and to their charitable giving. They were not focused on the audience of one, but the many and, as a result, they had received a vanishing reward.
The prayers and giving of the hypocrites revealed that they had no intimate relationship with God. What they did was an attempt to earn respect or reward through much show and effort. They were coming to God as strangers and not His children. Jesus, as our elder brother says: “therefore, when you pray, come to God as His children, recognizing Him as Father and honoring Him as our Father.

Let Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. On earth we have man’s kingdoms and we have man’s will being done which, in most cases, is directly opposed to that of God’s. God has revealed His kingdom and His will to the church for the purpose of releasing it into the earth. We as the church must enter His kingdom and come into agreement with His will so that heaven’s influence can affect this earthly realm. Man’s will and man’s kingdom always points to man as the solution to his own deficit. Jesus directs man’s eyes to God’s will and His kingdom as the answer. In verse 33 of Matthew 6 Jesus says;

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. NKJV

Though man thinks his own will and kingdom will solve the world’s problems, Jesus points us, as His church, to the real solution. God’s will and kingdom coming into power and authority over this earth is the only lasting solution. His kingdom comes to earth in two stages. The first comes as an option to man. He can receive or reject God’s will and rule over his life but the second will not be optional. Those who have refused to submit to the will and kingdom of God during this period of grace, and continue to exalt man’s kingdom, will be forced to bow the knee.

Phil 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NKJV

Even though all will eventually bow to Jesus as Lord and King, only those who willing surrender to Him will enter His Kingdom and reign with Him. Jesus will actually remove all other rulers from power when He comes to establish His Kingdom in the natural realm.

Revelation 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" NKJV

In teaching His followers how to pray, Jesus was emphasizing our position in the family and making us aware of our royal heritage. Our entrance and function in His Kingdom is as kings and priests. As priests we have access to God to know His heart and will. As kings we have power to decree His Kingdom come and will be done on earth as in heaven.

Revelation 1:5 To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

Revelation 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth." NKJV

In this age of grace, God’s Kingdom is not manifested through a show of natural might or religious activity but it is hidden in the hearts of believers.

Luke 17:20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." NKJV

Speaking to Pilate: John 18:36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." NKJV

So the bottom line is that we function in His Kingdom through the Spirit of God. The things of the eternal Spirit are invisible to man. All that we do must be by the power of faith and love, not an outward display of religious activities, human influence or military power. So let’s not pray as if we are strangers or orphans who do not know their father or his will, but pray as children who are made to be kings and priests to our God in His Kingdom. Let us come into agreement with heaven and decree that heaven be manifest on earth. What ever is not allowed in heaven, we disallow on earth and what ever is welcomed in heaven, let it be at home on earth.