We have seen in Study Three that the first concern in our praying is God-centred. The first part of this concern was for the honour, or hallowing, of God's name. The second part of this God-centred concern or focus of prayer is God's kingdom. Jesus told us to pray 'your kingdom come'.
We have already seen, when we studied the sovereignty and majesty of God, that he is indeed King of all the earth. The whole earth, with all of its nations and peoples, is his. Nothing is outside of his control or beyond his authority and power. Why then, do we need to pray 'your kingdom come'? Because his kingdom, his rule, his authority, his sovereignty, are not acknowledged by all; in fact, as the Scriptures make clear, this is a rebel world, and we are rebellious people. From the first rebellion against his authority until the final elimination of rebellion described in Revelation and other Biblical books, there is cosmic rejection of his authority and rule. There is also a cosmic rejection of the principles and mindset of his Kingdom. It is only where the Spirit of God has taken the Word of God about the Son of God and shone into the darkness of men's hearts that there is any reduction or reversal of this rebellion against the eternal King. And it is only there that we are set free from the bondage of the performance-based mindset of the kingdom of darkness and liberated to live in the life/peace mindset of the Kingdom of light.
These two aspects of God's Kingdom combine to reveal a truth that is largely overlooked: the Gospel is 'the Gospel - the good news - of the Kingdom' [Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Luke 4:43; 8:1; Acts 8:12]. God's kingdom is the content of New Testament preaching [Mark 1:14; Luke 9:2,11,60; 16:16; Acts 1:3; 20:25; 28:23, 31]. Associated with this 'good news' quality of the Kingdom is the fact that it is something of great value and great attraction:
So, what are we praying when we say 'your kingdom come'? We are praying for the coming of God's kingdom in three dimensions: inner, expanding and ultimate.
Luke records 'Some Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. His answer was, "The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is!' or 'There it is!' because the Kingdom of God is within you."' [Luke 17:20-21'.
This is the personal or inner dimension of the Kingdom of God. This begins when we acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and God, when we realize, admit, and confess that Jesus Christ is exactly who he claimed to be, the Son of God, and who the Scriptures claim that he is, King of kings and Lord of lords. To receive Jesus Christ is to receive him as the King. He is no less that this. He can be no less than this. To receive Jesus Christ is to enter into his Kingdom and to embrace his Kingdom and its mindset and principles
From that point of Christian confession onwards his Kingdom is within us.
When we pray 'your kingdom come' we are praying that his Kingdom will be more and more of a reality in our lives:
We are praying for the ever increasing impact of his Kingdom - his reign- in our lives.
'From this time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near"' [Matthew 4:17].
'But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you' [Matthew 12:28].
'When you enter a town ... tell them "The kingdom of God is near you"' [Luke 10:8-12].
'I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him' [Matthew 21:31-32].
'Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it' [Luke 16:16].
' ... no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. ... no one can enter the kingdom of God unless his is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit' [John 3:3,6].
'The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those who are outside everything is said in parables ... ' [Mark 4:11].
'I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God' [Luke 9:27].
Thus when we pray 'your kingdom come' we are praying that the Good News of Christ's Kingdom [Luke 8:1; 9:2,11; 16:16; Acts 28:23] will be proclaimed, and that people will hear, and understand that in hearing this message about Jesus Christ, they are being confronted by the Almighty Sovereign Lord; we are praying that they will believe and repent, and thus enter into that Kingdom as it enters into them by the power of the Spirit of God.
'What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.' [Mark 4:30-32].
'For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves ...' [Colossians 1:13].
It is here, under this heading of concern for God and his expanding Kingdom, that our prayers for the conversion of our relatives and friends, and for the work of mission and evangelism, fit in. Here we are praying that his Kingdom will come to them: that someone will tell them of the good news of his Kingdom, that the Spirit of God will impact their hearts with the truth and urgency and wonder of the Kingdom, and that they will repent and believe, and so enter that Kingdom, born again by the power of the Spirit.
From Genesis 3 onwards there is an anticipation of the coming of God's Kingdom. Many have been deluded over the centuries, thinking that the ultimate Kingdom is the Kingdom of Israel, while all the time national Israel is but a prophetic shadow of the real Kingdom. Many are still deluded, perceiving God's Kingdom in physical, earth-bound categories. We must not allow ourselves to be deceived into a minimal view of the ultimate coming Kingdom.
What does our prayer mean here? It means that under this heading we are praying for:
'Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?' [James 2:5].
'And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night has been hurled down' [Revelation 12:10].
' ... The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever' [Revelation 11:15].
For this kingdom we wait, and for the ultimate coming of this kingdom we pray.
All of this and more we are praying for when we pray 'your kingdom come'. It is a massive prayer.
In this are included and validated:
Incorporate the powerful reality of this prayer 'your kingdom come' into your prayers during the next week.
' He who testifies to these things says:
"I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.' Revelation 22:20