Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
What is meant by this Petition?
The good and gracious will of God is done, indeed, without our prayer, but we pray in this petition that it may be done by us also.
When is this effected?
When God frustrates and brings to nought every evil counsel and purpose which would hinder us from hallowing the name of God and prevent His kingdom from coming to us,—such as the will of the devil, of the world, and of our own flesh; and when he strengthens us and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in the faith even unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.
In this Petition we pray for grace gladly to believe, do, and suffer all that God wills us to believe, do, and suffer, so that His name may be hallowed, and His kingdom may come.
THY WILL. God's will is, 1. That we should believe the Gospel and be saved. [I Tim 2:4+] 2. That we should obey His commandments and be holy. [I Thess. 4:3+] 3. That we should willingly submit to all His dealings with us, and suffer patiently when He lays a cross on us. [Rom. 8:17+]
BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. We pray that God's will may be done by all men and especially by us, as heartily, as continually, and as completely as it is done by the holy angels. [Ps. 103:20, 21]
THE GOOD AND GRACIOUS WILL OF GOD. The will of God is always good and gracious, because He always wills those things which He, in His wisdom and love, [I John 4:16] sees are best. He does all things well, even when we do not understand His ways. [Isa. 55:8, 9, Rom. 8:28]
IS DONE INDEED WITHOUT OUR PRAYER. There will always be some persons who permit God to accomplish His good and gracious purposes in them, whether we pray for it or not. [Isa. 55:11]
BUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT IT MAY BE DONE BY US ALSO; [Rom. 12:12] that is, that we may believe His Gospel, obey His Commandments, and trustfully permit Him to lead us in whatsoever paths He will.
In order that God's good and gracious will may be done by us, all opposing wills must be overcome. [Luke 22:31] We therefore pray God
1. TO FRUSTRATE AND BRING TO NOUGHT THE WILL OF THE DEVIL, [II Cor. 2:11] OF THE WORLD [I John 2:15, 16] (wicked persons), AND OF OUR OWN FLESH [Gal. 5:17+] (our natural heart). For these are the great enemies of our souls, who by their EVIL COUNSELS AND PURPOSES WOULD HINDER US FROM HALLOWING THE NAME OF GOD AND PREVENT HIS KINGDOM FROM COMING TO US. They tempt us to oppose God's will by despising His Gospel, disobeying His Commandments, and murmuring against His dealings with us. We pray God
2. TO STRENGTHEN US, [Phil. 2:13] so that we may be able to overcome these enemies and do God's will in spite of them. [Eph. 6:11, 12+] They are very powerful, but if we are in earnest about overcoming them, God will give us the needful strength in answer to our prayer. We pray God
3. TO KEEP US STEADFAST IN HIS WORD IN THE FAITH EVEN OUR END, [Phil. 1:6, I Pet. 4:19] so that we may believe the Gospel with all our heart, live holy Christian lives, trust God to lead us as He sees best, and be faithful unto death, that we may receive the crown of life.
QUESTIONS.—1. What do we pray for in this petition? 2. What do we mean by God's will in this petition? 3. How do we pray that God's will may be done? 4. Why is the will of God good and gracious? 5. How is God's will done without our prayer? 6. When do we do God's will? 7. What three things do we pray God to do? 8. What three wills oppose the will of God? 9. What do the devil, the world, and our own flesh seek? 10. Why do we pray God to strengthen us? 11. When do we remain steadfast in God's Word and in the faith?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.—I Tim. 2:4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
I Thess. 4:3. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification.
Rom. 8:17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ: if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Gal. 5:17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Eph. 6:11, 12. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
READING.—Jesus in Gethsemane, Matt. 26:36-44.
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