"Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

Continuing our thoughts on our relationship with God and our worship through the words of the Lord’s Prayer.

Matthew 6:9-13.

"9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. "

"After this manner therefore pray:" Jesus, when he gave us the words of the Lord”s Prayer He did not tell us that we must say it this way, it was given as an example of things to pray about. It is created in two sections, our relationship with God the Father and secondly the words concern the persons requirements. We have considered:- 1) "Our Father." - Our relationship with Him, that He is in full control and should be honoured in praise and our lives.
2) "Your kingdom come." It is God’s plan that ultimately the world will be His kingdom.
3) "Your heavenly kingdom." Will one day be on earth.

We are now looking at the second request by the one using the Lord’s prayer in their personal prayers, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."

This request is going to produce various reactions by the praying person because we each are naturally strong willed, wanting to be in control of all the events associated with our own personal life.
Our attitude to this request will have the following effects.:-
1)Give in resentfully to the "Will of God," - not happy with the situation but reluctantly accepts the "Will of God" in their life.
2)Resignation: Already decided what was the "Will of God" for the situation. An example is found in Acts 12:5-17, Peter had been put in prison and the local Christians had been praying for the situation, but did not believe that God would just release Peter from prison, they could not believe what the will and plans of God were.
2) Acknowledge: These people only accept the Will of God because God was all powerful and they had no choice.
3) Rejoicing: The Believer wants the Will of God to fully control their personal life, we must remind ourselves that in heaven the Angelic servants of God happily obey and seek His Will.
Psalm 103:20.

"20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word."

The people on the earth still do not seek the "Will of God."
2 Corinthians 4:4.

"4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Realities of the Will of God.

The Will of God in practice has different states.

1) The Will of Degree or has the "Will of God" the ability to be changed: the Will of God is perfect, and pure so the way God has for dealing with the act of sin, or disobedience cannot be changed, punishment or forgiveness through the death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This also means that there is only one way for forgiveness and that is through the action of Jesus.
. Hebrews 9:26.27.

"26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

We can also consider that the Laws of the universe will not change as God said that it was perfect at His creation, if it needs to be changed then it was not perfect.
Genesis 1:31.

"31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day."

2) The Will of Desire: What God wants to happen.
When someone becomes ill or even dies there are many people will say,"It is God’s Will." Yes, it could be, He may be using the illness to teach the person to be more Christ like, but it was never the "Will of God" that Mankind would suffer illness or death. God created the world and Mankind to be perfect but with a free will, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and so suffered the punishment of initially, a separation from God, the spiritual death, and secondly physical death. But God loved His creation and wanted them to be His children, so has prepared a way back into His family.
2 Peter 3:9

"9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

God allows physical death, and after the day of Judgement, Spiritual death, but this was never the action that He wanted to happen, He is a God of love, He has great love for His creation.
Jesus came into the world to provide a way back to God, but we each have to make a personal decision, and that free will decision is not according to the "Will of God" but is made by us personally, therefore God cannot be held responsible for the consequences of our decisions, because we make the choice according to our own will.
Matthew 10:28.

"28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

Only God can send you to eternal hell and punishment, but do not blame God for your own decisions, He does not want you to be punished.

The Will of Demand.

Is there anything in scripture which we should do according to the "Will of God?" Yes, Romans 6:1,2.

"1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?"

Titus 2:11.

"11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Hebrews 10:22-26.

"22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"

Unfortunately there are some who liked the idea of a future eternal life in heaven, obviously this must be in preference to eternity in hell, but are not prepared to subject themselves to the "Will of God" during their saved life in the world.

Ephesians 5:15-18.

"15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"

"1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:"

1 Peter 2:13-17.

"13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king."

"16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesying’s.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil."

The "Will of God" requires personal action.

"28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them two did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you."

Jesus is telling us that we can easily say we will do the "Will of God" in our lives, but then do not carry out His request.

"Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven."
This request in our prayers is an act of rebellion, the world does not want God to rule over them, yet here you are asking Him to take over the world, that is an act of revolution, and act of rebellion.
It also puts pressure upon the person asking for this action, they must be prepared as it is a request of readiness for yourself, you are saying "Take over the world so that you control the earth and heaven and me. I am ready for the battle, I have given in to seek and follow your will."

Why do we not all have this attitude?
We have doubts about what God can do, what affect it will have on our own personal life, "I still want to be in charge".
Does God really know all about me and the consequences of this request?
Will He keep His promises?

When we were created it was the "Will of God" that we should all live a perfect, eternal life, serving the loving God. But mankind chose to turn away from the love and control of God.
Today, it is the "Will of God" that you should be saved through Jesus, to repent, receive forgiveness through the death of Jesus and become His children.

If you are not saved, through Jesus, then you cannot be in the "Will of God."