The Purpose of Prayer (Part 2)

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"Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as in heaven." (Luke 11:2).

Three things happen as we pray. First, which we looked at yesterday, is that we have fellowship with God. The second thing that happens is that we cooperate in bringing God's Kingdom to Earth.

What exactly does this mean? Simply stated, it means doing our part to see God's will happen in our sphere of influence.

Practically speaking, it means you should never pray a prayer that is not already God's will. This is what the Bible is talking about when it says, "You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss; that you may consume it on your own lusts" (James 4:3). In other words, our prayers are not answered when we pray for selfish reasons, wanting to indulge our own desires.

"THY will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Whenever we pray what God has already decided to do, our prayers cannot miss! "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him." (1 John 5:14-15).

But this not only means we are never to pray a prayer that is not already God's will; it also means that you should never pray a prayer that you are not willing to be the answer to. In other words, don't ask God to bless the poor if you are not ready to do your part in becoming the means whereby He does it.

Don't pray for change in the courts, in the schools, in the marketplace, or in the church -- if you're going to sit passively by the side to see if any change comes. Otherwise you are praying empty prayers -- mere religious words that have no meaning....and no power.

You must pray your passion -- for it is in such prayers that God's answers come; and they come through you. He gives you wisdom, opportunity, patience, resource and power from on high to actually effect the answers for which you cry out to heaven.

"Thy Kingdom come," we pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Pray as though it depended totally upon God; work as though it depends totally upon you.

What are you prepared to do today to become the answer to the prayers you have been praying?
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