Kingdom Warfare
“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.” (Matthew 6:9-10)
The way in which we see the world today varies much from the days of Christ and the apostles. With all of our technological advancements and scientific discoveries, we actually see less of the world now, not more. Yes, I know that the James Webb Space Telescope can see lightyears away, but I do know that we refuse to acknowledge the spiritual realities at the end of our nose. At best, Christians treat the spiritual as a suspicion that is neither confirmed but is neither denied. Jesus, however, confirms the reality of spiritual warfare in the most basic of Christian prayers.
One, we pray that the kingdom of Satan would be destroyed. Paul well recognized that the “prince of the power of the air” rules maliciously over the sons of disobedience, that the “snares of the devil” lie all about, that “the wiles of the devil” require our utmost diligence. Let’s bear in mind: prayer is the acknowledgement of a need. How much do we need God to hear this particular prayer? Satan is smarter than a thousand of our best men, craftier than any beast of the field, and stronger than any prince or power on earth. One may remember The Pilgrim’s Progress where Bunyan personifies the work of the devil through both the ferocious Apollyon and through the sneaky shadow who whispers deceitful and damnable thoughts into the ear of young Christian. How many of us can share a similar experience of some sideways thought entering our mind from nowhere? How many of us can share of the constant prodding and accusations of Satan when we were weak and wounded? He is a skilled tactician than aims at our eternal destruction. How do we expect this kingdom to be destroyed?
Two, we pray that the kingdom of grace may advance. The kingdom of Satan is not destroyed in an election cycle, by a voting bloc, or with the defense of the Second Amendment rights; “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:4) The kingdom of grace advances by the preaching of the gospel, for herein lies the power of God. Should we pray for this? You betcha! Proclaiming the gospel by word and deed takes much longer than an election cycle. The patience of God’s people is tested by the advance of God’s kingdom, but God will surely bring it to pass. (He has brought it all the way to Hinds County – that should say something!) But what do we expect to happen when this kingdom of grace advances?
Three, we pray that the kingdom of glory may come soon. “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world…. then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:14) On that day, the kingdom of glory will be one where sin and Satan have no place, except for the lake of fire which burns day and night forever. On that day, the fighting of which we know daily will be nothing but a memory. On that day, we will rest. But until that day, we pray “Your kingdom come.”
