Kingdom Alignment Part 4

At Keys Vineyard Church, we are presenting a series called ‘Kingdom Alignment,’ which we post here on Online Bible Institute.

Last week we in our Kingdom Alignment series we talked about prayer. This week we are going to continue that as we begin exploring the Lord’s prayer.

Matthew 6:9–10 (NIV)
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

When Jesus teaches us to pray, He does not begin with our needs, our problems, or even our requests. He begins with God. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

That opening reminds us that prayer is first about relationship and worship before it is about asking. The words “Our Father” invite us into intimacy. The words “in heaven” remind us of His greatness. God is not a distant ruler who is uninterested in our lives, but neither is He simply a larger version of ourselves. He is both loving Father and sovereign King.

Jesus then says: “Hallowed be your name.” The word hallowed means holy, honored, revered, set apart. It is a prayer that God’s name would be treasured, respected, and worshiped—not only in the world around us, but also in our own hearts. Before we ask God to change our circumstances, Jesus teaches us to ask God to shape our perspective. Too often we approach prayer focused entirely on what we want God to do. Jesus begins by helping us remember who God is. Prayer starts by lifting our eyes from ourselves to Him.

Then Jesus teaches us to pray: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” These words may be some of the most challenging in the entire prayer. It is one thing to ask God to bless our plans. It is another thing entirely to surrender ourselves to His.

The kingdom of God is the rule and reign of God. To pray, “Your kingdom come,” is to ask that God’s purposes, values, and ways would increasingly shape our lives, our families, our churches, and our communities. To pray, “Your will be done,” is an act of trust. It is a recognition that God sees what we cannot see and knows what we do not know.

In many ways, this prayer reflects the very heart of Kingdom Alignment. We live in a world that constantly teaches us to pursue our own kingdom, our own agenda, and our own way. Jesus teaches us to begin prayer differently. Before we ask for daily bread. Before we ask for forgiveness. Before we ask for help. We pray: Father, may Your name be honored. May Your kingdom come. May Your will be done.

Because true prayer is not simply about getting God to align with our plans. It is about allowing our hearts to align with His.

This weekend at Keys Vineyard Church, we will discuss all this and more, so be sure to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a pastor at Keys Vineyard Church and also the founder of the Online Bible Institute Network.