Your Will Be Done Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

Reason #1: It is hard to pray, because it means giving up control of your own life.

Reason #2: It is hard to pray, because we often doubt that God wants the best for us.

Reason #3: It is hard to pray, because God’s will sometimes involves suffering and pain

SERMON BODY:

• The Lord’s prayer as recorded in Mathew’s gospel;

• Is probably the most prayed prayer ever spoken;

• Just think how many times it was recited, sung or prayed;

• Throughout this country and around the world;

• Too many to number.

• Yet amazingly when you stop to analyse its content;

• It is a wonder anyone dare pray it all!

Ill:

• I cannot say OUR;

• If my religion has no room for others and their needs.

• I cannot say FATHER;

• If I do not demonstrate this relationship in my daily life.

• I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN;

• If all my interests and pursuits are in earthly things.

• I cannot say HALLOWED BE THY NAME;

• If I, who am called by his name am not holy.

• I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME;

• If I am unwilling to give up my own sovereignty and accept the righteous reign of God.

• I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE;

• If I am unwilling or resentful of having it in my life.

I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN;

• Unless I am truly ready to give myself to his service here and now.

• I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD;

• Without expending honest effort for it or by ignoring the genuine needs of my fellow men.

• I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US if I continue to harbour a grudge against anyone.

• I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION;

• If I deliberately choose to remain in a situation where I am likely to be tempted.

• I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL;

• If I am not prepared to fight in the spiritual realm with the weapon of prayer.

• I cannot say THINE IS THE KINGDOM;

• If I do not give the King the disciplined obedience of a loyal subject.

• I cannot say THINE IS THE POWER;

• If I fear what my neighbours do or say to me.

• I cannot say THINE IS THE GLORY;

• If I am seeking my own glory first.

• I cannot say FOREVER;

• If I am anxious about each day's events.

• I cannot say AMEN;

• Unless I honestly say "Cost what it may, this is my prayer."

My title for this evening’s sermon is: ‘A hard prayer to pray!’

• As that last quotation reminded us, it is a very hard prayer to pray!

• We have reached the line in our studies that goes:

• “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

• Quote: Sometimes we pray "Thy will be changed" rather than "Thy will be done."

• The basic difficulty we face when we pray, "Your will be done."

• Is we are implicitly asking that our wills be overturned.

• And many of us do not want our wills to be overturned.

Now if that part of the prayer wasn’t hard enough Jesus went on to say:

• That God’s will, might be done “on earth as it is in heaven.”

• And we know that God’s will is perfectly obeyed in heaven.

Ill: Psalm 103 verse 20

“Praise the LORD, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding,

who obey his word.”

God’s will is always being done in heaven.

• In heaven, God’s will is instantaneously done;

• In heaven, God’s will is completely done;

• In heaven, God’s will is joyfully done.

• In essence, Jesus asks us to pray that we might become a little more like the angels;

• Who always obey (and a little less like the demons who never obey).

• And when that happens, the earth will become a little more like heaven;

• A little more like the paradise God created earth to be.

Note:

• God’s will is rarely done on the earth.

• The population of planet earth is about 7 billion.

• The number of Christians around the world has nearly quadrupled in the last 100 years,

• From about 600 million in 1910 to more than 2 billion in 2010.

• Straight away that means 5 million people will not wake up and ask the true God;

• If they can follow his will for their lives on earth.

• And out of the 2 billion who claim Christianity as their religion;