“Thy kingdom come.” (Matthew 6:10, KJV)
When Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray in Matthew 6, the very first instruction He gives in the prayer pattern is kingdom praying. If ever we needed an indication of how important it is to pray for His Kingdom, it is here. But what exactly are we praying for when we are praying kingdom prayers?
If prayers of praise are turning our focus upward, and prayers of confession turn our focus inward, prayers for His kingdom turn our focus outward. Often, we don’t make these prayers a priority because we are too focused on our “stuff,” and it is here that we are missing the forest for the trees.
Kingdom praying is asking God to bring Heaven here to earth, to marry His space with ours, to accomplish His plan. Can you imagine if we started all our prayers here? Matthew 6:33 says to “seek first His kingdom.” What would happen if we didn’t pray for our Earthly needs first, but for those things that matter for eternity?
We may not make an impact on the kingdom of God when we get our prayers answered for that new job, physical healing or clear direction on how to fix a temporary problem. But we can open the door for God to work when we pray for the Gospel to be spread, when we pray for food for the hungry, when we pray for freedom for the enslaved, when we pray for the Lord to “send out workers into His harvest field.” (Luke 10:2, NIV)
And truly, when we are praying for this forest, we are still praying for the trees. We are a part of His kingdom, and when we turn our attention to the things He cares about, then we are opening the door for Him to bless us as well.
Turn your attention outward, sisters. See this world through His eyes, with the love He has for His creation. See His grief for the bruised and scarred state we’re in. And pray.
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
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46 thoughts on "kingdom praying"
I comment when I especially enjoy a article on a website or I have something to contribute to the discussion.
Usually it is triggered by the sincerness displayed in the post I looked
at. And on this post kingdom praying | #SheReadsTruth#SheReadsTruth.
I was actually excited enough to leave a thought :-P I do have
a couple of questions for you if you tend not to mind.
Is it only me or does it give the impression like some of the remarks come across as if they are left by brain dead people?
:-P And, if you are posting on additional online social sites, I would
like to follow you. Could you make a list the complete urls of all your communal pages like your
Facebook page, twitter feed, or linkedin profile?
God desires so much for us. His love for us is so strong. So unconditional. This world is not how He had planned it for us. We live in a fallen world, and it breaks my heart to see so much suffering, and it breaks my heart even more when people blame God for it when He's the One who wants better for us. In this world we will have trouble, but Jesus tells us to take heart, because He has overcome the world! His kingdom here on earth is in the making, but according to Revelation, we must first experience great destruction. Trial by fire. In the meantime, it is our job to pray for the continuation and growth of His kingdom, that more will be saved and come to know the Lord and His great blessings. Amidst the destruction, He reminds us of His all powerful hand on all situations, big and small. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done!
What’s up to every one, as I am in fact eager of reading this blog’s post
to be updated regularly. It carries fastidious stuff.
Eyes on the KINGDOM Sisters in Christ at SHE READS. LIKEd all you comments and so appreciate this study plan, though I just caught it this week and it's almost over, I am doing it with YouVersion and keep coming here reading all your wonderful sharings and insights… May God bless you and your prayers both individually and corporately and especially for His Kingdom. With all the events happening around our world and in so many individual's world falling apart, we need to join together and stand with one another in prayer, looking so forward to National Day of Prayer, May 2nd. This is great preparation for us along with their many resources and small group studies, too. This is excellent SRT team! Keep up the GREAT WORK!
as always…in Christ,
Peggy
I should have edited my comment.Oops, sorry about those mistakes and I should have given the link to NDOP http://nationaldayofprayer.org/
http://commit2pray.com/
You have no idea how much this has touched my heart and how much I needed to read this! Thank you
Welcome Lina, you’ve made a great choice to start your journey back…praying for you Rockinat55, Emily (EllenMR), Boston, and any others.
I’m new to the site and I’m trying to find my way back to the Lord. When I’ve prayed I usually pray for something that’s going on in my life. I pray for others bur not as I shoud. This passage it very fitting in light of what has happened in Boston. More than ever we need to pray for this world we’re living in today. May the Lord be with all affected.
Welcome home, Lina. I have only been with this group of marvelous women since February. It is a blessing to me to check in several times a day.
Good night sisters in Christ. Yes praying for those in boston tonight. This act shows us that we need to continue for those who don’t know Christ. God said its not His will that anyone should perish.Yet due to the hardness of peoples heart they are pershing. We need to pray for this land america.whichever city you are from pray for your city. Remember nehemiah? He prayed for his city because he was grieved. I’m from nyc so I will be praying for my city and all those close by. Boston is too close to home and it could of been in nyc. So let’s pray my sisters that the lord protects the saints,save souls from eternal damnation and that His will be done. We are truly living in the last days so let’s continue to look up because our redemption draweth nigh….
I couldn’t get this website to work this morning so I didn’t get to comment this morning. I really needed to be reminded of this and not always have the focus on my needs! Today I really am reminded how much others need prayers of comfort, healing, forgiveness, love and salvation. I pray these things for the people of Boston tonight.
Today is a day when people really need to be praying for the Kingdom. Praying for the people and families of the victims affected by the bombing in Boston, as well as whoever did such a horrible act, I pray that justice is brought to them and that they repent of that sin and seek Jesus. I pray that all bombs everywhere that hurt innocents and wicked alike are one day disarmed. Praying that the Kingdom and peace come to all our souls. Pray that our hearts are at peace with God.
Amen.
This program is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have let my prayer life and Sunday worship slip recently. Reading these responses fills my heart with joy. I thank you all and I thank God for leading me to this worship service daily. WE all need this. Just being a Sunday christian will not keep us strong enough to handle the evil in this world. I pray for strength to do what I have to and I ask for your prayers as well.
I really needed this reminder to look towards the bigger picture. Many thanks ladies.
The tragedy in Boston today is an even greater reason that we need to pray for more of heaven here on Earth.
Thank you ladies for your prayers!
Rocknitat55, love your choice of scripture! Hoping your heart is lighter, you regularly lift ours! :)
Boston- we are praying for you!!
Praying for Boston!
Omg! Ladies let us join together to pray for the city of Boston.
Thank you for the great devo on Kingdom praying. We all seem to get self-absorbed and/or world-absorbed. What a huge impact we would make if we started our day praying as Jesus taught us. First recognize God for who He is and go straight into praying for His kingdom. What huge perspective we would gain for our day. One question I have about the devo this morning is-why did you think we might not impact the kingdom when God answers our other prayers? It seems to me that in every prayer prayed the kingdom is impacted because prayer changes us. I would love to hear what others think….Much Grace Ladies
personally I believe that God does answer prayer and prayer does change people and people frame our world. As a whole we tend to not pray kingdom prayers. Beyond our yard, community, our country, our nation. We, myself included must be deliberate in our interscession.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
This is God’s mandate to pray for the kingdom ladies. We live in this kingdom, our children are heirs to the kingdom. Things are not hopeless, we can’t give up and say that just politics, I’m just 1 person. There are instances in the Bible where God did change his mind because of one persons
interceding. Nothing shall be impossible to them that believe!
Thanks my sister wonderful point to start a dialog. God bless U.
Sisters, I have a desperate prayer request!
My friends niece, who suffered thru brain cancer and a stroke at the age of 4, who then went on to be a special needs child who worked soo hard at becoming independent as an adult- (she just bought her own house!) has had a terrible set back. She has suffered several ‘small’ strokes recently, which has now taken her eye sight. She MAY regain sight if the swelling in her brain goes down, and could possibly return home IF nothing more were to happen… Please ladies, pray for a very special girl who has touched many lives! But as in everything, His will be done.
I’d appreciate your help praying for Emily today. Thank you Sisters!!
Praying
Praying
Praying
Praying for Emily.
Praying for you Rocknita55. Know how loved you are, by God and by all of us!
This is very appropriate for me. A couple of days ago I realized that my heart was not focused on the kingdom enough. I apologized and prayed that God would give me a heart for his kingdom, but I admittedly didn’t know what to do. This is it! Pray that the kingdom of God will grow, pray for the oppressed and sick. God will transform my heart to be more like his as he uses my prayers to change the world.
I had never really understood or knew what Kingdom prayer was before today's devotion, and I started to get worried that I have never prayed this type of prayer before. But then I thought about my prayers throughout the day…the little ones that come to mind as I go about my day and quickly mumble a prayer to God and I realized that those are Kingdom prayers. When I'm running around the house, sometimes I stop and glance at the picture of Antonio, an African boy we sponsor through Food for the Hungry. I mumble a quick prayer for him and his village, and all suffering from starvation and other ailments. Then, I catch myself saying a prayer for the homeless and addicted as I make may way through downtown Cincinnati on my way to work. I believe these are Kingdom prayers, although I need to make them more of a priority than a passing thought throughout my day. Thank you for this reminder and for continuing to teach me that my prayer life is constantly growing!
Seek first the Kingdom of God…Jesus' direction to setting priorities in life and in prayer…like yesterday's memorized verse, in the center of God's will, praying God's Kingdom building on Earth, in praise, confession, petition, in my family, friends; Everytime I pray, praying for the expansion of God's Kingdom, the gaps decrease between earth and heaven. Kingdom praying also focuses my attention on the character and heart of God. Our prayers for harvesters in the field direct our eyes to beyond our own salvation.
Yesterday after church, as I waited in the car for my gregarious husband to emerge from chatting, handshaking, and hugging, I noticed a group of people across the road engaged in conversation, laughing, taking turns riding on a four wheeler. As I watched, I felt the leading of The Lord to pray for them. Keep in mind..no clue as to who they were, what their spiritual condition, No Clue…but suddenly, I felt compassion for them and knew I needed to pray. I prayed that God's will be done in their lives, thanks to these lessons.
Today, I pray that God's Kingdom come into their lives.
I re-read a familiar verse that came to mind as I thought about all of this.
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)"
What jumped out at me today was the second sentence, the word "you". That pronoun's refers to those like Carolynmimi (me) who are in Christ. I have a responsibility in Kingdom Praying, Kingdom Seeking, Kingdom Building…I have work He has prepared for me to do in His Harvest fields.
Oh, Sisters, He calls us to extend His reign and close the gaps so No One Will Perish!
Nita I am praying for ou this morning, for I have been where you are. Of course none of us are worthy, He MAKES us worthy! I pray you let HIM wrap His arms around you this morning and remind you of His love for YOU. Max Lucado said once, "He loves each one of us as if there was only one of us to love!" That is the kind of God you are serving today! Merciful, patient, loving and kind. Let Him carry your burdens today friend.
I love today's post for it causes me to forget about ME. I just posted an article on my blog two weeks ago on this Very subject if anyone wants to read it entitled It's Not About ME! http://hopeinthehealing.com/2013/04/09/its-not-ab….
Lord, help us to trade our mirrors for a window!
“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.”
My grandmother use to say there is a big ole pond out there and if take your mind off of yourself and pray for the greater good before you know it your bucket would be full.
I need this, this morning. I woke up this morning with a heavy heart. Heart matters. I think there is nothing worse. But I am going to turn my prayer upward and outward today for the greater good.
Ladies I solicit your prayers today for a heavy heart, for depression, for a spirit of unworthness.
Bless u ladies, miracles on Monday.
rockinita55, I am iwth you. Felt heavy when woke up. I loved what you had to say here. Praying for you, sister.
Praying God's Kingdom Come, God's will be done to lift the burdens of your heart today!
I read your post and stopped to pray for you. Meditate on who God says you are. Here are only six, I'm sure there are many more.
You are: blessed, chosen, adopted, accepted, redeemed, and forgiven. Meditate on these today and the enemy will flee. Blessings.
praying for you rocknitat555 for your heart to be light and to know that you are the daughter of a King who thought you worthy enough!! Your words are always encouraging to me.
Love all of you sisters & the way you have blessed me.
Rocknit@55,
Your grandma sounds like she was a smart women! I paused to pray for you and send warm thoughts your way. That heavy heart feeling is a tough one; I have felt it from time to time as well. I think we all have.
As far as unworthiness…you are worthy. Sister! Never forget that! Be encouraged!
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with My victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Diana & Amy’s replies say it so well. I’ll just add an Amen & hope your day is a better one tomorrow.
Lord, I don't know Nita in that I can't picture her face, but I know her as a fellow daughter in Christ. I know her struggles as if they were my own, because a year ago, they were my struggles. I lift her up in prayer this morning. I pray for you to wrap your comforting arms around her and whisper in her ear "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness". Touch the scars on her heavy heart and let her touch the scars on your wrists. Show her that You can make her whole again. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.
Thanks for the reminder to be more focus on kingdom and not on things
Yet another area of prayer that’s been lacking in my prayer life! So thankful for this deco to guide, remind, and stretch me. Have a wonderful day ladies! Prayers for you all.
this is a great (and yet another) reminder that it's not all about me. it's so easy for me to pray for what i need. there's a big old forest out there that needs my care, attention & prayers..
Amen