Matthew 6:9
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”
Accomplishing the will of God on Earth

For several Wednesdays now we have been studying the modeled prayer or disciples’ prayer. A prayer that contains six petitions, so far, we have covered two, and now we have come to the third petition. The first and most important petition is hallowed be thy name. The second is Thy kingdom come, and the third is Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10b).
In this third petition we are acknowledging two very important truths (1) that God knows what is best and that we are to surrender our will to his. (2) It expresses a longing to see God will carried out in the world in which we live.
However, the will of God for us living in the 21st century can be rather confusing because for most of us don’t know clearly what the will of God is for our lives.

What is the meaning of the word will?
The word for “will” in the Greek language is thelma. The word means “what one chooses, wishes or has determined will happen.”
What is the will of God?
The will of God is his desired decision to accomplish whatever He (God) decided beforehand to be done, what He (God) has already completed in his own mind.

The will of God can be understood in two ways:
1. God’s sovereign choice - what God decreed to happen!
2. God’s sovereign command - what God has given to be obeyed!

How does God’s will come to earth?
Jesus tells us to pray, your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. God doesn't accomplish His will on earth through angels; He does it exclusively through you and me. This petition is a prayer of commitment to fulfill God's purpose, or will, for our lives on earth. When sincerely prayed, this is a prayer for God to take control and fulfill His purpose for our lives.
God has a purpose for all of us even before we are born. We can see this in Psalm 139:16, where the psalmist says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body, all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
God says this in Jeremiah 1:5 “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus wrote, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Eph. 2:10a).
God has an individual will or purpose for each of us, and Jesus tells us to pray God's will be done in us as it is in heaven. How is God's will fulfilled in heaven? In this passage Jesus does not say explicitly what the will of God is in heaven, but expressively implies that it is obeyed by those there. Listen to what the psalmist states in Psalm 103:20 “praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly host, you his servants who do his will.”
Notice carefully that God’s will is obeyed in heaven. The angels do His will wholeheartedly, joyously, and completely. We ought to respond the same way to do God's will in earth as it is in heaven—wholeheartedly, joyously, and completely.
The primary purpose of this petition is allowing God's will to come to earth through us. God’s will is accomplished on earth when we desire for God to have His wish, His will and His plans fulfilled or carried out in our lives and in our plans, which ought to be aligned with His.
How do I know what the will of God is for my life?

The will of God is not meant to be a secret we must uncover. God wants us to understand His will far more than we want to understand it. He always makes his will clear to those who seek it with an obedient heart. Jeremiah 29: 13 -14.
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.”
If we want to know what His will is for our lives, we must start with what we know His will to be.
What is God’s will?
Well, His will is His word, more specifically His reveal word that is the ten commandments, which Jesus has summarized for us in very simple terms, it is to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The ultimate expression of God’s will in his word is to love Him and our fellow man.

Jesus says, “your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” Jesus here implies two things about God’s will (1) it’s perfect, and (2) it’s to be performed or carried out.

What is also clear from Jesus’ words is that God’s will or God’s word is forever settled in heaven, Jesus says “…as it is in heaven.” The psalmist declared this in Psalm 119: 89 “forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”

The problems over what the will of God is, is settled for us not just in heaven, but throughout the scriptures. This is where we “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” The Scriptures we have, and hold contains the Will of God, for indeed God’s will is His word. However, God’s word also explains clearly what the will of the Lord is.

Therefore, our study this evening is clear what does the scriptures teach as it relates to the will of God and are there specific places in scripture that declares without a shadow of a doubt that it is His will? There are several places in the Holy Scriptures that teach us what the will of the Lord is.
1. God’s will for us is to accept his salvation (1Timothy 2:3-4; 2 Peter 3:9)
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2. God’s will for us is to be Spirit-filled (Ephesians 5:17-18)
17 Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

3. God’s will for us is to be Sanctified (1 Thessalonians 4: 3-7)
3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable,

4. God’s will for us is to be Submissive (1 Peter 2: 13- 15)
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

5. God’s will for us is to understand at times we will experience Suffering (Philippians 1: 28, 29; 1 Peter 4:19)
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. 29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
19so then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continue to do good.

6. God’s will for us is to Say thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

7. God’s will for us is to Serve the less fortune (Galatians 2: 9, 10; Romans 15: 25-27; II Corinthians 8:1- 5)
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. 10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
8 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

If all these things are true in our lives, then what we do, will be what God’s will is. We must delight ourselves in what He desires to be done. Then we will experience to a greater extent what God promises in Psalms 37:4
Psalm 37:4 says, “delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” That means, that if you are conforming to God’s will in all seven ways, He will place in our hearts, His desires that reflect His will. So, whatever he chooses to do through us will in fact be his will.

God word through the prophet Micah in Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you, o man, what is good. and what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” thus, this third petition will be carried out on earth as it is in heaven.