“Thy Kingdom come”
This world is not the Kingdom of God. If it was, God would have a lot of explaining to do. Christ would not be telling us to pray “thy kingdom come,” if it were already here.
The “world” is sin fallen and Satan is called its god[i]and prince.[ii] He patrols it as a predator seeking whom he may devour,[iii] that’ would be us. Scripture calls it “this present evil world.”[iv] It’s a mess! Far from “God’s in control,” it’s a crossfire of influences headed for an inevitable coup by antichrist against God Himself.[v] We are in enemy territory.
Nevertheless, we manifest God’s Kingdom in the midst of this hostile environment by seeking it.[vi] Scripture calls it, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. We truly can say, “God is in control, at least of me,” and though “Satan may be the god of this world, he’s not the god of my world.” Scripture says, “rule in the midst of your enemies.”[vii]
Jesus said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”[viii]This is the immediate control of God to be imposed on all things, now. It’s a cooperative effort of Christ with His church, that would be us.
[i] 2Cor.4:4 [ii] Jn.12:31 [iii] 1Pet.5:8 [iv] Gal.1:4 [v] 1Jn.4:3 [vi] Matt.6:33 [vii] Ps.110:2 [viii] Matt.16:18