In Heaven, so on Earth is a strange way to paraphrase the familiar part of the Lord’s Prayer. What follows is a repost from my early years, with a few tweaks. There is so much going on in the world that we can help change, when we realize our need to engage with our Creator first.
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I believe that our Creator wants us to pull heaven into earth. To do that, we need to know what heaven is like and how He expects us to pull it down.
In the beginning, life on earth was like Heaven. They had unhindered fellowship with our Creator. Then people came along choosing disobedience, choosing to know good and evil. That choice set in motion the growing messes we are living through today.
Things that do not exist in Heaven include but are not limited to: unforgiveness; cancers; sickness of any kind; lack of physical needs like food, water and shelter; bullying; rejection; and the list goes on.
We turn to prayer hoping it will fix what’s wrong. So much of what we call prayer has become asking for what we think we need. Then we become discouraged when we don’t get what we want. Or we get what we want and it does not work or satisfy.
As we live in this place of ‘already not yet,’ between the Garden of Eden and the New Jerusalem, do we understand that followers of Jesus are the bride of Christ? Also, we are a royal priesthood. We are in training to reign as priests and kings. We have authority, but too often we are ignorant of it or untrained to use it well.
Instead of jumping into prayer with our lists, what if we ask first, “Abba, what do you want in this circumstance?” Then listen. . . .
How do we know we are hearing answers from the heavenly source? That is a process of growth and trust. God is more interested in us hearing and asking for His will to be done on earth than we are.
He uses our personalities, life experiences, circumstances and His still small voice to lead us into praying His will into existence. . . if and when we take that time to be still and listen.
His will always lines up with what the Bible has to say. No, the Bible does not talk about technology as we know it, but it talks about money, relationships and gives us the principles to ‘walk rightly’ in our crazy, fast paced world.
Our relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is what makes the Word of God come alive. As we become more intimate with our God, the Word fills us with wisdom, grace and love. Love for God, love for ourselves and love for others. All of these are indispensable and originate from our Creator who made Heaven and Earth.
As we develop a Biblical, Heavenly perspective, we gain compassion and wisdom to pray ‘as is it in Heaven, so on Earth.’
What is occupying your attentions today? Ask Abba what it to looks like in Heaven, then listen. Pay attention to the ‘holy hunches’ that come to mind. When it lines up with Biblical principles. . . pray, out loud is best.=} And Act on it.
The following are a few of the books that have informed my thinking about Praying God’s will into existence.
When Heaven Invades Earth by Bill Johnson
The Kneeling Christian by Anonymous
Destined For the Throne by Paul Billheimer
