Praying aggressively

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“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). Praying for God’s will to be done on earth is an aggressive prayer. Because obviously God's will is not done on earth. Hence our need to pray.

Many assume that somehow everything that happens is God’s will. But that’s not true. Lives destroyed by murderous aggressors and families broken by adultery aren’t God’s will. Children and adults ravaged by abuse or crippled by the various diseases aren’t God’s will. He uses sin and illness to accomplish His own purposes (Rom. 8:28), but they aren’t His desire.

Eventually, God will destroy all evil and will fulfil His purposes perfectly (Rev. 20:10–14), but that hasn’t happened yet. That’s why we must pray for His will to be done on earth. We can’t afford to be passive or indifferent in prayer. We must pray aggressively and not lose heart (Luke 18:1).
That’s how David prayed.

His passion for God’s will compelled him to pray, “Make me understand the way of Thy precepts, so I will meditate on Thy wonders. … I shall run the way of Thy commandments, for Thou wilt enlarge my heart. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Thy statutes, and I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may observe Thy law, and keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of Thy commandments, for I delight in it” (Ps. 119:27, 32–35).

But David also prayed,

“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; and let those who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before God. But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; yes, let them rejoice with gladness” (Ps. 68:1–3). He loved God’s will, but he also hated everything that opposed it.
When you truly pray for God’s will to be done, you are aggressively pursuing His will for your own life and are also rebelling against Satan, his evil world system, and everything else that is at odds with God’s will.

Thank God for David’s example and for others who demonstrate a passion for God’s will.

Author: JF MacArthur



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