21 Days of Fasting and Prayer - Here as in HeavenSample

Here as in Heaven

Today we begin 21 days of prayer and fasting, and we call on God to answer the “here as in Heaven” prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. This is not a timid, play-it-safe kind of prayer, so it is no surprise that the person who taught us to use those bold words was none other than the Son of God. Jesus said,

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.’” (Matthew 6:9-10).

Undoubtedly, the disciples were taken aback by such an audacious request. As New Testament Scholar Leon Morris writes,

“In Heaven, God’s will is perfectly done now, for there is nothing in Heaven to hinder it, and the prayer looks for a similar state of affairs here on earth.”

Sometimes it’s hard for us to see anything beyond hindrances—earthly roadblocks to Heaven’s agenda abound. So, there’s a choice: do we yield to the current state of affairs that surrounds us, or do we refuse to accept the status quo of our sin-sick world and believe in the priorities and power of Heaven to flood our lives? Jesus’ instruction makes the answer quite clear—we believe for “here as in Heaven.”

As the Kingdom of Heaven advances, the powers of darkness begin to retreat. We can pray confidently for healing, sickness does not exist in Heaven and God is our healer. Anxiety can be defeated because God is never worried, and He is our help in any time of trouble. We can be assured that as we call on God, He will make the impossible possible.

As we prepare our hearts for these next 21 days, we are praying for Heaven to come, and as God’s will is accomplished on the earth as it is in Heaven, we will see what we have never seen before!