When Jesus taught His disciples how to think about God, the world, and their place before Him, He taught them to pray:
“Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2)
The Lord’s Prayer begins by teaching us to confess God’s rule before it teaches us to present our needs. Many people read this as if the prayer is asking God to make earth more like heaven. God does call all people to obey Him, to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with Him.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God.” (Mic 6:8 NAS)
Certainly, God does call all people to obey Him. But the petition means more than a call to obedience. God is not trying to gain control of the earth. His will is not weak, uncertain, or waiting for man’s permission. Men may break His commands, but they cannot overthrow His will. Sin is real. Rebellion is real. Satanic deception is real. Human guilt is real. But none of these things are outside God’s rule. Jesus Himself distinguished His heavenly kingdom from this fallen world-order.
“My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” (John 18:36 NAS)
“You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. (John 8:23 NAS)
Because this present world is in rebellion against God, Paul describes unbelievers as being blinded by “the god of this age.”
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2Co 4:3-4 NAS)
The Scriptures consistently distinguish God’s kingdom from this present fallen world-order.
Jesus calls Satan “the ruler of this world.”
“Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out.” (John 12:31 NAS)
“Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” (John 16:11 NAS)
But Satan is not sovereign. He is not equal with God. Jesus declared that the ruler of this world was judged and cast out. Satan may deceive, accuse, and tempt, but he is already judged and under God’s authority. The Bible also says that people are drawn away by their own lusts.
“But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15 NAS)
Men become lovers of self, lovers of money, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.
“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.” (2Ti 3:1-5 NAS)
When people reject the truth, God may give them over to delusion so that they believe what is false.
“With all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false.” (2Th 2:10-11 NAS)
Scripture does not attribute unbelief and rebellion to Satan alone. Man’s own desires, false worship, worldly darkness, satanic deception, and God’s judgment all stand under God’s rule. Heaven and earth are not two kingdoms with two separate rulers.
“Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. (Deu 10:14 NAS)
“The earth is the LORD’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.” (Psa 24:1 NAS)
When we pray, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” we are not asking for God’s will to happen. We are confessing that His will is accomplished. His will is done in heaven and on earth.
“We have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” (Eph 1:11 NAS)
Every prayer begins by abandoning the illusion that we govern reality. Before we ask God to hear our will, we first confess that His will already governs heaven and earth.
When we pray thy will be done, we are essentially saying: Father, I trust Your rule. I submit to Your will. I believe Your will is good, righteous, holy, and supreme. It is not to insert our own will and desire into our prayer.
God Governs Heaven and Earth.
The Bible does not present God as a ruler whose authority is limited to heaven. He is not ruler of one realm and subordinate in another. He is Lord over all.
“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all.” (Psa 103:19 NAS)
God does whatever He pleases in heaven and earth.
“But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psa 115:3 NAS)
He works all things according to the counsel of His own will. His counsel stands, and He accomplishes all His purpose.
“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure” (Isa 46:9-10 NAS)
Because God’s will is done in heaven and on earth, the believer does not pray hoping God will accomplish His will. Rather, he confesses the will God is already accomplishing. Governments and nations are not independent from God’s rule.
“All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.” (Isa 40:17 NAS)
Therefore, when we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are confessing that God’s rule is already established over heaven and earth, and that nothing exists outside His will or authority.
Nothing Exists Outside God’s Government.
God is not only the sole authority over all things; He continually upholds all things.
“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Heb 1:3 NAS)
God determines the times, places, and lives of all people, sustaining their very existence so that no person or nation lives outside His sole government.
“He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’” (Act 17:26-28 NAS)
Everything that exists, from the highest angel to the greatest earthly ruler, was created by Christ, belongs to Christ, and remains under His authority.
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created by Him and for Him.” (Col 1:16 NAS)
To pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” is to acknowledge that nothing in heaven or on earth exists, moves, or acts outside God’s sustaining will and direct government.
The will of God in heaven.
Rebellion occurs in heaven. Yet the point is not that rebellion exists in heaven, but that it is never permitted to remain there. God judges it.
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.” (2Pet 2:4-5 NAS)
Peter makes this pattern clear. God did not spare the angels that sinned, the ancient world, or Sodom and Gomorrah, yet He delivered Noah and Lot. Jude confirms the same pattern.
“And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 1:6 NAS)
Revelation also shows this pattern when Satan and his angels rebelled against God.
“And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” (Rev 12:7-9 NAS)
These passages show that God’s will is done in heaven not only through the obedience of His servants, but also through the judgment and removal of those who rebel against Him. Therefore, when we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we confess that God’s government is consistent in both heaven and earth: He judges rebellion, delivers His people, and accomplishes His righteous purpose.
Even Rebellion Remains Under God’s Government.
In Job, Satan cannot act apart from God’s permission. His accusations are real, but they are restrained by God’s authority.
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Then “Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.” And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.” Then Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing? “Hast Thou not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. “But put forth Thy hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse Thee to Thy face.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.” (Job 1:6-12 NAS)
This helps us understand the Lord’s Prayer. “Thy will be done” does not mean every creature obeys God. Angels have rebelled. Men rebel daily. Rather, it means no creature escapes God’s rule. God accomplishes His purpose even through the rebellion of sinful men.
Living Under the Will of God
Joseph recognized that although his brothers intended evil, God governed the same event for good, showing that man’s sin never overthrows God’s sovereign purpose.
“’Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.”‘ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? “And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen 50:17-20 NAS)
Joseph’s brothers acted according to their own sinful desires, yet God’s will was accomplished through the very same event, demonstrating that human rebellion cannot defeat God’s plan. This is why the apostle Paul taught that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. This does not mean all things are good in themselves.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28 NAS)
God accomplishes His good purpose even through the sinful actions of men, without approving of their sin or removing their responsibility. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed,
“Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done.” (Luke 22:42 NAS)
Even though Christ asked for the crucifixion to not happen, Christ was still crucified. The crucifixion of Christ was God’s will. The apostle peter said,
“This Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.” (Acts 2:23 NAS)
The crucifixion is the greatest demonstration that God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven, for wicked men acted according to their own evil desires, yet fulfilled the predetermined plan of God.
Conclusion
To pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” changes how we live. It humbles us because we are creatures, not the Creator. We do not see the end from the beginning, but God does. It teaches us to trust His wisdom even when we do not understand His providence.
It also calls us to obedience. God’s sovereign rule never excuses sin. The God who governs all things also commands us to repent, believe the gospel, love one another, forgive, pursue holiness, and follow Christ.
Because God’s will cannot be overthrown, we can also live with courage and patience. Men may threaten us, rulers may oppose us, and Satan may accuse us, but none of them can defeat God’s purpose. Though the wicked may prosper for a time and judgment may seem delayed, God has not forgotten His people, nor has He forgotten His promises.
Ultimately, this petition leads us to worship. God’s will is not something to fear or merely endure. It is holy, righteous, wise, and good. The One who rules heaven also rules the earth, accomplishing all His purpose and working all things according to the counsel of His will. Therefore, when we pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” we are confessing that God reigns over all things, submitting ourselves to His rule, and resting in the confidence that His will cannot fail.