Good evening, brothers and sisters. I wish I could be with you tonight, but the Lord has given us this technology, and so let's use it. Tonight we'll continue our study on the Lord's Prayer, and we're going to be digging into a bit of the second petition. And I think what we'll do is we'll split this up into two parts because this second petition is full, and I want to make sure that we try to cover it as best we can. So we'll probably split this up into two parts. As we begin tonight, I'd like us to open our scriptures to the last book of the Bible, Revelation. And we'll be looking at Revelation 19, almost the last chapter. And instead of reading all the verses, I think we'll just read the first 10, first 10 verses of Revelation 19. Let's give attention now to God's word. After these things, I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying, hallelujah. Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God. For true and righteous are his judgments, because he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her. Again they said, Alleluia, her smoke rises up forever and ever. And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God, who sat on the throne saying, Amen, Alleluia. Then a voice came from the throne saying, Praise our God, all you his servants, and those who fear him, both small and great. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters, as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice and give him glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come and his wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, write, blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me, these are the true sayings of God. I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, see that you do not do that. I am your fellow servant and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And we'll stop there. Praise be to God. Let's pray. Father in heaven, as we seek to continue to study your most holy word, and specifically the prayer given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, work upon our hearts, Lord God, sharpen us, make us more like Jesus Christ, and help us, Father, help us to pray in a way that is a blessing to you, and it glorifies your most holy and perfect name. We pray this in Jesus's name. Amen. Well, as we've jumped into this study, we're using the Lord's Prayer, we're using the Shorter Catechism to guide us in the study of the Lord's Prayer, and we're doing this so that we would grow, grow individually and collectively in our ability by the work of the Spirit, to pray rightly. And as we pray rightly, the idea is that we will be brought even closer into communion and union with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Well, let's review very quickly where we've been already. We'll review the preface to the Lord's Prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven, As we were taught in the Shorter Catechism, this teaches us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence as children to a Father who is able and ready to help us, and that we should pray with and for others. We broke that down into those three points very clearly set forth for us by the Shorter Catechism. We pray as a child to our Heavenly Father, and we pray to God as the only one who is ready and able and desirous of helping. And we pray to God with and for others, meaning that we pray in faith. And then as we pray in faith, the Lord not only hears us, but he joins us together with others so that we can say very clearly, our father. Well, last week we touched upon the first of six petitions, hallowed be thy name. And so let's just, again, review very quickly. Here is the Lord's Prayer, which we do pray every time we come to this study. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. That's the, excuse me, hallowed be your name is the first petition. Your kingdom come is the second petition. That's the one we'll be studying tonight. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. In this study I'm using the English Standard Version so that you know that's what these verses have been copied from. And in the first petition we saw that it is hallowed be your name remembering that as we study petitions We are recognizing that these are things that we're asking God to do. Petition. And we studied, as we studied this first petition, we asked what is the significance of God's name and what does it mean to hallow his name? There are six petitions in the Lord's Prayer. And as we said, each one is a request. It's a knocking, it's an asking, it's a requesting that God do something. Christianity is a religion. of God doing. It's a religion of God and a religion by God. God is the one who acts and the Lord's Prayer recognizes this and acknowledges that truth that he's the creator, he's the sustainer, he's the one who has all dominion, power, and authority and no one else can do these things that we are asking. Only God Almighty The significance of God's name we found was not just his name, but everything by which he's known, his titles, attributes, ordinances, word works, everything by which he is known. We want him to hallow himself and work upon our hearts that we would set him apart, that we would honor him in everything by which he's made himself known, titles, attributes, ordinances, word and works. And as Watson puts it, in the whole course of our lives, everything we do, we want to be hallowing God's name. And that's what that petition is all about. Hallow your name, your name be hallowed. We want him to work in us by the spirit that in the whole course and tenor of our lives, we would be setting apart the name of God, his works, his attributes, for His glory, giving Him high honor, veneration, and setting apart His name as sacred. That's the idea on that first petition. Well, let's get to the second petition. That's what our study is about tonight, this second petition, Your Kingdom Come. There it is in the Gospel of Matthew as the Lord teaches His disciples. to pray very simply, three words, three simple words, but full, full of meaning for us tonight and full of things that we should be considering as we go to prayer, as we pray this prayer, or even if we don't use the model prayer, this should be part of our prayers. Every time we come to the Lord in prayer, your kingdom come. Let's begin to unpack that. Here's the 102nd Westminster Shorter Catechism question and answer. And again, we're using this to guide us. It doesn't mean that we're limited to this. It doesn't mean that the divines had everything right, but we use it. We use it as a tool to help us understand the scripture. We use it as a tool to help us understand how the Lord was teaching his disciples to pray and how he's teaching us to pray. And the second petition, which is, thy kingdom come we pray that satan's kingdom may be destroyed and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced ourselves and others brought into it and kept in it and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened tonight we're going to look at those first two parts of this and we'll probably leave the third part to our part two of the second petition there you have it three points tonight Satan's kingdom may be destroyed. That's caught up in your kingdom come. Secondly, the kingdom of grace may be advanced. And thirdly, the kingdom of glory may come quickly. Three points. And as I said, we'll touch upon the third one, but really probably save that for next week to get into some detail on that and dig out some gold. Well, first, Satan's kingdom destroyed. Where does this come from? It's certainly not in the Lord's Prayer. Any reference to Satan specific or express reference is not in this second petition. It doesn't mention Satan but only asks that God's kingdom would come. Why then would we understand or see that Satan's kingdom is being addressed here in the second petition, your kingdom come? Under the second point, tonight, we'll try to define God's kingdom. Here, we're just going to consider Satan's kingdom and its destruction and see where this comes from. Well, first, Satan's kingdom is real. And scripture makes it very clear. So let's take a look at some passages in scripture that would tell us that, indeed, satan's kingdom is very real as jesus was being tempted as he was taken out into the wilderness as he fasted and as satan then sees this as an opportunity to to defeat jesus one of his temptations is this the devil took him meaning jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he, meaning Satan, said to him, meaning Jesus, all these things I will give you if you fall down and worship me. Now usually what we consider is the request of Satan that Jesus would worship him and knowing that we would all be crushed if that were to have happened. But here, what I want us to see is that implicitly, Satan is saying, this is my kingdom, this is my world. I am the king of this, and I can give it to whomever I desire. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world. These I will give you. How could he give it to Jesus unless he possessed it, so to speak? Unless he was the king of it. Satan's kingdom is real. Paul refers to it in the second chapter of his letter to those at Ephesus. And he speaks to them in terms of what they once were, those who he's writing to the saints. And you were, meaning this was the condition of the saints prior to their conversion, prior to coming to faith, you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked following the course of this world. following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. He's referring to Satan. He's referring to the devil, the prince of the power of the air. Notice the words that he uses, prince or king, ruler of the power of the air. He's still at work in the sons of disobedience. What a description of Satan. One who has the power, power of this world. Satan's kingdom is real. And Jesus is speaking to the disciples, to those who are listening to him at this point in John chapter 12. He answers this voice, meaning the voice of God. So this voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world, now will the ruler of this world be cast out. Jesus was referring to Satan. Who else was the ruler of the world? And who else would he cast out? Who else was God speaking of when he said to the serpent in the garden, see to the woman. will crush your head and the seat of the serpent will bruise his heel. Jesus was about to cast out the ruler of the world by and through his death upon the cross and resurrection. He spoke of the future. Ruler of this world, current ruler, be cast out, Satan himself. Yes, the kingdom is real. We see that in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 as well. In their case, the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God. Who else has blinded the minds of unbelievers but the God of this world, Satan himself? You see, Satan's kingdom is real. It's referred to in many places in scripture. And he's active, isn't he? In Job, we read of the active nature of Satan. The Lord said to Satan, from where have you come? Satan answered the Lord, from going to and fro on the earth, from walking up and down on it. Do you see? He not only rules, he's active in his rule. over the whole earth. He prowls around like a roaring lion. He roams to and fro amongst the world over which he's the prince, over which he's the quote unquote God. And he doesn't do so in a kind manner. He does so in an evil manner. He prowls around like a roaring lion, and here is Peter's admonition to those to whom he was writing, resist him. Affirm in your faith. Resist him, the devil, Satan, the one who's active, the one who rules. So now we can see, for the kingdom of God to come in its fullness, the rule or the power of Satan must be forever destroyed. How could God's kingdom come in its fullness in the midst of another ruler? How could it come in its completeness if Satan were allowed to remain? the one who prowls about, the prince of the power of the air, he must be cast out, his kingdom must be destroyed. There can only be one true king and thus one kingdom. Just as the old man must be put to death within each of us, such that the new man, such that the new man would be the only one within us. That's the idea. Satan's kingdom must be destroyed for God's kingdom to come in its fullness. That brings us to our second point, then, the kingdom of grace. But before we leave, I just want us to understand and to realize as we pray, your kingdom come. We don't need to limit ourselves to that. And in fact, we shouldn't limit ourselves to that. As we pray, your kingdom come at the very same time or within that prayer. It's good and right for us to pray that Satan's kingdom would continue to be destroyed, that God would continue to dismantle it. That he would continue to cause us to hate our sins more and more. That the old man within us would continue to be made less and less and less and reduced to nothing. That Satan's temptations would continue to be knocked down by the shield, the armor that we put on of God, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation. All of these would be caught up and included in your kingdom come. Well, that does bring us to our second point, the kingdom of grace. And so we must ask that question, what kingdom of God is spoken of here in the Lord's prayer? Your kingdom come. Colossians 1 verse 13 kind of gives us the really broad idea. He's delivered us from the domain of darkness or maybe, maybe Satan's kingdom. and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son. Isn't that what happens when our hearts are changed? When we go from unbelief to belief? When our hearts of stone are supernaturally removed and a heart of flesh is given in place? As the Spirit works in us and He allows us to see the darkness of sin and brings us into the light of Christ? Isn't that what's referred to here? I think so. The kingdom of his beloved son. First we can say the obvious. This is clearly a reference to God's kingdom. It's a petition. concerning the kingdom over which God is King. It's His kingdom. Again, throughout all of Scripture we see this. Psalm 95 is a perfect example, for the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods. As we read that, we may be thinking, well, there truly are no other gods. And if there are no other gods, then there truly are no other kings. He is the exclusive God. He is then the exclusively true king. Yes, it's God's kingdom. He is the exclusive king. And that's one reason we read Revelation tonight. because these verses, even the 21 verses that are here in Revelation 19, really pull together what's going on or what we're praying in the second petition. And it begins, in a sense, with this verse 6. And I heard, as it were, Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters, and like the sound of many peals of thunder, crying out, Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns." That's the idea. See, many now are coming to the realization that it's God who reigns. God is the King, not Satan. no one but God. That's the idea. We first have to recognize that the Lord our God Almighty reigns. It is certainly not a political or earthly kingdom. This comes from Thomas Watson. It's not a reference to Christ's rule over all things. That's what Watson calls God's providential kingdom. No, Jesus Christ already has rule. He's already the king. It's not as though we're praying that God get control of the world because it's just out of control. God, seat yourself on the throne. God, put your son on the throne that he might rule over all things. No, that's already happened. God never lost control. God's always been sovereign. And it's certainly not that which those in the time of Jesus's earthly ministry were thinking was going to happen. That Jesus was going to establish or re-establish the earthly throne of David and establish a geopolitical entity. No. That's not what this reference is to. And it's not a reference that Jesus would be seated upon the throne in heaven. He has been. That's done. The Lord has established his throne in the heavens and his kingdom rules over all. That's done. It has been done. It was done from the beginning. There has been no time when the Lord had not established his throne. There's been no time when his kingdom does not rule over all. So then what is this kingdom that we pray would come? The petition, Your Kingdom Come, is God's kingdom which arrives in two phases, so to speak. And it's understood as a reference to two connected kingdoms. And much of what I'm getting, I'm getting out of Thomas Watson. One of which has begun, the kingdom of grace. And one of which is to come, the kingdom of glory. So we should be thinking of it in those two ways. This is what the Shorter Catechism points us to. The kingdom of God being referred to is twofold. Kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory. So when we pray, this is from Watson, thy kingdom come or your kingdom come we pray that the kingdom of grace may be set up in our hearts and increased. You see this is spiritual work. I don't think we would think it to be anything else. The kingdom of grace is that work which the Lord our God Jesus Christ and the Spirit is doing within our hearts. As one is brought to know and to love and to serve Jesus Christ, to trust upon Him, that's the establishment of the Kingdom of Grace within our hearts. As one is given a new heart, as one is brought to faith in Jesus Christ, that's the beginning, that's the setting up in our hearts of the Kingdom of Grace. We've been brought into it. And now the kingdom of grace resides in our hearts by the abiding of the spirit. And not only set up, but as Watson puts it here very appropriately, increased. So we can't and don't think of it as a once in time event that we're converted, we've come to faith, that's it, we're in the kingdom. in the kingdom of grace and that would be true but that's not where it stops because the kingdom of grace just continues to grow and increase as the Lord works upon our hearts. There's so many examples of this in scripture and so I want to take us through a few just to see this advancement, this growth called for in the scripture, the growth of the kingdom of grace. 1 Thessalonians, verse 3 of chapter 1. And this is Paul as he's writing to those in Thessalonica. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly. And the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Notice that Paul doesn't say, we give thanks because your faith exists. That's a given. Your faith does exist. But something's happening to it. It's growing. And it's growing abundantly. We planted some seeds at our house for some herbs and the first time nothing came up. Absolutely not a single one. Nothing was growing. Faith didn't exist, so to speak. But then we changed the soil and replanted the seeds and then they began to grow. And now some of them are growing abundantly. It's that idea. faith that's been planted within us is to grow, is to increase. Remember the disciples said to the Lord Jesus Christ as he was teaching them, increase our faith. That's the idea of the kingdom of grace and as we pray that it would advance, we're praying that it would increase. And along with the the growth of our faith is also the increase of our love for each other. They go hand in hand. But what I want us to see is that there are words that Paul uses here in the second Thessalonians that tell us that our faith is to grow and our love is to increase. And that's just a picture of the growth of the kingdom of grace, isn't it? It's not a physical kingdom. It's a spiritual kingdom, which exists within us by the work of the spirit. Now, Colossians 1 is full of this idea, this concept, this doctrine of the growth of the advancement of the kingdom of grace. After this study is over, you might want to open this up and just read through it. And so from the day that we heard we have not ceased to pray for you asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to him bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for all endurance and patience with joy. Wow. That's the kingdom of grace advancing. You see, Paul's praying for it. Indeed, he says that they have not ceased to pray for those at Colossae, that they might be filled, noting that they're not yet filled, praying that they would be filled. praying that they would walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, that they would continue bearing fruit. It wouldn't be a once and done. That they would increase in the knowledge of God, filled with the knowledge of His will and increasing in the knowledge of God. Isn't that what we do as we read Scripture? Isn't that the kingdom of grace advancing as we read Scripture and as the Spirit works within us? teaching us more and more about who God is and what he's done and his love for us. And as we do, aren't we nourished and strengthened with all power that we might endure and have patience with joy. Those verses, those three verses are full of the advancement of the kingdom of grace. And the lesson, I think, is that we need to be praying for it. All caught up in your kingdom come. What about Philippians? As Paul writes to those at Philippi, he is struggling with whether he should die or continue on in his ministry. And he acknowledges that his desire is to depart, to die, and to be with Christ, for that's far better. But, verse 24, to remain in the flesh is more necessary. on your account. There needs to be more growth. The kingdom of grace needs to advance in their hearts. Convinced of this, I know I will remain and continue with you all for what? Your progress and joy in the faith. Paul would remain and did remain and God used him used him so that the kingdom of grace would continue to advance in their hearts that they would progress and that their joy in the faith would increase it was necessary that he do so you see it's necessary for us for the kingdom of grace to advance within us we need to be taught we need to hear the word we need preaching of the word We need to be in prayer that these things would come about. And again, this is all caught up in your kingdom come. This is the way Watson puts it. These two kingdoms of grace and glory, they don't differ specifically, but gradually. Meaning they're really not two different kingdoms. They differ not in nature, but in degree only. The kingdom of grace, is nothing but the beginning of the kingdom of glory. The kingdom of grace is glory in the seed. The kingdom of glory is grace in the flower. These are wonderful words, they're not scripture. But I think Watson has the idea, I think he's got the concept. When we ask that question, what kingdom are we talking about? There is only one kingdom of God. And as we break it down, we do it for theological purposes. We do it for understanding purposes. We do it that we might see how the kingdom of grace is to advance within our hearts, that we might be then prepared for the kingdom of glory. And we'll touch upon that just for a moment tonight. Kingdom of glory. Kingdom of grace is glory militant. Meaning that the kingdom of grace is us being soldiers in the war against sin and against Satan, against the powers of the air. Spiritual powers. We're militant. We've got the armor of God, we're to use it. That's the kingdom of grace. And that's how it advances. And the kingdom of glory is grace triumphant. No more armor. No more battle. Done. Concluded. The battle's over. And if we had continued reading in Revelation 19, we would see that. The kingdoms of grace and glory are so closely joined together, we cannot go into the kingdom of glory but through the kingdom of grace. Isn't that why Jesus told Nicodemus, you can't even see the kingdom of God unless you are born again. We can't go into the kingdom of glory, but through the kingdom of grace, we need to have faith, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in Him. We have to do that through that new birth. And as we do, as the kingdom of grace is then worked within our hearts by the Spirit, it's through that, through that faith that we're able to enter then into the kingdom of glory. Again, that's why we read Revelation 19. The Lord our God Almighty reigns. Yes, the kingdom, kingdom of glory. Satan has been defeated. Satan has been defeated and all of the work of the kingdom of grace has been done. Verse 20 of chapter 19 of Revelation, then the beast was captured. And with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone and the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse and all the birds were filled with their flesh. Jesus slaying all. who opposed him. The triumph of the kingdom of glory. Watson tells us by this kingdom, meaning the kingdom of glory, is meant that glorious state which the saints shall enjoy when they shall reign with God and angels forever. The war over. All of the enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ placed under his foot. That's the idea. Kingdom of glory. And we're praying as we pray your kingdom would come. Praying God would hasten the kingdom of glory. That's the way scripture ends, isn't it? He who testifies to these things says, surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come Lord Jesus. That's the idea. As we pray, your kingdom come. Well, brothers and sisters, Lord willing next week, we're going to dig a little bit deeper into the kingdom of glory. There's much there, and I want to make sure that we don't cut it short. So, Lord willing, next week, part two of the second petition will focus on the kingdom of glory. Let's close in prayer. Father in heaven, we thank you so much for your word. We thank you for this prayer, and we thank you, Lord God, for leading us by your spirit. Father, help us to remember that as we pray, your kingdom come. Even if we don't use those words, Lord God, help us. Help us to be those who pray for the destruction of Satan's kingdom within our hearts. Help us to be those who pray for the advancement of the kingdom of grace. that many more would be brought in to the kingdom, that many more would be brought to faith, and that, Father, you would continue working in our hearts, advancing the kingdom of grace, causing our faith to increase and our love for one another to abound. And, Father, we pray. We pray that Jesus would come quickly, the kingdom of glory, the kingdom of glory would come in your good and perfect timing. And we pray all these things in the precious name of our Savior, even Jesus. Amen.