God is not the one responsible for the bad things that happen. Somebody may ask, "Why did God let that man kill all those people?" It wasn't God's fault. There are people who have dominion and authority. Now, whether or not we walk in God's will is totally up to us.
Jesus is speaking in Matthew 6:9-10. If your Bible is the red-letter edition, you can see that all of this is in red. I call it the hot sauce: the good stuff. In Matthew chapter 6, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Notice what Jesus taught them to pray: "Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven."
He said that they had to pray that what is happening in heaven would happen on the earth. Being raised in church I know that a lot of Christians love to say is that God is sovereign. They are saying that "God is in control" of everything, and whatever happens is because He did it for a reason. There is nothing you can do about it. The only problem with that is that the Bible doesn't say that.
The first question you have to ask is that if God wants to happen in earth what is happening in heaven, then why doesn't He make it, since "God is in control?" If that is what He wants, and He is in control, why does He tell us to ask Him to do it?
It is because He is not in control on the earth, man (male and female!) is. The man on the earth is the one who has dominion and authority. It was given to him by God. Man is to pray the will of God in the earth. That is why you must understand the roll of prayer.
The reason why God has us pray is because He can't move in the earth unless the people who have dominion and authority invite Him. So, He said you pray and you ask the Father that His will be done in the earth.
Notice that the person who has been given the authority and dominion can invite whoever he wants to come in and do whatever he says they can do.
What if I invite you into my house and say you can have the run of the house, go wherever you want, go in the refrigerator and get what you want, and eat my fried chicken if you want to.
Well, once I invite you in, I am not going to get upset because you are there. However, it's a different story if I find you in my house and I didn't invite you in.
Do you see what is God telling us? When you pray that God's will is done in earth as it is in heaven, you are inviting God in to do His will in your life.
Scripture references: Psalm 115:16; Deuteronomy 28:9
Keith Butler has been an ordained minister since 1974. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds diplomas from Canada Christian College and Rhema Bible Training Center.
He serves in ministry with the support of his lovely wife, Pastor Deborah L. Butler, and their children: Pastor Andre Butler (granddaughters Alexis, Angela, and April), Pastor MiChelle Ferguson and husband Pastor Lee (grandson Lucas), and Minister Kristina Jenkins and husband Pastor Joel (grandsons Andrew and Austin, and granddaughter Alyssa).
