As a devout Christian and theologian, I have always recited the Lord’s Prayer. Some years ago, I was fascinated by the phrase, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” I decided to learn more about this phrase. I booked appointments with various church leaders from various denominations who taught me much about the phrase. I also read widely about it just to equip myself with ample knowledge. I recently taught my college theology students about the Lord’s Prayer, and they asked me fascinating questions. One of the students asked what the meaning of “Thy will be done” is, while another was inquisitive about what the whole phrase “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” means. Having studied every detail about this phrase, I had all the answers they wanted. So, what is the meaning of “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?”
Praying “thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven” means subjecting our will to God, accepting His will, and acting accordingly. It means we are asking God to help us learn His will and embrace it, save us from acting according to our desires, and help us to follow His plan. We are also asking God to take control and allow His will to happen on Earth.
Join me in this article, where we will learn about the phrase thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. I have answered all questions about this phrase, so read till the end.
What does it mean by thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven?
It means we are asking God to do what he wants here on Earth as he does in the Kingdom of Heaven. At the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus acknowledges that God is in Heaven. God rules the Kingdom of Heaven, so He controls everything happening in Heaven. By asking for His will on Earth as it is in Heaven, we are asking Him to rule the Earth as He rules Heaven.
Romans 14:17 says that the Kingdom of God is full of peace, righteousness, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when we pray for God to do here on Earth as He does in Heaven, we want Him to increase peace, joy, and righteousness in the world.
What does it mean to pray, “Thy will be done”?
To pray, “Thy will be done,” is to ask God to do what he pleases or desires. Though we have our desires that we would like God to grant us, we surrender those desires to Him and pray for His will to be accomplished in our life. Jesus asked for the will of God to be done before His crucifixion while in the Garden of Gethsemane.
In Matthew 26:39, Jesus prayed that if it is possible, God to take away the cup of suffering He was experiencing but still asked God to do it according to His will instead of Jesus’ will. Though Jesus’ wanted the suffering to end, He surrendered His desire to God since He knew God was in control and asked God to act according to His will. Therefore, when we pray, “Thy will be done,” it shows that we acknowledge God is in control of everything and trust His ruling.
Why did Jesus teach his disciples to pray, “Thy will be done?”
Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy will be done,” because God hears those who pray according to His will. 1 John 5:14-15 says the confidence we have in approaching God is that He will hear us if we ask for anything according to His will; hence, if we know he hears us, we know we will get what we have asked for. The Bible teaches that God listens and answers prayers asked according to His will. Jesus taught the disciples to pray according to God’s will for God to hear their prayers and grant them what they ask for.
Also, He taught them to pray, “Thy will be done,” because He was committed to seeing God’s will accomplished. In John 4:34, Jesus said that His food was to do the will of God and finish His work. God sent Jesus to teach the gospel, die on the cross and resurrect for the world’s salvation. Therefore, He was committed to acting according to the will of His Father, and that’s why he prayed for God’s will to take place in the Garden of Gethsemane, even though he was suffering.
Where in the Bible does it say, “Your will be done on Earth as in Heaven?”
“You will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven” is found in Mathew 6:10. Jesus was teaching His disciples about prayers, and gave them an example of a prayer, called the Lord’s Prayer. He taught them they should pray secretly because God sees everything on Earth. He also taught them they should not keep babbling while praying because God knows what they want before they ask Him. After this, He taught them the Lord’s Prayer, which includes the phrase, “Your will be done on Earth as in Heaven.”
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
