On Earth As It Is In Heaven

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?”  ~ Psalm 8:3-4 (NKJV)
The Lord has been speaking to me for some time about a concept some of us have prayed for our entire lives,
“On earth as it is in heaven.”

Found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the Lord taught us to pray this way, but have we taken time to consider the reality of, ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’? Christ Himself instructed His disciples how they should pray.

 “In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.”

Our conversation began with my exclamations. (I actually thought I was talking to myself until God reminded me He was listening.) “How on earth?” was all I could say. Driving to my destination, I saw sad-looking people. Desperation overshadowed the streets. On this particular day, I was overwhelmed by the state of our world and those immediately around me. I just kept shaking my head, saying, “How on earth?” “Seriously, HOW on earth?”

Most people would agree that the world looks out of control. People are lawless and defiant, angry and full of violence. Division and hatred override logic; fear and hopelessness consume many. Considering these things further, I repeated, “How on earth?!” He let me sit with it, but in a moment of silence, I heard the voice of the Lord clearly respond,
“On earth as it is in heaven.” As we pray and believe, ask and declare the Lord’s will be done, we may discount the reality of warfare in the heavens. The place of the in-between, where angels and demons do battle, is a place of pressing. As we cry out, ‘Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,’ there is an increased manifestation of heaven on earth.  Here are a few scriptures referring to this truth:

Ephesians 6:12 (NKJV) “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

Revelation 12:12 (NASB) “For this reason, rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”

Daniel 10:12-14 (NASB) “Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was standing in my way for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the latter days, because the vision pertains to the days still future.”

Let’s be encouraged! We can know our prayers are being answered, angels indeed fight for us, and the Lord is revealing Himself in the midst of evil being exposed at every level! How on earth, indeed? As it is in Heaven.

A Second Conversation On Earth As It Is In Heaven.

Considering the immense goodness and majesty of God, I meditated with great wonder at His care for man. Why would You, in Your perfect holiness, even consider us, Lord? I questioned God on how He could be mindful of us. I was in wonder over why the Majestic and Holy One over everything in all the universe beyond all we can see or know, would even notice such a flawed people, let alone care for us in the details of our small-minded ways. His loving voice rose from deep inside to answer...

I made you. When I built all of creation, you were intended by Me to enjoy it.
I made you. Why would I neglect what I have made?
How could I rise so far above My creation that I would not interact with the very things I built?
 
I smiled through the tears. In His gentle way, He continued to teach me. Do you love what you make? A food? A room refreshing? A painting? An event you plan? You are like Me in this. I made you to be like Me! Seeing to every detail of your home, caring for all the décor and arrangements, bringing people into your creation to enjoy it with you, welcoming family home. All of these you enjoy because you are like I am, flourishing in the living of life. Of course I care for you, as I AM Greater, you are MY ‘mini-me’ and doing all the little things on earth within My bigger, stellar arrangement!
So, be mindful of this, with a mind full of Me and all the things I have given you to enjoy with Me.

As the Lord painted this picture for me, He instilled in me the revelation, Creation on earth, a reflection of heaven and all its activity. Earth, a reflection of heaven? I had never seen it this way. But I feel certain of it now. When we step into the perfection of our final Home, we’ll know everything all at once. And this glimpse on earth is a foretaste of what He intended for us all along. On earth as it is in heaven. So be it. 

The Glory of the Lord in Creation, Psalm 8. "O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants. You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.  When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,  What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?  For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor.  You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen— Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea, That pass through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth!"

Love & Belief,
​Jill Steele