Yours Is the Kingdom: Resting in God’s Power and Glory

Nov 12, 2023

Devotional

Day 1: Prayer Is Our Invitation to Enjoy God

Prayer is not merely a religious duty or a way to get what we want from God; it is the primary means by which we enter into relationship with the One who knows us, loves us, and desires to be with us. Through prayer, we are invited to rest in God’s presence, to experience His love, and to enjoy Him as our greatest treasure. When we learn to enjoy God for who He is, our prayers become less about outcomes and more about deepening our relationship with Him, which is the true purpose of prayer. [02:26]

Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)
Pray then like this: “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 debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.”

Reflection: When you pray today, focus not on your requests but on simply enjoying God’s presence. What does it look like for you to rest in Him rather than striving for answers?

Day 2: God’s Kingdom, Power, and Glory Are Supreme

All that we have, all that we are, and all that we hope for ultimately belong to God, whose kingdom, power, and glory are unshakable and eternal. No matter what circumstances we face, we can rest in the truth that God is sovereign and His reign cannot be overthrown. This reality invites us to surrender our anxieties and ambitions, trusting that our lives are secure in the hands of the One who is exalted above all. [07:00]

1 Chronicles 29:11 (ESV)
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are tempted to hold onto control? How can you surrender it to God’s unshakable kingdom today?

Day 3: Seeking God’s Presence Above All Else

When life is overwhelming and circumstances are painful, the deepest need of our hearts is not for our problems to be fixed, but to dwell in the presence of God. Like David, we are invited to make our greatest desire to be with God, to gaze upon His beauty, and to know Him intimately. In His presence, we find peace and satisfaction that surpasses any change in our situation. [14:47]

Psalm 27:4 (ESV)
One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

Reflection: In the midst of your current struggles, what would it look like to make God’s presence your “one thing” today? How can you intentionally seek to dwell with Him?

Day 4: Gaze Upon the Beauty of the Lord

To rest in God and find peace regardless of our circumstances, we must learn to gaze upon His beauty—meditating deeply on who He is and what He has done. This means reflecting on His faithfulness, His kindness, and His miraculous works, allowing these truths to become so real to us that our anxieties begin to fade. As we remember and recount God’s goodness, our faith is strengthened and our hearts are anchored in Him. [21:09]

Psalm 34:8 (ESV)
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Reflection: Take time today to recall and write down specific ways you have seen God’s goodness in your life. How does remembering these moments help you trust Him now?

Day 5: Bring Your Whole Self Into God’s Presence

God invites us to bring every part of ourselves—our hopes, dreams, disappointments, pain, and even our doubts—into His presence. We are not meant to hide or minimize our struggles, but to lay them honestly before God, trusting that He welcomes us fully. Inquiring in His temple means coming to God with all that we are, seeking His face, and placing our hope in Him rather than in the outcomes we desire. [34:01]

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: What is one burden or disappointment you have been carrying alone? Will you bring it honestly before God in prayer today, trusting Him to meet you in that place?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered to reflect on the culmination of our journey through the Lord’s Prayer, focusing on what it truly means to enjoy God. We began by reciting the Lord’s Prayer together, remembering that Jesus gave us these words not just as a formula, but as an invitation into deeper relationship with our Father. The heart of prayer is not simply to improve our spiritual discipline, but to experience and delight in God Himself—to rest in His presence and to be enjoyed by Him. Prayer is the primary way we connect with the One who knows and loves us more deeply than anyone else ever could.

We explored the final phrase of the Lord’s Prayer: “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” While its inclusion in some translations is debated, its truth is not. All authority, power, and glory belong to God alone. This phrase serves as a bookend, reminding us after all our requests and confessions that God is ultimately in control. It is an invitation to repose—to rest in the unshakeable reality of God’s sovereignty, regardless of our circumstances.

Looking to Psalm 27, we saw how David, in the midst of overwhelming adversity and abandonment, did not primarily ask God to fix his circumstances. Instead, his deepest desire was to dwell in God’s presence, to gaze upon His beauty, and to inquire in His temple. David’s example challenges us: when life is falling apart, is our first instinct to seek relief, or to seek God Himself? True peace and security are found not in changed circumstances, but in the unchanging presence of God.

David’s prayer gives us a practical path: first, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord—meditating deeply on His character, His faithfulness, and His works until they become more real to us than our anxieties. Second, to inquire in His temple—bringing our whole selves, with all our hopes, wounds, disappointments, and desires, honestly into God’s presence. We are invited to ask, seek, and knock, but to place our ultimate hope not in outcomes, but in God alone. When our hearts are anchored in Him, we are transformed, and our prayers become less about getting what we want and more about enjoying the One who is all we need.

Key Takeaways

1. Rest in God’s Unshakeable Kingdom God’s kingdom, power, and glory are never in jeopardy, no matter what storms we face. When we anchor our hope in His sovereignty, we find a peace that circumstances cannot take away. This rest is not passive resignation, but active trust in the One who holds all things together. [08:44]
2. Seek God’s Presence Above All Else David’s longing was not for changed circumstances, but for deeper intimacy with God. When we make God Himself our greatest desire, we discover that His presence is enough—even when life is hard. This transforms our prayers from requests for relief to a pursuit of relationship. [14:07]
3. Gaze Intently on God’s Beauty To “gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” means to meditate deeply on who God is and what He has done. This is more than reciting truths; it is allowing God’s character and faithfulness to become so real to us that our fears and anxieties lose their grip. Remembering His past works and hearing testimonies of His faithfulness strengthens our trust in Him. [21:09]
4. Bring Your Whole Self Into God’s Presence God invites us to bring every part of ourselves—our joys, wounds, disappointments, and hopes—honestly before Him. Inquiring in His temple means refusing to hide or compartmentalize, but instead letting God meet us in our vulnerability. This is where true healing and transformation begin. [34:01]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:50] - Reading the Lord’s Prayer
[01:21] - Purpose: Enjoying God in Prayer
[02:56] - Prayer as Relationship, Not Ritual
[04:09] - Experiencing God’s Presence
[05:20] - The Final Phrase: Kingdom, Power, Glory
[07:00] - God’s Sovereignty Affirmed
[08:01] - A Prayer of Repose
[09:05] - David’s Crisis in Psalm 27
[10:31] - Everyone Carries Hidden Wounds
[12:46] - David’s Surprising Prayer Request
[14:07] - The Sufficiency of God’s Presence
[16:05] - Resting in God, Not Outcomes
[19:34] - Gaze Upon the Beauty of the Lord
[21:09] - Remembering God’s Faithfulness
[33:39] - Inquire in His Temple
[36:25] - Placing Hope in God Alone
[37:34] - Responding to God’s Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Enjoying God in Prayer

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)
> Pray then like this:
> “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 debts,
> as we also have forgiven our debtors.
> And lead us not into temptation,
> but deliver us from evil.
> For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.”

Psalm 27:1-6 (ESV)
> The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
> The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
> When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh,
> my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
> Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;
> though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
> One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:
> that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
> to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
> For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
> he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
> he will lift me high upon a rock.
> And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me,
> and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
> I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

1 Chronicles 29:11 (ESV)
> Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

Observation Questions

In Psalm 27, what does David say is the “one thing” he asks of the Lord, and how does this contrast with what we might expect someone in his situation to pray for? ([12:46])
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the phrase “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever” at the end of the Lord’s Prayer? ([08:01])
How does David describe his circumstances in Psalm 27, and what additional pain does he mention besides external threats? ([09:45])
What does it mean to “gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” according to the sermon? ([19:34])

Interpretation Questions

Why might David choose to seek God’s presence above all else, even when his life is falling apart? What does this reveal about his understanding of God? ([14:07])
The sermon says that prayer is not just about getting what we want from God, but about enjoying God Himself. How does this perspective change the way someone might approach prayer? ([16:05])
What does it look like to “bring your whole self into God’s presence” as described in the sermon? Why is this important for true healing and transformation? ([34:01])
The phrase “the kingdom is never in trouble” was quoted in the sermon. How might believing this affect a person’s response to difficult circumstances? ([08:44])

Application Questions

When you pray, do you find yourself mostly asking God to change your circumstances, or do you also seek to experience His presence? What would it look like for you to make God Himself your greatest desire in prayer? ([14:07])
Think about a current situation in your life that feels overwhelming or out of control. How might anchoring your hope in God’s unshakeable kingdom bring you peace, even if nothing changes right away? ([08:44])
The sermon encourages us to “gaze upon the beauty of the Lord” by meditating on His character and remembering His faithfulness. What is one specific way you can do this in your daily or weekly routine? ([21:09])
Are there parts of yourself—wounds, disappointments, or desires—that you tend to hide from God in prayer? What would it look like to bring your whole self honestly into His presence this week? ([34:01])
The pastor mentioned that hearing stories of God’s faithfulness can strengthen our trust in Him. Can you recall a time when someone else’s testimony encouraged your faith? How might you share your own story to encourage others? ([21:09])
The sermon challenges us to place our ultimate hope not in outcomes, but in God alone. Is there an area where you’ve been putting your hope in a specific result? How can you shift your focus to trusting God regardless of the outcome? ([36:25])
David’s example shows that true peace and security are found in God’s presence, not in changed circumstances. What practical step can you take this week to rest in God, rather than striving for control or relief? ([16:05])

Sermon Clips

“There is so much meaning behind each word, each phrase, each line, and we've, over the last three months, we've taken our time through each piece, because of the significance of what Jesus teaches us about prayer in this passage. And as we stated toward the beginning of the series, our goal in the series was not necessarily to improve your prayer life. Our goal was to help us all learn together what it is to enjoy God, because if we can learn to enjoy God, if we can learn to rest in him, if we can learn to experience and enjoy and rest in his presence, our prayer life, the byproduct of that is that our prayer life will improve.”

“Because prayer is how we are in relationship with God. You can't be in relationship with somebody that you never communicate with, right? And if you're not communicating with somebody, then there's no way that you're ever going to be able to experience them, enjoy them, and enjoy all the facets about them that God has put in them. And the same is true with our relationship with God. Prayer is our primary connection point with God. It's how we enjoy God.”

“The purpose of prayer is to enjoy God and to be enjoyed by God. The purpose of prayer is to enjoy God and to be enjoyed by God. Because Christianity teaches us that because of all that Jesus has accomplished, because he accomplished that which we could not accomplish for ourselves, because he lived a perfect life in our place and he died a sinner's death that we deserve, because he did all of that for us, our prayers have a radically different purpose from any other religion or belief system on the planet.”

“Christianity teaches that prayer is simply the way in which you are with the one who loves you more than anything else in the world, the one who knows you better than anyone else in the world, including you, the one who adores you, who wants to enjoy you and wants you to enjoy him, who loves you more than anyone else on the planet could ever love you. Prayer is how we are in relationship with him.”

“In each aspect of the Lord's Prayer, really what it is, is it's an invitation to enjoy God more deeply. To be in relationship with him in a different way, in a different facet. To grow in relationship with God, in intimacy with God. And every line, every word is packed with meaning and significance.”

“What is not debated, however, is, is it true? Because it certainly isn't my kingdom or yours. It's not my power or yours or my glory or yours. It certainly isn't anyone else's kingdom or power or glory. In fact, 1 Chronicles 29, it says it this way. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory, and it adds to it, and the victory and the majesty, in case we missed anything. For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.”

“If you think about, why did Jesus come? I mean, his whole life, why did he come? Why did he live? What did he bring? Because Jesus, his whole life, is about ushering in his kingdom, his power, his glory on the earth, right? So it's all about him. And what I love about its inclusion, this phrase, the inclusion of this phrase in the Lord's Prayer, is it is a tangible reminder. It is a bookend that after all of our praying, and all of our asking, and all of our seeking, and all of our knocking, it's a reminder to our own hearts of who is in charge.”

“It's a reminder of who is running the show, who is head above all. It's not me, it's not you, it's him. Yours is the kingdom, yours is the power, yours is the glory. Commentators and theologians have referred to this last phrase in the Lord's Prayer as a prayer of repose. A prayer of repose. And all that means is it's an invitation to rest in God. It's an invitation to enjoy him, to trust him, to put all your hopes in his kingdom, to rely on his kingdom, his power, his glory, knowing that nothing can ever overthrow it.”

“No scheme of hell can ever subdue or subvert the kingdom of God. I love the way that Dallas Willard says it. He says the kingdom is never in trouble. Doesn't matter what your circumstances are. Doesn't matter what you're facing. The kingdom is never in trouble. And you can rest in that.”

“And while what's true is you probably do not have an army that is trying to kill you, you don't have anybody that's coming for you, trying to overthrow you, trying to take out your life, what is true is every single person in this room is hurting in some way, shape, or form. Every single one of us is carrying something. Some burden, some disappointment, some wound.”

“And the truth is, we're all carrying something. We're all carrying our own version of that. There is some wound, some disappointment, some sorrow, some pain, some frustration, some doubt, some hurt. Everyone is carrying something. And David, in this prayer, in Psalm 27, he's looking out at his life, and he's acknowledging that in prayer. He's going, God, this is the reality that I'm facing, and it's all bad. Everything is falling apart. My life is falling apart, and I don't understand why this is happening.”

“If you were going to ask God for one thing, and you're in his shoes, what would you ask for? Because I promise you, if it's us, most of us are going to pray, God, fix my circumstances. I don't want to have to endure this. Turn my enemies away. Knock some sense into the people that have abandoned me. God, fix the rumors and the lies. Do something. God, fix my circumstances. And it's not wrong to ask for that, but that's what we would ask for.”

“What does David ask for? What does he pray? He says this, one thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and inquire in his temple. Of all the things I could ask for, this is what I'm after. God, I don't need you to fix my circumstances. God, I don't need you to stop the army. I don't need you to stop the lies. I don't need you to fix the situation with my family. All I need is you. If I have you, it's enough.”

“That's what he's saying. He's going, I don't care what it takes. I don't care what it costs me. I don't care the price that I have to pay. All I want in life is to be with you. To enjoy unhindered relationship with you. To experience your goodness and your beauty and your kindness. I don't want to just know about you. I want to know you deeply, intimately, personally. I want to experience you. I want to see your face. I want to experience your presence. It's the only thing I really need in life. Everything else pales in comparison to you.”

“See, when you and I pray, yours is the kingdom. Yours is the power. Yours is the glory. What we're saying is, God, ultimately, you are the only wealth that I really need in life. God, I've made all these requests. I'm asking for all these things. But ultimately, if you give me none of those things, it's okay, because I have you. At the end of the day, I have you.”

“Only if I'm with you in loving relationship with you do I have peace in the midst of the worst of circumstances, in my life falling apart, even in deteriorating health, because I know that one day I'm going to be resurrected into glory, and I'm going to live in your kingdom with you forever. It's okay if my circumstances don't get better. It's okay if my world is falling apart, because at the end of the day, I have you, and it's all I need is you.”

“See, the only possible way for you and I to have peace, to face any circumstance in life, is to pray, yours is the kingdom, the power, the glory forever. It's yours. It's why David, he's saying, listen, I don't want the kind of prayer life where I just come to God in order to get what I want from God, although I will ask for things that I want. I'm invited to ask for what I want, but ultimately, I'm not just coming to God in prayer to get what I want.”

“Why? Because I don't want my heart to rest in, to hope in, easier circumstances, because what will happen is if I do get easier circumstances, I'll still be filled with insecurity, because I don't know if those circumstances will last. I don't know if those things will endure. I don't want my heart to rest in, or hope in easier circumstances, because if they don't come, I'm gonna be wildly disappointed in God. I'll be tossed back and forth by fear and anger and disappointment and sorrow and doubt in the goodness of God.”

“But if my heart is at rest in Him, then all of a sudden, the outcome of my prayers won't shake me. They won't throw me. I'm not going into prayer in order to get things from God, though I will ask for things from God. But more than anything else in my life, I want Him. Not what He can give me, I want Him. Because if I have Him, I have everything I need. Every single thing I need.”

“See, when you bring your request to God, if your heart is not at rest in the reality that His is the kingdom, His is the power, His is the glory, whatever it is that you're after, if you don't get it, you'll be crushed, and if you do get it, you'll still be unsatisfied and insecure, because you won't know if it's going to last. But only when your heart is at rest in Him, when you're enjoying Him and your hope is in Him, do the outcomes all of a sudden not matter as much as they used to.”

“Only then will you not be crushed by God not answering a prayer exactly the way you want Him to. It won't shake you. It won't throw you. Only when you're rooted like David in this reality, if all I have is you, God, it is enough. And what will happen is if you can rest in that, if you're rooted and anchored in that, then when you do bring your request to God, not only does it change what you ask for, it changes you. It changes you.”

“All of a sudden you're asking, not because you need it to be okay, but because God invites you to ask and you have Him, so you're okay no matter what. And you hear that and go, well, how in the world do we do that? How do we practice that? How do we get there? What's amazing about David's prayer is he gives us the how in the middle of his prayer. So he says, one thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

“And then he gives us two things. First one is this, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. That's the first one. To gaze upon the beauty. How do we get there? You have to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. And the word gaze, it means to stare intently. It means to think on, to meditate on something so intently that it's etched into your heart and mind in a way that you'll never forget it.”

“And it's not just talking about, it's not talking about a vision, a literal vision of God. It's not even talking about reciting truths about God. It's not just remembering or knowing that God is wise or God is loving or God is holy or kind. It's asking the question behind that. How is God loving? How is God wise? Where do I see his wisdom at work around me? Where do I see his kindness and his love? Where do I see his goodness and his generosity?”

“Because it's not just believing that God is good, but that his goodness becomes so real to you that your anxiety about life begins to dissipate and you can find yourself breathing again, at rest again. It makes it real to you. It's not just believing that God is good or that God is wise. It's allowing, it's meditating on it in a way that allows his wisdom become so real to you that you can trust in him no matter what your circumstances are because you know in the end he will use it for your good.”

“See, you have to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. And one of the most powerful ways to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord for it to become real to us is to simply think on what he has done. To look back and reflect on his faithfulness, on his goodness, even the miraculous works that he's accomplished and is accomplishing in us, around us, for us, through us. To behold his kingdom, his power, his glory.”

“See, all of a sudden, when you hear the stories, the big ones and the small ones, for some of us in the room, we hear that and it grows our faith. And we go, that's right. That's what God can do. That's what our God does. Others of us in the room, you might hear those stories, and it might bring up an area of pain or disappointment. And you go, why them and not me? Why that situation and not this situation? And that question leads us into David's instruction, his second instruction for us.”

“So number one is to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord. And number two is to inquire in his temple. Now, Solomon's temple had yet to be built. And so David is speaking of the tabernacle where God's very presence dwelt. And David is saying, I want to behold your beauty. I want to seek your face. I want to be in your presence. And I want to bring all that I am, all the good and all the bad, into your presence, into a time with you.”

“I want to bring all of my dreams, all of my hopes, all of my desires, all of my requests, and all of my pain, all of my sorrow, all of my disappointments, all of my frustrations, all of my fears, all of my hurts, everything I am, into the very presence of God. That's what David is saying. I want to inquire in his temple. I want to bring all that I am into the very presence of God.”

“But here's the deal. In your asking, in your seeking, in your request, put all of your hopes, put all of your hopes, not in the outcomes. Put all of your hopes, not on your circumstances. Put all of your hopes on God and God alone. Why? Because his is the kingdom. His is the power. His is the glory forever.”

“No matter what difficulties or hardships, no matter what storms we have to face in this life, this is where God invites us to put our hope that we may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our lives. To gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and inquire in his temple.”

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