In Jesus’ day the idea of kings and kingdoms was apparently considerably different than the principally romantic fairy tale derived ideas of our day.  Kings in the days of Jesus had the authority to rule as they saw fit.    To find yourself on the wrong side of a king could cost you your life.   On the other hand to receive the grace and good favor of a king represented a considerable benefit.

Early in the story of our King we find three wise men were looking for this king.  [Matthew 2:2 (AMP)] 

² Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east at its rising and have come to worship Him.

Later in the life of Jesus when He was on trial Pilate questioned His kingship.  [Matthew 27:11 (AMP)] ¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor [Pilate], and the governor asked Him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus said to him, you have stated [the fact].

Yet another picture of Jesus as king is given to the Apostle John on the isle of Patmos.  [Revelation 19:13-16 (AMP)]  ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dyed by dipping in blood, and the title by which He is called is The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the troops of heaven, clothed in fine linen, dazzling and clean, followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ From His mouth goes forth a sharp sword with which He can smite (afflict, strike) the nations; and He will shepherd and control them with a staff (scepter, rod) of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath and indignation of God the All-Ruler (the Almighty, the Omnipotent). ¹⁶ And on His garment (robe) and on His thigh He has a name (title) inscribed, king of kings and lord of lords.

Yes, Jesus is our King.  It is to His kingdom we belong.   But what does it mean to serve with excellence this king?   Jesus’ disciples seemed to wonder about this as they asked Him …..  “who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” - Matthew 18:1 (AMP)   

Jesus’ answer was not what they expected.   ^“And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them, ³ And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. 
⁴ Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  -  Matthew 18:2-4 (AMP)

Jesus taught His disciples and us to pray for the Father’s kingdom to come and for His will to be done.   Jesus’ instruction to pray for the Father’s will to be done seems somewhat self explanatory. However what does it mean to pray forour  the Father’s “kingdom to come?"    What is connection between praying for “Thy Kingdom come” and  “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” 

  It has been said that prayer does not get man’s will done in heaven; it gets God’s will done on earth.    Perhaps this pattern prayer given to us by Jesus is in part designed to position our hearts in sync with the heart of God such that the will of God will become our will as well.

At any rate a casual examination of the prayer pattern Jesus taught to His disciples clearly leads us to the understanding that God is high and holy and we are to submit and serve Him, not the other way around.  We must resist our automatic default to mentally move ourselves to the center in our thoughts and actions, and if we do default we must repent!

When Jesus answered the question of His disciples regarding who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven, His answer was related to the issue at hand, that is who is the greatest servant.   Jesus described the greatest servant as a humble, God glorifying, child like server, available, presenting himself as clay to the hands of the potter.

Jesus is our King.  He does not need our advice, our plans, or our creativity; He desires our availability and our obedience.  He needs our ears more than our mouth.  He is the potter and we are the clay.    So how does clay pray?

Becoming clay is the first and probably the most difficult part.   Clay has no agenda, it has no desires, it does not have expectations.  Clay is simply waiting to be molded into the instrument of God according to the desires of God.  Clay does not compare.   Clay does not complain.  Clay simply responds to the hands of the potter.     Approaching the state of clay we realize that God can do whatever He wants to do.   We also observe that God often awaits the prayers of His saints before doing His will.

An example of this phenomenon is found in the following passage.    Exodus 17:8-14 (AMP) 
⁸ Then came Amalek [descendants of Esau] and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 
⁹ And Moses said to Joshua, Choose us out men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. 
¹⁰ So Joshua did as Moses said and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the hilltop. 
¹¹ When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and when he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 
¹² But Moses’ hands were heavy and grew weary. So [the other men] took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 
¹³ And Joshua mowed down and disabled Amalek and his people with the sword. 
¹⁴ And the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in the book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under the heavens.

It seems clear that it was the will of God for Joshua to defeat Amalek.   Yet the victory seemed to be dependent on Moses’ holding up the rod of God.    God is certainly not limited by man, yet it seems that at times He chooses to limit Himself awaiting the prayers of His saints.

So we see a few essential aspects of prayer in God’s kingdom.   First, God is King and we are not.     Further in His kingdom the rightness of our lives before our king, and the rightness of our prayers according to His will, should be both properly prepared as holy offerings to our King.   This means as a practical matter that we must continuously strive to submit to our King, walking in the Spirit, and praying as the Spirit directs.  

God desires to bring renewal and revival to His Church.   And only God can do this.  Our part is to continuously humbly hold up holy hands and righteous lives to our King.