“The Kingdom of God”
Psalm 22:28 says, “For the kingdom is the Lord’s, and He rules over the nations.” Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Jesus told us to pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-10).
What is the kingdom of God? The Revell Compact Bible Dictionary defines kingdom as “a ruler’s sphere of authority.” Charles Colson writes, “But the kingdom of God is a rule, not a realm. It is the declaration of God’s absolute sovereignty, of His total order of life in this world and the next.” Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears write, “At its simplest, the kingdom of God is the result of God’s mission to rescue and renew his sin-marred creation. The kingdom of God is about Jesus our king establishing his rule and reign over all creation, defeating the human and angelic evil powers, bringing order to all, enacting justice, and being worshipped as Lord. As we pray for His Kingdom to come, we are focusing on the glory of God and for His rule and reign to lead our lives and to be spread to all people. The vehicle is the church. There are at least 4 aspects to God’s Kingdom that we must understand.
God is the King, or ruler of all. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who personally revealed God and His kingdom. The throne of God is the centerpiece of the universe and human history. Driscoll and Breshears write, “The kingdom message is that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. Spiritual death, the ruptured relationship with God, can be healed through his atoning death alone. The internal destruction sin has brought to our hearts can be renewed through the power of his resurrected life. The real enemy conquered by his victory is not political but sin and the god of this world, Satan himself, along with the spiritual forces of darkness. Jesus formed a new movement, the church, a redeemed people from every nationality and ethnicity, who will come into the unity of the Spirit to participate in God’s rescue mission to the whole world.”
The Past Aspect-God’s Kingdom was present on earth when he came the first time (Matthew 4:17).
The Future Aspect-Jesus will literally set up God’s Kingdom on earth when He returns (Revelation 11:15, Daniel 2:44, 7:14).
The Present Aspect-Christ’s rule and reign in the hearts of believers. According to Jesus in John 3, we are born again into the kingdom of God.
Therefore, when we truly pray for and seek first the Kingdom of God, we are:
Looking forward to His return.
Acknowledging His rule over our lives (surrendering to Him).
Praying and working for people to become a part of His Kingdom.
Praying and working for the principles of God’s Kingdom to be in operation in this world.
Entering into spiritual warfare against the Kingdom of darkness.
It is not about us. We are not to be building our own little empires, but we are building the Kingdom of the King of Kings. We are to live for the glory and honor of our great God and King, Jesus Christ. This is all that God will bless.
The Kingdom of God is all that will last. Therefore, we waste our lives when we invest them in anything else, including religious things. Augustine wrote, “That which man builds man destroys, but the city of God is built by God and cannot be destroyed by man.” Bob Roberts has written, “The kingdom of God is a radical message meant to be lived out in radical lives, which then historically and culturally have radical results.”
