To truly experience the fullness of salvation, we need an understanding of the Kingdom of God.
As Christians, we understand that our salvation comes through Jesus Christ and His completed work on the cross. This salvation is a free gift. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that there is no other way to the Father but through Him:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”.
When it comes to our mission and purpose, however, we need to take a step further and discover the true power of the Gospel which Jesus came to preach. Salvation is more than just the forgiveness of our sin; it opens the doorway into God’s Kingdom:
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.
Jesus Himself said:
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven”.
“This gospel of the kingdom must be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come”
“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
He also used illustrations and told parables about the Kingdom of God:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought the field.”
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Understanding the Kingdom of God is the key to understanding the message and ministry of Jesus.
The Kingdom of God is within you
Many times, people wonder why they face opposition or have to fight for their faith when they are living for God and serving him. The Bible clearly explains this. As children of God, we are part of His Kingdom of Light. At the same time, we are in conflict with the kingdom of darkness:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize].
While the battle is real in our lives, victory has been assured. As a child of God, we have a new passport. We are citizens of Heaven. We belong to King Jesus. The opposition comes when we decide to take possession of everything that God has made available to us in His Kingdom. When we step out and start taking ground that the enemy has held for a long time, we should expect—but not fear— fierce resistance!
The Bible says that the devil comes to steal, which means he is after something that doesn't belong to him.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
It is our responsibility to take back what belongs to God and therefore, rightfully belongs to us—as His children.
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armour in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.
Kingdom authority breaks through into the domain of the enemy. As you step out in faith, you discover that God is all-powerful and has ALL authority in Heaven and on Earth.
What does it mean to see the Kingdom of God?
Our purpose is wrapped up in this truth: To see the Kingdom of God come on Earth as it is in Heaven.
“Jesus announced the kingdom not just as a reality which was at hand, something which would appear in the immediate future but as a reality which was already present, manifested in his own person and ministry”. (New Bible Dictionary, 2nd Edition pg 657)
In Jesus, the future was made present. His ministry brought the Kingdom of God to Earth so we could see what Heaven looks like.
Every time a demon is cast out, it could be said that the Kingdom of God has come.
Every time a sick person gets healed it could be said that the Kingdom of God has come.
Every time someone receives salvation or makes a decision to forgive, it could be said that the Kingdom of God has come.
But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you.
The whole of Jesus’s miraculous ministry was proof that the Kingdom of God had come. Our mission is to bring God’s Kingdom into every place where we live, work and study, and into every sphere of society.
This leads us into the significance of the church. We can only see the Kingdom of God established on Earth through the Church:
“The church is God’s only authorised representative in the world today” (God’s Glorious Church Evans, pg 276)
The local church is God's vehicle to carry and reveal His Kingdom. As we build the church on Earth, we expand, extend and establish God’s Kingdom and EVERY Christian has an important role to play in building God’s church.
God is the King of Kings
Every kingdom has a king. This is true of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is our Servant-King and His nature is presented in great detail through the gospel of Matthew.
Our King, who is also known as the ‘King of Kings’ and ‘Lord of Lords’, is humble yet all-powerful, suffering yet victorious, rejected and despised—yet loving and compassionate.
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
King Jesus has all authority in Heaven and on Earth, and His Kingdom is not limited by geography or culture.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”.
Even at the end of times, the Bible tells us that we will see Jesus reigning as the triumphant King:
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”
As a servant, He laid down His life for us. As the King, His government has no end. He has all power over sin, sickness, and death! This is why we worship, because Jesus is our king. We lay our crowns at his feet. He is worthy of all our worship, honour, and praise.
As ambassadors of the King, we steward the Earth on His behalf. We represent Him everywhere we go. This changes the way we live our lives and is ultimately, how we bring transformation to Earth.
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
To be the ‘light of the world’ and the ‘salt of the earth’ is best understood in the context of reflecting the character of the King and shining His light wherever we go.
Kingdom Culture: How does the Kingdom of God operate?
God’s Kingdom has a culture. It is the culture of Heaven.
Every nation or ‘kingdom’ has a culture. Culture in its simplest form is often defined as “the way we do things around here”. It reveals our worldview and convictions, and gives meaning to our patterns of behaviour.
The way we serve others is important. If we are to reflect the culture of Heaven, we could say that our service must be “first class’. This means that everyone is treated with great value, God is given our very best effort and people can experience God’s love tangibly through our selfless living, kindness, and hospitality. Generosity, praise and worship, honour, faith, soul-winning, pioneering and discipleship are some of the most pronounced Kingdom cultures that we must seek to reflect on Earth.
Discover more about living, loving and serving in the First Class Church in this powerful book “Our Father’s House”.
As culture is the ‘glue’ of any society, so Kingdom culture is the glue that holds the family of God together and helps us to understand the way we should live and serve daily in this new Kingdom. It shapes how we speak, our attitudes, our behaviour and most importantly, our heart.
As you journey with God and grow in your understanding of His Kingdom, our prayer is that you will encounter King Jesus, step into your God-given authority and see great victories everywhere you go.
Let’s build the church and advance God’s Kingdom together!
Key Points
- Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. When we receive salvation through Jesus, it opens the doorway into the Kingdom of God.
- As children of God, we are part of His Kingdom of Light. It is our responsibility to take back what belongs to God and therefore, rightfully belongs to us—as His children.
- The whole of Jesus’s miraculous ministry was proof that the Kingdom of God had come. Our mission is to bring God’s Kingdom into every place where we live, work and study, and into every sphere of society.
- As ambassadors of the King, we steward the Earth on His behalf. We represent Him everywhere we go. This changes the way we live our lives and is ultimately, how we bring transformation to Earth. Kingdom culture is the glue that holds the family of God together--shapes how we speak, our attitudes, our behaviour and most importantly, our heart.
