The Kingdom in You
Read: Luke 17:20-21
Key Verse: Luke 17:21 – Neither shall they say, lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The Pharisees asked Jesus when God’s Kingdom would come, not knowing that it already arrived. The Kingdom of God is not like an earthly Kingdom with geographical boundaries. Instead it begins with the word of God activated by His Spirit in people’s hearts, in their lives and in their relationships. Still today we must resist looking for institutions or programs for evidence of the progress of God’s Kingdom. Instead we should look for what God is doing in people’s heart.
Just like the Pharisees and Sadducees, many miss the kingdom because they are looking for a literal physical kingdom and that will not happen until Jesus returns to set up a physical kingdom. In this age, it is spiritual kingdom in the hearts of believers but it becomes visible when you are living a life that reflects kingdom values by letting your light shine before others, so they see your good works but glorify your father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:17).
The purpose or goal of the kingdom is to manifest on earth the operations of heaven. In the Lord’s prayer, it says thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. So, if your life on earth is not reflecting heaven, then God’s Kingdom is not visible. God’s Kingdom is only visible when someone on earth is emulating or reflecting heaven. Jesus said in Luke 11:20, if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you. In other words, when Jesus cast out a devil, he was demonstrating the power of the Kingdom to change things on earth. When it happened, the Kingdom of God became visible to those who witnessed the event.
Thought of the day:
In what ways can I apply the word to my life or my situation so the Kingdom of God can be seen?