1. The Kingdom
It is such an important truth that Jesus tells us to: “… seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
2. What is the Kingdom?
“The Kingdom of God is the realm where Jesus Christ reigns as King and God’s authority is supreme. This Kingdom exists here and now in the lives and hearts of the redeemed, as well as in its fullness in the future.” Show More
3. The Gospel.
The word Gospel, which means Good News, is used 111 times in the New Testament. The “good news” is the Gospel of the “Kingdom” in which the reign of the King, Jesus, exists on earth today.
4. Jesus came Preaching the Kingdom.
The term preach, or preaching, is used 77 times in the New Testament. This term preach simply means to announce or tell others.
- Some feel awkward or embarrassed to be thought of as a preacher, but all it means is to talk about the Good News you have experienced through Jesus!
- Remember Acts 1:8, we have received power to be witnesses to Jesus. There is power in our testimony. Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”
5. Your testimony has intrinsic power. It is not about how you present it, but that you present it!
- 1 Corinthians 2:1, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
6. Where is the Kingdom? It is in the heart of a believer
Luke 17: 20, “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
The earth, as we know it now, is not the Kingdom because the kingdom is a spiritual kingdom that has a very real and significant impact on the physical world we live in.
7. The Devil may be in control of the world systems, but Jesus is still in control of His Kingdom.
Our citizenship is heaven, and we are ambassadors of Jesus Christ.
Psalms 24:1, “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.”
8. Parable of the tares.
Even though the earth belongs to the Lord, it has tares sown throughout it.
Adam and Eve had control until they gave it to the serpent (Devil)
We are the good seed in a field of tares …
Matthew 13:24, (READ)hence in the midst of sin and evil (a fallen world), we must unfortunately endure.
9. Whom you obey is whom you serve (servant of)
Romans 6:16, “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
10. Believers are the Sons and Daughters of the King (Kingdom)
We are sons (Galatians 3-4 (READ)) of the kingdom, and as sons, we have rights and privileges. We have the keys to the kingdom… now on earth. “Thy kingdom come they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
We must exercise those rights and privileges by exercising our faith that we are king’s kids.
Remember, we are called to walk by faith and not by sight.
11. We forget, especially in a crisis, who we are and who we belong …
Acts 27:22, “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.”
- Like Moses with his staff about to cross the Red Sea. Exo 14:15, “And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. 16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”
1 Corinthians 4:20, “For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.”
12. Be bold and courageous…
The book of Joshua describes Joshua taking over the mantle of Moses. Joshua is encouraged by the Lord to be “bold and very courageous” three times in chapter one; some might think this means to be brave actually, it means to trust the Lord with all of your might because you will be asked to do extraordinary things by faith.
13. Healing is the most unmistakable evidence of the Kingdom
Luke 10:9, “And heal the sick there, and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near to you.”
14. Pray for the sick…