Let’s talk about the kingdom of God and some of the practical ways we can cultivate the atmosphere of heaven here on earth. I know that’s a big topic to tackle, but stay with me, because I have some practical steps to help break it down.
Building the kingdom of God is part of the mandate of Christian living. As believers in Christ, we are all called to minister the Gospel, but sometimes in our humanity we take the simplicity of Christ’s instruction and complicate it beyond all measure. Jesus told his disciples,
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NLT)
Kingdom building is not about numbers, infrastructure, or even politics, it’s about the position of the heart. This is an important distinction to make, because our human experience usually takes us back to the finite ideas and physical boundaries of earthly kingdoms. Understand that the kingdom of God is where he rules and reigns. It begins in the surrendered soul of sons and daughters, who yield to His Lordship. Heaven touches earth, where Jesus reigns
The Kingdom of God
“Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33, NLT)
The kingdom of God is not a far-away place, it shows up in the life of every believer who lives in humble surrender. The position of your heart before the Father matters. Seeking the kingdom is essentially the process of placing your trust in God and surrendering to his rule and leadership. This is not something you accomplish with a one-time confession, it’s an ongoing practice.
Seeking the kingdom of God, it’s about pursuing his presence. You are here because he created you, giving breath to your lungs and life to you soul. He invites you to come close, because he wants you to know him—he wants to lavish you with his love and grace.
When God created the heavens and the earth, he issued an invitation for community. His desire was for intimacy. As he tells his story, all the way through scripture, he calls us to come back to that restored place of wholeness, when he rules and reigns. It’s the place of surrender and trust—that’s the kingdom of God.
Surrendered lives carry the light in all the dark places. This is what it means to build the kingdom of God. When your heart and soul are completely yielded to the leadership of God’s rule and reign, the atmosphere literally changes. We can affect our world, by carrying the kingdom into the broken places.
Jesus—the way
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, ESV)
This is one of my all-time favorite verses, in fact, I think it was the first verse that I ever memorized. It was a powerful revelation to me, as a young teenager, because I had grown up in the Church. I attended services every week with my family, and because it was a traditional liturgical church, I heard a lot of scripture.
I was 12 years old, when I first heard the Gospel message in a way that made me understand my need for Jesus. It wasn’t that I didn’t know about Jesus, I just didn’t realize that I needed a personal relationship with him.
Jesus went to the cross, taking with him the sin of all of humanity. He died and then he rose again. He accomplished what we could never hope to do and in that one generous act of love opened the way into the presence of God.
So, let’s make this practical. Remember that Jesus is the only way into the holy place. I know it sounds simple enough, but it’s easier than you think to get turned around—we all do it from time to time. There is no place for striving or proving in the kingdom of God; cease the religious activity and follow Jesus.
Following Jesus means yielding your will—period. You need to practice this in all things, because you will need him for every situation of life. That’s the whole point of a confession of faith. Jesus saved us so we could walk in freedom from sin, which is only possible when we live a humble surrendered life.
Jesus—the truth
“The Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for you souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT)
Do you recognize the invitation in that scripture? Jesus had been preaching and healing as he moved from town to town in the region. Many believed, but there were a great many more who refused to believe or repent. Jesus recognized the spirit of religion as he denounced whole communities because of their pride, making it clear that there is no room for arrogance in the kingdom of God.
Have you ever found yourself trying to prove your worth? I have. I believe everyone can get stuck in that ditch from time to time. Learn to recognize the signs, because Jesus offers a better way of living. That’s the invitation of that verse; to let go of the heaviness of proving in exchange for the way of grace.
Following Jesus requires listening to him—believing him. It’s about trusting him, not just in a general big picture sort of way, but all the way around. So, be honest with yourself, are there places in your life where you don’t believe Jesus? Don’t be afraid to dig deep, because exposing the doubt to the light and truth, brings relief and rest. That’s what he offers; that’s what he wants for you!
Jesus is the truth. His way is perfect and he doesn’t lie. Following him means addressing those places of doubt and disbelief, because obedience is the effect of surrender and surrender doesn’t happen without trust and belief.
Jesus—the life
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Ephesians 2:8 NLT
Graces sounds great, doesn’t it? This profound love draws us in, but the enemy is quick to distort the truth leading us by the way of pride. How quickly we revert back to the old habits of striving and proving.
Salvation comes through faith, which is about believing Jesus, but after salvation comes the process of becoming like Jesus. The theological term for this is Sanctification, which is the ongoing process of being made holy. You and I cannot make ourselves holy, only God can do that, but he won’t touch us unless we willingly submit to that restorative work.
The kingdom of God resides within the surrendered soul of one who chooses to believe and follow Jesus. This is what it means to abide with Christ.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4 NLT)
Everything you do, must flow from the deep places of rest with Jesus. And by rest, I’m talking about practicing the presence of God. Life transformation and healing happens in the presence of God, not because we’ve anteed up. Busy religious activity doesn’t bring us before the throne, surrender does.
Abiding and rest require surrender and that is true worship. Life lived in Christ, lives from the presence of God, because he is the source and in Him all things are possible (Philippians 4:13).
The kingdom of God changes the atmosphere
We, as believer’s in Christ, carry the kingdom of God into the dark places of this world, but the kingdom must be established in us before there is any hope for impartation of that grace. We are vessels that bear the effects of redemption and restoration. Our changed lives testify of the glory and power of God.
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-10 ESV)
The kingdom of God changes the atmosphere. The power of love cuts through despair and hopelessness like nothing else I’ve ever seen. This is the good news of the Gospel of Christ, but for change to affect, the world needs to see the effects of grace and life transformation. If your life shows no evidence of God’s glory and power, who will believe your testimony?
Building the kingdom of God is the mandate of Christian living, but you cannot succeed in this commission unless you are serious about the state of your own soul—every single part surrendered. The truth of the matter is that you and I cannot lead anyone where we have never personally gone ourselves. The culture of heaven will change the earth when we submit to the inner work of transformation.
Practical kingdom building habits
There are no short-cuts to the kingdom of God, you just have to humble yourself and press in. Here are some practical kingdom building habits.
- Start the Day with Jesus.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:1-2 NLT)
- Practice the Presence of God
“Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored through the world.” Psalm 46:10
- Confession and Self-Examination
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:23-24)
- Bible Study
“Let the word of the Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God.” (Colossians 3:16 The Message)
- Compassion
“Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!” (Mark 1:41 NLT)
Building the kingdom of God and cultivating the culture of heaven is all about standing in agreement with the Father. He shows up as we live lives that testify of his grace and power.