Jesus tells us to seek first for the kingdom of God, but many Christian people have no idea of what the kingdom is or how to seek it.
Some think it means heaven, others think it refers to their church, and others to the reign of Christ on earth.
But here is one thing I know: the kingdom of God has to do with the power of God, not our church affiliation, doctrine, or theology.
The kingdom of God does not consist in word, but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20).
Consider the experience of St. Paul:
My word and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).
I’ve experienced this power many times over the years, but there is one time I’ll never forget. It happened in January 1980 when I learned that the leukemia was now in our teenage son’s brain. I bottomed out. I had nothing left.
The Power of God Lifted Me Up
I went to bed and lay there for three days. During this time, I could not cry, pray, or read the Bible. I could not reach up to God for help. All I could think about was getting a gun and killing our son and myself. I simply had no strength, no power left. I could not face the future.
On the third day, as God is my witness, a ball of energy suddenly came down from above and entered right into me, filling me up with God’s divine power.
I bounced up out of bed and went into the kitchen. Startled, my husband asked, “What happened to you?”
“I don’t know,” I said, “but God came.” Today I know it was the power of God that came and entered right through the wall of my abdomen.
I call this the greatest day of my life, because I no longer had to try to be strong. I knew through experience the reality of the power of God. And it is spiritual power, not natural power.
The Power of God Made Us One
A few years later, when our marriage was falling apart, we knelt together and prayed: “Lord, our marriage is dead; we don’t have the power to make it work. If You want it to live, You will have to do it.”
A couple of weeks later, a man came up to us in a restaurant and said, “God has heard your prayer and He is going to make you of one heart.” Over the years, God’s power did it, not our efforts.
It is the same power that protected Daniel from the lions, the same power that gave the blind man sight, the same power that raised Lazarus from the dead. This same power is available to us today.
Pray for Revelation
For several years I had prayed the following prayer very often, and I always encourage everyone else to do the same. It is through revelation and faith in our hearts, not by trying harder, that we can experience the power of God in our lives.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know … what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19)
You can learn more about the kingdom of God from my Teaching Notes, “Understanding The Kingdom of God”
Thank you so much Judith. This was exactly what I needed to know. You are a wise and blessed Person.