Meaning of "The Kingdom of God" | by guest blogger, Susanna Kozlow, Founder of Divinely Driven Ministry.
What does the Kingdom of God mean, and what does that mean to me as a Christ follower? When we pray for and seek the Kingdom of God, we are also praying for the rule and reign of the Kingdom of God in our lives. This is when Jesus is in charge in us and through us. Jesus said, “For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21), where He was speaking of Himself.
When you are under Jesus’ lordship, and when He is in control of your life, that is the Kingdom of God. It is not rules and regulations, but “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). When we claim that Jesus is in charge and is Lord of our lives, we become ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. We are citizens of God’s Kingdom NOW, and we live to make way here on earth for God’s purpose. It is for His will and His GLORY, not our own!
Every baptized member of the Body of Christ (The Church) is called to be an ambassador of God's Kingdom. No matter how old or young we are, God wants us to surrender to Him, so He can use us as His ambassadors to this declining world. Children, teens, young adults, those in middle age, and those in the autumn of their physical years are all called to be Christ's Ambassadors—right now!
The Apostle Paul shows us how we should view our earthly, physical bodies (2 Corinthians 5). He describes them as our "earthly house" or earthly "tent," which will be destroyed (v. 1). Paul then points us to the heavenly "habitation" for which we yearn (v. 2)—a spiritual body that the "first fruits" will receive at the return of Christ. We do not "go to heaven" for our eternal reward—rather, this glorified body comes from heaven at the resurrection. We understand that as long as we are "at home" in these physical bodies, we are absent from the Lord (v. 6). Though we must rejoice in every day of life that God grants to us, we must never be completely "at home" in the flesh. We must always yearn and hunger to become full spiritual members of the God Family. Paul goes on to explain that if we are truly in Christ, we must be a new creation, putting off old and ungodly ways, ideas, habits, thoughts, feelings and attitudes (2 Corinthians 5:17).
God calls us so we can assist Him in the mission of spreading His Gospel of the Kingdom to the world—a ministry or teaching of reconciliation (v. 18). We have a message to proclaim, through word and deed, which emphasizes human beings being reconciled or "brought back" to God through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ (v. 19). By: Divinely Driven Ministry.
Join us this Thursday, August 4th at 7pm to hear Susanna Kozlow from Divinely Driven Ministry teach more on this. Register at: www.arisedaughter.org and get the link to join our spirited discussion.