The Kingdom of God Is Now

            In Matthew 6:9-10 (VOICE), Jesus prayed, “Our Father in heaven, let Your name remain holy. Bring about Your kingdom. Manifest Your will here on earth, as it is manifest in heaven.”

            The kingdom of God is not just for the sweet by and by. It is for the here and now. In Matthew 10:7-8 (TPT), Jesus tells us what the kingdom of God entails. “And as you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.’ You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, and raise the dead back to life. Freely you have received the power of the kingdom, so freely release it to others.”

            The kingdom of God is His reign and rule breaking into our world to heal bodies, transform lives, and offer hope. “But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you...” (Acts 1:8 AMPC).

         “And it shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be consumed in the presence of the anointing” (Isaiah 10:27 JUB). The anointing of the Holy Spirit removes burdens and destroys yokes!

            God doesn’t change. “...Jesus doesn’t change-yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself” (Hebrews 13:8 MSG). “I am the Lord, and I do not change...” (Malachi 3:6 NLT). God still heals. Why am I not seeing more of His healing power flowing through me to others?

          The currency of God’s Kingdom is faith. “No one can please God without faith...” (Hebrews 11:6 GNT). The children of Israel saw greater signs and wonders than any generation before them. Yet they continually provoked God by their unbelief. “How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him in the desert! Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel” (Psalm 78:40-41).

          My heartfelt prayer is that I do not limit the Holy One by unbelief. Remember Jesus in His hometown of Nazareth? “And He did not do many works of power there, because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in the divine mission of Jesus)” (Matthew 13:58 AMPC).

           I believe pride and the fear of failure hinder Christians (including me), from stepping out and allowing God’s miracle working power to flow through us. Both are rooted in a self-centered perspective rather than in a Christ-centered one. “...’God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble” (James 4:6 MSG). Dear Lord Jesus, may I be among the “willing humble”.

        I’ll close with Philippians 4:13 (AMP). “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose-I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]”