Thy Kingdom Come

Jesus stood before Pilate and declared, "My Kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not for here." John 18:36 He explained to His disciples: "The Kingdom of God cometh not with [outward sign] observation. Neither shall they say, lo here! or lo there! For behold the Kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:20-21 So, then it's obvious that the Kingdom of God is not on our plain of existence. Jesus told us in the Lord's Prayer, though, to pray: "Thy Kingdom Come" and with great parables, He taught us about the Kingdom. "And He said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see; and hearing they might not understand." Luke 8:10 giving us the right to understand the Kingdom.

Kingdom speaks of Authority. When Adam & Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they lost the dominion and Kingdom right to govern the Earth, as they once had. However, according to Psalm 8, the Son of Man came to restore that back to the believer. The only way we can gain that authority is by seeking the Kingdom of God with all our hearts: "But seek ye first the Kngdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt 5:33 Jesus said this during the Sermon on the Mount, just after telling us not to seek after clothes and food - giving us the example of the lillies of the field and the sparrows.

But, how, you ask? Jesus never promised that getting into the Kingdom would be an easy task. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Matt 11:12 Luke also records this, but the wording is a little different: "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it." Luke 16:16 And in Acts, we find Paul and Barnabas teaching the discpiles: "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God." Acts 14:22 Jesus told the rich man, if he wanted to enter into the Kingdom of God, he would have to sell all of his possession and give to the poor. Why? Because he trusted in his riches and possessions.

So far, we know the Kingdom of God is not of this earth, it is about Authority and that getting into the Kingdom comes with a price. But what is the Kingdom? When you repent of your sins and are baptized in His Name, are you in the Kingdom, then? Not according to the apostles - who are our foundation, mind you.

We find Paul saying, "For the Kingdom of God is not in meat and drink; but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Rom 14:17 He had just got through telling the Gentile believers not to trust in the works of eating Kosher foods, but also, if someone was weak in the faith and felt they must do those things, not to condemn them or argue the point, so that their good would not be evil spoken of. It is not hypocrisy to do a thing or refrain from doing a thing if it means not offending your brother or sister. Finally, we find him telling us, "For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." I Cor 4:20 Who's power? "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." I Cor 2:4-5

Then we find Peter telling the church, "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." II Peter 1:11 He spoke this just after telling us about the divine power that we are given to have the divine nature that was in Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God is the Holy Spirit ruling in our lives, having leadership to direct our words, path, actions, etc. He is the divine nature that was also in Christ Jesus.

So, when you are praying, "Thy Kingdom Come" you are in essence, asking that the Holy Ghost have full authority in your life. For, it is only by the Spirit of Jesus Christ that we can have power over all the powers of the enemy. It is only through Him that we can work the works of Christ. And His promise to us is, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, the works that I do shall you do also; and greater works than these shall you do; because I go unto My Father." John 14:12