Stop Seeking the Kingdom -- You Already Have It!

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14: 17)

I used to struggle with Jesus’ command: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6: 33)  When I learned to rightly dividing the Word of God (2 Timothy 2: 15), I realized that Jesus was bringing the Law back to its ultimate, perfect, and impossible standard, one which no one can reach through his own efforts. More importantly, He was describing the life that every believer would live through the gift of His Holy Spirit, if we by grace through faith receive it.

When we desire the Kingdom, we receive it through the Holy Spirit(Luke 12: 32) by believing on Jesus Christ (John 6: 29), who takes us from death in our trespasses (Ephesians 2: 1-10) to life everlasting (John 3: 16). Through the Holy Spirit, we receive Christ in us, our righteousness (2 Corinthians 5: 21), our peace (Ephesians 2: 14), and our joy through His indwelling Word (John 15: 11). Because God the Father gave us His Son, we can know and believe that He is for us, that He will freely give us all things, including meat and drink (Romans 8: 31-32). Because Christ’s Holy Spirit dwells in us, we may claim all the privileges of God’s son, for “As He is, so are we in this world!” (1 John 4: 17)