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The kingdom of God and His righteousness
INTRODUCTION
Everyone desires good living; life of abundance and affluence. But it is rather unfortunate that not everyone is able to fulfil the conditions that allow for a good living. As God’s creatures, we are created to enjoy the best of life. 2Peter 1:3 says
For His divine power has bestowed upon us all things that [are requisite and suited] to life and godliness, through the [full, personal] knowledge of Him who called us by and to His own glory and excellence (virtue).
(Amplified).
There is a designed pattern in which God wants us as His children to step into or enjoy the riches he has promised us. God is our father; he is never and can never be intimidated by our riches. In fact, God desires us to prosper (Corinthians 8:9). But there are conditions to follow before we can fully enjoy God’s prosperity.
The quest of what we need to do before we can be guaranteed of God’s blessing as His children thus leads us to our topic today.
What is the kingdom of God and His righteousness?
Book of Matthew 6:33-34 says;
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.
Seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness is one of the surest ways, if not the only way to attract God’s blessing.
· A kingdom is a territory where the rule of a king is extended. It is the domain where the king rules from. It is a place where the king’s authority covers. God is the king and He want to rule from our heart.
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
(Luk 17:20-21)
· Kingdom of God is the final destination of believers.
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
(Joh 3:5)
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
(Rom 14:17)
For the kingdom of God [is] not in word, but in power.
(1Co 4:20)
· No one can practice righteousness except the kingdom of God is first establish in such life. What enables believers to live righteous is the presence of God in our heart.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
(Rom 3:10-12)
· Our right standing before God Can only be acceptable if we remain in Christ because Jesus is our righteousness.
How can we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness?
· Seek after God and all that pertain to Him
And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
(Jer 29:13-14)
· Be engaged in the service of God
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
(1Co 15:58)
· Honour God with your life and substances
Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
(Pro 3:9-10)
· Be obedient to His word
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
(Psa 119:11)
· Put your absolute trust in Him for supernatural supply
And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
(Psa 64:9-10)
Conclusion
After you have done the will of God in all of these, great will your reward be in heaven and your days on heart will be bountifully rewarded. God never intend us to run after blessing, instead, blessing should run after us.
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe [and] to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
(Deu 28:1-2)
PASTOR FEMI ATODE
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