Living in the Kingdom
Nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.
John 17:16
Can our souls be more connected to the Spirit than to the world? Our soul is spiritual, the Holy Spirit is spiritual, and the flesh is physical. Is it reasonable that a spirit to spirit connection can be stronger than a spirit to flesh connection? How much will Christ reveal his presence to us in the Spirit?
If we want to be closer to the Lord than we are to the world, then our souls must be directed toward the Kingdom. We do this by controlling our thoughts. This may sound difficult, but if we earnestly pray for our souls to be one with the Lord, and this is God’s desire for us, then it will happen as we follow Christ through the Spirit.
Controlling our thoughts and emotions is something God will empower us to achieve. Through the power of Christ we control our thoughts, our words, and our emotions. This leads us to be Christ-like; and the more Christ-like we become, the more we master the control of our thoughts and emotions. Remember, it is essential to keep our emotions in line with Christ because Satan usually attacks us through our emotions. If we lose control of our emotions causing us to sin, we are pulled from the Kingdom into the world.
The benefit of living in the Kingdom is freedom in Christ. This gives us a heart of love, peace, joy, comfort, security, confidence, etc. These are all the characteristics of Christ. Living in the Kingdom is a process, and the more we walk with the Lord the more he pulls us into the Kingdom. I believe the Lord pulls persecuted Christians into the Kingdom, giving them his strength and courage to endure. This is how the Apostle Paul learned to be content in any and all circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:12). The Apostle Paul’s soul essentially lived in the Kingdom, where he experienced contentment from the Lord.
Seek to live more in the Kingdom. It’s like taking your soul into Heaven. How much we can be in the Kingdom is based on our motivation and prayer. With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).
Today, seek to live in the Kingdom, seeing the world through the eyes of God, and with the thoughts of Jesus. Remember your divine purpose, to do everything for Christ and reflect Christ to others. Pray and invite the Lord into your day. Ask for guidance, help, strength, wisdom, or whatever you need to get through the day. Also, ask for help in serving the Lord.
Let’s Pray: Lord, help me to live in the Kingdom, keeping my mind connected to you. Help me to know my divine purpose is to reflect Christ in everything I do, everything I say, and everything I think. Pull me closer to you Lord so I can know your presence through the Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.