The Kingdom of God is not a natural kingdom, but is the invisible substance of heaven on earth living on the inside of us. Scripture tells us that at the very foundation evidence of God’s Kingdom indwelling us is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. It is not about having everything perfect on the outside, but rather having His life on the inside.For everything can look good on the outside, but the interior of our lives can be lifeless.
Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat or What shall we drink or What shall we wear For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33
It is all too easy to get distracted with the cares of life and miss the opportunity to lean into God. Jesus told us that trials, difficulties and offenses would come, but to take heart for He has overcome the world.Everything can be swirling like a tornado around us but we can be found in the eye of the storm where His perfect peace dwells. Jesus told us that the peace that He gives us is not the peace that the world gives through false promise and natural gratification, but rather His peace passes all natural understanding.
Jesus was the forerunner for us going straight into the Presence of God as the Son of God. He was the first to enter into the Holiest of all through the blood that He shed that we may follow His steps as well into the very Presence of God.It is in the Presence of God that we take hold of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.An amazingly divine transaction takes place when we set our hearts to enter into God’s Presence in worship as He then fills us in the inner courts of our hearts with His Spirit.
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11
God invites us into His Presence in the most difficult of times. The stumbling block before you is meant to be your stepping stone.Use that test to step into the Presence of God receiving grace in your time of need.God is for us. Nothing can compare to this. If He is for us it simply does not matter what stands against us and opposes us. He has given us the victory. This is the heritage of those who are born of God. We have overcome the world because of our forerunner, Jesus Christ. Through all these challenges God is forming Christ in us which is the hope of glory. Just as Paul travailed in prayer that Christ would be formed in believers, God is using all that opposes you and the difficulties that surround you to cause you to draw near to Him that He may finish His good work, forming you after His image.With this He encourages us.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
Through abiding in Him, yielding to His process, we are transformed from glory to glory as we draw near to God beholding His face.He is our source of strength, our hope and our impenetrable fortress for our lives. Through abiding in Him we will bear much fruit. This is what He is after, good fruit in our lives. He loves us too much to leave us in old patterns. Our lives are a tapestry of God that He will continue to weave throughout our days. The end result is the mind of Christ, being formed after His image. We live in the day of the microwave, but we all know that anything good and good for us is better cooked by a master chef.Whatever you are going through God is just looking to make your life taste that much better.
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:2-5