Scripture:

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
(Matthew 4:17)

Devotion:

This month, we’ve been talking about the God-ordained partnership of kings and priests. To fully understand the divine partnership of kings and priests, one must first understand the order of the kingdom of God. When Jesus’ preaching ministry began, His message was on the kingdom. So what is the kingdom of God? And why is it the most important news ever delivered to the human race?

The kingdom of God is a message not only about salvation and “going to heaven when you die.” The kingdom of God has a bigger target than that. It’s a gospel that includes salvation, but it’s also about heaven being brought to Earth. It’s about a new government or sovereign kingdom where God rules; a self-contained kingdom being first established on Earth in people’s hearts.

It operates by superior principles from a superior position, and is a new order of living by faith where you don’t need to look to other governments or anything else in this world to take care of you. You don’t even have to try to meet your own needs. You are to “…seek ye first the kingdom of God…and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

Once a person is born again, they become a citizen of this kingdom and partakers of the benefits and privileges of the kingdom. All the rights of citizenship are at the citizen’s pleasure: power, wisdom, honor, riches, strength, glory, and blessing.

Are you ready to become a citizen of the kingdom of God?

Prayer:

Father, I give You praise, and I give Jesus the glory and honor due the King of God’s kingdom. I take my place as a citizen in Your kingdom, and receive all of its benefits and privileges in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

This devotional is excerpted from Bill Winston’s book, Faith & the Marketplace. To order this life-transforming, 274-page book, click here. Are you called to be a “priest” or a “king” in God’s kingdom on the earth? This kingdom leadership playbook will answer that question, and catapult your business, career or ministry to the next level!