Sep 13 – The Kingdom of God!

“Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Luke 11:2)

In Tamil, this prayer is expressed as, “Father, may Your kingdom come into our nation.” However, in the Greek Scriptures, it is expressed almost as a loving command addressed to the Lord: “Let Your kingdom come; let Your will be done.”

A day is coming—indeed, it will surely come—when all the kingdoms and dominions of this world will belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and to His saints. The Son of God, who will rule with righteousness and justice, will take up the responsibility of governing the world. He will reign together with His saints.

When we look at the disorder in our nation and are troubled to see bribery and corruption, murders, and sexual violence increasing, we longingly say, “Oh, how wonderful it would be if the kingdom of the Lord would come soon!” When Graham Staines, an Australian missionary, was burned alive, we longed for an end to such barbaric circumstances and wondered whether the kingdom of God’s love would ever be established.

In the New Testament, we read about a devout man named Simeon. He was not only righteous and godly, but was also “waiting for the Consolation of Israel.” We, too, eagerly look forward to the coming of the Lord’s kingdom. We also read about Anna the prophetess, who, even in her advanced age, was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38).

About two thousand years ago, John the Baptist preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. How much nearer, then, must the kingdom of heaven be today! We should recognize the urgency of the hour in which we are living.

When the Lord Jesus Christ comes, He will bring an end to Satan’s dominion. When Jesus Christ, the Stone “cut out without hands,” comes, He will strike and destroy the kingdoms of this world. He alone will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.

“For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.” (1 Corinthians 4:20) That power is the power that comes from above (Luke 24:49) When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power (Acts 1:8). It is through this power that you can become an instrument for the establishment of the Lord’s kingdom upon the earth.

Every time you pray, “Your kingdom come,” may the power of the Lord descend upon you without measure. On the one hand, stand firmly against the powers of darkness that represent Satan’s dominion. On the other hand, proclaim the Gospel so that the kingdom of Christ may be established in the hearts of people.

Dear children of God, the coming of God’s kingdom is not merely something for which we wait; it is also a kingdom that must be proclaimed and manifested through the lives of those who belong to Christ. Let His rule first be established in your own heart, and then allow Him to use you to bring His light, righteousness, peace, and salvation to others.

Verse for further meditation: “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luke 11:20)