For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.
Summary: A kingdom without power is not much of a kingdom, and God’s kingdom is no different. That is why God’s Word tells us that his kingdom is a matter of power.
What does it mean that God’s kingdom is a matter of power?
To me, it means that we could talk all day about the kingdom of heaven and still not fully understand the power behind the throne.
Power? What kind of power?
The power to change lives; your life and mine. When we accept the reality of Jesus Christ, we acknowledge in some small way that he is real. We acknowledge that we believe in him. When we accept Jesus as our king, we also acknowledge that he is in charge. He decides what is right and wrong. As we get to know Jesus through the Bible, we learn that he also gives us his Holy Spirit. The Spirit helps us, teaches us, and guides us in our new life as a subject of the King.
It is through this process that we learn about the power. It is not something we understand by reading about it. It is something that comes into our lives and changes us.
Centuries ago Aristotle pointed out that “nature abhors a vacuum.” Our lives will be filled with something. The question is, “What?” What will we put in our heads?
People try putting all kinds of things in their heads. We worship foreign gods just like the Israelites did in ancient times. People are misled by Satan over and over again. We fill our bodies with things that satisfy the flesh but leave the soul hungry and starving. Eventually, the soul’s hunger pangs become so loud that they cry out to heaven.
If we turn to Jesus and confess our sin, that is we admit that we have not put God first in our lives or treated our neighbor with the same love we lavish on ourselves, Jesus forgives us our sin and purifies us (1 John 1:9). When the power of Christ comes upon us, things happen.
All other arguments aside, if we have Christ in our lives as our King of kings, how can we not be part of the kingdom of God? If we are part of God’s kingdom, how can we not have the power to overcome the troubles of this world?
For better or worse, this is something we can never prove. It is personal.
All I can tell you is that in my lifetime, the power of God’s kingdom in my life has changed me. Filling my heart with God’s light has chased out the shadows of fear. The desire to rebel has subsided, and while I can still feel it in the background, it doesn’t rule my life as it used to in the old days. The power of God’s kingdom has changed me and given me a peace and confidence that I have hungered for since childhood.
Has God given me the power to perform miracles or move mountains (Mark 11:23)? No, he hasn’t. Not in the sense of raising the dead or telling a mountain to jump into the sea. Yet, in a personal way, the dead me inside has been raised to new life, and the mountains of pride that had kept me a prisoner for years were blown to dust by the power of God.
The power of God’s kingdom: I recommend it.
Application: Turn your kingdom over to God.
Food for Thought: When Jesus talks about the power to move mountains in Mark 11:23, what kind of mountains do you think he is referring to?
I find Mark 11:23 fascinating because Jesus is telling us that if we truly believe God will do something we ask, He will do it. Of course God will not something that goes against His own Glory. It makes me think about how Jesus came and showed us a glimpse of the potential God gave us. A life we can live, but also that the power of God can be worked through us if we truly submit to His Will, as Jesus did. There are many in the Bible that healed and performed miracles, following the example Jesus gave us. These people were not perfect, but for brief moments in their life they aligned their will perfectly with the Father’s, and God used them.
So what kind of mountains? I believe actual mountains, and figurative mountains.
Chris,
I predict that you have a great future in politics! 🙂
I like your point that “for brief moments … they aligned their will perfectly with the Father’s…”
That is key. We are only a conduit for God’s power when we walk in His will.
🤗
Of course, we are also told in Scripture that we should seek to be praying according to God’s will (James 4: 15; 1 John 5: 14 – 15; Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane). If God’s will is that a physical mountain be moved into the sea, and we believe He can do so (James 1: 6 – 8), then it will move into the sea. Jesus’ point wasn’t that we move physical mountains in a prideful display to see what we can do through God’s power, but that we realize the totality of God’s power and exercise our faith accordingly.
Rich,
I really appreciate how you characterized the difference between a “prideful display” and humble submission to God’s will.
Thank you!
12-06-2022, When Jesus talks about the power to move mountains in Mark 11:23, what kind of mountains do you think he is referring to?
We have now become imperfect beings seeking to serve our perfect God. The desires of our flesh, lusts of our hearts, lust of our eyes are mountains which must be moved, overcome, made flat as we spend our entire life on earth seeking to become more like Christ in all we do.
Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit is our power to put off the old and put on the new, Our job is to take hold of His power, allow His power to move the mountains in our lives, overcome the power of our flesh which does not want to die.
Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:22-24, Romans 6:6
After I saw this post and thought a bit more i started to ponder about matthew 10:1 and what Jesus said to the 12. How they might have felt being able to have authority over unclean spirits and to heal every disease and every affliction.
It’s not by faith that He will heal or faith that He will do what you pray for. But we must walk in faith knowing that He hears your prayers, He understands and knows the pain that we feel. Faith knowing He loves us. Knowing that He has the power to do anything. We must have the faith to know that He is in control and that His plan is better than ours because he knows more, loves more, sees more of the big picture in this battle for souls.
Great observation Mr. “T”
We should seek to spend the remainder of our time on earth, growing in faith. Live in today, the events, opportunities, trials of today require our attention. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow will be whatever it is, but today is now and we have an opportunity to watch Christ in action as He works in us, through us. And watch for our old self as he jumps out in different ways, and seek refuge in heist. A lifelong process, but so very rewarding.
Blessings,
Ron
Well said T.