For the kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God’s power.
1 Corinthians 4:20

When you are saved in Christ, you are not just saved from something. You are also saved to something. Yes, you are saved from sin, shame, death, and hell. However, you are also saved to a new life that is ruled by a perfect, loving king—Jesus Christ.

Whenever you ask for the kingdom of God to be made manifest in your life, you are asking God to come, reign, and take control in your life. That means you are going to have to live your life by His dictates, not by the dictates of the world around you.

How is that going to happen? Today’s text gives a vivid answer to that question when it says that the kingdom of God is living by God’s power. The way to live the kingdom life is to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to allow the power of the Holy Spirit to control your life. When you yield to the Holy Spirit, your lifestyle will begin to reflect what Paul calls ‘the fruit of the Spirit’ in Galatians 5. You will live a life that pleases God, not by your effort but by His power!

PERSONAL RESPONSE QUESTIONS

1. What are your ideas about salvation in Christ? Do you find that today’s lesson adds a new dimension to that understanding?
2. What are some effects of having the new life which you have seen in your own life?
3. How would you appraise the role of the Holy Spirit in relation to living a life of power? Do you think that the fruit of the Spirit can be manifested using human exertion?

PRAYER: Reign in every area of my life Jesus. I want to live by your power Lord, not by my efforts in Jesus name, Amen.
NOTE: Determine to go through the next 30 days of this kingdom life fasting and prayer.