There is a spirituality which finds roots in God’s Son Jesus Himself. While there are many religions, there is only one proven to be the Son of God, and He is the King over His Kingdom. This is the Story of the God Story.
What this means is massive, and today we will cover several of the core amazing things about experiencing Kingdom spirituality. It is authentic, connective, and filled with promise for the life to come.
√ How does this result in finding true meaning in my life? The expansiveness of God is beyond our imagination. We are quite limited in grasping this, and yet God has withheld nothing from us in understanding His ways. As we will all take our last breath eventually, what is it that will make my life count? A big deal.
√ How does it differ from other religious pursuits? A consideration of all religion in history reveals many shortcomings, including historic christianity. Kingdom spirituality is very personal and powerful. It is the ultimate gift from our heavenly King.
√ How can I find shelter within His Kingdom? What IS shelter? How do I find it? Why does it matter to my existence, and more importantly, to my soul.
Let’s dive in.
Both John the Baptist and Jesus began their “public ministries” with the words: “Turn away and turn towards, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew) They did not say that the church was at hand – but the Kingdom. This is because the God-order is this: King first, then Kingdom, then church. Each has unique things to bring to a person who is looking for authentic faith. All three can be deeply relational, but it is the King and His Spirit who animate authentic spirituality. Make sense?
Today we talk about five aspects of authentic Kingdom Spirituality.
Friendship
“You are My friends if you do what I command you.” John 15:14 “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as being made righteous,” and he was called the friend of God.” James 2:23 Easy, right? What does His friendship require by way of His commands? How is a person “made righteous?” Where have you come so far in your friendship with God? What does it look like? Where do you hope it will go?
Identity
It is hard to imagine being God’s special treasure, and yet this is exactly who we are. Not based upon our personal merit, but because God has set His affections upon us and paid a huge price to buy us back from spiritual death. We have simply become the apple (pupil) of His eye. When we understand there will only ever be one of us, that we were bought with a huge price, and that His plans for us are beyond our wildest dreams – then we are beginning to understand our identity.
“For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
The King is Lord over all. The Kingdom will endure forever. The Church will become the bride of Christ.
Purpose
There is nothing random about what God is doing, or why He selected you to be a part of His Kingdom! When we see ourselves as friends of God we are made free to grow in intimacy with Him. Experiencing His friendship IS hearing His voice. When we grasp our uniqueness in the plan of God our identity expands.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Our destiny is to learn and bend to His purpose. This is how we “find ourselves.”
“He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)
Satisfaction
As all of this unfolds over days, months, years, and decades we move more deeply into the waters of the Living God. We learn what being sheltered “under His wings” looks like. It is not a taking away of difficulty or pain – only smooth sailing. It is satisfaction of heart as we become acclimated to the things that are important to God – and those which are becoming important to us.
“He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and protection.” (Psalm 90 and 91 – shelter Psalms of Moses?)
Hope
All of these things result in hope. Not the kind of hope where I “hope something happens” but the hope which grows as we place ourselves in the hands of our King. We learn to “…but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” And as Paul also mentions: “…and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
These are some of things which help us to live in the shelter of Kingdom spirituality!
Dave and Burnadette