In part one of this series, I talked about what being a child of God looks like and what it entails. I also talked about how we as children of God can overcome the worry and doubt in our lives through Jesus Christ who gives us peace.
When we observe our lives from an objective standpoint, we come to realise that not everything is as big and overwhelming as what we think it is.
Sometimes when facing the everyday challenges life throws at us, we become overwhelmed and struggle to open our eyes to the bigger picture, or the blessings around us.
When we realise just how incredible this life is that God has gifted us, we begin to open our eyes to God’s purpose for our creation, which ultimately shows us a glimpse into our heavenly inheritance.
The great inheritance is not money, power, nor fame, it is the right to be called children of God, to be able to step into His blessings that is bestowed onto His children, and to have access to heaven.
When obtaining a Kingdom mindset, we must first equip ourselves to engage in our Christian walk faithfully, spiritually, and wholeheartedly. We do this by understanding God’s purpose for our lives, reading His Word daily, and by walking in grace and humility.
Understanding God’s purpose
Matthew chapter six verses nine to ten says, ‘Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’
“On earth as it is in heaven.” This verse seems very positive and holy; however, it is not mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer with the sole purpose of receiving nice feelings about it.
The purpose of this verse is to bring to light the importance of having the same perspective and priorities as God does, regarding the eternal purpose.
What is the eternal purpose? That all God’s children enter the gates of Heaven and live eternally with Him.
But how can we ensure this happens?
The Beatitudes
Throughout the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12), Jesus uses the phrase “the kingdom of heaven”, which reflects the eternal purpose of pursuing a relationship with God and being reminded of His greatness.
The Beatitudes are a humbling set of promises from Jesus where He explains four woes that are followed by the blessings received when we honour God.
Only two of the Beatitudes mention the kingdom of heaven:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
When the beatitudes use the phrase “theirs is the kingdom of heaven”, it is describing the honour and glory of God that is bestowed on them for being an honourable child of God.
Some interpret the phrase as being a metaphor for the Gospel, or to describe something good or valuable. However, when I think of the Kingdom of heaven, I think of God in all His glory, majesty, and greatness, and how He allows us to step into that space and claim it as ours too.
God is a loving father, as well as being our Creator and Lord. To think of how gracious and loving He truly is to allow us, not only into His kingdom to live with Him eternally, but to receive it here on Earth as well is truly humbling.
Lead by a purposeful example
Every single person in every walk of life is a child of God, despite whether they realise it or not. God created each one of us individually and uniquely with a pure, God-breathed purpose.
Taking a step out and looking at the bigger picture is so important when trying to establish who we are as children of God, our purpose in life, and our focus for the future.
When we look at the godly design of a family unit, God has designed the family as a reflection of the church and the body of Christ.
God is ultimately the head of the family, which is then followed by the father and mother, or the church, who then raise and guide the children under them.
When we know our divine and godly purpose here on Earth, we can then lead by example for others to follow.
This process not only builds me up as an individual, as I learn to walk humbly with God whilst pursuing my heavenly purpose here on Earth, but it encourages others to witness what God is doing in my life and to learn to pursue their own God-given purpose.
God-given blessings
We receive the blessings of God when we walk humbly and show love and grace to those around us. To have kingdom thoughts is to step into the great inheritance knowing that when we follow Jesus, we are already obtaining the blessings of God and bringing heaven to earth for others to step into.
If our purpose here on Earth is to bring as many people into the Kingdom of God as we can, then that begins with learning to love and humble ourselves for the good of others.
Jesus showed us this when He died on the cross. He brought heaven to earth by dying for us because He loves us, and when He did this, we were covered by the blood of Jesus and heaven broke through so that we could become children of God and covering our sins because He loves us.
Ultimately, the kingdom of heaven is a phrase written in the Bible to help us identify the expectation God has for us. That is to walk humbly in the Spirit and to honour God in everything we do according to His purpose.