‘Kingdom’ is from two words ‘king’ and ‘dominion’. It means the ‘influence or rule of a king’; and involves three things namely: a king’s royalty, rule and realm.
Royalty is a status or position issue and has to do with the person of the king; rule is a lifestyle issue and pertains to the principles of the king; and a king’s realm is an arrangement in which he lives, and reflects his performance or competences.
So, a ‘kingdom’ involves a king’s person, principles and performance.
Kingdom awareness
‘Kingdom’ was introduced on earth by God, the King of Heaven, when He commanded against the darkness and chaos of Satan’s presence, “let there be light” – Gen. 1:2-3. Of course, these Words of God is Jesus Christ, the Carrier of His kingdom-light – 2 Cor. 4:6-7; Jn. 1:1, 4, 14.
And so the concept of ‘kingdom’ on earth originated with our first parents – Genesis 1:26, – “And God said, let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over…all the earth…”.
God’s eternal intent
These words carry the intent of God for mankind till date – to have dominion or kingdom on earth on His behalf and in His interest. Yes, God intends for you to have a position of royalty, a lifestyle of having His rule over you, and an arrangement that ushers in His realm.
Note the order, you get the royal position or status first; but you should move on to the royal lifestyle, and finally end up with God’s royal arrangement. Many believers just stay with the first one i.e. having the status of royalty, but it is changing. Amen!
Knowledge or light first
So my friend, in the beginning, God exposed mankind to His royalty, rule and realm (i.e. kingdom) for us to gain an awareness of it, and work with Him to fully realize it on earth, as in Heaven.
Please understand that God did not impose His kingdom on our first parents. He only exposed them to it, for them to know it and make a choice for it. Even now, there is a kingdom-glory that God has for you, but it starts with having the knowledge or light of it – Hab. 2:14,
“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”
Yes, it is because of knowing God’s kingdom-glory that Jesus Christ came, and that you are at this website today – 2 Cor. 4:6-7.
Choose the kingdom system
So, in Eden, He gave mankind the choice between alternative lifestyles. These are kingdom or dominion living, symbolized by the Tree of Life; and religious living, symbolized by the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Religion is a mixture of good and evil, hot and cold, truth and falsehood. It has always appealed to people who are trying to live for God – Matt. 16:23. Religious living therefore, is man’s way of living to please God that is based on half truth.
Much as it seems good, appears wise, and looks a smart-and-justifiable way to mankind, religion as a way of life does not please God. It has evil lurking behind its good, making it half good and half bad. On the other hand, kingdom living refers to God’s original ways of going about things on earth, thus bringing about His rule here.
Since man’s choice of religion, God has always been calling mankind to come out of it, for the kingdom way of living. He first demonstrated this call by rejecting Adam’s fig-leafy-clothing for His Animal skin.
The religion-trap
Mankind, in times past, have therefore been trapped in Adam’s choice, to practice religious living from the fall of man. This went on until God graciously re-introduced kingdom living, in an enhanced way through our Lord Jesus Christ – Is. 9:6-7; Lk. 4:43.
Therefore religious living is not man’s original way of life. It is an ‘imposition’ on mankind. The Kingdom of God is the eternal system that humans knew in the eternal past before we were created and later saddled with religion through sin – Ps. 90:1; Eph. 1:3.
So, through the Lord Jesus, God is asking you to change your mind (repent) about following your religious ways and embrace kingdom living practically– Matt. 4:17, “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
by: Rev. Kofi O. Assan
Dominion Embassy
pakofassan@yahoo.com
