But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33(NIV)
Seeking first the Kingdom of God was something Jesus encouraged people to do time and again.
In fact, most of the sermons that He preached were about the Kingdom.
But what is the Kingdom of God?
Also referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven, it’s a place in the spirit realm where God reigns.
It’s the rule of Christ over the earth as the redeemer and God’s reign as the creator.
It is also the blessings that flow when people live under the authority of Christ.
Note that the Kingdom of God or heaven is not a physical place. It transcends space and time.
What is the Purpose of the Kingdom of God?
God created man and placed him on earth so that he could rule it through Him.
Unfortunately, man disobeyed God and ended up giving the devil the authority he had been given by God. (Genesis 1:28)
So, the purpose of the Kingdom of God is to redeem the world from sin. It is to redeem nations, races, and all creation from sin.
How do we Seek the Kingdom of God first?
Repent
One of the things that distinguish the Kingdom of God from other kinds of kingdoms is holiness. The subjects of the Kingdom of God are required to live holy lives. That is why God gave His only Son to die for us so that we can be purified by His blood and become holy.
But we don’t automatically belong to this Kingdom or become holy. We need to, first of all, confess our sins and change our ways. We should stop living in sin and start leading lives that please God.
Study the Word of God
God has given His children a manual that is the Bible so that they can know who the King is, His character, and His Kingdom operates. It is therefore important for us as believers to spend time studying the word of God. We need to understand precisely what the Kingdom of God is. And how it operates.
Examine your Heart
Part of seeking firist the Kingdom of God involves examining our hearts. This is not something that we should do once in a lifetime. We should do it daily because we get easily distracted by the things of this world.
Ask the Holy Spirit to expose anything in your heart that may hinder you from seeking first the Kingdom of God. Drop any idols in your heart and be intentional about putting God first.
Have Child-like Faith
Seeking first the Kingdom of God requires you to have child-like faith. You need to see God not just as a king but as a father. (Matthew 18:3)
Unlike a worldly king who may come off as cold towards his subjects, God cares about His subjects. He sees us as His children and wants to have a father-child relationship with all his children.
Pray
Pray is a form of communication that the King has set to communicate with His kingdom’s children. So seek first the Kingdom of God involves talking to Him and listening as He guides you.
You need to know how the Kingdom operates. So aside from reading the word, you also need to pray to God.
Also Related: Benefits of God’s Glory: 13 Important.
Live A Victorious Christian Life
What are the Benefits of Seeking first the Kingdom of God first?
A Worry-Free Life
With so many things happening around us, it almost seems impossible for one not to worry. But the truth is worrying never takes our problems away.
The devil is fond of instilling fear in us to keep on worrying instead of trusting God. Jesus said that we should not worry about tomorrow because today has its own fair share of problems. God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us in Hebrews 13:5-6.
We have also been given a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, not the spirit of fear. So we should live boldly knowing that the Holy Spirit is there to help us in our time of need.
The more you focus on your problems, the more you worry about them. Choose to cast all your cares unto the Lord and to focus on God and his Kingdom. When anxiety fills your heart, turn to God in prayer and declare his promises over that situation.
Seeking first the Kingdom of God means relying on God’s word and the finished works of Jesus at the Cross.
It Brings Peace
When we seek the Kingdom of God first, the peace of God rules our hearts. This is because when we give our lives to Christ, we realize that we have been justified. And made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ. It is not through our own doing it is by grace.
But how is the peace of God beneficial to us?
Well, have you ever seen someone who is going through a lot but they are so peaceful? Maybe you even went to encourage them, but instead, they’re the ones who encouraged you?
Instead of whining and complaining about their situation, they praised and worshipped God for his faithfulness?
It is not that the situation had changed. It’s just that they had the peace of God in their hearts.
Well, that is what the peace of God does to us even when we are in the midst of the fire. Knowing that God is for you causes peace in your heart that nothing can take away from you.
When we seek the Kingdom of God, we not only learn about His peace. But we also develop that peace in our hearts.
Brings Rest
Resting after a long day of work is something we look forward to. It feels good to sit, relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. But to be honest, it is becoming hard for us as human beings to rest. There’s a lot of noise around us.
We are also told that the children of Israel never entered the rest of God. Even though that is what God wanted for them. Instead of trusting God and believing in His promises, the children of Israel tried to do things their way. They spent most of the time murmuring and complaining.
Seeking first the Kingdom of God enables you to understand what entering God’s rest is. It allows you to come to a place where you realize that it is only God that is your provider.
Our heavenly Father wants us to believe that whatever He has promised us is true. And He will bring it to pass. Learn to focus on God and see him as your provider. The more you do this, the more you enter into his rest. (Hebrews 4:5-10)
Seeking first the Kingdom of God first brings Joy
In the presence of God, there is fullness of joy (Psalms 16:11). Since seeking the Kingdom of God means being in His presence, we find joy as we do it. Now understand that joy is not the same as happiness.
Happiness is based on circumstances, while joy is a fruit of the spirit. No one can take your joy away unless you allow them to. But anything can take away your happiness because circumstances tend to change.
You can receive good news and be very happy, but someone may bring you bad news, and you become sad.
A person that is full of joy can remain joyful irrespective of what is happening around them. It doesn’t mean that they are indifferent to what is happening around them. It just means that the joy of the Lord is their strength.
An excellent example of someone who remained joyful even in dire circumstances is Paul. He learned how to rejoice in the Lord no matter what was happening to him.
We will understand the Justice of God
The things of God are foolishness to those that are perishing. To be completely honest, it is hard to understand God’s justice with our human mind. But when we seek God and his righteousness, we come to a place where we understand justice. Proverbs 28:5
Understanding the justice of God will enable us to hate evil because God hates injustice. We shall also be intentional about doing what is right because we want to please our heavenly Father.
God will grant us our Prayers
God’s ears are open to the prayers of His children (1Peter 3:12). Those who seek Him day and night. Not just that, He is ready and willing to grant them the desires of their hearts.
The Bible says that you being evil, give good gifts to your children, how much more your heavenly Father?
When we diligently seek God, He comes through for us by answering our prayers.
God will Strengthen Us
The truth is we have the divine strength to handle the challenges that come our way. Trying to address the issues of life in our own strength always leaves us feeling discouraged and worn out. We need God’s help.
Now, do you know that God is looking for people to strengthen?
But He doesn’t want to strengthen just anyone. If He did that, the world would be in a bigger mess than it already is. He would have to strengthen the wicked too.
God is looking for His children, those who seek Him day and night so that He can strengthen them (2 Chronicles 16:9). When you seek His Kingdom first, you will be strengthened in your inner being. It doesn’t mean that you will never break down again. But even when that happens, you will rise up and fight until you win the battle.
God will Deliver you from your Fears
The enemy uses fear as a strategy to defeat us. He knows that we need faith to win the battles of life. So he fights back by bringing fear in our hearts so that we can doubt the word of God.
At times Satan is so sleek you may not know that you’re actually walking in fear. Seeking first the Kingdom of God will cause you to understand what it means to walk by faith. The Holy Spirit will also reveal to you the different kinds of fear rooted in your heart. He’ll also help you to deal with those fears by leading you to the truth.
The Psalmist says in Psalm 34:4 that God answered him and delivered him from his fear. But this happened when he sought the Lord. If you battle with fear, then do what the Psalmist did. Seek the Lord. He will not only answer your prayer, but He will also deliver you from your worries.
Seeking first the Kingdom of God will Cause Him to Deliver you from your enemies
Although Jesus died and set us free from the enemy’s control, Satan still tries to control our lives. If he cannot stop us from going to heaven, he will try to kill our faith. And destroy our lives so that we don’t accomplish the purposes of God in this world.
Now, we cannot defeat the enemy in our own strength. We need God’s help, or we shall end up being like Eve. Instead of quoting the word of God just as He had said, she added her own words to God’s command. The enemy is very cunning, and he only needs a small loophole to get to us.
When you seek the Kingdom of God, he delivers you from the attacks of the enemy. How? God will show you the right scripture to stand on as you resist the enemy. He will also give His angels charge over you to guard you in all your ways. God will deliver you from the traps that the enemy has set before you.
You will Find Contentment
Ever realized that despite us having so many options, many people in the world today are dissatisfied. It’s almost like nothing brings contentment to our hearts anymore.
We complain a lot and are always on the lookout for the next best thing to bring us contentment.
At times we lie to ourselves that we shall be happy when something happens. Not realizing that we shall still have a void in our hearts even when we get that thing. Contentment does not come from material things or the pleasures of this world. It comes from the Lord.
As created beings, we are always in need of a savior. So when we receive Jesus Christ and build an intimate relationship with him, we find fulfillment in our hearts.
We will live
A video popped up on my YouTube feed recently, and the title was “Died at 30 buried at 50”. to be honest, I didn’t click on the video, but that title alone made me think about life. It made me realize that a person can die at 30 and be buried at 50.
Sad to say, but so many people are dead. It may not seem so when you look at them outwardly. But they’re dead because they decided to give up and just go with the flow.
Others are dead because they have rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Their bodies may look good, and they may seem to have the best life. But the inner man or spirit is dead.
It’s important to seek God. He promises that when we do that, we will live (Amos 5:4). Now there’s more to living than just being successful career-wise, financially, and relationally. Living means being spiritually alive and living in accordance with the purpose that God has for you.
You will Lack no Good Thing
Ever told God that if He gives you something, you’ll be faithful to Him? Or have you ever fasted and prayed for a very long time trying to coarse God to provide you with something?
And then He did not give you that thing, and you were angry for some time. But after a while, you went back to him. You told Him, “thank you, God, for not giving me that thing. I did not need it”.
Well, just because something looks good or the world calls something good does not mean it is. In Psalm 34:10, we are told that those who seek God will lack no good thing. This does not mean that you’ll have everything that you want. It means that God will give you the things that you actually need.
Seeking first the Kingdom of God will save you the trouble of acquiring so many things that you do not need. He will direct your path and show you the way that you should go. And this will help you to make the right decisions in life. Which in turn will cause you not to lack any good thing.
Discernment and Understanding
As we have already seen in the point above, not every good thing is actually good. It may be suitable for someone else, but it may not be for you. We also need to always remember that the enemy acts like the angel of light.
We need the gift of discernment to know if something is from God. Or if it is from the enemy. So how do we get the gift of discernment? By seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
We shall become spiritually alert, grounded in the word. It will also enable us to know when it’s God speaking to us. Or whether it is the enemy no matter how he comes at us.
Conclusion
Seeking first the Kingdom of God is for our own good. When we give our lives to Christ, we become part of the Kingdom of God. But we need to be active members of this Kingdom by seeking it first.
The enemy is not happy when we give our lives to Christ. So he’ll do anything possible to cause distractions so that we can seek other things but the Kingdom of God.
The danger in putting other things first is that we miss the privileges God gives to his Kingdom children.
These privileges or benefits include rest, peace, strength, worry-free life, answered prayers, deliverance from fear, contentment, discernment, and life.
See also https://revtrev.com/live-intentional/why-seek-the-lord-7-reasons/
