Walking in the Power of the Holy Spirit

Today's God Calling message encourages us again to live more and more in awareness of the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of Heaven-the "unseen." This message prompted me to do a little research regarding the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33 to seek first His kingdom. Matthew chapter 13 contains parables concerning the Kingdom of Heaven and God's Word. In Matthew 13:31 the Kingdom is described as like a mustard seed that a man takes and plants in his field (your heart, mind, life). Even though it's the smallest of seeds, when it grows it's the largest of the plants, becoming a tree. In Psalm 119:11 the psalmist says, "I have hidden your Word in my heart."

Seeking first His Kingdom, to me is seeking first God's face, His presence and His Word for my life. It is seeking first to plant His Word into my heart, my mind and my mouth. Jesus said that our mouth speaks out of the abundance of our heart. The Bible tells us to "guard well our hearts for from our heart flow the issues of life. David prayed "Set a guard over my mouth, LORD." In Psalm 51:10 the psalmist says, "Create in me a pure heart", and in psalm 86:11, "Give me an undivided heart Finally, it is seeking first to implement God's Word and the principles of His Kingdom in my inner life, myself and my home.

Living in the "unseen" or the Holy Spirit cannot be done without first seeking His Kingdom. It can't be done unless we first have that Kingdom within our hearts. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our comforter, our counselor. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. He makes known to us all the truths of the God's Kingdom. (John 16:5-15

This message encourages me to read my Bible more and to study the Kingdom principles in order to strengthen my spirit and increase in knowledge of God's Kingdom. As we learn more and more about Jesus and the Father, and about the principles of the Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven grows within us. Really, those things are already there-they are shed abroad in our hearts as the love of God when we get born again. In prayer, praise, and studying God's Word, we, by faith and the power of the Holy Spirit, are able to find them within ourselves. God gave Adam and Eve a real garden to tend. Our Garden is a spiritual one. As the Kingdom grows within us, we begin to grow in the power of the Holy Spirit, and the evidence of that growth begins to manifest outwardly in our attitudes, our mindsets, in our homes and our lives.