Let’s look at verse 24 again.
He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (NLT)
I’m assuming you have already sought the Kingdom of God by asking Jesus Christ to be your personal Lord and Savior. I’m assuming that you have a personal relationship with Jesus. You are now a citizen of Heaven!
Another aspect of the Kingdom of God is found in the word kingdom. Another word for kingdom is the word realm. A simple definition for realm is “A royal jurisdiction or domain; a region which is under the dominion of a king; a kingdom.” Of course the kingdom we are talking about is the Kingdom of God. In his Kingdom, Jesus rules.
In one of his last conversations with his disciples, Jesus said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.” Jesus was saying, “I’m the King and all that there is, is my Kingdom, my realm.” As King, Jesus has the authority and right to tell us what to do as his subjects in his realm!
If indeed Jesus is the King, then it is only right for him to claim that he has all authority. His realm extends from heaven to the earth… and everything in between. And if you are still uncertain of the extent of his realm… it includes everything he made… which is everything that is.
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. John 1:3 (NLT)
Here is the kicker – as His subject, I am responsible to do His bidding, His will. When I am obedient, then He will act in my life and circumstances. When I do things my way, then I forfeit His power in my life.
When I was 12 years old, my Dad sat down with me and shared some important thoughts. He told me what I needed to know as I prepared to enter my teenage years. Little did I know that it would be the last conversation I would ever have with my Dad. But I think he knew. He knew that death was near… that the cancer was winning. If you knew that you were about to have one last conversation with someone you loved very deeply, you would choose your words very carefully.
When Jesus had one of his last conversations with his disciples here on earth, He shared very important words. He told us what we were to do with our lives.
Jesus came and told his disciples, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
Here are a few essential ways by which we live for what is right:
- Seek to please Jesus rather than people. Why is this important? Only Jesus is King.
- Trust Jesus completely to meet all your needs. He has promised to do His part.
- Express your trust and faith in God by praying.
- Study, act upon, and obey the words of Jesus… even when they make no sense to you… even when it goes against “common sense.”
The key phrase in the Great Commission is “make disciples.” That is a command for all believers, not just ministers.
As you develop a Christ-honoring lifestyle, then you will experience the presence and the power of God!
