But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

Raised to life, what a glorious gift! As adopted sons and daughters of the Kingdom, we have become children of God. Jesus is seated at the right hand of God, where we are in Him. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God and not of this word. Do we live like it?

Called to be Sons and Daughters of the Kingdom

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Romans 8:12-17

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:26

When we accept Jesus in faith as the Son of God, we become sons of God, and all of the adoptive rights come with it (Ephesians 1). As children of God living in this world, we are susceptible to the flesh, as Christ was when He walked this earth.

 We are kept here on a mission. When Jesus prays for us in His High Priestly Prayer interceding for the disciples and those to come, He says, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world(John 17:15-18)”. There is no question of our citizenship of the Kingdom as children of God; the question is, “Why are we still here?”. 

The Mission

“As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” 

What does that mean for you and me?

We are given instructions from the Lord Jesus that the goal for our lives as we surrender and follow Christ is to tell the good news of the Kingdom, teaching them what He has taught us. This world is the dominion of the prince of the power of the air (John 12:31, John 14:30, Ephesians 2:2). When we look around we see chaos, destruction, famine, heartbreak, heartache, sorrow, tears, pain, the list goes on and on…

Instead, we hope for an eternal kingdom – one that is devoid of all the above. Instead, the Prince of Peace, the Risen Lamb is our King. He reigns on high forevermore. While we are still in this world we are called to look up and remember where our help comes from. He is above all of this sinfulness. He is mightier and stronger than this weak, fleshy world.

We must look up to our Father, our Heavenly Abba, as we walk among wolves. We have targets on our backs. Instead of looking around and being filled with worry, and in place of looking inside seeking answers and finding only confusion and emptiness, we must look up to the heavens. The stars will not answer, neither will the moon or planets or fake life above. But the Lord of Hosts, the God who sees, the One who provides, the One who hears our prayer will answer. He is Lord of All. He is the one whom we are blessed to call Abba.

So do not fill your minds with careless and empty things, rather look up to the Kingdom and set your gaze on the throne of Christ. Align your walk in a way that glorifies and lifts the gaze of others upward.

Looking up is the only answer… He is seated above.

Do not waste time living for the gain of this world; it is drenched in death. Everything will expire and end. The Kingdom of God is eternal… aim high.