I have come to realize that the subject of the Kingdom of God is one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Church. I think Satan is very happy that we are so ignorant. We cannot enforce God’s kingdom rule on earth if we are vague about His kingdom authority in human affairs.
In my opinion, it is King Nebuchadnezzar who stated the clearest and most theologically sound statement regarding the Kingdom of God. He stated in Daniel 4 verses 17b, 25b and 32b that, “… the Most High rules in the kingdom of men…” He further stated in chapter 4:34-35 that, ‘… His dominion (kingdom rule) is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed tas nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’ ”
This means that we have two different domains. We have the domain of the kingdoms of men operating on the earth below and the domain of the Kingdom of God operating from heaven above the earth realm. This heavenly Kingdom of God exercises authority and influences the kingdoms of men on earth below. Furthermore, whereas the kingdoms of men are limited in scope and time, God’s Kingdom is from eternity past to eternity in the future and rules over the entire earth realm.
This means that God’s Kingdom has a past, it has a present and a future. Most Christians have focused on the future of God’s Kingdom either during the 1,000 years period of Christ’s rule on earth called the Millennium, or the future final home of God’s children in Heaven. When the Lord Jesus taught us what we call the Lord’s Prayer, He was focusing on the present when He urged us to pray, “Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on the earth, as it is done in Heaven.” He was saying, “Let Your Kingdom on earth now, in the present time, and let Your will be done on earth right now in the present, as it is done in Heaven.”
However, as we have seen clearly, for this to happen God needs men and women on earth, who are rightly connected to Him to enforce this rule of God on the earth. In Egypt He had Joseph to enforce His rule there. In Babylon God had Daniel and his friends. In Persia He had Esther and Mordecai.
These men and women work like ambassadors, representing God’s Kingdom interests in human affairs, and enforcing His rule in those territories, communities and nations. Those ambassadors of God on earth are called, “Sons of the Kingdom” (Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43). They influence and enforce God’s Kingdom rule on earth through prayer, spiritual warfare, preaching the gospel, acting as salt of the earth and as light of the world, engagement in doing charitable works as good Samaritans, and many other ways.
Prayer is the Main Vehicle for Enforcing God’s Kingdom Rule on Earth
The Father said to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in Psalm 2:8-9
“Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
“Ask of Me…” means, “Pray!” Prayer is the main vehicle for enforcing God’s kingdom rule on earth. Prayer is the resource for capturing the nations for Jesus’ kingdom rule. Daniel and his friends established a strong prayer vigil three times a day while in Babylon, and this resulted in turning Babylon into a domain of God’s kingdom. If Babylon could be turned around, then no nation is beyond the ability of prayer to turn in around.
When Esther, Mordecai and their teams prayed, God turned around Persia, and it became a domain for God’s kingdom rule. When Paul and the Church in Ephesus prayed, God turned around their city to become a domain for God’s kingdom, overthrowing the rule of the principality of Diana the idol goddess.
As we connect with God in prayer, He gets the opportunity to pass on to us His blueprint for the transformation of our institutions, communities, cities and nations. For example, God called Moses into His presence so that God could pass on to him the pattern for establishing the new nation of Israel (Exodus 24:12-15).
Even with the example of Joseph in Egypt, after he interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams, he went forwards to give him advice concerning how to organize the nation during the seven years of plenty to prepare it for the seven years of drought. God must have downloaded this fourteen-year blueprint for the nation of Egypt into Joseph’s heart as he waited on God in prayer.
For the next fourteen years Egypt experienced the power and blessing of the Kingdom of God. In the same way, sons of the Kingdom of God in our day must wait on God in prayer to receive His blueprint for the transformation of our institutions, communities, cities and nations.
A New Breed of Christians: Sons of the Kingdom
Christians who bring down God’s Kingdom rule on earth are not the average standard of Christian. Joseph was not the average type of member you find in our churches. He resisted Mrs. Potiphar’s sexual advances whereas his older brothers Reuben and Judah did not seem to see that it was wrong to engage in adultery.
Because he kept his mind free of sexual fantasies, he could receive Godly dreams from heaven. That was how God downloaded into his heart His divine blueprint for Egypt.
Daniel and his friends in Babylon were also not the average type of member we have in our churches. They refused to defile themselves through eating the king’s meat that had been sacrificed to idols. They also refused to bow down to the idols of Babylon.
May we endeavor to become the “Josephs” and “Daniels” for our generation.
This is the only hope for Africa and the nations of the world.
Heavenly Father,
Your Kingdom come!
Your will be done here on earth
As it is in Heaven. AMEN!
About the author
Laban Jjumba is one of the continental leaders of Intercessors for Africa prayer movement, coordinating Eastern Africa. He is also a member of the Apostolic Leadership Team of the family of Deliverance Churches, in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern DRC.
With an Engineering background he has been in Christian ministry from the early 1970s. Together with his prayer group, they founded Intercessors for Uganda during the days of former military dictator Idi Amin. He has carried out evangelistic and teaching ministry in schools, churches, open air rallies, conferences and seminars. He has ministered in all continents of the world during the past forty years.
He has authored many books and published numerous articles in magazines and other publications. He is married to Margaret and they are blessed with five children and several grandchildren.
I have been writing some articles on the kingdom of late and we seem to have a lot in common – led by the same spirit! We need to have some serious dialogue about the enforcing the kingdom.Blessings
“This is really God’s season to arise not as the average standard of Christians, but as a Ne Breed of Christians who will bring God’s Kingdom Rule in our Nations!!’