Understanding Kingdom Living: Moving Beyond Salvation to Kingdom Power

Many Christians today find themselves stuck at the starting line of their faith journey. They've experienced salvation but never moved into the fullness of what God has prepared for them. There's a significant difference between living as a "John the Baptist Christian" and stepping into true kingdom living - and understanding this difference can transform your entire spiritual experience.

What Is Kingdom Living?

Kingdom living means operating "above and beyond the ordinary" - which is the literal definition of supernatural. It's about moving from simply preaching the gospel of salvation to walking in the gospel of the kingdom, which carries power.

John the Baptist preached the right message: "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." However, he never worked a single miracle in his life. He preached truth but never touched the power. Many churches and Christians today operate at this same level - focused on seeing people saved but never advancing into kingdom power.

The Difference Between John's Ministry and Jesus' Ministry

When Jesus came on the scene, He started with the same message as John but took it much further. After His baptism and testing in the wilderness, Jesus emerged preaching the same gospel but now with power backing His words. Suddenly, multitudes flocked to Him as He healed the sick, raised the dead, and cast out demons.

This progression shows us that there's more available to every believer. God is saying to His church today: "There's much more." But we have to be willing to go for it.

What Does Kingdom Authority Look Like?

Ruling and Reigning in Heavenly Places

Kingdom living means being the head and not the tail. When you're the tail, circumstances wag you around. But when you're the head, you make the decisions. Kingdom Christians rule and reign in the heavenly places, taking authority over the powers of darkness that try to block God's purposes.

Warfaring Against the Enemy

God's church is called to be a warfaring church - not against each other, but against the enemy who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. We're given armor and weapons for a reason. True kingdom living involves pressing in to heal the sick, cast out demons, and see people set free.

Displacing Darkness with Light

Every advancement of God's kingdom represents a retreat of the kingdom of darkness. Kingdom Christians understand they're engaged in spiritual warfare and know how to pray with authority to see transformation in their cities, towns, and communities.

The Heart Attitudes Required for Kingdom Living

Jesus didn't just preach about power - He taught the heart attitudes necessary to sustain kingdom living. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus outlined what He called "be-attitudes" - the attitudes we're called to be.

Why Attitudes Matter

Wrong heart attitudes toward others - even one person - can cost you God's presence and anointing. The anointing is the most precious thing we have, and we must guard it carefully. Without it, we're left with religious activity but no fruit.

Jesus consistently took Old Testament teachings and elevated them to a higher standard:

• Don't just avoid murder - don't get angry without cause
• Don't just avoid adultery - guard your thoughts and eyes
• Don't just love your neighbour as yourself - love others as Jesus loves you

The New Standard of Love

In John 13:34, Jesus gave a new commandment that superseded the old: "Love one another as I have loved you." This isn't just loving others as you'd want to be loved - it's loving them with the same sacrificial, unconditional love that Jesus shows you.

The Power of Corporate Prayer

Kingdom living is manifested through prayer, particularly corporate prayer. When God's people humble themselves and pray together, there's a power released that cannot be achieved alone. One can chase a thousand, but two can chase ten thousand.

Prayer is how we engage in spiritual warfare. It's through united prayer that we take authority in the heavenly places and see God's kingdom advance while pushing back the kingdom of darkness.

The Law of Restitution

One of the most exciting aspects of kingdom living is understanding that we can make the enemy pay for what he's stolen. Scripture teaches the law of restitution - when a thief is caught, he must pay back sevenfold.

In prayer and with kingdom authority, we can declare this law over our lives:

• If he steals a penny, claim seven back
• If he steals health, claim restoration plus miracles
• If he steals people from the church, claim multiple souls back

When we consistently apply this principle, the enemy becomes more cautious about how he operates around us.

Moving Forward in Kingdom Power

Kingdom living isn't about getting comfortable - it's about being stretched and going further. Every time we step out to do more for God's kingdom, it's a declaration of war in the heavens. But we're called to engage in this war and have victory.

The goal is to see a church full of people around whom the devil has to tiptoe because he doesn't know what kingdom authority they might exercise against him.

Life Application

This week, examine your Christian life honestly. Are you living as a "John the Baptist Christian" - preaching truth but never touching power? Or are you ready to move into the "much more" that God has for you?

Start by checking your heart attitudes. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any wrong attitudes toward others that might be blocking God's presence and power in your life. Remember, it's often the "little foxes" of bad attitudes that spoil the vine.

Then, begin to pray with kingdom authority. If the enemy has stolen anything from you - peace, joy, health, finances, or relationships - declare the law of restitution and expect God to make him pay back sevenfold.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Am I content with just being saved, or do I hunger for kingdom power?
• What attitudes in my heart might be hindering God's presence in my life?
• How can I engage more fully in corporate prayer to see God's kingdom advance?
• What has the enemy stolen from me that I need to claim back through the law of restitution?

Kingdom living is your inheritance as a believer. Don't settle for less than what Jesus died to give you. Step into the supernatural life God has prepared for you and watch as He uses you to advance His kingdom with power.