The Kingdom of God Within

Living Under the Government of the King

In our previous articles, we have looked at what the Kingdom of God is and how it is always advancing. We have seen that the Kingdom is not merely a place we go to one day, but the active rule and reign of God breaking into the lives of ordinary men and women.

That naturally leads to another question.

If the Kingdom is God’s rule and reign, what does that look like in everyday life, and where does that rule begin? Jesus answered that question when the Pharisees asked Him when the Kingdom of God would come.

“The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the Kingdom of God is within you.”Luke 17:20–21

The Kingdom of God is within us. God’s Kingdom coming on earth is not about changing the way the government functions, or even chasing causes in an effort to change society. It begins when the King establishes His government in the human heart.

This is why no earthly government can ever solve the human condition. We should pray for our leaders and seek godly government, but laws alone cannot transform the world. Because the problem is much deeper. It’s in the human heart.

The gospel is so much more than receiving forgiveness so that we can go to heaven one day. Through new birth we are brought into the Kingdom of God. We receive the King Himself, and from that moment His rule begins to reshape every area of our lives. Therefore, the Kingdom is not simply something we believe in. It is something we come under.

That is why Jesus began His ministry with the words, “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” At its heart, repentance isn’t “stop doing bad things.” It’s surrender. It is turning from my way to His way. Isaiah says, “Each one has turned to his own way.” Repentance is the decision to stop living under my own government and begin living under His.

The King comes to rule. Not by force, or through fear. But by invitation.

It looks like this: The Holy Spirit begins to work within us, gently leading, correcting, prompting, and guiding us. He never dominates us. He does not force obedience. Instead, He continually invites us to surrender to the government of God.

Very often that government is revealed through a conscience that is becoming increasingly sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes those promptings seem very small, yet they are often where the Kingdom becomes most practical.

I’ve shared this story many times over the years, including in last week’s Kingdom teaching, because for me it is one of the clearest pictures of how the Kingdom of God becomes established within us. I remember sitting in my office one day not long after I became a Christian. I was reading my Bible. In my mind I was doing exactly what a Christian should do.

Michelle walked into the room and began talking to me. Without looking up, I carried on reading. A few moments later the door slammed. Immediately the peace I had been enjoying disappeared.

As I sat there, I sensed the Lord speak, ”Go and apologize.”

My mind immediately argued back, ”I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Again the Lord prompted me, ”Go and apologize.”

Now I had a choice. My own reasoning was pulling one way. The King’s government was inviting me another. God never forces His way. He invites us into the process. Every day we are faced with those invitations.

Eventually I said, “Ok, Lord, I’ll apologize because I love you.” I got up, walked into the house, found Michelle and simply said, “I’m sorry.”

The moment I obeyed, the peace of God returned.

That may seem like a very ordinary story. But that is exactly how the Kingdom often works.

Every day we are presented with opportunities to choose whose government we will live under. Will I insist on my rights? Will I justify myself? Or will I surrender to the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit? This is how the Kingdom grows and advances. Through thousands of daily decisions yielded to the Lord. Every time we choose His way over ours, His Kingdom becomes more firmly established within us. Over time, we begin thinking differently, speaking differently, loving differently, forgiving differently. The Kingdom reshapes us from the inside out.

This is why Paul could write, “For the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Where God’s government is welcomed, righteousness begins to flourish. Peace replaces striving. Joy replaces fear. These are not simply emotions. They are evidence that the King’s rule is taking deeper root within us.

The Kingdom comes whenever God’s will takes precedence over our own. It comes when forgiveness replaces bitterness. When generosity overcomes selfishness. When purity triumphs over compromise. When healing comes to the broken. When freedom comes to those held captive. When Christ is honored above self.

None of this happens overnight.

The Kingdom grows like the mustard seed Jesus described. Slowly and faithfully, over time, into a great and mighty tree that bears fruit. As we continue responding to the Holy Spirit, our thinking is renewed and our desires begin to change. Decisions which once felt difficult now become increasingly natural because the culture of the King is becoming our own.

The King establishes His government one surrendered life at a time. Will you allow Him to establish His Kingdom within you?

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