Two kingdoms. Two rulers.

One eternal. One temporary.

Good vs. evil.

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven . . .

for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-10, 13 NIV)

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” (Ephesians 2:1-2)

“Again, the devil took him [Jesus] to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8-9)

The best this world has to offer is the kingdom of the enemy. His power. His glory. Temporary at best. Pure evil at worst.

God Himself limits the power of the evil one. John 10:10 tells us the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. He glories in war, disease, famine. Sexual trafficking, drug use, domestic violence. Gender confusion. “Liberated” women. Men with no spine. Divorce. Crime. Power. Greed. Terrorism. Racial strife. These are the glories of his kingdom, and we see them every day.

Yet in this kingdom of darkness stand regions where Satan has been overthrown. Places where God rules and evidence of His kingdom prevails. Places where light shines and love wins. We’re given a brief glimpse of what’s coming when the enemy’s kingdom is no more, and God rules all once again. For God, even now, holds all power and places boundaries on an enemy who knows his time is short.

God’s glory manifests in fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Healing. Generosity. Rescue. Standing up for the poor and weak. Speaking for those with no voice. Stopping injustice. In freedom. In lifelong marriages. In evil men made good by the blood of Jesus. Humility. Restraint. The Golden Rule. Harmony and mutual respect between races and religions.

These are the glories of God’s kingdom. And He shall reign forever and ever. Amen.

Good vs. evil? For a limited time only.

Questions:

What are your thoughts on the statements below?

For those who don’t know Christ, life on earth is as good as it gets.

For those who do know Christ, life on earth is as bad as it gets.

How can you manifest God’s rule in your life in your corner of the world, thus bringing His kingdom there?

Family Application:

Talk about the differences in kingdoms. Where have you seen both? How did it look?

How can you bring God’s kingdom into your school, extracurricular activity, home, and work? Challenge each family member to do one thing this week and check back for results.

Tweetables:

Two kingdoms. Two rulers. One eternal. One temporary. Good vs. evil. Click To Tweet
The best this world has to offer is the kingdom of the enemy. Click To Tweet
Places exist where Satan has been overthrown, where light shines and love wins. Click To Tweet
Good vs. evil? For a limited time only. Click To Tweet
For those who don’t know Christ, life on earth is as good as it gets. Click To Tweet
For those who do know Christ, life on earth is as bad as it gets. Click To Tweet