A Kingdom That Doesn't Shrink Back

In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
Daniel 2:44

How often have you heard the phrase, “The world is going to hell in a handbasket,” or, “The world is getting more and more evil”? Sometimes it can look and feel true-especially when news from across the world falls into our hands within seconds of it happening and even more so when not within a community that works to see the Kingdom advance. Humans were not created to take on all the news of the world at the rate we do. With the tremendous advancements of technology, we have quickly found one of the great faults. Too much information with a magnification on the negative. 

However, we see throughout scripture that God intends for the whole earth to be filled with His glory (Numbers 14:21, Psalm 33:5, Psalm 72:19, Isaiah 6:3, Isaiah 11:19, Ephesians 4:10).

For the earth will be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
As the waters cover the sea.
Habakkuk 2:14

The Bible clearly tells us that the Kingdom is increasing, growing, becoming greater, and advancing continuously and that as Kingdom ambassadors we are to co-labor with God to see His Kingdom come. We do this by following the Great Commission: 

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded (given charge over) you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20

As ambassadors, we are to go into all the nations, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything Jesus gave them charge over. In other words, we have been given responsibilities and commands and we are to obey Him in handling those responsibilities with honor. We can look back throughout the gospels to see what these commands were. Some we know well, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart…and love your neighbor as yourself.” However, this also includes:

As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Matthew 10: 7-8

If we want to see “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done,” we are to follow His will and do as He instructed. I encourage you today and every day to go out, heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. As you do this you will no longer believe the lie that the world is getting more and more evil. Instead, you will realize that the remaining evil is just getting increasingly agitated that it has lost a battle and is quickly losing more and more ground. Welcome to a Kingdom that never ends and is growing faster than you realize.