Seeing the Kingdom

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world…. but now My kingdom is not from here.”

Daniel 7:13-14 “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! … Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”

Isaiah 7:9a Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end….

In John 3:5, Jesus says, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” But two verses earlier, He makes a distinction that is often missed. He says that if we are not born again, we cannot see the kingdom of God.

Both are true, of course. But we can sometimes be in the kingdom and never really have the eyes to see it. Paul says in I Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” It takes being in the kingdom to see it, and it takes walking by faith through some paths in this kingdom to begin to see it more clearly and understand how it operates.

This is why those who don’t know the Lord misunderstand so much of our lives, and why most media representations of Christianity miss the mark by a country mile. Whether it’s newspapers, web articles, movies, or TV, most depictions of living in the Kingdom don’t just fall short; they are like descriptions made by the blind of actions they can hear but can’t see. Since even the most well intentioned who are not in the kingdom can’t see it, they will inevitably be unable to discern/understand/make sense of or accurately describe what they see with their natural eyes. They don’t possess the literal or figurative insight to put together what they perceive with their senses and come up with a kingdom perspective on it all.

As believers, we need to continually grow in spiritual sight. We are given eyes to see at our spiritual birth, but we must press in, become disciples, and walk in faith day after day, month after month and year after year to grow in our ability to discern the kingdom. We also need to ask God—even cry out to Him—to help us see His kingdom more clearly.

Satan has been defeated. Jesus is Lord. His kingdom is growing and is ever increasing. Do you see that? The world can’t. Too many Christians can’t. Be one who can.

Prayer: Father, open my eyes that I may see Your kingdom. Help me to be humble enough to allow my perspectives to be changed. Help me to be obedient so that I can continue to grow in spiritual sight.