Faithful on Fridays Blog

On Earth as it is in Heaven

Part Two

When my grandchildren are around and I’m baking I often hear the question, “Can I have a taste?” They’re not asking for a full piece yet, only a sample of the final product. That’s the same idea as God’s kingdom: a foretaste. We’re not yet experiencing the fullness of Jesus’ reign here on earth but it’s coming soon and we have the privilege to experience a taste, a portion of that kingdom rule, now.

You may be wondering what a taste of the kingdom of God looks like in your life. Good question. Let’s go back to the beginning of God’s creation and see what it looked like before sin. Gen. 1:28 tells us He spoke a blessing and instructed them to be fruitful and multiply; the blessing from the God of Heaven includes empowerment. Paul picked up on that truth in the New Testament:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Ephesians 1:3

It’s true, we only have a foretaste of every spiritual blessing from heaven now but I wonder how many we are truly experiencing? Here’s just a taste:

• Redemption- Jesus paid the price for your sin.
• New Creation- you’re not the same person you were; you’re new in Christ.
• Holy Spirit empowerment- you can now live in the Holy Spirit and not serve your flesh.
• Forgiveness- through repentance you are forgiven every day.
• Grace- Jesus lavishes His love and favor on us even when we don’t deserve it.
• Face to face contact- we connect with God through worship, prayer, and intimacy.
• Victory- you now have the power to triumph over the devil’s schemes in your life.
• Position- Christ has given us a foretaste of being seated with Him in heavenly places when we walk in victory (Eph. 2:6)

Whenever we connect with God in any of these ways it’s as if heaven is reaching down, literally touching earth for our benefit. It’s imperative that we grow in our understanding of these heavenly things. Jesus warned,

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? John 3:12

I desire God to explain ‘heavenly things’ to me so I can be a more effective Bible teacher, a better wife, mother, and grandmother, sister, or friend. The God of Heaven desires to rule in our lives now as a foretaste of His future, eternal, kingdom reign. He has already blessed you with every spiritual blessing from heaven, all that you need to be fruitful and multiply. I think that’s what Jesus meant when He told His disciples to pray for His kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. 

Believers in Jesus Christ are blessed or empowered by the Spirit to live as royalty, kingdom living, not as slaves to the world’s ways; be fruitful and multiply in His blessings.