The Life of Discipleship, Part 5: Seeking First His Kingdom

The kingdom of God was a central theme of Jesus’ teachings throughout the Gospels, and is found in key passages, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13), the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), and the Last Supper (Matthew 26:20–29, Luke 22:14–23). The Sermon on the Mount, one of the best known of Jesus’ teachings, talks about the reality of the kingdom of God and provides important principles on how to live as Christians within God’s kingdom.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus teaches that the kingdom of God is both a present reality and a future one. On some occasions, He said that the kingdom had arrived (Mark 1:14–15, Luke 17:20–21), and at other times He spoke of it as yet to come at the end of the age/world (Matthew 25:31–34). The Bible teaches that the completion of the kingdom occurs when Jesus returns to set up His kingdom on Earth. “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

So what is the kingdom of God? In general terms, the kingdom of God is referred to in the Bible as God’s eternal and sovereign rule over the entire universe. “The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). The Lord is the Sovereign of the universe, and the kingdom of God is His reign. “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, … to him be honor and eternal dominion” (1 Timothy 6:15–16).

The kingdom of God also refers to God’s present rule in the hearts and lives of all who believe in Him and surrender their lives to Him, thereby receiving His gift of salvation. “Even when we were dead in our trespasses, [God] made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4–6).

For those who put their trust in God and enter into a relationship with Him through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, the kingdom of God becomes a present reality. Living within the kingdom in the present means that we allow God to rule and reign in our lives, acknowledging and honoring Him as the one who created us. It means seeking to live in a way that honors and gives glory to Him, by doing our best to live according to His words in Scripture.

In the Gospel of John, we read that being born again is required for us to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3). It is through accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, believing in His resurrection, and making a commitment to enter into relationship with God that one becomes a part of His kingdom.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches His followers to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:31–34). In the verses leading up to this one, Jesus discussed the temporal, material things of this world and what place they should hold in our lives in comparison to God and the eternal things of the kingdom of heaven: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. … For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21).

When we are born again into God’s kingdom, the center of our lives completely shifts. Jesus calls us to seek first God’s kingdom, trusting that everything else will follow in accordance with God’s will. When God reigns in our lives, we place our faith and trust in Him and we seek to align our will with His, as Jesus taught His disciples to pray: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

Each of us has been granted free will from God, and thus we have in a sense been given a “realm” in which we can make freewill choices. This is part of being made in the image of God. When we enter the reign of God, the call is for us to integrate our “kingdom”—what we have reign over—with His kingdom. We are to seek to align our will with God’s and let His will, as expressed in the Bible, guide our lives, including our inner thoughts and outward actions. As one author expressed it,

Practically speaking, what does it mean to “seek first the Kingdom”? It means that you look to God and His Kingdom first for everything you need, including your purpose in life, your daily provision, your creative inspiration, your business ideas, your family relationships, everything. As you keep God and your relationship with Him in the center of your life, “all these things will be added unto you.”¹

Living in God’s kingdom means living day by day as one who has a personal, interactive relationship with Him—a relationship which encompasses our earthly life and then continues throughout eternity. Seeking first the kingdom of God means rearranging our priorities so that God has first place in our lives—above our own desires and will, our possessions, our loved ones, and even our own lives, as the following excerpts highlight.

From the time of His baptism to the time of His ascension, Jesus spoke of one thing—the good news of the Kingdom (see Matthew 4:23). That, He tells us, is what He was sent to do (see Luke 4:43). And He sent out His disciples to do the same (see Luke 9:1–2). The phrase “Kingdom of God” or its equivalent is used 101 times in the New Testament. The prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray begins and ends with it. The Beatitudes begin and end with it (compare Matthew 5:3 with 5:10). The ministry of Jesus itself begins and ends with the Kingdom of God (compare Matthew 4:17 with Acts 1:3)….

The Kingdom of God is comprehensive [for Christ-followers]. It governs our thoughts and our actions. It governs how we work and how we play. It governs what we say and how we say it. It governs our marriage and our family. It governs our friendships and our finances. It governs how we forgive and how often, which is freely and always (Matthew 18:21–22; Colossians 3:13)....

When Jesus said that the Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21), He was saying that it is embedded in our soul as deeply as our DNA is embedded in our body. We were made for it, and it, for us. When we live in harmony with its principles, wonderful things happen. Heaven comes down. Edens spring up, and everywhere wildernesses are transformed into oases, especially the wilderness of the human heart.—Leif Hetland²

Putting God first means we give Him top priority over everything else. He is the principal figure in our lives and central to all we do and think. When we choose to put God first, we determine that He is more important than any other person, His Word is more valuable than any other message, and His will is weightier than any other imperative.

Putting God first means that we keep the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). In other words, we are totally invested in our relationship with God. Everything we have and everything we are is devoted to Him. We hold nothing back…

Jesus taught us to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else” (Matthew 6:33 NLT). That is, we are to seek the things of God over the things of the world. We are to seek the salvation that is inherent in the kingdom of God, considering that of greater value than all the world’s riches combined (Matthew 13:44–46). The promise associated with the command is that, if we are putting God first, “he will give you everything you need.”—Got Questions³

When teaching His followers about prioritizing the kingdom of God in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses two important principles: to not be anxious about our lives or our needs, and to trust that as we seek first the kingdom, God will care for us. Let’s look at this passage:

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? …

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself (Matthew 6:25–34).

Jesus teaches us, as His disciples, to not be anxious or troubled or worried about the things of this life, but rather to trust in God’s care, His knowledge of our needs, and His ability to supply. As God’s children, we can have peace of heart and mind, knowing that God is sovereign and He is greater than all our troubles and concerns, and He has our best interests at heart. We can exchange the fret and worry that is so commonplace in the world around us with trust in God and His promises in the Bible, and the sure knowledge of His love and care for us. God is faithful, and we can trust that what He promises He will perform.

While Jesus teaches us to not worry or be anxious about our food, our clothes, or our future, that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work or carry out our daily responsibilities or do what is needed to make provision for our daily needs. Rather, He is saying we aren’t to be anxious or fearful about it. When His disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He taught them to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). In other words, we are to pray for our daily needs.

God knows what we need, and as our heavenly Father, He has promised to take care of our needs. Jesus wants us to have peace in our hearts, to trust Him, to know that He can calm the troubled waters of our worries and He will care for us. Jesus still says to us today:

Let not your hearts be troubled. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (John 14:1, 27).

God doesn’t want us to be anxious, worried, or stressed, but to trust that as we place Him first in our hearts and lives, and seek to do His will, He will care for us. He will give us peace of heart, mind, and spirit, as Paul expressed so well in Philippians:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7 NIV).

God is a caring, loving, compassionate Father. The Bible says in Psalm 103:13, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him” (NIV). He cares about everything in your life—compassionately.

The disciples experienced God’s compassion. Most of the disciples were professional fishermen. One day when they were out fishing with Jesus, Jesus got tired, laid down in one end of the boat, and went to sleep. But then a storm came up—and it must have been a big one because the disciples got scared.

The ship was rocking and rolling, and water was coming into the boat. The disciples were frantic and woke Jesus to ask him one of the most important questions in life: “Teacher, don’t you care?” (Mark 4:38 NIV).

You and I ask that question of God all the time in a thousand ways: “God, did you see that doctor’s report? Don’t you care? Do you see what a mess my marriage is in? Don’t you care? Do you see how little money we have in the bank and all the bills we’ve got? Don’t you care? Do you see how my kids are struggling in school? Don’t you care? You know this fear that grips my mind that I can’t seem to get rid of. Don’t you care?”

The answer is yes, God cares. In fact, he cares more than you care. He wants to help more than you want help. He knows what will help you more than you know what will help you. He is aware, and he cares.

The Bible assures us, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). … Take time today to cast your anxiety on God—and trust that he’ll receive it with care and compassion.—Rick Warren⁴

Jesus wants us to have peace in our hearts, rather than anxiety or fear, and to trust Him, knowing that He can calm the troubled waters of our worries. God doesn’t want us to be anxious, worried, or overwhelmed, but to trust that as we give Him the right priority in our lives and seek to do His will, He will care for us and supply our needs. He will give us peace of heart, mind, and spirit.

As Christians, we have the privilege of living life within the framework of God’s love and care for us. We can rejoice that our names are written in heaven, that we are in communion and fellowship with our heavenly Father. No matter what hardships we may face in life, He is always with us. We are a redeemed and blessed people who will dwell with God in His kingdom forever.

Jesus tells us to “Seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). This is His invitation to us. Set your hearts on your [heavenly] home. In His plan it’s all about the King and his kingdom. He wrote the script, built the sets, directs the actors, and knows the final act—an everlasting kingdom. “And this is [God’s] plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth” (Ephesians 1:10 NLT).—Max Lucado

Let us submit our worries unto the Lord, for the day has enough trouble as it is. Let us run to the Lord with our emotions, let us seek after His reign and rule in our lives, and let us trust that He will give us everything we need to glorify Him—for His perfect plan and will.—Stephanie Englehart

To seek the kingship of God first in every affair and every moment of life is a thrilling way to live. It’s full of freedom and peace and joy and adventure—and hardship, and it’s worth it all. If you believe in the kingship of your heavenly Father, you do not need to be anxious about anything.—John Piper

“We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

“When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy” (Psalm 94:19 NIV).

Dear heavenly Father, we come before You with hearts full of gratitude. … Help us, Lord, to seek Your kingdom first in all that we do. May our priorities be aligned with Your will, and may we trust in Your provision. Fill us with a hunger and thirst for righteousness, knowing that in seeking You, we find true fulfillment. We lay our worries and concerns at Your feet, confident that You are our loving Father who cares for us. Grant us the wisdom to make choices that honor You, and help us to be a light in this world. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.⁵

¹ Matt Tommey, “How Do We Seek the Kingdom of God While Being Here on Earth?” Crosswalk, June 8, 2021, https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/how-do-we-seek-the-kingdom-of-god-while-being-here-on-earth.html.

² Leif Hetland, Seeing Through Heaven's Eyes: A World View that Will Transform Your Life (Destiny Image Publishers, 2011).

³ “What does putting God first really mean?” GotQuestions.org, January 4, 2024, https://www.gotquestions.org/putting-God-first.html.

⁴ Rick Warren, “God Is Aware, and He Cares,” Daily Hope, https://www.pastorrick.com/current-teaching/devotional/god-is-aware-and-he-cares-4-2025.

⁵ “Seeking God First—Discovering True Fulfillment in Matthew 6:33,” Women of Faith, https://www.womenoffaith.com/blog/seeking-god-first-discovering-true-fulfillment-in-matthew-6-33.