FIRST IN TIME, PLACE, INFLUENCE, AND HONOR
Saturday – January 3, 2026
Video link: https://youtu.be/zB-X_G__CKk
Greetings and welcome back to this ongoing study of “The Kingdom of God”. Describing the Kingdom of God and how it functioned was the central theme of Jesus’ Ministry in the earth and continues today through us. He talked about how it was structured, how it functioned, the benefits to those who received this Kingdom of God life, and the benefits for those administering the Kingdom of God. Let’s move now to our anchor Scripture and then to our teaching Scripture for today.
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Again, we see that it is a command from our King and Lord to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness or His way of doing. The Kingdom way of doing includes how we think, how we talk, and how we do and live which produces wholeness in every area of life. The Kingdom of God and the ways of the Kingdom are one and the same.
Before I move forward, I want to remind us of something I discussed quite some time ago and that is the word “first” in our anchor text. The Greek word transliterated to English and finally translated as “first” is the word “prōton” according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. The meaning of this word is first in time or place, influence, and honor. You may have recognized that a proton is one of the major components of an atom. The major components of atoms are protons, neutrons, and electrons. Here is the thing about the proton. The protons in the atom determine the nature of the atom, its identity, and its behavior. Could it be that what we put first in time, place, influence, and honor determines our nature, identity, and behavior?
Now let’s go to a very familiar Scripture that has helped us define the Kingdom of God to a great extent.
Romans 14:17 (ESV)
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
A Kingdom has a King, in this case Jesus, and a domain that the King rules over. In this case that domain or dominion is not geographical at present. Those who have made Jesus Lord are submitting themselves to His rule and all that they in turn have power over. When we make Jesus Lord, are born again, saved, we are committing to think, talk, and live like Him and all that we have are tools for our Kingdom assignments.
As we look at this teaching verse, we see that we are not talking about a tangible geographic kingdom but one that is spiritual and defined as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. I want to point out that the word “in” preceding “the Holy Spirit” can be translated as instrumentation or instrumental. We see that the Holy Spirit has a vital role in our walking in righteousness, peace, and joy. He is a facilitator, teacher, and enabler (makes it possible).
I want to point out once again that righteousness, peace, and joy are all singular in number and feminine in gender. Being singular in number means that each one of us decide the extent to which these attributes of the Kingdom operate in our lives and through our lives. Being feminine in gender means that these attributes bring fruitfulness and increase (multiply) into our lives and the lives of those around us. Righteousness, peace and joy are contagious.
TAKE HOME:
- When others or we ourselves look at our lives do we readily see that the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is first?
- Is Jesus, the Word of God, the ruling authority of your life?
- Righteousness, peace, and joy developed in fulness in our life will cause pluckable fruit to spring forth and increase to be in every area of our lives.
Lord willing, I will resume right here tomorrow. Remember, we love you, the Lord loves you, and there is nothing you can do about either one.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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