The kingdom is within all of us

“. . . the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17.21
 
All too often we compare ourselves to others, and either feel completely second class or end up looking for their hidden faults to try to bring them down to our level.  When we start to go down this road of comparison we rob ourselves, for what we are neglecting is the truth that every single one of us carries the wonder of the presence of the kingdom of God within us. We also rob God because he is denied the pleasure of seeing his kingdom within us acknowledged and flourishing.
 
When we begin to compare ourselves to others, we are looking at the wrong thing, at the outward shell of the temple, whereas we should be looking at what the temple bears – namely, the wonder of the kingdom enshrined in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
 
The Spirit who is within me is exactly the same Spirit who dwells in every Christian I admire; it is the same Spirit who dwelt in Jesus. God gives the same Spirit to us all. What perhaps makes the difference is our willingness to yield to the Spirit – but he is always there, present within us, loving us and waiting to live through us.
 
Ponder this as you compare yourself to others: the same Spirit who lived in Jesus lives in you.

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