“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 ‭ESV

The kingdom is not just about the laws as the Jews were practiced at this time. God’s laws and commandments were never a path to holiness but it was God’s design on how to walking in the kingdom and restore our relationships. Jesus followed all the laws and commandments this caused the religious leaders to be frustrated and upset because he had the fullness of righteousness, peace, and joy that the law alone could not give. 

We need to have the fullness of what Jesus had to truly be able to walk in the kingdom of God. We need to obtain the attributes of righteousness, peace, and joy.  These are not external attributes, emotions or feelings but are birth and resides deep in our spirit and can only be received by the Holy Spirit. 

We have all seen people that show an external joy with laughter or they are seemingly always happy but there is no real joy. The joy that radiates even when they are going through a hard time. 

Many years ago late at night, I received a call from my mother that my father had collapsed and within 24-hours he was gone and transitions to be with Jesus.  Throughout this whole process from phone call to the funeral, I had times of weeping and grieving, but I continued in God’s peace and joy showed the kingdom of God to everyone around us. The nurses who were attending us in the last moments of my father’s life told us, they have never seen such peace in a room before. 

“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 ‭ESV

How can we obtain these attributes, righteousness comes through faith in Jesus, salvation and His commands. Peace comes through resting in Him and joy through abiding.

Righteousness

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 3:21-24 ESV

The righteousness that the Jewish people were trying to obtain, through the law, was unable to be fully grasped without Jesus. The law was just God’s way for his people to stay in a relationship with Him and gave them guidelines to walk in His kingdom. Many of the prominent people, in the Old Testament, obtain righteousness through the law and their actions. Through Jesus Christ, we are able to receive His righteousness.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

We need to receive Him as our Lord, to receive his righteousness. Now that we have His righteousness we need to model our lives after him. This is where we need to look at his life before and up to the cross. He walked out everything God spoke and showed him, this included the law that was spoken before he came to the earth. The law did not give him righteousness but posture him in obedience. Romans 4:13 ESV “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be an heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. “

Peace

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

I have been quoting this verse for years, to overcome my anxiety over speaking in front of people. I had dyslexia which caused me to stutter over any word beginning with M’s I’s and W’s, it also made it hard to read in front of people. I received many hurts from classmates in elementary and middle school cause me to have anxiety well into my forties. When I had advance notice of preach or speak, the stress would cause my body to react and I would break out with cold scores, which would cause more anxiety.

Dyslexia is a condition I had but though God’s word and many years of hard work, I have been able to reverse the effect. It is still hard at times to read in front of people and I hardly ever stutter, but I don’t get anxious about it anymore, because of the previous verse and others I have adapted like 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 …we (I) have the mind of Christ.

The second part of Philippians 4:7 says “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God’s peace is obtainable by giving it all to Jesus in prayer. This is taking your chaotic situation out of your hand s and placing it in the Creator of the universe, what peace.

Joy

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

John 15:6-11 ESV

To receive joy you need to be able to abide in Him. I have written a previous post on receiving his joy through abiding. (My Rest to Abide).

Every aspect of the Kingdom comes through Jesus Christ, it is His joy, His peace, and His righteousness, and if we can apply these attributes we are bringing the kingdom everywhere we go. People will begin to sense and see a difference in you, because of the Righteousness, Peace, and Joy you exhibit. Then you will be able to do what Jesus spoke about in Luke 10.

Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Luke 10:8-9 ESV

Application

• Are you showing God’s attribute of Righteousness, Peace, and Joy?
• What do you need to change?
• Make plans to increase:
  • Peace, by praying and turning over every situation
  • Joy, through abiding in Him