Let’s Go Shopping In God’s Kingdom Store

The Kingdom of Heaven is like . . .  a grocery store. I know that’s not very spiritual sounding, but work with me here.

As you move up and down the aisles of God’s Word, you see all sorts of things you need or want in God’s store. If they’re promised in the Bible, then you can have them.

Things like . . .

Forgiveness
Healing
Power over demons
Provision
Life transformation
Removing evil leaders from office
Calming of storms
Raising the dead
Salvation of the lost

Anything you see in God’s Word, anything you long to be true about you, your family, your city, your church or your nation is available in God’s Kingdom store.

I’m inviting you today to go shopping with me in God’s Kingdom store. Our families, our cities and churches certainly need what the Kingdom offers, and it’s up to us to make it available to them.

Will you go shopping with me?

There are a few things to know about “purchasing” things in God’s Kingdom store. The rules there are a bit different than, say, shopping at Walmart or Target.

First, the currency is prayer.

Your money will do you no good in God’s Kingdom store. In fact, the only way your money matters in God’s Kingdom is when you give it away. Otherwise, it’s of no value to you or God.

The way you buy things in the Kingdom is through prayer. Prayer is the purchasing agent, the gold standard, the highest commodity in God’s Kingdom. He or she who prays will have much purchasing power in God’s Kingdom store.

Second, some things cost more than others in God’s Kingdom store.

Some of the things you long for in God’s Kingdom are relatively easy to purchase. Think about it . . . Jesus was still able to do a few miracles in a village where there was basically no faith. And given that you can’t be saved without having at least mustard seed faith, then all Christians already have some purchasing power in God’s Kingdom.

There are things we could have right now–the salvation of a friend, the healing of a relationship, freedom for an addict–if we would simply pray.

But the truth is that some things cost more than others in God’s Kingdom store. Jesus told us that some things require prayer (ongoing prayer) and fasting. They’re not so easily purchased. They’re not for the fainthearted in prayer.

I’ve been praying for the salvation of one friend for over forty years. As of today, he’s still not a believer. We’ve been praying in Austin for Lake Travis to be filled to its full level of 681 feet for nearly seven years. Today, it sits at just about three feet below that level. It’s not quite there.

These things cost more in prayer.

Third, there are no price tags in God’s Kingdom store.

We never know how much something is going to cost. God doesn’t tell us. He puts no price on the things we want or need.

It’s probably good that he doesn’t. If we knew how much some things were going to cost us, we might never start praying for them.

Instead, God just tells us to start praying–to start paying into the Kingdom store with our prayer and fasting. He tells us to pray and pray and to not lose hope.

And then one day, the Kingdom register rings and God says Enough. And just like that, our friend is saved or the lake is full or the addict repents or the healing comes. In when that happens, the cost seems irrelevant.

Some of you are praying and waiting for things that are very expensive in the Kingdom. You’ve already paid in years of prayer and fasting. Don’t stop now. You may be only one prayer away from purchasing what you need from God’s Kingdom store.

Finally, revival is when things go on sale in God’s Kingdom store.

This is when the prices come down and the things of the Kingdom seem to cost almost nothing. It’s a fire sale, a Kingdom fire sale. But that’s another topic for another day.

Yea God.