Acts 22:28 (ESV) The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”

Forgive my use of scripture out of context but this verse speaks to me about how we become Kingdom dwellers.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

We are born again into this Kingdom life, yet a very large price was paid for us in order to claim this citizenship. We tend to forget that at times.

Now that we are citizen of this new Kingdom and begin this transitional period of adjusting to a new life, what do we do first?

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We need to change the way we think.

Luke 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

Transitioning from any form of government into a Principality requires us to accept His rule and right to reign over us. That is a very difficult adjustment. All we have ever known and heard about living under kings is undesirable but those were men, this One is God. That takes a new way of thinking.

If you moved to a foreign country what is the first thing you might want to learn?

The laws? The language? The customs?

My guess is that the first thing most of us think about is finding good restaurants.

Think about that for a second.

Luke 13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

Definition of transition is the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another.

What do you think about when you hear about transitional periods? Becoming a teen? Entering college? Entering the work force? Turning forty? Retiring? Maybe it is getting married,  a new job or moving to a new city, whichever situation you are thinking about, there is a good amount of adjustment required.

How about entering into God’s Kingdom? If you think about it, a King without subjects is nothing but a land owner, people make Kingdom’s. Entering into God’s Kingdom is accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and you do that while you are still alive.

So why do we not think about a transitional period from being in the world to being in God’s Kingdom? Perhaps it is because we still live in this world and are subject to its physical laws.

John 10:10b I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

This abundant life is here and now in Kingdom living yet we think and act like we are in the world. We claim the abundant life and try and fill it with dead things, like houses, cars, money, influence, and power. That is not transitional, that is just more of the same sin life we had before Christ.

Becoming a Kingdom dweller means transitioning from an old life to a new life where Jesus Christ is the King of your life.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.