The Kingdom Mandate: What It Truly Means to Give God Your All

   In Matthew 13:44–46, Jesus gives us two powerful parables about the kingdom of heaven:

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." - Matthew 13:44

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." - Matthew 13:45–46

   Jesus didn’t merely preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was the gospel of Jesus Christ. His life, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, and return are all part of that gospel. But what He actively taught and proclaimed was the gospel of the Kingdom, a divine government and realm that demanded total surrender and yielded miraculous transformation. He traveled from village to village, preaching and teaching about this Kingdom. He used parables, earthly stories with heavenly meaning to reveal what the Kingdom required. These weren’t suggestions or spiritual opinions; they were mandates. Non-negotiables. As it’s often said in Nigeria: some things you don’t play with, they are mandatory.

   In one such parable, Jesus tells of a man who found hidden treasure. This man gave up everything to obtain it. The message is clear: to receive what God has for you, you must be willing to surrender all to Him. We’ve all given our all to people or things in life only to be left with nothing in return. But when you give God your all, something different happens: God gives you all things in return. "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." When you hold nothing back from God, He holds nothing back from you. Before Christ, we lived for our own desires seeking pleasure, gratification, and worldly pride. We gave God nothing. Yet, God gave us everything:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."   John 3:16

   When we come to faith, we enter the church and begin a journey. At first, we give God some, some time, some talent, some treasure. But as we mature in Christ, we’re called to give everything. This is the Kingdom mandate.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." – Matthew 6:33

   God will never shortchange you. He gives exceedingly and abundantly above all you could ask or imagine. You are an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ. The only thing holding you back is what you are holding back from God.

"No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly." – Psalm 84:11

   The Kingdom of God requires all of you but in return, gives you more than you could ever dream. That’s the Kingdom mandate.

📖 Reflection: What area of your life have you been holding back from God, and what would it look like to surrender it fully to Him today?

💡 Action Step: Identify one area, time, talent, or treasure that you’ve only partially given to God. Pray and commit to give it fully to Him this week.