Seek First the Kingdom; All Things Are Added

As we wrapped this seven-day fast, I led us to the promise Jesus gives, not a suggestion or a wish—but a certainty: all these things shall be added. The headline of Matthew 6 is not scarcity, fear, or striving; it is addition. But there is an order: seek first the Kingdom, seek His righteousness, and then the adding begins. Fasting is not the reward. Prayer is not the reward. Seeking is not the reward. Addition is the reward God gives to those who honor His priority.

“Seek first” begins with a “But”—Jesus answering our worry about provision, tomorrow, and control. Seeking first means God is primary, intentional, and valued above provision—not because He gives, but because He is Lord. It is singular focus in a distracted world. Like a phone on 2%, nothing in life works without power; many try to answer calls, run apps, and FaceTime God without plugging into Him. Seeking first isn’t religious activity; it is spiritual survival.

The Kingdom is not a place; it is a rule. It is God’s authority and way of doing things. We don’t invite God to bless our plans—we submit our plans to His rule. Who holds the remote? You can be saved, baptized, even fasting—and still not let God change the channel of your life. If He doesn’t rule your decisions, He’s not reigning—He’s just visiting.

Jesus points us to His righteousness before His rewards. God is more committed to our character than our comfort. Blessings follow alignment; God doesn’t bless people who cut the line. No good thing is withheld from those who walk uprightly.

What are “all these things”? Daily needs—food, clothing, shelter—but also peace, direction, favor, strength, rest. God doesn’t add everything we want; He adds everything we need to fulfill His purpose. When we honor divine order, we stop chasing, striving, and worrying, and we start trusting. Then blessings overtake. Doors open without force.

The fast ends, but Kingdom-first must continue. Keep God first in decisions. Stay in prayer and the Word. Choose obedience over convenience. Serve consistently. Trust daily. He who started the work will complete it. Seek first the Kingdom—and all these things will be added.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Seeking first is spiritual survival Seeking God first is not an optional upgrade; it is the power source for everything else. Anxiety shrinks when priority is clear because attention aligns with authority. What you pursue determines what pursues you. Plug in first, then move.
• 2. God’s Kingdom is His rule, not location The real test of Lordship is who holds the remote—your decisions, budget, calendar, and relationships. Submission is not passivity; it is intelligent surrender to a wiser will. When God rules, chaos loses its grip because order enters the room. Pray less for blessing on your plan, and more for alignment to His.
• 3. Righteousness comes before rewards God adds to lives that are rightly aligned, not to shortcuts that bypass formation. Holiness is not legalism; it is living in tune with God’s design. Character creates capacity for what you’re asking God to add. Seek to be the kind of person your prayers require.
• 4. Addition follows divine order, not chasing Chasing opportunities while ignoring alignment produces hurry without fruit. When steps are ordered, doors open without force and blessings overtake instead of being hunted. Peace, provision, and direction are byproducts of a rightly ordered life. Pursue God, and what you need will find you.
• 5. Keep Kingdom-first beyond the fast Spiritual momentum becomes spiritual maturity through daily choices. Guard the habits that kept your heart clear: prayer, Word, obedience, service, trust. Priorities must be scheduled, not assumed. The God who began this work will meet you in the next faithful step.

1. Read Matthew 6:33. In the sermon, what does the opening word “But” connect this promise to (what worries or issues did Jesus address just before this verse)?
2. The preacher used two simple illustrations (phone battery and remote control). What specific point did each illustration make about “seeking first” and about the Kingdom?
3. What items did the sermon list under “all these things”? Which of those items surprised you to see included (if any)?
4. How did the sermon define “Kingdom”? What difference does it make to think of the Kingdom as God’s rule rather than a place?

1. What does it mean, in practical terms, for someone to make God “primary” in their daily decisions (finances, calendar, relationships)? How would that differ from the person’s current patterns?
2. The sermon says God is more committed to character than comfort and that “righteousness comes before rewards.” How should that shape a person’s expectations when they are praying for provision or breakthrough?
3. If “all these things” are the needs God adds to fulfill His purpose (not every desire), how should someone test whether a particular desire is for God’s purpose or for fleshly comfort?
4. The preacher said addition follows divine order—not chasing. How should a believer interpret seasons when they feel they are chasing opportunities but not seeing fruit?

1. Identify one area of your life where you are “on 2% battery” spiritually (example: inconsistent prayer, rarely in Scripture, anxious about money). What one concrete habit will you start this week to “plug in” (day/time, duration, and how you’ll remind yourself)?
2. Name a specific decision (a purchase, job choice, schedule change, or relationship boundary) you are facing. How will you submit that decision to God’s rule this week? (List one practical step: pray about it, ask an elder, fast, wait 48 hours, read Scripture related to it.)
3. Which one of the five practical commitments after the fast (keep God first in decisions; maintain prayer and Word; choose obedience over convenience; serve consistently; trust daily) do you need most right now? State one measurable action you will take in the next seven days to reinforce that commitment.
4. Think of a recurring worry you chase (e.g., fear about tomorrow, career advancement, approval). What is one immediate behavior you will stop doing that feeds that worry, and what is one trusting action you will replace it with?
5. Righteousness creates capacity for blessing. Choose one character area to grow in (honesty, patience, purity, humility, generosity). What is a specific, repeatable practice you will do this month to develop that trait?
6. Who will hold you accountable as you pursue Kingdom-first rhythms? Name a person you will ask, how you will ask them, and how often you will check in.
7. The sermon invited the group to continue Kingdom-first after the fast. What is one short declaration you will speak each morning this week (for example: “God, rule my decisions today”) and when exactly will you speak it?