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“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ … But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
— Matthew 6:31, 33 (NKJV)
This passage gives us a divine order for our lives. It sets before us two possible ways to live:
1. The way of the nations (the pagans): anxious pursuit, running after material needs.
2. The way of the kingdom: seeking first God’s rule and God’s righteousness, with the promise that our needs will be supplied.
The lyrics of the song echo and repeat this kingdom order:
> “Seek first the kingdom of God
> and His righteousness,
> and all these things will be given to you as well.
> Do not worry—your Father knows your needs.”
This is not a suggestion. It is a command of Jesus, backed by a promise. It deals directly with one of the greatest bondages in human life: worry. And it replaces worry with a new focus: the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Before we can apply this practically, we must understand what Jesus was saying, to whom He was speaking, and what these key words mean in their biblical context.
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These words come from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Jesus is speaking to His disciples, with crowds listening in. He is not just giving moral advice; He is describing the lifestyle of those who live under the rule of God—those who belong to the kingdom.
### The Immediate Context
From Matthew 6:19 onwards, Jesus deals with money, possessions, and priorities:
“Mammon” is more than money. It is wealth as a rival master. Jesus is not neutral; He declares that if you serve mammon, you are not serving God. Then He moves directly into the issue of anxiety:
> “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on.” (v. 25)
Why “therefore”? Because if you try to serve both God and mammon, you will inevitably live in worry and unrest. Divided loyalty produces inward turmoil.
Jesus then points to birds and lilies:
The conclusion is simple: God’s care for His creation is real, constant, and wise. If He cares for grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will He care for His children?
Then He contrasts the nations (Gentiles, pagans) with the children of the Father:
> “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
> (Matthew 6:32)
The same material needs exist for all people: food, drink, clothing, housing, provision. But Jesus is drawing a line between two ways of life:
So when the lyrics repeat:
> “For the pagans run after all these things,
> and your heavenly Father knows
> that you need them.”
they are summarizing this contrast. The pagan life is characterized by running after things. The kingdom life is characterized by trust and order: the Father knows; the Father adds.
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To understand this passage deeply we will look at two key expressions from Matthew 6:33.
### 1. “Seek” – Greek: *zēteō* (ζητέω)
The verb “seek” in “seek first the kingdom” is *zēteō*. It does not mean a casual or occasional interest. It carries the sense of:
It involves not only mental interest but practical pursuit and priority. It is the same verb used of people seeking Jesus, seeking signs, or seeking honor. It speaks of a determined, ongoing direction of life.
So when Jesus says, “Seek first,” He is not speaking of a passing religious thought in the morning. He speaks of a committed, structured life orientation: pursue the kingdom as your first concern, your controlling priority.
### 2. “Kingdom” – Greek: *basileia* (βασιλεία)
The word translated “kingdom” is *basileia*. In modern English, “kingdom” often suggests “a place.” But *basileia* primarily means:
So “the kingdom of God” is the realm where God’s rule is acknowledged and obeyed. In simple terms: the kingdom of God is where God is King in practice, not just in theory.
We could legitimately paraphrase:
> “Seek first the rule (kingship) of God in your life,
> and His righteousness,
> and all these things will be added to you.”
This is not merely seeking to “go to heaven one day,” but seeking God’s present government over our thoughts, choices, finances, relationships, and priorities.
### 3. “Righteousness” – Greek: *dikaiosynē* (δικαιοσύνη)
“Righteousness” here is *dikaiosynē*:
In the Sermon on the Mount, this righteousness is both imputed (given to us by faith) and practiced (worked out in our behavior):
So when Jesus says “seek His righteousness,” He is saying: seek to live in right alignment with God’s will, God’s nature, and God’s ways. Not your own righteousness, not religious performance, but His righteousness worked out in you.
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Now we will move through the themes of the lyrics and see how Scripture interprets Scripture.
### A. “Therefore do not worry…”
> “Therefore do not worry, saying,
> ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’
> or ‘What shall we wear?’”
Worry in the New Testament is often described by the Greek word *merimnaō*—to be anxious, to be divided in mind, pulled in different directions. Worry divides our heart, distracts our focus, and eats away at our trust.
Notice that Jesus specifically prohibits verbalizing worry: “do not worry, saying…” What we say reveals and reinforces what we believe.
When we repeatedly say, “What shall we eat? What shall we wear?” we are aligning our hearts and mouths with the spirit of fear and anxiety. Jesus forbids this. He commands us to stop giving voice to unbelief.
The lyrics repeat this theme:
> “Do not worry—your Father knows your needs.”
Worry is not just a psychological weakness; it is a spiritual conflict. It is a rival voice to the Word of God. The antidote to worry is not denial of need, but confidence in the Father’s knowledge and care.
### B. “For the pagans run after all these things…”
> “For the pagans run after all these things,
> and your heavenly Father knows
> that you need them.”
This reveals a profound truth: how we pursue our material needs reveals who our god is.
Ephesians 2:2 describes the life outside of Christ as a life where people “walk according to the course of this world,” under the influence of spiritual powers. Running after material needs without reference to God is not neutral; it is a sign of being under a different spiritual government.
The lyrics confront us with this contrast: either we join the nations in running after things, or we trust our Father and seek His kingdom first.
### C. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…”
This is the central command.
> “Seek first the kingdom of God
> and His righteousness,
> and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Notice the divine order:
1. Seek first:
2. Seek the kingdom:
3. Seek His righteousness:
4. Then: “all these things” (food, drink, clothing—practical necessities) will be added.
This is entirely different from the religious idea of poverty as holiness, or from the worldly idea of prosperity as god. It is kingdom order:
Other Scriptures confirm this pattern:
The promise is not that God will give us everything we fantasize about, but that He will take personal responsibility for the needs of those who submit to His rule and seek His righteousness.
### D. “Do not worry—your Father knows your needs.”
This phrase goes to the heart of faith.
The root question in worry is: “Is God really aware, and does He really care?” Jesus answers that directly:
> “Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:32)
Notice three facts:
1. He is Father – not a distant deity, but a personal, caring Father.
2. He is heavenly – His perspective and resources are not limited by earth’s circumstances.
3. He knows – there is no ignorance, forgetfulness, or delay on His part. He is always ahead of your need.
Therefore, persistent worry is actually a challenge to three attributes of God:
Philippians 4:6–7 gives the New Testament counterpart to Matthew 6:
> “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
> and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Where Matthew 6 says “do not worry… seek first,” Philippians 4 says “do not be anxious… pray and give thanks.” Both lead to the same outcome: God’s peace and God’s provision in the life of the believer.
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This teaching must change how we live, or we have not really believed it. Faith is expressed in action.
Here are four practical steps, or commitments, that align with this passage.
### 1. Renounce Worry and the Speech of Unbelief
First, we must make a decisive break with worry as a normal lifestyle.
We must also deal with the way we speak. Jesus said, “do not worry, saying…” We need to stop reinforcing fear with our words:
This is not denial of reality; it is agreement with a higher reality: the Father’s care.
### 2. Establish the Kingdom as Your First Priority in Every Area
Second, we must make a practical decision: What is truly first in my life?
Ask yourself, area by area:
This may require specific acts of obedience:
Seeking the kingdom first will be costly to the flesh. But it opens the way for God’s supernatural addition.
### 3. Embrace Righteousness as a Life Pursuit, Not an Accessory
Third, we must seek His righteousness. Many want kingdom blessings without kingdom righteousness. That is impossible.
Practically, seeking His righteousness includes:
We measure “righteousness” not by comparison with other people, but by the standard of God revealed in His Word.
### 4. Replace Anxiety with Prayer, Praise, and Obedient Action
Fourth, when real needs confront us—bills, sickness, lack of work—we do not deny them. We obey God’s order:
1. Pray specifically – “in everything by prayer and supplication…”
2. Give thanks – acknowledge past faithfulness and present promises.
3. Ask for direction – “Lord, what is my part in this? How do I seek Your kingdom in this situation?”
4. Obey quickly – if He shows you a step (apologize, give, forgive, apply, work diligently, adjust priorities), do it.
Trust is not passivity. It is active alignment with God’s will, with confidence in His care.
---
### Proclamation
Now, in the spirit of faith, speak this aloud as your declaration. Align your heart, your mind, and your tongue with the Word of God:
> I proclaim that Jesus is my Lord and King.
> I acknowledge the rule of God over every area of my life.
> I refuse to serve mammon. I choose to serve God alone.
> I renounce worry and anxiety about what I shall eat, what I shall drink, and what I shall wear.
> My heavenly Father knows that I need all these things.
> Therefore, I seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
> I bring my time, my finances, my relationships, and my decisions under His rule.
> I trust that all these things—everything I truly need—will be added to me according to His wisdom and His timing.
> I will not speak words of fear and unbelief.
> I will speak the Word of God:
> “My Father knows my needs.
> I seek His kingdom first.
> He will supply all my need
> according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
> This is my position, in Jesus’ Name.
> Amen.
### Prayer
Let us now pray in agreement with this truth.
“Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
I thank You that You are my heavenly Father and that You know my needs before I ask. I confess that many times I have allowed worry and anxiety to rule my heart and to shape my words. I repent of this unbelief. I choose today to obey the words of Jesus: to stop worrying about my life, and to seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness.
Holy Spirit, I ask You to show me any area where I am still serving mammon, still running after things like the nations. Give me grace to change. Bring my life into divine order under the rule of God.
Lord Jesus, establish Your kingship in my heart, in my mind, in my home, in my finances, and in my future. Work in me both to will and to do for Your good pleasure. Teach me to trust, to pray instead of panic, to give thanks instead of complain, and to speak Your promises instead of my fears.
I declare that You are faithful. You cannot lie. As I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, You will add everything I truly need. I rest in Your care. I receive Your peace that surpasses understanding, guarding my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
I ask this in the Name that is above every name,
the Name of Jesus.
Amen.”
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