I just realised I have been writing on Kingdom, strategies and systems for about 6 months now. I have used the word “system” in the past 7 posts and yet, I never gave an introductory post on what systems really are, and its fundamental importance to our living. Let us learn how God builds systems for everything He does and why setting up structures and building systems is the most sustainable.
From the very beginning, the Bible reveals that God is a God of order (1 Corinthians 14:33). Creation itself is a testament to divine structure and systems where everything has its place, purpose, and function. Creation declare His glory, not just in beauty but in the perfect alignment of systems that govern—seasons, times, ecosystems, and even human relationships. To fully grasp how God’s design operates in both the spiritual and physical realms, we must understand structures and systems through the lens of Scripture.
What is a Structure? (The Framework of God’s Design)
A structure is more than just a physical framework; it’s the divine arrangement that provides stability, support and purpose. In Scripture, structures are often represented through temples, altars, families, and even covenants. They represent the foundational design upon which God builds His purposes. Therefore, if God gives you a purpose, set up structures to tend it continually until it is fully accomplished.
Biblical Characteristics of a Structure:
Stability: Just like the rock on which the wise man builds his house (Matthew 7:24-25), a godly structure withstands storms because it’s rooted in divine principles.
Organization: God instructed Noah to build the ark with specific dimensions (Genesis 6:14-16) and gave Moses detailed blueprints for the Tabernacle (Exodus 25). Divine structures aren’t random—they are intentional. Look at the family structure. Look at your body structure.
Support: Structures hold things together. The family, for instance, is a God-ordained structure designed to nurture, protect, and reflect His nature (Genesis 2:24). Every humanbeing is born into a family.
Example: In the Tabernacle of Moses, there was a specific lineage of priests that set up specific details (including curtains) in the Tabernacle and were anointed to dismantle the Tabernacle as they travelled in the wilderness. In this way, the structure is kept in place for the system to work. God asked the people of Israel to be numbered and structured into tribes, clans and families. The heads of the family were the ones responsible for even picking up the manna for their families every morning. Structures make systems work because systems make structures necessary. The most magnificent structure is lifeless without the system that brings it to life.
What is a System? (The Breath of God in Motion)
A system in the biblical context is the living, dynamic process through which God’s purposes are carried out. While structures provide stability, systems represent function, consistency and growth. Think of the body of Christ—we are many parts, but we function as one body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
Biblical Characteristics of a System:
1. Components: Just as the human body has many parts, each believer has an individual role in the body of Christ (Romans 12:4-5).
2. Interconnections: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Systems in Scripture are defined by how components work together, not in isolation. It ceases to be a system if individual components are not coming together to work as a unit to achieve one purpose.
3. Purpose: Every system has an assignment. You may have a stomach and an oesophagus that play distinct roles but all the parts come together as the digestive system to achieve a particular purpose.
4. Inputs and Outputs: If you sow into the Spirit, that is what you will reap. Just like how the factory system works. That’s how even our brains work. We get to determine outputs by the kind of inputs we make. It has not been hidden from us.
5. Feedback Mechanisms: A priest with an active altar will get feedback from the Supervising Spirit of his altar. Every system gives feedback. When you are hungry, your body sends you feedback. Doesn’t it? Once you feed the system, you will get feedback sooner or later.
6. Boundaries: Every system has divine boundaries. Adam and Eve were given dominion but within the boundary of obedience to God (Genesis 2:16-17). Boundaries are not limitations. Once there is an organisation and purpose, there are definitely boundaries.
7. Structure: The old covenant made way for the new through Christ, not by abolishing the system but fulfilling it (Matthew 5:17). The law gave a structure to all the requirements of God’s justice system, and Jesus fulfilled them all. Systems give structure to new systems built upon it. This is why God sets up replica systems (man and woman marrying) to give structure to the main system He set up (Christ and the Church marrying).
Example: The early church is the perfect example of God’s Kingdom come. Acts 2:42-47 shows how they functioned—devoted to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. The system wasn’t about rituals but about relationships, purpose, and growth.
The Relationship Between Structures and Systems in the Bible
You cannot separate structure from systems in God’s design. They are like the ark of the covenant and the Shekinah Glory of God dwelling within. The Law of Moses (structure) provided guidelines, but it was the system of faith that justified Abraham even before the law (Romans 4:3). Without structure, systems have no foundation. Without systems, structures are empty shells.
Final Thoughts: Why This Matters
In the Kingdom of God:
✔ Structure = Divine Order (families, churches, covenants)
✔ System = Kingdom Functionality (faith, grace, justice)
✔ Together = Purpose Fulfilled
We are called to build our lives, ministries, and communities with the wisdom of both. Jesus didn’t just come to establish a new structure; He brought a new system—the Kingdom of God, where righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit reign supreme (Romans 14:17). So, whether you’re an architect designing a building, a leader building a ministry, or a believer shaping your life, remember: Without structure, systems collapse. Without systems, structures are lifeless. But when you have both, you carry the blueprint of Heaven.
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