The Kingdom of God

“Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." -Luke 17:20 & 21

Dr. Miles Munroe, senior pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International, wrote a book called “Kingdom Principles: Preparing for Kingdom Experience and Expansion.”  In the book he describes the difference between religion (do's and don'ts) and the Kingdom of God that Jesus taught in the Bible.  He calls the Kingdom of God “the foundation of God’s plan for mankind.” (p. 81) 

Jesus mentions the “kingdom of God” or “kingdom of heaven” about 85 times in the New Testament.  In fact, if we read the entirety of Jesus‘  teaching in the New Testament, we will find He spent nearly all of His time on earth talking about the Kingdom! 

Why then is the kingdom so misunderstood?  What is the kingdom exactly?

According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a kingdom is:  “a politically organized community or major territorial unit having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or queen.” In this case, the King is our Father God in heaven. From this we can gather that true Christianity has a lot more to do with a perfected and uncorrupted form of heavenly government then it does with religion.

Dr. Monroe goes on to say, “Life in the kingdom is really about returning to the governing authority of God in the earth and learning how to live and function in that authority.” (p. 158)  Because of Jesus, we are now in the process of gaining back what was lost in the Garden of Eden.  (Genesis 3)  

Repentance and our acceptance of grace through Jesus Christ unlocks the door for us to enter God’s kingdom.  But, it doesn’t stop there.  Jesus teaches about many keys that, when activated, unlock the power of heaven in our own lives.

There is so much we can learn about God’s kingdom.  Ask the Lord to show you His kingdom and the part He might have you play.  He desires that we pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10) and that we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matt 6:33).  He promises that all these things will be added to us when we do.

Weapons of Warfare

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” -2 Corinthians 4:10

My dad turned to me one day and said something I had never really thought about before. “You know,” he said, “you have so much at your age that I never had.  It’s like you have a tool belt full of weapons against the enemy.”  He was referring to the preparation I had been undergoing through a series of trainings, and the healing work that God had been doing in my life.

“I guess you’re right!” I said. I knew he wasn’t necessarily saying it so I would feel proud of myself, (although I could tell he was proud.)  He was saying it so that I would recognize the responsibility I had to be able to help others.

The Bible talks about weapons of warfare. It makes a clear distinction between the weapons of this world and weapons in the spiritual realm. The Message version states:  “The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.”  

 

What are our weapons of warfare?  They include faith, prayer, grace, revelation, love, and God's truth.  Most of all, they are the things we have been through that God has healed and delivered us from.  Once we have overcome and are healed, we have the ability to speak truth to that obstacle in someone else’s life with authority.  (2 Cor 13:4)

When we align ourselves with God’s Word, we are taking a clear stand between us and the forces of darkness.  However, when we speak of weapons, it's not people we're looking to use them on.  It's the darkness.  So often we make the mistake of trying to shoot at the enemy, but we end up shooting the person he is holding hostage instead.

Do you know the weapons of warfare God has given to you? Let us use these weapons to remove obstacles to God, so that people can live free and unfettered in the saving grace and love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

A Stellar Example

"The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom." -Daniel 1:20

I love the example of Daniel and his friends. Daniel was such an unwavering model of faith, excellence, and purity, in spite of the world in which he and his friends found themselves.

"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way." -Daniel 1:8

Daniel and his friends were excellent in four areas:

• Physically: they were physically fit & disciplined
• Mentally: they were filled with wisdom and knowledge
• Relationally: they had one another for support, were respectful, and were highly favored among the king & his officials
• Spiritually: -they were filled with faith, they did not bow down to the world's system, and Daniel was excellent in his spiritual gifting (dream interpretation)

"To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds." -Daniel 1:17

The Bible says Daniel and his friends were 10 TIMES better than all the other magicians and enchanters in the land. To me, the example of Daniel and his friend speaks volumes. They lived in Babylon, in the world's system, which was contradictory to their faith. They lived as foreigners under the king's service. But they remained pure, disciplined, accountable to one another, and spiritually aligned with God. I believe it was because of these four things that God showed up in their midst. (Daniel 3:25)

Daniel challenges me in these four areas of my life, to be excellent and sharp in each one. Does Daniel's example inspire or challenge you? May we be the best examples of the God we serve, so that His light can be revealed in us for all the world to see.

"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever." -Daniel 12:3

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

"How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice!"  -Song of Solomon 4:10

"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: 'This is what the LORD says: "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown."'" -Jeremiah 2:2

All throughout scripture a beautiful love story is interwoven between all of humanity and her bridegroom, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Every great love story has this plot of the handsome prince saving his princess, fighting off evil enemies in order to rescue her and gain the chance to win her hand.  In modern times, Beauty and the Beast, Allie and Noah, and Bella and Edward have been the forefront characters... but all great love stories involve a certain mystery, a certain magic, and a certain struggle that the man must endure and overcome to win the heart of his bride.  And continue to win it.

Jesus' death and resurrection on the cross was payment for every sin on this earth.  No one is without sin, and so we desperately needed a Savior who would be willing to lay down His life for us so we would not have to endure eternal death.

In this, as we realize just a piece of what kind of sacrifice was required, we learn to love a God who gave up His Son Jesus so that we wouldn't have to die.  Every great story has a derivative of this narrative; that's what makes it so great, and so compelling. 

As the story goes, Jesus is coming back for His bride one day, in a glorious wedding ceremony.  "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." -Revelation 21:2

But in order for Jesus to return for His bride, we have to be ready.  "Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." -Revelation 19:7

Do you know your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?  Pray that He would reveal Himself to you, and that He would win over your heart. We need to be found ready, so that His glory can be revealed in all those who believe in Him - His bride, the Church. 

The Enemy's Schemes

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” -Ephesians 6:11

Have you ever noticed the verse above talks about the enemy’s “schemes”? I used to think the verse said, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil.”  But, it actually says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”  “What is a scheme?” you might say.  Well, according to the Dictionary.com, a scheme is a “plan, design, or program of action to be followed”. 

Why it is important to make this distinction between the enemy and his “schemes”?  We know that the enemy can’t be everywhere all the time, (while God is everywhere all the time) so it makes sense that he would put a “plan, design, or a program” in place to act on his behalf. He works hard to put schemes in place during our childhood, because this is the time in our lives where we are being “programmed”, either for success or failure in every area of life.

What are the enemy’s schemes?  Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10), so anything to do with stealing, killing, and destroying our relationships, purpose, money, and even our lives would be the enemy’s main intent toward us. But, how he does it is quite smart - he uses people in our lives to carry out these schemes - often the people closest to us - without them even knowing.  Many relationships have been destroyed for lack of understanding of the enemy’s schemes.

So how do we outwit Satan?  We can outwit him through Jesus and through the power of forgiveness.

“Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive - I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake,  in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.”  -2 Cor 2:11

Are you aware of the enemy’s schemes?  Make sure you are aware, so that you can act in forgiveness.  We need to outwit the enemy’s schemes so that God can fulfill His purposes in our lives.

Unconditional Blessing, Unconditional Honor

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”  -Romans 12:14



If you’ve spent any time in Christian circles, you’ve likely heard a sermon preached on blessing our enemies and praying for those who curse us. (Luke 6:28) We talk about blessing as it relates to people who are different than us, aka, sinners, or the unrighteous.  But how often on a regular basis do we get to mingle with people who are COMPLETELY different than us, unless we started hanging out at bars, strip clubs, or mosques?  And, how often does someone who is more like us rub us the wrong way at church? How do we respond? Do we actually know how to bless someone we disagree with, like Jesus did?



Our culture is pretty different than Eastern Jewish culture was back then.  Our culture is very much based on a performance-mindset - that is, “If you do what I want, I’ll bless you.”  This idea comes through in our parenting styles, our management, and our pastoral care.  No doubt about it there is consequence for poor or bad behavior.  But, in the Jewish culture they understood that blessing was a given.  You bless the person because they are a human being, created by God.  You believe the best for them.  You pray for them.  As far as honor was concerned, they honored people because of the position they held, not because of good or bad behavior, (not to say they didn’t confront them.) (Matthew 18:15) But, in our culture, I think we have it backwards. We’re called to bless, not withhold blessing based on performance.  In reality, we should honor everyone, no matter who they are. 



True love isn’t love if it’s conditional - true love is very hard. When we are offended or hurt by something, we naturally shrink back in self-protection.  To be possible, unconditional blessing requires the cross - it requires Jesus.



Are you able to bless others unconditionally?  When someone hurts you, instead of putting walls up, try blessing them instead. This isn’t condoning out of order behavior - but a recognition of the person in spite of their behavior. Pray and ask God how He might have you bless someone today.

The Greatest Gift

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Romans 6:23
 
Have you ever seen the movie It's a Wonderful Life?  It has to be one of the greatest American movies of all time, released in 1946.

The film stars George Bailey, a man whose dire circumstances result in a depression so bad he makes up his mind to take his own life on Christmas Eve.  Just as he is about to jump off a bridge, George's guardian angel, Clarence Odbody, makes himself known to George and intervenes on his behalf. Clarence then takes George on a journey,  showing him the impact his life has had on others and how their community would've been vastly different if George hadn't been born. George realizes that his life has immense value, no matter his circumstances.

We are so blessed to live in a country where we can celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ as a national holiday. His birth, His death, and His resurrection made it possible for us to have the gift of eternal life.

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." -Col 1:17
 
When we receive this precious gift, when we confess our sins and believe that Jesus died for our sins, we then carry this same gift of hope, love, grace, truth, and salvation wherever we go. God sends us as His representatives to a hurting world where His life and hope are needed. When we realize Jesus is the hope of our salvation, and when we realize just a piece of the depth of his love for us, we realize how much we matter. Jesus wouldn't have given His life for us if ours didn't matter to Him.

Do you know for certain you have received the gift of Jesus' salvation? Ask Him into your life today if you aren't quite sure. The gift of His son Jesus is the best gift we can receive in this life, and is the best gift we can give to others.