The Kingdom of God is HERE.
The Kingdom of Heaven is a place, but the Kingdom of God refers to the government of God. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus preached the “Kingdom of God”. The exact wording of “the Kingdom of Heaven” is only found in the Gospel of Matthew, more than 30 times. The phrase “Kingdom of God” is used in the New Testament more than 70 times, with five of those mentioned in the book of Matthew. Paradoxically, Jesus refers to the church only twice. Notice also that it was not Jesus who called His followers, Christians. Rather He referred to us as friends and then sons: Sons of God, born into the Kingdom of God.
When Jesus first started His ministry, He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mk1:14,15). “Repent, the Kingdom is HERE.” Most preachers dwell on the “repentance” but what did Jesus mean by “the Kingdom of God is HERE”? It means that the fulfillment of God’s government and will has now been re-establish on earth.
Even to Nicodemus, a ruler of the synagogue, Jesus preached the Kingdom… “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.” He was telling him that being born again gives you citizenship of the Kingdom of God; the legal right to become a SON of God. (Jn 1:12). To be “born again” is a legal thing. You enter the Kingdom legally.
And then it says that He went on teaching and preaching “the Kingdom of God”. In fact, He gave multiple examples and parables about how it OPERATES. He said,
“The Kingdom of God is as a man traveling.”
“The Kingdom of God is a mustard seed.”
“The Kingdom of God is as yeast.”
“The Kingdom of God is a pearl of great price.”
Why is there so much said about its operations? Because He wanted to teach us how to MANAGE the Kingdom. That’s why the parable of the “talents” (Mat 25:14-30). We’re to be rulers and managers of His Kingdom on earth.
A big change of government took place when Jesus came. Not only were we delivered from the kingdom of darkness, but we were brought into the Kingdom of God (Col 1:13). A kingdom that operates entirely differently. That means we now go by a new set of laws. The Word tells us that we’re:
- redeemed from the curse of the law,
- redeemed from the enemy,
- redeemed from our sin-nature,
- redeemed from every lawless deed,
- redeemed from all wickedness, and
- redeemed from death.
This is BIG. It’s a major shift in how the world operates for us. Actually, how we operate in the world, because of the fact that we can apply the laws of the Spirit to work for us. That’s why Jesus said, “They’re in the world, but not of the world”! In a kingdom, the word of the King becomes law (Ecc 8:4). That’s why we can overrule circumstances using the Word of the King.
Get a load of this… Jesus came to redeem THAT which was lost. The Kingdom of God was lost on earth when Adam relinquished it to the devil in the garden. The rulership in man was lost. “Kingdom” means “dominion of a king” (kingdom-inion). Adam had lost dominion and rulership. He was originally made to be a manager or a ruler over the earth, to colonise the earth just like in Heaven. But he lost the Kingdom (dominion of the King) over the earth.
But look at what the apostle Paul says, “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col 1:13-14). “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Gal 4:5).
We are no longer foreigners and strangers, but sons of God and also heirs of Jesus’ inheritance. We’re now co-heirs with Christ. We’re children of the King of the universe.
In the world, we’re taught, “You gotta work to make a living,” and so it is. In fact, we’re identified by what we do, not by who we are. People ask us who we are and we reply by what we do. I’m a plumber, an electrician, a dentist, etc. In the Kingdom of God, we’re identified by who we are. We’re sons, not servants. Jesus said, “seek ye first the kingdom”. And “Take no thought for your life.” Why? He said, “For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things.” (Mat 6: 25-34). The Word says we’re not supposed to “be living to make a living”.
Jesus shifted life’s priorities: “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” And He said, “Life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment…Do not be afraid, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” (Lk 12:32). He said, “the Kingdom of God is NOW HERE, the sweating is over”. Adoption as sons means we’re back in the Kingdom of God now, as the Kingdom was intended before the fall.
Again, shortly after the creation, the world’s laws on earth shifted when Adam disobeyed. God told him, because you disobeyed, the ground is now cursed. You’ll now have to work it, and sweat to make it yield your provisions. Later, He told Abraham, “IF you obey Me, I will bless you. But if you don’t obey, I will curse you.”(Deut 28).
But for us, because of our full redemption paid for by Jesus, the promises of God are not seated in hope, nor hidden behind conditions, but they are ours as rights. Why? Because we are sons. We’re already incorporated into the Kingdom. We go by our civil rights from the Word of the King. The promises of the King are for us, “YES”, and “SO BE IT”, they are not conditional. The King’s reputation is linked directly to His promises (laws) and to the welfare of His people.
So, we can now live on earth authoritatively enforcing the laws of the King. Plus, He’s given us His Spirit to teach us how to “operate” the Kingdom. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will teach you all truth.” (Jn 16:13). Actually, Jesus even said to His followers who’d seen Him operate every day for three solid years, “Don’t do anything, but wait till the Father sends you the Spirit, which will give you the power.” “That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2Tim. 3:17).
Paul said, “God’s Kingdom is not just talk, it is power.” (1Cor 4:20). Meaning, not in talking about it, but in manifesting its power. Jesus manifested the power of the Kingdom with tangible miracles, signs, healings, and deliverances. Each time He announced the good news of the Kingdom, sin, sickness, demons, poverty, and death could not remain.
“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness (sonship) and peace (with God) and joy in (through) the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 14:17).
With the Spirit’s power, the Word is life; it not only changes you, but energizes you and it does what is impossible to humans. Without the power, the Kingdom of God cannot be revealed through miracles, signs and wonders with delivering humanity from bondages.
Without accepting the power, no matter how much you read the Bible, you will neither understand it nor can it change your life. For many have accepted the Word as the Word of God, taken a form of godliness through reading it, but denied the power which changes a person. (2 Tim 3:5).
So Jesus was saying, “Seek first to get back to the citizenship of God’s government (your new identity, your righteousness with God), and to operate on earth according to the King’s Word, which are His laws, and all the provisions that you seek after will be taken care of by the King. Your righteousness is your rightful relationship with your King.”
Take no thought… (You’re embarrassing Me, as your Provider). Come unto Me.. I’ll give you REST (the Sabbath rest means it’s all DONE for you). Take a hold of the blessings of God without stress, without sweat with it. (Pro10:22). If you’ve got to work for your blessings, it’s no blessing. The blessing of the Lord is God’s original plan for man. Contrary to religious belief, God doesn’t want you sick, broke and lonely. He wants to bless you in every area of life – your health, finances, relationships, and more…
If you are righteous, you’re in the right position to demand the King to hold to His promises. That’s why there’s no begging in the Kingdom. “He that cometh to God must believe that He is (the King), and that He is a rewarder (holds true to His laws) for them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb 11:6).
Jesus, when rebuked by the Pharisees for healing a woman in the temple who’d been bent over for 18 years, said, “Is she not a daughter of Abraham? (She has a contract.) “Ought not she be healed?” (Doesn’t she have a right?) (Lk13:17). Religion said that it was the wrong day. “And when He had said these things, all His adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.” (V.18). The Kingdom of God comes with rights and with power to manifest those rights.
If you’re a son of the King, “ought you not?” Do you not have a right to be healthy, a right to be provided for? Once you’re born into the Kingdom… you have rights. You qualify.
Once righteous, you’re dangerous. All angels are looking after you. You put God under pressure. Why? Because God promised… The righteous can demand his rights. You tell cancer “it’s illegal for it to be in here”. Everything you do, everywhere you go, you’re blessed. Even the place where you work is BLESSED because of you.
Stand in faith. Live on earth with the authority of heaven and manifest God’s power by destroying the works of the devil wherever you go.