THE KINGDOM OF GOD. The kingdom of God carries the idea of God coming into the world to assert His power, glory and rights against Satan’s dominion and the present course of this world. It is more than salvation or the church; it is God expressing Himself powerfully in all His works, “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Matthew 12:28
The kingdom is primarily an assertion of God’s power in action. God is beginning His spiritual rule on earth in the hearts of and among His people, “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.” John 14:23-24 He comes into the world with power; but we must not conceive of this power as material or political, but spiritual.
The kingdom is not a religio-political theocracy; it is not a matter of social or political dominion over the other kingdoms of this world. God does not intend at this time to redeem and reform the world through social or political activism. This is an important concept to remember, for the church is following this false ideology of destruction and acceptance of a social gospel. It is false. Do not follow its ways!
The world throughout this age will remain an enemy of God and His people. God’s rule by direct judgment will occur only at the end of this age. Because God asserts Himself with power, the world enters into a crisis. God’s expression of power fills the devil’s empire with alarm and everyone is confronted with the decision whether or not to submit to God’s rule, “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Matthew 12:28
The necessary and fundamental condition of entry into God’s kingdom is repentance and faith in Christ’s atoning work on the cross at which time one will be born again of the Holy Spirit, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”” Mark 1:14-15 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:3, 5 NKJV
The reality of God’s power breaking into the world involves: spiritual authority over Satan’s rule and dominion; the coming of the kingdom marks the beginning of the destruction of Satan’s rule and of humanity’s deliverance from the demonic and from the power of sin, “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”I John 3:8-9
The kingdom of God is not only power over sin, but (1) power to work miracles and to heal the sick, “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.””
Acts 4:29-30 NKJV(2) the preaching of the gospel accompanied by conviction with regards to sin, righteousness and judgment, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”
John 16:7-11 NKJV(3) the salvation of those who repent and believe the gospel, “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 2:38-39 NKJV(4) the sanctification of those born again of the Holy Spirit, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?”II Corinthians 6:14-15 NKJV(5) the baptism in the Holy Spirit for power to live a life that witnesses for Christ, (witness- not just in words, but a life that overcomes this world) “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
Acts 1:8 NKJVAn essential evidence that one is experiencing God’s kingdom is a life lived and controlled by the Holy Spirit. There is a distinct separation from a life of sin to a life led by the Spirit, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”” John 3:8 NKJV“
Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”Romans 14:16-17 NKJVJust as you cannot see the wind, you can see the effects of the wind on its surroundings. You cannot see the Holy Spirit, but you can see it’s effects on one’s life.
There will be a stark departure from sin and the world, this is righteousness. There’s a peace one has never experienced that everything is going to be ok because I belong to God. And an unspeakable joy that I have been forgiven of my sins and translated from the world into His kingdom. If these things are not in you and a part of you, I would question whether or not you are living according to the Holy Spirit and therefore are not living in His kingdom. #runyourrace
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
