It's all about the Kingdom

Post date: Mar 20, 2014 2:59:01 AM

In 1980 I was introduced to the spiritual Kingdom of God for the first time. In the decade which followed, through constant study of the Holy Bible and regular church attendance I had evolved into a faithful Christian man so I thought. It wasn't until my eyes were reopened that I realized I had allowed religious duty to replace the simple faith that I had once practiced and was unaware that these beliefs were robbing me of the access that I had to the life altering power of God which is found through faith.

A self-created financial nightmare forced me to reconsider some of the concepts of which I had embraced through false teaching. This nightmare came to a head when my personal and business debt ballooned out of control and my monthly expenses exceeded an unmanageable amount per month. The possibility of bankruptcy was ever looming especially since my prayers seemed like they were going unheeded. 

One day, while in prayer, I heard God tell me to take a step of faith by following His instructions and my reward for obedience would be the return to financial stability within 3 years. These instructions differed from those offered by my spiritual leadership which caused me to hesitate for a moment, however, I was certain that I had heard God correctly so I opted to step out in faith by following the Word of God that I heard. This decision helped me to emerge from a religious cocoon that had placed religious duty ahead of trust and faith in God. The fulfilment of God’s Word came to me as promised. This experience was so life changing that I never want to err by walking in a spirit of religion again.

John 1: 10-12 “He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, he gave power to become the children of God, who were born not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us…”

The Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God. God is a Spirit. Jesus is the Son of God a quickening Spirit. During His earthly ministry Jesus said “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” ( John 6: 63) Jesus is the Word. The Holy Bible is the written Word. The Holy Spirit is the revealer of the Word. The Word is spiritual food that nourishes the human spirit.

Acts 10: 34-35 “…of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted of Him.”

There are some people who have labelled me as being religious probably unaware that I do not attend any regular religious services so it is my assumption that this is their way of describing my eagerness to testify of all the good things that God has done in my life. It is through these experiences that I have proven to myself that beyond a shadow of doubt the Kingdom of God is not a fictional one but is ever present and real.

1 Thessalonians 5: 23 “May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Bible teaches that mankind is created body, soul and spirit. The body is the fleshly part of man that can be seen and touched whereas the soul and the spirit are the invisible areas of our being that cannot be seen nor touched. The soul encompasses the natural area of man which includes the emotions, the thoughts, and the will. The spirit is the spiritual part of us that links us to God and is where the conscience resides. Genesis 1: 27 states “God created humankind in His image; in the image of God He created them…” When a person is born again it is the spirit that has been made alive by the grace of God through faith in the name of Jesus.

Luke 18: 15-18 “Then they also brought infants to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no enter it.”

In the gospel of Luke chapter 18 Jesus illustrated the type of faith that one needs to enter the Kingdom of God. The source for Jesus’ illustration was a baby. This usage baffled me at first since I didn't know that a baby was capable of operating in faith, however, I recently learned that a baby uses its faith every time that it demands and receives attention from its parents and even more noteworthy this is done without first testing the quality of service that it needs to survive. The type of faith that Jesus was referring to is childlike faith which simply takes God at His Word and then waits for the provision. It’s amazing to me but it takes only a mustard seed sized faith to open the doors of Heaven. With each answered prayer, especially those prayed in desperation, both my trust in His willingness to assist and my confidence to continue in His faith increase.

1 Corinthians 13:11 "…When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”

In closing, the moment that a person is born again no matter their age or level of maturity they enter spiritual infancy. Our Heavenly Father, like our natural parent, nourishes his new born children with the spiritual milk of His Word. The Holy Bible is not only the inspired Word of God but it is also spiritual manna that has been sent from Heaven. Its life producing content feeds the spirit and transforms the soul and for those who heed its counsel they will mature into the men and women of faith of which they have been called. It’s time to shed our religious cocoons and begin to walk the walk of faith together. Remember this! There is nothing too impossible for our God!