"Understanding the Kingdom of God According to Scripture" (An Introduction)
Lesson 2
We saw in the first lesson that the word Kingdom is capable of three (3) meanings according to scripture and the first meaning is; A realm over which a monarch reigns.
God established His Kingdom in heaven but rules over the earth. As a realm over which a monarch reigns we are talking about any territory and people over which God reign. A monarch is a male King who has a Kingdom. The Kingdom is the territory and the people of that Kingdom are citizens of the Kingdom of God's domain.
Colossians 1:13, 16
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son. For by Him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him for Him.
Let's look at the second meaning of the word Kingdom.
Lesson 2
The Kingdom is the realm in which God's reign is experienced. After the ministry of John the Baptist this realm of the Kingdom was ushered in. Jesus as the Messiah King came preaching this realm of God plan for man. It was into this Kingdom that men were pressing their way.
Luke 16:16
The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the Kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
To experience God's reign takes a voluntary submission to His royal rule. This voluntary submission is you and I coming under the authority of the King by whom we obtain our instructions for daily living and discover the specifics of God's plan and purpose for our lives.
The experience of God's rule first comes without observation. Luke 17:21 says, "The Kingdom comes not by observation."
From this verse it is very easy to believe that the Kingdom of God is futureristic which is not untrue, just incomplete. The Kingdom is both present now and to come. But when it first came to you you didn't see it coming.
You say, well how did the Kingdom come if its come already? Well when you became Born Again you became Born Again into the experience of God's reign over your life. As you was translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of God's love the spiritual elements of the Kingdom were transferred into you.
Romans 14:17
The Kingdom of God is not meat or drink but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.
The three spiritual elements that mark God's reign over a territory, over a people He has purposed for Himself are found in that God has delivered us out of darkness into the Kingdom of His Son, a Kingdom wherein we experience righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost as we are yielded to the Holy Spirit who administrates the Kingdom in our midst.
Paul reminds us that the Kingdom also is not just in word but also in power. It is this "power" in every means that is also the manifestation of God's royal rule, dominion and power over and to a people He has chosen for Himself.
I experience the reign of God as I submit to the word of God, the work of the Holy Spirit and Christ daily in my life.
More on this teaching in our next session of 30 Days of Kingdom.
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