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Chris and Nancy Moonian Chief Spiritual Officers / Co-founders |
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God only has one Kingdom, variously described in His Word as the Kingdom of God (Luke 19:11), Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:19), Kingdom of the Father (Matthew 26:29), Kingdom of the Son (Colossians 1:13) or Kingdom of Christ (Ephesians 5:5). Often the Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God are used interchangeably (Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:14; Matthew 13:31 and Luke 13:18; Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20). Essentially, the word "Kingdom" has reference to the sphere of God's rule, reign or domain. When the Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come, He replied by saying, "the Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-21). Jesus was not implying that the Kingdom of God was within the Pharisaical sect. If He did, the Jewish people would have focused their attention on the Pharisaical sect for the arrival of the Kingdom of God, thus giving the Pharisees prominence and credibility in the nation and perhaps reason to end their relentless pursuit for opportunities to arrest Jesus. But we know from scripture that this did not happen. The Pharisees, in fact, were well aware that Jesus was not referring to them when He said, "the Kingdom of God is within you". One of the Pharisees, Nicodemus, by this time had already visited Jesus secretly and found out that except a man be born again, he cannot see or enter the Kingdom of God (John 3:3,5). As they were not reborn men, this prevented them from qualifying to be part and parcel of the Kingdom of God. The more accurate rendering of this verse reads: the kingdom of God is in your midst (The Interlinear Bible), in the midst of you (Revised Standard Version), is among you (The Jerusalem Bible). In other words, Jesus was referring to Himself as the Kingdom of God, among them or in their midst. JESUS, THE PERSONIFICATION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:18-19) When Jesus said that He is going to build His church upon "this rock", He was referring to Himself [He being the Rock or Stone (1 Peter 2:4-8, Matthew 21:42-44, Ephesians 2:19-22) which came from heaven to become the Kingdom and fill the earth (Daniel 2:35,44)]. God, through the Prophet Daniel, specified the exact time in which His Kingdom would be set up (Daniel 2:44). King Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the four great empires of the earth depicted a huge statue having a head of fine gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, and legs of iron and feet partly iron and clay (Daniel 2:31-45). In accordance with Daniel’s interpretation of this dream, Babylon (symbolized by the head of gold) was captured by Darius the Median (Daniel 5:24-31), which brought Medo-Persia (the silver kingdom) into power. Events in secular history confirm that Alexander the Great of Greece (symbolized by brass) conquered Medo-Persia and became the superpower of the world. Then, from 63 BC and throughout the New Testament, we learn about the Roman supremacy (the mixture of iron and clay kingdom). Precisely as predicted, during the Roman supremacy, the Stone from Heaven (Jesus Christ) came to set up God's Kingdom. Please bear in mind that Jesus clearly stated that the Kingdom would begin as a grain of mustard seed but will grow and become established as a great tree (Matthew 13:31-32). Looking at Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, one would think at face value that the Stone from Heaven was coming to destroy the rule of man (Daniel 2:35). In actual fact, it was the works of satan in and through man that God was targeting (1 John 3:8, John 8:44). Luke 4:5-8 shows us that satan laid claim to ownership and control of the kingdoms of the world. The devil led him [Jesus] up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendour, for it has been given to me [obviously by Adam, through disobedience], and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours." Jesus answered, "It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’" (NIV) Other scriptures, which support the view that evil spirits possess control and influence over human kingdoms, appear in the book of Daniel. But the prince [evil spirit] of the kingdom of Persia withstood me [angel of God] one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes [another angel from Heaven], came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. (Daniel 10:13) Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince [evil spirit] of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince [evil spirit] of Grecia shall come. (Daniel 10:20) But we who are born of God can rejoice over the fact that satan has no hold on us because we have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (1 John 5:18, Colossians 1:12-13). The Stone did not only come to crush (Matthew 21:44) satan's rule on the earth in and through man but also became a mountain (Daniel 2:35) on which the church (the believer) is established to demonstrate God's rule, reign and domain (Isaiah 2:2-4). Jesus' words "occupy till I come" in the parable of the ten pounds (Luke 19:11-27) confirms the authority of the church (the believer) in the earth. As the personification of the Kingdom of God, Jesus was not only building the church (believer) upon Himself, but upon the Kingdom of God itself. He therefore gave to the church (believer) supremacy over the authority of hell, the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and the support of heaven in all that the church (believer) does in the earth (Matthew 16:18-19). The church (believer), as the representative of Jesus and His Kingdom in the earth, should therefore demonstrate all that the Kingdom is. Isaiah the prophet, in approximately 740 BC, prophesied that Jesus Christ would come to order and establish God's government or kingdom: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7) This once again confirms Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, the stone that came from heaven to set up the kingdom, is no other than Christ the Son of God. HOW DID JESUS SET UP AND ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM?
What is the reason then for praying for His kingdom to come, if it is already here? Interestingly, the word "come" includes in its meaning: to arise, show itself, find place or influence, be established, or become known. Based on this meaning, and the fact that the Kingdom is already here, believers today should be praying for God’s Kingdom (His rule, dominion or reign), to arise, show itself, find place or influence, be established and become known in the earth. In other words, believers should be praying for God’s government to become increasingly more visible and known to all mankind through them. ADDITIONAL NOTES:Believers must understand that the Kingdom of God operates in them and they in it. " Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." (Mark 10:15 AV) First you receive the kingdom of God and then you enter therein. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN YOU. " But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." (Matthew 12:28 AV) " If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:15-17 AV) THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE EARTH AND BELIEVERS OPERATING IN IT. " There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:1-8 AV) " And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3 AV) " And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:24 AV) " For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20 AV)
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