Jesus Christ has come;
therefore, the kingdom of God has come to man.
It takes the supreme power of
God to overcome the strong, but not omnipotent power
of Satan.
Since Jesus came and drove out
demons by the power of God, the kingdom of God has
come. The King in the kingdom is
Jesus Christ the Messiah.
Jesus said, “But if I cast out
demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God
has come upon you” (Matt. 12:28).
Jesus rendered perfect
obedience to God the Father. It
was because Jesus rendered perfect obedience to the
Father that He received unique power.
No other person could be trusted with such
absolute power.
Jesus Christ the King of Kings
came to this earth, and in His coming the kingdom of
God came. The full consummation
of the kingdom will come in the future when Jesus
returns to this earth.
What is the kingdom of God?
It is the sovereign rule of God in which His
perfect will is done on earth as it is presently
done in heaven.
The citizen of the kingdom of
God must accept and obey the laws of God.
Since the kingdom of God means the sovereign
rule of God no individual can be within the kingdom
unless he or she submits himself to the lordship of
God in perfect obedience to His will.
Jesus said membership in the
kingdom involves personal acceptance by each
individual of the will of God. It
is a personal issue between the individual and God.
To enter the kingdom means to personally
accept the will of God. Any
person who accepts the will of God is within the
kingdom.
We enter into the kingdom by
means of a spiritual birth. Jesus said, “Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless one in born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
Furthermore, the kingdom of God
is embodied in Jesus Christ. Only
Jesus perfectly and completely fulfilled the will of
God. He lived His life in perfect
submission and obedience to the will of His Father.
His whole life can be summarized with the
words, “Thy will be done” (Matt. 26:36-46; Mark
14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46; John 4:34).
In the person and work of Jesus
Christ, we see the perfect embodiment and perfect
demonstration of the meaning of the kingdom of God.
In and with Jesus the kingdom came.
Jesus began, continued, and ended His earthly
life in complete obedience to the will of God!
Moreover, Jesus enables others
to enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus removed the wall of opposition between God and
man. He died to remove the
penalty of sin, and by His Spirit He gives us the
strength to overcome the present power of sin.
When Jesus Christ returns, He will deliver us
perfectly from the presence of sin.
He gives us the ability to obey the will of
God.
Have you entered the kingdom of
God? (Luke 12:31) Jesus
admonishes us to “Seek first the kingdom of God and
His righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).
This should be the object of our desire every day of
our lives. “Not my will; Thy will
be done.”
Are you doing the will of God?
Are you in His kingdom?
You cannot have one without the other.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author's written consent.
Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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Reports on what God is doing through Bible believing evangelical Christians in Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, India and Ecuador. Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7).
Study the master theme of the Bible with these prophecies and types in the Old Testament of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
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