We have learnt that we live in a war zone. More than that, we are a war zone! There is a battle going on inside us. We are the battle field on which two sides clash and two ages are competing for supremacy in our lives. But we will not win by our own strength. We will win only if we live in the life and the power of the Holy Spirit. And the means to do this is being filled with the Holy Spirit.

If we would yield our whole personality to the Holy Spirit? Inviting him to overwhelm us and exert his influence over our personality, which comprise our emotions, our minds and our wills!

Emotions
Emotions are feelings of pleasantness or unpleasantness, which spontaneously arise in us in response to some internal and external stimuli. They are an essential part of our personality.

Emotions are sometimes “masked” and you really have to figure out what’s behind the things a person may say.

For example, what are the emotions behind what they are saying?

I didn’t get invited to the dance. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I try hard to be friendly, but the boys just don’t pay much attention. Maybe I’m just plain ugly.

I know my children are busy, but I haven’t seen them for ages. They don’t even bother to call.

I don’t know if my husband loves me or not. He says he cares, but he doesn’t pay much attention to me, particularly when we’re with other people. Sometimes he even seems ashamed of me.

Are there good or bad emotions?

Our emotions are God given. Jesus himself experienced the whole range of emotions (Mark 3:5, Matthew 21:12-16: anger; John 11:5, 13:34: love; John 11:35: grief; John 17:13: joy).

The pleasant and unpleasant feelings we experience include:

Anger, frustration, disappointment, fear, depression, anxieties, hopelessness, distrust, shame, guilt, envy, jealousy, distrust, regrets, hatred; and

Confidence, pride, joy, love, pride, fulfillment, peace

Why must there be more unpleasant feelings than pleasant feelings?

Actually whether an emotion is “good or bad” depends on where the feelings we experience drive us to, or what the feelings lead us to do.

Can you imagine situations where an unpleasant feeling becomes a blessing, and where a pleasant feeling draws us away from God?

So it is where it leads you to or what happens next that matters! Does it lead us to sin or to repentance? Draw near to God or to curse him? Does it glorify God?

Emotions interact with our minds (thoughts) and wills (desires); they can cause you to dwell on certain thoughts, and eventually intents, which are acted upon. There is the danger, for example, of emotions like anger or greed becoming jealousy and hatred, and which leads to pre-meditated murder and sin.

Emotions can be very useful to help us understand or discern our true beliefs and values. Try to give an honest answer to why do you feel a given way!

Emotions can be shaped by our values and beliefs. At the temple Jesus became angry at the buying and selling because he believed that the place should be used as a house of prayer. The priests saw the money changers as a source of income? There were also different emotions (suspicious and antagonism vs. joy) in the incident of healing recorded in Mark 3:5. These conflicting emotions were shaped by the beliefs held by the religious leaders and the man who was healed, respectively.

Our beliefs can help us to have the right or correct reaction to our emotions: to be glad, sad or mad for the right reasons!

If we believe God’s word, here are examples of the “right response” to following emotions.

Hate: Do good to those who hate you. Luke 6:27-28
Anxiety: Pray to God; put your trust in him rather than be anxious. Philippians 4:6
Joy: Acknowledge the source of your goodness. Philippians 4:4
Anger: Avoid sin and settle matters quickly. Ephesians 4:26
Envy: Lay it down and love others. 1 Corinthians 13:4

Begin to ask the Father to fill you with the Holy Spirit; Invite him to:

Enable you to see what your emotions really are and why you feel a certain way.

Give you self discipline and self control in order that you may restraint any wrong reaction to your emotions.

Enable you to personify the mind of Christ, his attitudes, values and beliefs, and let them shape your emotions.

Let your emotions produce thoughts, desires and actions that will only build you up, and you may become mature and attain the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Pray the following prayer:

I am tired from trying to be victorious and Christ like in my own strength and with self discipline and individual willpower. I ask that you will strengthen me with power in my inner being. And I pray I may have power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. And according to your power that is at work within me, may I do all things to give God the glory.

Fill me up with emotions that will lead me to grow in spiritual maturity and produce in me the fruit of Christ, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Mind
The mind’s key functions are thinking, recalling, judging, reasoning and evaluating. Attitudes, values, beliefs, ideas, thoughts (“thoughts”) are the output or the state of mind resulting from its functioning. Recollection of thoughts is facilitated through the process of memorization.

The natural person is spiritually dead and the Bible describes the condition of the natural mind as:

Futile thinking,
Darkened in his or her understanding,
Ignorant, Ephesians 4:17, 18.
Blinded, 2 Corinthians 4:4.
Depraved & degenerate, Romans 1:28.
Corrupt, 1 Timothy 6:5.
Unspiritual, Colossians 2:18.

The mind of the natural man is sinful and leads to death; it is under the control of Satan and it can never please God. Romans 8:6-8.

In Ephesians 2:1-5 Paul says of the natural person: You are dead in your sins when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air. All of us also lived among them at one time… gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts …we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.

The natural person follows the ways of the world and is worldly. But it is also possible for some who are alive to Christ to also be worldly. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.

Being alive in Christ is entering into God’s Kingdom (rule and power); God has given us the authority (right) to think the thoughts of Christ, and have the mind of Christ. And we are to exercise that authority. Philippians 2:5; 1 Corinthians 2:16.

Having the mind of Christ means:

Being set on what the Spirit desires,
Life and peace, Romans 8:5-6.
Understanding spiritual things and being spiritually alive, 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:5
Agreeing with God’s purpose for you: to grow to spiritual maturity and do good works, 2 Peter 1:3-9; 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Ephesians 2:10.
Attesting (knowing with certainty) how trustworthy and correct the will of God is,
Romans 12:2.

When we exercise kingdom authority, we are no longer conformed to worldly ideas, but we are transformed by the renewing of the mind. Renewing means an on-going process. We must not be too disappointed whenever we stumble and fall – remember we are “already and not yet perfect” kingdom people!

The really good news is God has made a great provision available for us: His Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit allows us to use God’s power to renew of our minds. The good news of the kingdom of God includes receiving his power to help us have and “personify” the mind of Christ!

We have learnt that Christians are engaged in a war in this present age. We not only live in a war zone, we are a war zone, and our mind is a great battlefield. It’s a battle to decide if worldly ideas or God’s truth will prevail. In a sense it is the mother of all ideological battles.

It’s a spiritual battle. And in 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 Paul points out to weapons we use that are not the weapons of the world, they have the divine power to demolish strongholds. And we are to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

And so we have the mind of Christ when: (1) all thoughts and ideas etc that hinders your knowledge of God are demolished and when (2) every thought is subjugated and obedient to Christ. It would seem that this means leaving no room for doubts and being full of faith!

The “mind renewing” process should be one where we continually welcome the Spirit. And on a moment by moment basis (as and when we evidently need help) invite him to take control and exercise his influence over you. In practice, being filled with the Spirit (overwhelmed by him) can involve asking for his power to:

Help you overcome any unbelief. Mark 9:4

Give you the ability to understand spiritual things, to understand the truths of God, and to see what’s happening in the spiritual/kingdom realm. 1 Corinthians 2:14.

Guide you into all truths. John 16:13

Empower you to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

Build you up… in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and to become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:13

Let the word of God to become living and active: sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; judging the thoughts and attitudes. Hebrews 4:12

Important to say, your part in renewing your mind must include spending time reading the word, memorizing scripture, studying and meditating on the word.

Will
This is the part of you, which originates, shapes, or expresses your wants, yearnings, desires, intent/purpose, hopes etc. The will is exercised in terms of the deliberate choices you make. And acting in faith, which is to say based on God’s truth and not worldly ideas:

With the conviction that God can, and a hope that he will. Faith is a hope that you are sure of when faith is in the person of Jesus, and when you are acting according to his commands or promises

With the belief that God is real and that he is applying his power toward your salvation and restoration

Living in the kingdom means you choose God’s will for your life! And naturally this will first involve knowing God’s will and subsequently, doing it.

Knowing God’s will does not require one to possess extraordinary knowledge or intellect. Finding the answer is as simple as asking, seeking and knocking on the door. Matthew 7:7-8. (Everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened).

Our will is expressed in the choices we make. And freedom of choice is essential if there is to be a real relationship between persons. How can love be expressed if one has no choice in the matter? Can we call it love when the person who has expresses does it mechanically without there being any meaning or significance to what is happening? Or when the expression is compelled and programmed like software that runs but which is just following a set of rules, laws or procedures that put in place?

This should also be a simple thing to understand. Right from the beginning men and women have been given choices. In Genesis 3, there is freedom “not eat of this fruit” and this choice would have demonstrated Adam’s and Eve’s trust in, reliance on, and love of, God. (Another reference is Deuteronomy 30:19-20 which suggests that we have the freedom to choose whom we wish to serve).

On doing God’s will, Ephesians 5:15-17 warns us that your will be used for good and evil. And Romans 7:18 that you do not always have the capacity to carry out our own will!

So what is God’s will for you?

It is surely to become like Jesus, Romans 8:29 and to do good works, Ephesians 2:10. It is also to have an intelligent, freely cooperative relationship between mature persons who love each other. Be called a friend of God and a fellow-worker. John 15:13-25 and1 Corinthians 3:9.

Doing God’s will on your own is impossible! We are to God’s will with God’s help. The good news is that God’s unlimited capacity is for us, to enable us do his will.

He will supply our needs and work all things together for good. Philippians 4:19, Romans 8:28.

He will be faithful to complete the work he has begun in you. Philippians 1:6.

He will work in you to will and act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:13

Having accepted Jesus and being birth into His kingdom, we can be assured of receiving divine guidance. God speaks. The most frequent used phrase in Bible is – let anyone with ears to hear, listen.

In Mark 4:23-25 Jesus teaches that, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. Consider carefully what you hear”, he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you–and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him”.

God addresses us in various ways: the Bible has recorded dreams, visions and voices, use of scriptures and supernatural phenomenon / messengers. God is able to continue speaking to us in these means.

And in the “still small voice”: This phrase, from Kings 19:11-11 has the idea of a gentle whisper of a voice, of being unobtrusive. God’s voice speaking to us seems almost to take the form of thoughts that are our thoughts: He uses your thoughts and feelings to bring to you the truth of his word and understanding. We can also have a beautiful picture of a caring God walking through our personality “with a candle” (Proverbs 20:27) directing one’s attention to things one after the other (Psalms 139:23).

But here there is no short cut to personal experience. Every one must learning to hear through trial and error. Like sheep we have to become familiar with the shepherd’s voice. Struggles to hear and mistakes in hearing help you to grow; God is big enough to earn your trust because trust in any relationship must be earned.

Dallas Williard notes the 3 factors to distinguish the voice of God:

(1) Weight of authority; this inclines us toward agreement and even toward active compliance. The unquestionable authority with which Jesus spoke was a manifestation of this quality. And because the voice bears authority it does not need to be loud or hysterical.

John Wesley’s puts it so succinctly, “How, I pray do you distinguish between day and night. How do you distinguish between light from darkness? Is there not an inherent, obvious, essential difference between the one and the other”.

(2) The Spirit’s character; Dallas Willard has described that character as, “a spirit of peace and confidence, of joy, of sweet reasonableness and of good will”.

…the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

(3) Content; It must conform to and be consistent with the truths of God’s nature and kingdom that are made clear in the Bible.

How can we deal with the so-called “problematic situations” when God is silent and the Bible does not offer specific guidance? What are we to do? What if we go outside of the “perfect will” of God?

Know the Father’s heart. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13. No decent parent will obscure their intentions from their children! If no clear instructions are given when you sincerely ask, consider that it means it is best that he does not give it!

Surely we are in his perfect will when we have sincerely heard and obeyed a specific word of God.

But it is just as much so in situations where no clear instructions is received, when we act in faith, and our choices are aligned to the general counsel of God as given to us in the Bible as a whole. In such situations, God expects and trust us to choose. He goes with us in our choices. Isn’t that awesome?

It is God’s will that we ourselves should have a great part in determining our paths through life. God’s purpose for us is achieved, by his leaving it as often as possible to us to decide.

Here are several ways in which we can invite the Holy Spirit’s overwhelming influence in the area of our will:

To work in you to will and act according to God’s will, Philippians 2:13.

To fill you up with the knowledge of His will, Colossians 1:9.

For empowerment to live by faith not by sight, on the basis that what God has said is true. 2 Corinthians 5:7

As thoughts come to mind which may be divine guidance, for an increase in your ability to recognize the voice of the good Shepherd

For boldness to learn through trial and error (and coming against the fear)

Finally, keeping a spiritual journal is a simple tool, and the most practical thing you can do. It’s a life-long habit to help you to track and learn from your experiences in the life-long process of choosing God’s will.

Click on the link to see the list of other posts on the kingdom of God.

The source of our power as already and not yet kingdom people is the Holy Spirit. And being baptized in or being filled with the Holy Spirit is the means by which we experience and move in the life and power of the Spirit.

Being baptized
The concept of being baptized in the Holy Spirit originated with John the Baptist who went around saying: “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire”. Luke 3:16. Also, John 1:33-34.

After his resurrection, Jesus reminded the disciples of what John had taught when he said, “John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit”. (Acts 1:5), A few days later, at Pentecost, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit and experienced his power.

Peter, in explaining to the Apostles how the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Gentiles (Acts 11:16 & 17) said, “I remembered what the Lord had said, John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God!”

Baptize comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means to dip or immerse. It conveys the sense of being overwhelmed. And writing in Acts, Luke equates being baptized in the Spirit with being filled with the Spirit. (Fullness, like being immersed, is after all an overwhelming experience!)

Being baptized in the Holy Spirit occurs initially when we are converted (John 3:5-6). The Holy Spirit comes to seal you in Christ and incorporate you into the body of Christ. Ephesians 1:13-14.

While at conversion we are truly baptized in the Holy Spirit, being baptized in the Holy Spirit also happens repeatedly in us. In the New Testament, the phrase most frequently used for being baptized is something that can and needs to happen over and over again. The Spirit’s coming on the disciples at Pentecost anointed them to establish the church. Repeating fillings empowered them for prophecy, healing, apostleship and so on. We have Peter recorded as being filled with the Holy Spirit more than once (in Acts 2:4 and 4:31 respectively). And as we have seen from the above-mentioned scriptures, it is a consistent teaching that we should seek to be overwhelmed by the Spirit.

Being overwhelmed or filled
When the Great Floods came, where did the waters come from? It came from inside the earth, like a well, and an outpouring from heaven. Genesis 7:11. In John 7: 38-39 Jesus made a comparison of the Holy Spirit with water. The Spirit can overwhelm us like he did in the Old Testament by coming upon men and women from above. And since he now dwells in us, there can be a welling up from deep within us.

Anyhow, the more important point about being filled with the Holy Spirit is to experience his overwhelming influence. Coming under the overwhelming influence, being transformed, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Enabling us to personally experience and manifest the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. To actualize his power and gifts as John Wimber described.

When the Spirit comes with power experiences include shaking, sudden falls, dramatic healing, prophecy and visions, unexpected weeping and laughter, encounters with demons. Understanding the phenomena is a related topic, which we may return to study at another time. It is a substantial area of study by itself. However, if you want to learn more at this stage, John White’s book, “When the Spirit Comes with Power is worthwhile reading.”

Wesleyan, Pentecostal and Charismatic moves of the Spirit
Jesus came to earth more than 2,000 years ago and brought in God’s sovereign rule decisively. He has inaugurated the kingdom but its consummation will take place when he comes again. The Wesleyan, Pentecostal and Charismatic moves of the Spirit continue to bring breakthrough of the kingdom of God.

Methodists in the 19th Century believed in a post-conversion experience they called “a second blessing”. John Wesley believed that the coming of the Holy Spirit with power was for holiness. By this he thought Christians could be perfected – the sinful nature eradicated through a special anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Subsequent to this, there was a second understanding of the purpose of the Spirit’s baptism: Power for witness and service. D L Moody’s testimony of his baptism has become somewhat of a classic, “I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit. Well, one day, in the city of New York on Wall Street – Oh, what a day! I cannot describe it. I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name. Paul had an experience of which he never spoke for 14 years. I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand.” Commenting on Moody’s experience, Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote: That is what turned D.L. Moody from a good, regular, ordinary minister into the evangelist who was so signally used of God in this and in other countries.

Pentecostalism was born in 1901 with the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles, and with it yet another understanding of being baptized in the Spirit. This move gave prominence to the third person of Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and his gifts and the phenomenon of speaking in tongues, deliverance, words of knowledge, healing and prophecy.

The Charismatic renewal, which began in the 1960’s, was essentially the same phenomenon impacting on the mainline denominational and catholic churches.

We can attribute to Dennis Bennett, who wrote the “reference book”, Nine O’Clock in the Morning, an important additional understanding to being baptized in the Holy Spirit. It is not so much how much of the Spirit you get but how much of you the Spirit gets or influences. We are to make him welcomed. Invite him. Give him permission to fill all the areas of our personality and lives. For indeed we can choose, alternatively, to shut him out, to turn away from his leading, to reserve areas of our lives for our own control.

Ask to be filled, repeatedly
We have learnt that we have been delegated kingdom authority. We have work to do to continue the mission and ministry of Christ. But we need the power of the Holy Spirit to do his works, and bring kingdom breakthrough! We also desire his power for holiness and to produce the fruit of the Spirit; for witness and service; to manifest the spiritual gifts and the power of the Spirit.

Anyone who has been born of the Spirit should ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit to experience and receive God’s power, repeatedly. All you need to do is ask, and say, “Fill me with your Spirit”. Or when praying for another person, lay hands on the person and say, “Be filled with the Spirit.”

Sometimes the manifestation of the Spirit is very evident and plain to see (as we mentioned above, when the Spirit comes with power). However, we should note that for some there is no outward manifestation but a work of God in hearts, bringing a sense of peace, of rest, or a deep assurance of his presence and love. The experience is likely to be unique and different for every one!

Click on the link to see the list of other posts on the kingdom of God.

Authority is a key issue because a kingdom must embody three elements: a King, his subjects and authority.

The Old Testament book of Daniel shows that God has delegated authority to world rulers. God installs and removes kings (Daniel 2:21; 4:31). But the “son of man”, Jesus, was given authority and enthroned as ruler over the whole earth and his kingdom is forever, and one that will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14. In the kingdom of God, Jesus is our King.

The Church – God’s people – are the subjects of the kingdom. (We have said that the kingdom creates the Church).

Authority
Now the word in Greek used in the Bible for authority is exousia. It can be defined as unrestrained right or freedom of action. The verbal form of the word means to exercise one’s right. The word can also mean the authorization of an officer or a messenger to carry out a specific task. Exousia is used only of people, never used of things.

The Hebrew word for authority rasuit is not found in the Old Testament but among the writings of the Rabbis. It means delegated power of action like the power of attorney which is given or the power of an ambassador to represent his sovereign. There is a judicial sense to rasuit as designating the right to marry or inherit.

Kingdom authority is delegated
All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus (Matthew 28:18). Jesus passed the same authority to the twelve (Matthew 10:5) the seventy two (Luke 10:1-20); and after that, all of us (Matthew 28:18-20).

Kingdom authority has to be exercised
John’s Gospel tells us that everyone who receives Jesus receives from Jesus the exousia to become his child – John 1:12.

God gives to those who believe the authority to become his child.

Exousia or authority gives us the freedom of action to act according to the status, which you have attained. Jesus gives us the right, which we must exercise, to behave according to our changed status. When we believe, we are given authority to act in accordance to changed status, from children of Satan to children of God.

Authority, in terms of modern financial instruments, is like an “in the money” call-option, which you must exercise to obtain the full benefits of its intrinsic value!

Use of kingdom authority
Delegation of authority is for the purpose of caretaking, for conserving or protecting what belongs to the Master. In the parable of the servants found in Matthew 25:13-40 we learn that you can incur the wrath of your master by caretaking which avoid any risking taking, or inaction which is tantamount negligence and a shirking of responsibility.

Jesus used his authority to expel demons. He deprived Satan and his demonic host of their power, that is, their ability to do evil, thus destroying the works of Satan by snatching men from his rule. In Luke Jesus teaches that we have been given authority to tread on serpents and scorpions.

Example of delegation, exercise and use of authority by the Church
Jesus left the keys to the kingdom in the hands of Peter. Matthew 16:19. This builds on the concept in Isaiah 22:22 where God gave Eliakim the keys to the House of David commissioning him with its care.

To ensure that the Church understands that it has great authority, Jesus said, I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

The authority to bind or loose involves admission or exclusion of men and women from the kingdom of God. How does this happen? Loosing denotes freeing those under the control of Satan. Binding means to prohibit or forbid Satan from harming the Church. Our proclamation and demonstration of the kingdom provide opportunities for people to enter the kingdom!

But binding and loosing do not automatically mean that God will do what the Church speaks. Binding and loosing means that the Church does in this age what the Father has already ratified and determined in the age to come.

In binding and loosing, God’s rule in grace and power is attained. The Church must be attentive to what God is doing, binding what he has bound, and loosing what he has loosed.

Faith comes when we have confidence in kingdom authority
The Centurion of Matthew 8:5-13 understood authority very well, for he himself was a man under authority. He had been delegated his authority by his superior. Those under him had to follow his command. His authority to command was granted because he was also under the authority of his senior officer and finally Caesar himself. Ultimate authority came from Caesar, but the Centurion issued the orders. This was a one time gift of authority to the Centurion. He did not have to run to Caesar each time he needed to give an order to his followers.

It is important to see that great faith comes having confidence in kingdom authority. For Jesus said of the Centurion, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

Click on the link to see the list of other posts on the kingdom of God.

Jesus’ mission and ministry and brought the Church into the picture.

Jesus’ words and works demonstrated that the kingdom arrived with his coming. He brought the presence of the future. He brought the rule of God from the future into the present, and taught that we can now live in the presence of the future. Mark’s Gospel makes it clear that the mission of Jesus was to destroy the activity of Satan in the world. Jesus and Satan were in a cosmic conflict. The works of Jesus and the signs of the kingdom were healing of the sick, demons cast out, and raising of the dead. Men and women are part of that battle field as what is at stake are ownership and ruler-ship in their lives.

In like manner other battles were afoot: hunger, John 6, natural catastrophes, Mark 4:35-41, sickness, Luke 7:21, and death, Luke 7:11-17.

Matthew’s Gospel (12.22-31) clearly demonstrates that the war between Jesus and Satan is not a civil war within a kingdom. Rather, it is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. The strong man, Satan, is bound (deo: to bind—a metaphorical term indicating the curbing of power) so the strong man’s house (Satan’s kingdom) may be plundered. Satan’s power is curbed, but not rendered completely powerless (Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33).

Rejection by Israel and her Remnant
Jesus did not begin his mission with the focus of starting a new movement. He insisted that his mission was to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matthew 15.24. When he sent his disciples out to minister, he told them to go to Israel only. He proclaimed to Israel that God was acting to fulfill his promises and bring Israel to her true destiny as his children.

However Israel rejected the message of Jesus about the kingdom of God. His proclamation drew instant denial, Mark 3:1-6, intensified during his ministry and culminated in his death on the cross.

While Israel refused to accept the offer of Jesus, and the kingdom, a small group, a remnant, did respond in faith. They were the ones that responded to Jesus’ call to discipleship, to a commitment to himself and his message.

The kingdom creates the Church
The call by Jesus of twelve disciples symbolizes the continuity of the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). By choosing the twelve Jesus taught that he was raising up a new people to replace the nation of Israel who had rejected his message. These disciples were to become known as the Church, the true Israel of God.

Jesus’ mission is still being accomplished by followers who have received his message and become his disciples. The rule of God as presented in the words and works of Jesus confronts men and women to respond and come under his rule, forging a new relationship with him as King. Mark 3:31-35.

When the powerful rule of God impregnates an individual, he or she is made a part of the body of Christ, the Church.

The Church’s mission is to witness to the kingdom to all mankind
The mission of the Church is to bear witness to the kingdom of God. The Church cannot build the kingdom or become the kingdom. The Church is the vessel through which the powerful redeeming acts of Jesus are performed.

This is illustrated in the commission of Jesus to the Twelve, Matthew 10, and to the Seventy, Luke 10. The proclamation of the Apostles in the book of Acts reinforces it. The Church is to witness to all mankind about the kingdom. The seventy disciples that Jesus sent out was symbolic. Jewish tradition believed that there were seventy nations in the world and that the Jewish Torah had been first given in seventy languages. The sending of seventy missionaries appears to be an implicit claim that the message of Jesus must be heard not only by Israel but by all mankind.

Since the Church is the recipient of the life and fellowship of the kingdom, then one of her main purposes is to demonstrate in the life and power of the age to come in this present evil age.

The Church is the people of the age to come, living in this present evil age, and they must provide a model to display the life of the future perfected order.

The Church is a conduit through which the kingdom acts
The Church is the conduit through which God’s kingdom acts are performed. Matthew 10:8; Luke 10:17. This makes discipleship important. The Church has often fallen short of making true disciples of Jesus.

The Church also tends to promote character and community to the neglect of performing such kingdom ministry as praying for the sick and casting out demons.

Proclamation of the kingdom must be words and works combined.

Summary
The kingdom of God is his rule and reign. The mission of Jesus was to invade this present evil age with his kingdom rule. His ministry was to preach repentance, proclaim the good news of the kingdom, and demonstrate that the kingdom had come in him. Those who chose to receive the proclamation of the rule of God are, in fact, the Church. It is the fellowship of those who have experienced the rule of God and entered into its blessings. The kingdom creates the Church, works through the Church, and through her demonstrates the rule of God to the world.

Acknowledgement: We wish to acknowledge that most of the material we have presented at this stage, are derived from the kingdom of God seminars conducted by John Wimber.

Click on the link to see the list of other posts on the kingdom of God.

Dr. James Kallas suggests in his book, Jesus and the Power of Satan that Jesus never explained the kingdom of God because the people to whom he was speaking knew what it meant or thought they knew what it meant.

Jesus actually built on the popular accepted meaning of the kingdom of God to explain why he had come. Importantly Jesus sought to transform their views about the kingdom of God through his teachings and his works.

The words and works of Jesus form a unity in which the kingdom of God is spoken about and demonstrated. What Jesus did was as important as what he said. Twenty First Century Christians are often more preoccupied with what he said. Too often we forget that what he did carries the same message. He taught as much by doing as by saying.

Continuing with our study of the kingdom, let’s look at the two ways which it was understood by Jesus’ audience. They are called the Davidic concept and the Apocalyptic concept of the kingdom of God.

The Davidic concept of the kingdom
Israel had reached its apex during the rule of King David and King Solomon. At the death of Solomon the kingdom divided into two kingdoms with their own kings and governments. This division set in place a longing among the Jews for God to restore to them their past blessings. Israel’s hope was that God would send a king like David. The focus was militaristic and geographic. Israel wanted a nationalistic kingdom to return.

The prophets of the Old Testament began using a phrase “the day of the Lord,” which was a two-sided belief system including restoration and judgment. Israel believed that the “day of the Lord” was a time when Israel would be fully restored (Amos 9:14; Isa.11; Zech. 8:4-8). The nations would be judged (Amos 1).

The kingdom of God was thought to be a kingdom of this world which would be peopled by the Jews. There was nothing spiritual or future about it. The kingdom was a dream of Jewish nationalism.

The Apocalyptic concept of the kingdom
During the Intertestamental Period (404 B.C. – 6 B.C.) there arose a new kind of writing within Judaism called Apocalyptic Literature and the term kingdom of God came into popular usage.

The hope of the Apocalyptic writers was for a heavenly kingdom which would end this present evil age. A new world would break into the present world and bring the rule of God. The belief was that Satan dominated this present evil age; it was under his rule. When Antiochus Epiphanes unleashed his persecution on Israel (175-164 B.C.), this view began to flourish. This horrific deluge of evil could only be the result of a cosmic conflict.

This view of the kingdom saw God himself ushering in his kingdom and reversing the evils of Satan. Good would triumph, healing would occur, the demonic would be defeated.

Rejecting Jesus is rejecting the kingdom
It should be clear to us that Jesus’ concept of the kingdom was broader than the Davidic concept, the nationalistic material (militaristic and geographic) kingdom the people dreamt of having. It is actually pervasive and inclusive, more than just for the Jews.

The idea of a return to the good old days, of full restoration is correct. So is a day when everything is consummated, “the day of the Lord” for restoration and also judgment. But it is a return of all that men and women have lost, and when God takes over completely.

The Apocalyptic concept was spot on in terms of the cosmic conflict and the understanding that Satan dominated this present evil age; good would ultimately triumph etc.

However, both views could not anticipate the mystery of the kingdom (that’s why it’s called a mystery and needs prophetic revelation): that that the kingdom of God could be fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus, but without being consummated.

The promise of God to put an end to this present evil age was fulfilled when Jesus came forgiving sins, healing sicknesses, driving out demons, and raising the dead. But sadly, Jesus’ proclamation and demonstration that the kingdom had come in him fell on many deaf ears, and many of his listeners rejected him as the long awaited Messiah.

Click on the link to see the list of other posts on the kingdom of God.