The Kingdom of God

If we have been filled with God's Spirit then we have been born into the kingdom of heaven (Jn. 3:5). By the way, not that this article is about this topic, but there is no way to be born of the Spirit or filled with the Spirit, other than being baptized WITH the Spirit (I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; II Cor. 3:17). But here is what the Lord was dealing with me about just a little while ago: If we are the children of God then we are literally in the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of God, in spirit. Just a few key verses show us this reality clearly: "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus... For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph. 2:5,6,18). "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh" (Heb. 10:19,20). "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col. 1:13). "For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philip. 3:20). We could go on with quotes that show us the same, but it's sufficient to see that we literally have actual spiritual presence and citizenship in the kingdom of heaven, and that by birth. That birth by the way is of God, as it is written: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were [and are] born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (Jn. 1:12,13). And once more for good measure: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (I Pet. 1:23). Okay, so we know we are the children of God and literal citizens of the kingdom of heaven if we have been baptized by Jesus with his Spirit into his body and kingdom. I have to tell you my friend, that is REALLY GOOD NEWS!! It is good news for many reasons, but the one I want to focus on here momentarily is this: Satan and his angels were CAST OUT OF the kingdom of heaven nearly two thousand years ago when Jesus left the earth and returned to heaven (Jn. 12:31; Rev. 12:7,8; Heb. 9:19-23). So our confidence level should be through the roof whenever we as much as approach Satan's works against someone, because our confidence is not in ourselves, but in God and his kingdom being against Satan.

It is absolute truth that the entire kingdom of heaven, including God, his Son Jesus Christ, and all of the heavenly host, is in support of a born again child of God who is walking in the Spirit without sin. If we have sin then we need to repent because sin puts us in opposition to the will of God, and out of favor with God (Rom. 6:23; Rom. 8:7; Mat. 5:8; Heb. 12:14; I Jn. 3:20,21). But if we walk in the Spirit free from sin then we are not on our own against the devil and his angels, because all of heaven is with us. Not only so, but everyone in heaven as mentioned above are FULLY AGAINST the devil and his horde of rebels, and Satan along with every demon knows this. What this means is that WE need to know and believe our God-given authority over Satan and all of his works in the earth, and not be intimidated by a defeated foe. It's a matter of understanding who we are, WHOSE we are, where we are, and who is with us. Also who the devil ISN"T, WHOSE he isn't, WHERE he isn't, and who is NOT with him. Praise God!! No wonder Jesus told us the following: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Lk. 10:19). Again I say, Praise God!! That is very simply the authority over Satan and his angels that Jesus has imparted to us by means of the power of his Spirit (Acts 1:8; Rom. 15:19). The apostle Peter gave us the work of Jesus in a nutshell when he said plainly, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" (Acts 10:38). As Peter said, God was with Jesus, and so was all of the heavenly host, and that was enough to get the works done. Not to mention that Jesus himself was and is the only begotten Son of God, which in essence makes him God also (Philip. 2:6; I Tim. 3:16; Tit. 2:13). Jesus spoke very clearly regarding our authority and capacity to do the very same works that he did: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (Jn. 14:12). Again he said the same in another place: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils... and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mk. 16:17,18).

With all of heaven behind us, and all of heaven against the devil and his works, we should have full confidence that Satan's works will be overthrown at our command in Jesus' holy name. We have that authority as children of God, and Satan has no authority against us, provided we are not sinning. Every work of the devil is nothing but a huge bluff that is daring everyone to call it. It is our job to call those bluffs, whether they be oppression, affliction, sickness, or the like; and to have full confidence when we do so. Anything that comes to mind or anything that we may feel that is contrary to our authority in Christ, is quite simply a lie of the devil. We should resist all such things and move with full confidence against all of Satan's works, even as Jesus did. After all it is Christ in us who does the works, and we know that he commissioned us to do these things, and that he has no doubts whatsoever. So the devil is cast out of the kingdom of heaven and we are born into it. It really is that simple. We're in the right place and he is in the wrong place. We have the right friends and he has the wrong enemies, all of which spells good for us and for those we can minister to; and bad for him and his wicked cronies. All of his works in the earth are outright trespasses against the completed work of Christ, who both died and rose from the dead to pay ALL debts of mortal men; and to literally redeem the bodies, souls, and spirits of all men unto his power, and love, and holiness, for our total GOOD! As it is written; "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us" (Rom. 8:31-34). One quick answer to these questions from Romans 8, is that the devil can't do anything about what Jesus has done for us and appointed us to do, namely to destroy Satan's works in the earth. So it's not a question of our authority over Satan, as we already have that as children of God. What we need is to understand and believe the authority that Jesus has given us, and we have no reason not to. Sounds like really good news to me. Amen.