Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14).
Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. He said the time was fulfilled, and that the Kingdom of God was near (Mark 1:15). What is the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God isn’t a place; it’s the reign of God, where He rules as Lord, and expresses Himself—His glory and His goodness.
Jesus began His ministry talking and preaching about the Kingdom of God. Mark 1:14-15 says, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
Observe the term Jesus used as He preached: “the kingdom of God is at hand.” “Is at hand” is one of two expressions: on the one hand, it means “It’s near,” on the other hand, it means “It’s here.” In John 3:3-5, Jesus made it so plain; He said, “…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Notice the expressions, “he cannot see” and “he cannot enter.” This shows that the Kingdom of God is real. You don’t see it with your optical eyes but you see it in your spirit. We “entered” and became a part of the Kingdom when we were born again; that’s how the Kingdom became real to us and in us.
Jesus also used the expression, “The Kingdom of Heaven.” Though many use both expressions interchangeably, they’re clearly different. The Kingdom of Heaven is more perfectly expressive of that part of the Kingdom of God established by Jesus in the earth.
That’s why Jesus cautioned that when we’re told, “the Kingdom of God is over there,” or “it’s over here,” don’t believe it, because the Kingdom doesn’t come by observation; it’s within you (Luke 17:20-21). God’s plan in this age is to set up His Kingdom in the hearts of men as a spiritual kingdom.
Recall when Jesus was brought before Pilate, in John 18:36-37; Pilate asked Him some questions to which He responded, “…My Kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18:36). God’s Kingdom isn’t a physical structure; yet Jesus said, “It has come!” Indeed, it has, because it’s in our hearts.
The Kingdom of God includes all of that which is under God in the earth, and in Heaven. But the Kingdom of Heaven is that part of the Kingdom of God that’s functional in the earth, set up by the Lord Jesus Christ.
So, when Jesus came and said, “The Kingdom of God is at hand,” He was actually talking about the Kingdom of Heaven that He had come to set up, because the Kingdom of God was already there before Jesus came. Our Heavenly Father is the head of the Kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 15:24 shows us that at the end of all things, the Kingdom of Heaven that’s been set up in the earth will be delivered to the Father because it belonged to Him all along.
Be Conscious Of The Kingdom In You
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).
When you read in the verse above, “…as he is, so are we in this world,” it’s not talking about us being like Jesus before He died, but the resurrected Jesus with eternal life. We have the same life with Him now. The Bible says, “He that hath the Son hath life…” (1 John 5:12). If you have Jesus, you have eternal life—the God-life; it’s not the biological life with which you were born of your parents.
That’s why Jesus said, “…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). And when He said your biological life can’t see the Kingdom of God, He wasn’t talking about just going to Heaven; He was talking about the reality of the Kingdom of God; the dominion of God in the world; the life and nature of God experienced in this world.
You Are ONE Spirit With God
When you’re born again, you experience the kingdom of God now in this life; it becomes your everyday experience, your everyday walk. This is what Christianity is. Christ is literally alive in you; you’re inseparably one with Him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says, “But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.”
Having become so mingled with the Lord in one spirit, how could you be bothered about viruses, bacteria, germs, or anything that ravages the world? This is why John wants you to know what you have. He says, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…” (1 John 5:13).
When you understand who you are in Christ, you’d realise it’s impossible for you to be sick. Once you recognise and become conscious of your life in Him, you have nothing to fear in this world, because you’re indestructible. What a life He’s given us! Hallelujah!
The Gospel today is that God’s Kingdom can be set up in the hearts of men; it has arrived! Jesus said, “…If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23). This wasn’t provided in the days of Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Elisha, David, Solomon and the patriarchs of old; but it is in our day.
When Jesus came, He brought the Kingdom in Him. Now that we’ve received Him, we have the Kingdom in us: the glory, grace and the life of God— all of divinity has been set up in your heart! God is at home in you now. You’ve become not just a citizen of the Kingdom, but also the bearer or carrier of the Kingdom, of divine verities.
Stop Looking Here and There For The Kingdom, Look Within YOU!
And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:20-21).
The Lord Jesus makes it clear that the Kingdom of God is within you. What an extraordinary communication of spiritual truth! This doesn’t mean the Kingdom is inside your body. It also doesn’t mean it’s in your imagination. First, notice He wasn’t talking about the “Kingdom of heaven”, which has to do with the work that He came to start here on earth. Rather, He said, “the Kingdom of God is within you”. The Kingdom of God is all of that sphere that is under the influence of God Almighty in heaven and in earth. That Kingdom is where God resides. That’s big!
Try to imagine how big God is; all the heavens and the earth are inside Him. He surrounds everything, and His presence is everywhere. If Jesus then says, “the kingdom of God is within you”, He means you have the capacity to contain God Almighty. Not only is God in you, you also have His nature to contain everything: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men…” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV).
Is there anything you need to improve in your life? Look inwards, for the Kingdom of God is in you. Eternity has been set in your heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11), meaning there’s no limit to the extent and reach of your abilities, and what you can possess with your spirit. Thank God for the privilege and power of prayer. Through prayer, we can transport ourselves to divine realms of glory, far beyond the reach of human minds and abilities, and live the Kingdom-life on earth. Glory to God!
-GSW-