Whose kingdom do you live in day by day?

We say we are born again, because we have received Jesus as Lord, but are you living in the kingdom of God day by day? 

  • Have you been spiritually reborn?
  • Will you seek first God’s kingdom, and to see and hear in the spiritual realm, so you can be led by the Spirit of God on earth?
  • Are you looking into your Father’s face and receiving His blessing?
  • Are you living a supernatural life in the righteousness, joy and peace, authority, power, and fruitfulness of the kingdom of heaven?
  • Are you proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God on earth?

Pray: Lord, give me revelation of all You are offering us and our world – Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. At a time when kingdoms on earth appear to be failing, I choose to be born again as a child of Your kingdom, trusting You as my King. 

Friends, I say with Paul, “I am contending for you that your hearts will be wrapped in the comfort of heaven and woven together into love’s fabric. This will give you access to all the riches of God as you experience the revelation of God’s great mystery—Christ.” Colossians 2:2

 

10 Ways to live abundantly in God’s Kingdom

 

1. The best daily news on earth is that the abundant love of God has made a way for each of us through Jesus to enter abundant life in the one-ness of God’s kingdom realm! 

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Mark 12:32-34 The religious scholar replied, “Yes, that’s true, Teacher. You spoke beautifully when you said that God is one, and there is no one else besides him. And there is something more important to God than all the sacrifices and burnt offerings: it’s the commandment to constantly love God with every passion of your heart, with your every thought, and with all your strength—and to love your neighbor in the same way as you love yourself.” When Jesus noticed how thoughtfully and sincerely the man answered, he said to him, “You’re not far from the reality of God’s kingdom realm.”
In Luke’s account of this, 
Luke 10:28, Jesus said, “That is correct. Now go and do exactly that and you will live.”
James 2:5 So listen carefully, my dear brothers and sisters, hasn’t God chosen the poor in the world’s eyes to be those who are rich in faith? And won’t they be the heirs of the kingdom-realm he promised to those who love him?

 

2. The best news you can share each day is that God’s kingdom is intimately available to everyone!

Luke 16:16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached…
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Matthew 4:23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Jesus commands us as His disciples to tell everyone the good news.
The good news of hope, faith, love and reconciliation to God through Jesus is life giving to us as we speak and exude it. And it is life to those who hear, see and receive it.

Matthew 10:7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.

 

3. The best choice you can make every day, is to spend your day seeking the face of God and His will and kingdom! Prayer and worship position us to submit our will, and to enter and live in intimacy with God, aligned with God’s kingdom rule and reign.

Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Psalm 27:4 Here’s the one thing I crave from God, the one thing I seek above all else: I want the privilege of living with him every moment in his house, finding the sweet loveliness of his face, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to live my life so close to him that he takes pleasure in my every prayer.

Which reality are you living in? Is the realm of the kingdom of heaven more real, authentic and trustworthy to you than what the world has to say or give?

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
Luke 17:20-21 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.

Our Father in Heaven Hallowed be Your name Your Kingdom come quickly Your will be done the same On Earth as it is in Heaven 

 

4. Today, choose to be re-born into the Kingdom of God and baptised with the Holy Spirit fire.

Matthew 11:11
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Some who have only experienced natural- physical- birth are saved through Christ and can do great things, as John the Baptist and all who proceeded him but they are operating under the limitations of the old covenant. 

Matthew 11:13-15 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

John understood this. He knew he was preparing the way for Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Luke 3:16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

In his humanity and imprisonment, John sought assurance that Jesus was the Christ and Jesus graciously sent the evidence that He was the Messiah.

Matthew 11: 2-6 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

When you are supernaturally born again into the kingdom of heaven you can function on another level altogether.  Spiritual birth opens your spirit, eyes and ears to see and hear what God is doing, so you can live in the leading and power of the Holy Spirit and operate in the kingdom realm, releasing heaven on earth.

John 4:24
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 3:3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Jesus was willing to be born into our natural realm.
Will you choose to trust Him enough to ask to be born of the Spirit into the spiritual realm of His  kingdom? Will you do this today? Will you remain in conscious and gratefully exercise this privilege every day?

Let’s examine what Jesus said about spiritual rebirth:

John 3:3-7 TPT  Jesus answered, “Nicodemus, listen to this eternal truth: Before a person can perceive God’s kingdom realm, they must first experience a rebirth.”  Nicodemus said, “Rebirth? How can a gray-headed man be reborn? It’s impossible for a man to go back into the womb a second time and be reborn!” Jesus answered, “I speak an eternal truth: Unless you are born of water and Spirit-wind, you will never enter God’s kingdom realm. For the natural realm can only give birth to things that are natural, but the spiritual realm gives birth to supernatural life! “You shouldn’t be amazed by my statement, ‘You must be born from above!’

In natural birth, a babe comes forth through blood and water – as flowed from Jesus’ side. We are reborn into God’s kingdom realm through the blood of Jesus – born of water and the Spirit.

John 3:3-7 TPT Notes
:
John 3:3 The Greek word can be translated “born from above.” It is clear in the context that Nicodemus understood it as a rebirth. The Aramaic word is clearly “born from the origin.” The implication is that you must be born again like Adam was born by the direct breath of God. Nicodemus came seeking knowledge; Jesus offered him life.
John 3:5 This is the water of the Word of God that cleanses and gives us life. See Ephesians 5:25-26James 1:181 Peter 1:23. Some see in the water and Spirit analogy the creative beginning of Gen. 1, where God’s Spirit fluttered over the chaotic waters. New creation life comes the same way. It was water and blood that came from the side of our Lord Jesus. He was the last Adam giving birth to his bride from his pierced side.
John 3:7 Or “say to you all.”
John 3:7 A common poetic form of Hebraic teaching is to use a play on words, which Jesus utilizes in this poetic masterpiece with multiple words containing dual meanings. The word reborn can also be translated “born from above.”

Birth and breakthrough involve suffering and violence. (Romans 5:1-6 2 Thessalonians 1:5The kingdom of heaven is priceless, a prize to be seized. (Matthew 13:45-46)
Matthew 11:12 ESV From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.
Matthew 11:12 TPT  From the moment John stepped onto the scene until now, the realm of heaven’s kingdom is bursting forth, and passionate people have taken hold of its power.
Matthew 11:12 TPT Notes:  This is one of the most difficult passages to translate from the Greek. When the Greek words are translated into Hebrew it becomes a clear reference to Micah 2:12-13 [below] and includes the “breaking forth [Hebrew: peretz].”

Peretz was Jacob’s grandson and his name directly refers to a birth struggle.
Genesis 38:29 The Message “When her time came to give birth, it turned out that there were twins in her womb. As she was giving birth, one put his hand out; the midwife tied a red thread on his hand, saying, “This one came first.” But then he pulled it back and his brother came out. She said, “Oh! A breakout!” So she named him Perez (Breakout). Then his brother came out with the red thread on his hand. They named him Zerah (Bright).”

Jesus is our Perez, the First Born who has made The Way for us to break through into His kingdom realm! (Colossians 1:15)
Micah 2:12-13 I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. 13 He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the Lord at their head.

Jesus paid the price with His blood for us to be reborn into covenant relationship with God. (Matthew 26:27-29Revelation 5:9)

 

5. When you are reborn you can hear and see in the spiritual realm of the kingdom of God. Every day you can hear the voice of God and discern the movement of the Holy Spirit in your heart and on earth.

John 3:8 TPT  “For the Spirit-wind blows as it chooses. You can hear its sound, but you don’t know where it came from or where it’s going. So it is within the hearts of those who are Spirit-born!”
John 3:8 TPT Notes The word for blow can also be translated “breathe.” The word sound can be translated “voice.” And the same word for Spirit can also mean “wind.”

At our natural birth, we take our first breath and first clearly hears the sounds and voices of the new realm we have entered. Rebirth is so similar – as we adjust to life in the realm of the Spirit. 

John 3:8 TPT Notes If our new birth is so mysterious, how much more will be the ways of living each moment by the movement of the Holy Spirit? You can then understand why Nicodemus was confused, for he took everything at face value and couldn’t see a deeper meaning. There’s another way to say this: “The Spirit moves you as he chooses, and you hear his voice, but you don’t know where he came from or where he goes.” The Aramaic is so rich and multilayered in this passage. Perhaps it could be paraphrased as, “The wind, the breath, and the Spirit are moved by mysterious moods and in their own wonderful ways. When you feel their touch and hear their voices you know they are real, but you don’t understand how they flow and move over the earth. In this same mysterious way so is the way of everyone who is born by wind, breath, and Spirit.”

The Spirit moving and God speaking and breathing is reminiscent of when the realm of earth came into existence and God breathed into man.
God assures us that a land and nation can also be reborn.

Isaiah 66:5-9 invites Israel to hear and tremble at the word of the Lord. “Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children. Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the Lord“shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?” says your God.

Pause here to express your longing to live in the Spirit realm, hearing God’s voice.

 

6. When you are reborn you can be led by the Spirit of God to live day by day as your Father’s beloved child – secure in your identity, inheritance and place in the heavenly realm, growing in maturity, and able to suffer for Christ.

Matthew 18:3-4 “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
Romans 8:15-17 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Luke 10:21-24 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”  23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

When you know God as your Father and can see what your Father in heaven is doing – you can do what Jesus did on earth.

John 5:19-20 19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.
John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

birth christian-bowen-I0ItPtIsVEE-unsplash (1)

 

7. When you are reborn as God’s child, you are blessed to look into our Father’s face. He lifts you up and His eyes and words bless yous, confirming His love and who you are – sealing your identity into your heart.

Jesus described what this is like in Luke 15:20. Picture your Father with you as His new born, “He swept [you] up in his arms, hugged [you] dearly, and kissed [you] over and over with tender love.”

Open your heart to see your Father looking into your eyes and blessing you.

Pause to rest in your Father’s Blessing 

 

When you are born again into the kingdom, you are God’s priest, commissioned to release His blessing to others.

Revelation 5:10 You have chosen us to serve our God and formed us into a kingdom of priests who reign on the earth.
Numbers 6:24-27 22 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. 27 “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Blessing releases the abundant life of the kingdom in a form people instantly and hungrily quicken to.

Over many years, I have worked with Craig Hill, David Tensen and Roy Godwin to see Father’s Blessing set thousands of people free to know their identity and value and that they belong. I commend to you these opportunities to be blessed by our Messiah:

One day our Lord and King will say,  ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Matthew 25:34

Pause to be gloriously blessed in the original Hebrew

 

8. When you are reborn, you can draw on the authority of Christ within you – every day – to release the peace and victory of God’s Kingdom in the world around you!

Years ago the Lord said to me, “Sue, you don’t know your authority.” We deny the authority of Christ if we allow any other authority to rule our lives or dominate in our spheres of influence.

Matthew 28:18-19 1And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…
Luke 9:1-2 And he… gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
Colossians 2:10 And our own completeness is now found in him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Head of every kingdom and authority in the universe!
1 Corinthians 15:24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
Revelation 12:10-11 Then I heard a triumphant voice in heaven proclaiming: “Now salvation and power are set in place, and the kingdom reign of our God and the ruling authority of his Anointed One are established. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who relentlessly accused them day and night before our God, has now been defeated—cast out once and for all! 11 They conquered him completely through the blood of the Lamb and the powerful word of his testimony. They triumphed because they did not love and cling to their own lives, even when faced with death.

When speaking about being born into the kingdom, Jesus unveiled His authority in the heavenly realm to Nicodemus and to us:

John 3:9-13 TPT & Notes Then Nicodemus replied, “But I don’t understand, what do you mean? How does this happen?” 10 Jesus answered, “Nicodemus, aren’t you the respected teacher in Israel, and yet you don’t understand this revelation? 11 I speak eternal truths about things I know, things I’ve seen and experienced—and still you don’t accept what I reveal. 12 If you’re unable to understand and believe what I’ve told you about the natural realm, what will you do when I begin to unveil the heavenly realm? 13 No one has risen into the heavenly realm except the Son of Man who also exists in heaven.”

There are some Greek manuscripts that read “the Son of Man who came from heaven.” But the Aramaic is clearly “who is in heaven.” John 3:13 Jesus shares a mystery with Nicodemus. While he was on the earth ministering, Jesus was also in heaven in the spirit realm. Being in two places at the same time is also the privilege given to every believer. We are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm and living our earthly life to please him. This is what it means to be “in Christ.”
Ephesians 2:6 He raised us up with Christ the exalted One, and we ascended with him into the glorious perfection and authority of the heavenly realm, for we are now co-seated as one with Christ!
Colossians 3:1-5 Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm. Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in ChristAnd as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!Live as one who has died to every form of sexual sin and impurity. Live as one who died to diseases, and desires for forbidden things, including the desire for wealth, which is the essence of idol worship. In the realm of the Spirit, heaven and earth is one. Jesus is telling Nicodemus that only those who are seated in the heavenly realm will understand spiritual truths.
See 1 Corinthians. 2:1-101 Corinthians. 2:10 But God now unveils these profound realities to us by the Spirit. Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit, who constantly explores all things.

 

9. When you are reborn, the life giving power of the Kingdom of God is available to you – every day – so you can release the love and truth of God as light into the darkness of  the world around you!

Philippians 2:15 …be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world
1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

If we use the terms, “body of Christ” and “kingdom” to casually refer to the religious structure of the broader Church, we can miss the sacredness of what it is to be one under the headship of Jesus Christ. We can risk reducing the kingdom to a form without power. Kingdom can become for us about political power and structure, rather than  spiritual power, about wineskin rather than the wine.

Matthew 12:28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Acts 1:4-8 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

10. Today and in these days, seek God’s revelation about how critical it is that our generation function from the kingdom realm. It is the only way we can fulfill our assignment in these times that are upon us.

Adam Thompson, The Elijah Invitation: Secrets of the future for a new breed rising.

Colossians 2: I am contending for you that your hearts will be wrapped in the comfort of heaven and woven together into love’s fabric. This will give you access to all the riches of God as you experience the revelation of God’s great mystery—Christ.

For our spiritual wealth is in him, like hidden treasure waiting to be discovered—heaven’s wisdom and endless riches of revelation knowledge. I want you to know this so that no one will come and lead you into error through their persuasive arguments and clever words. Even though I’m separated from you geographically, my spirit is present there with you. And I’m overjoyed to see how disciplined and deeply committed you are because you have such a solid faith in Christ, the Anointed One.

In the same way you received Jesus our Lord and Messiah by faith, continue your journey of faith, progressing further into your union with him! Your spiritual roots go deeply into his life as you are continually infused with strength, encouraged in every way. For you are established in the faith you have absorbed and enriched by your devotion to him!

Beware that no one distracts you or intimidates you in their attempt to lead you away from Christ’s fullness by pretending to be full of wisdom when they’re filled with endless arguments of human logic. For they operate with humanistic and clouded judgments based on the mindset of this world system, and not the anointed truths of the Anointed One.

For he is the complete fullness of deity living in human form. 10 And our own completeness is now found in him. We are completely filled with God as Christ’s fullness overflows within us. He is the Head of every kingdom and authority in the universe!
Read on…

Prayer Points:

  • Holy Spirit, I choose to be reborn into the kingdom of God through Jesus. Please open my eyes and ears to the spiritual realm so I can follow You.
  • Father, I come as Your humble child to seek Your face and Your blessing, Your will and Your kingdom come on earth as in heaven.
  • Jesus, thank you for making the Way for us to enter the kingdom of heaven; for Your intimate presence, authority and power within me, enabling me to live a supernatural life in Your righteousness, joy, peace and to emanate and proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God on earth.

Sue Tinworth November 2020

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