The Kingdom of God is Within You

One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?”  Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs.  You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.” – Luke 17:20-21

Or as the NKJV interprets “the kingdom of God is within you.” 

The kingdom of God is only found in faith.  It is in knowing that there is only one true living God and that Jesus is our Savior.  It is putting such a value on knowing God that you hate everything in this world by comparison.  “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life.  Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.  And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27)  Is there anything in your life that compares to your love for God?  I have often contemplated that it would be easier if I could physically walk with God, but that would prevent an opportunity for blessing.  “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)

It is being willing to so trust in God that you are unwilling to waver in your belief, come what may.  “Don’t begin until you count the cost.” (Luke 14:28)  No one knows where the journey following Jesus might take them.  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said it best when facing certain death, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.  But even if He doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)  Whether we find extreme suffering or great blessings, God is still God and He can save us or He can let us perish.  The cost is extreme in worldly standards, but by heavenly standards, where the currency is faith, such a cost is minimum.  There is forever and always only God.

It is being willing to trust God even, or especially, when you do those things that are in our nature to do.  “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. … I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. … O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  … The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:15, 18, 24, 25)  No one is exempt from this.  Peter, who walked with Jesus on water, did what he didn’t want to do, but Jesus answered that failure and healed him of it.  As Peter was, we also shall we be healed in our failures where we do what we don’t want to do and war within ourselves.  But we have to respond to the kingdom of God within us and not want to do what opposes God.  Otherwise our faith has crumbled.

I am so tempted to look at others and make assumptions regarding their faith.  Truthfully though, no one on earth knows their faith because only God can see their heart.  “The kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs.”  Do they walk in the kingdom of God, following Jesus with the innermost thoughts of their heart?  Only God knows.  The only way to really have a glimpse is in the redemption of people, those who repent and eagerly tell of the glory of God.  “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).  Those who have been rescued tell everyone so that others might also become rescued.  I can feel my faith encouraged when I hear their testimonies and witnesses. 

However, everyone doesn’t realize their rescue.  I have to think that some believe it is their reward or fortune.  Maybe they think that somehow their reasoning to action is a part of it?  I don’t know.

Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”  And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” – Luke 17:12-19

Maybe they think that somehow their reasoning to action is a part of their healing?  I don’t know.  Jesus said that “whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:9) And “whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26)

Some people will not believe you and might hate you for your faith.  They may only tell the tales of your greatest failures and never speak of your testimonies and witnesses of God’s very presence and kingdom in your life, but then that is how Jesus said we become a disciple.  We must be willing to be opposed and hated; we must be willing to let go of this world; we must be willing to fail as an imperfect person; and still know that there is only one true God and Jesus is our Savior.