The Kingdom of God is Here Among Us

4.17.23            The Kingdom of God is Here Among Us

Jesus states clearly in Luke 17:21 that “the kingdom of God in in your midst” (NIV), is “within you”(KJV), is ”in the midst of you” (RSV), and “is already among you”(The Message). I believe that He is really saying that we are living in the kingdom of God, right here, right now whether we are aware of it or not. And that everywhere He is or wherever there are people who truly follow Him, there also is the kingdom of God. Our entry, then, into the kingdom depends on how devoted we are to following Jesus Christ and to God the Father. These passages relate to other places in the New Testament where Paul and John write that we are indwelt by Christ (Colossians 1:27) and by God (1 John 4:15).

God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ live in us, with us, calling us to live in the kingdom of God always whether or not we hear or obey the calls. In Genesis 1:27 God made mankind in His image:

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them (NIV).

So, in some way, God implanted His Spirit in us, so that when we began to heed His calls, to obey His directives, we are thereby activating the Holy Spirit within us. We have the inborn capacity, the potential to live in the Spirit of God/in the kingdom of God even when we have no idea of loving God or Jesus Christ. But when we do repent and set our intention to follow Jesus, then the Holy Spirit can come alive in us and lead us into living in the kingdom of God. I don’t think that just believing in Jesus Christ is enough to activate the Holy Spirit who will lead us into the kingdom of God. Belief in Jesus Christ can be a very passive change in our lives without changing the way we think or behave or what we do in our lives. Belief only opens the door, but we have to walk through that door, the narrow gate of Matthew 7:13-14 and down the road it points us to, before we even begin to get a taste of the Spirit within us or the kingdom that is calling us to enter.

Once we connect with the Indwelling Spirit of God, we will begin to see God’s invitations to address our sins, our traumas or challenges all of which we have stored in our subconscious so that we do not have to deal with them. But as we deal with one issue after another, offering each one up to God, trusting Him to heal us, we will find over time a new lightness in us, an ability to address our problems without difficulty and the slow-but-sure emergence of the fruit of the Spirit in us bit by bit until it becomes full-fledged—that is, love, peace, joy, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and humility (Galatians 5:22-23). As its growth in us becomes obvious, we will know that we have moved quite a way down the path of following Jesus, way beyond just believing in Him.

As we continue on this path, we will be shown our purpose which usually starts with some trauma or challenge that we have been through that was very difficult for us. As we are healed of this very challenge in our lives, we are often asked by God to help others who are dealing with the same issue, like the former alcoholic in AA that is now counseling others in AA about their addiction. Or, as in my life, my childhood spent in a hell-fire-and-damnation church became working with others as a spiritual director, helping them in their spiritual lives.  Or, a mother who raised a disabled daughter who finally graduated from college in her mid-thirties now helps other parents with disabled kids. I am sure that you know of stories of people who were gravely challenged, who ended up helping others go through similar circumstances.

At some point in our journey following Jesus, after living out our purpose for some time, we will find that we are surrounded by a community of people who are totally dedicated to the Lord. That is, we will be so much more aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our interactions with old friends or the new people we meet. We will get to the point where we no longer have to worry about what to do or say, because God is just speaking directly through us. So spontaneous prayers spoken aloud by me no longer cause me any anxiety and what I write seems like more than inspired; it feels like God is speaking/writing through me. It’s a wonder to get to the point when I have no agenda of my own; God is setting the agenda. Where I have no idea what is going to happen next, I just don’t care. I am totally surrendered to what comes to me and I no longer worry about what will be in my life. It’s amazing!

I can’t write about what’s next in my journey, because I have no idea. I will see it as it unfolds which is true all along this incredible journey. We will know what Christ wants us to know now; when He wants us to take the next step, He will let us know. We can never predict where our lives will go, for Jesus Christ is truly in charge of us once we give our lives over to Him.

____________________________________________

Questions to ponder over the week: How do I experience the Holy Spirit in my life? Can I hear the voice of God and the suggestions He is making to me? Have I given my life to Christ or am I still just believing in Him?

Blessing for the week: May we be the people of God who have given our lives over to Jesus Christ and are walking through our lives with Him at our side. May we reap all the blessings and challenges He has in store for us.

Check out my two websites: patsaidadams.com and deepeningyourfaith.com.

Two Announcements

1. I am giving away a 10-week journaling guide to Jesus’s Two Great Commandments. If you are interested, email me at patsadams@gmail.com and I will email it to you, free of charge.
2. My latest books, “Called to Help the Poor and Needy” and “A Study Guide to the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount” are now in bookstores and on line. The first is about the more than 2,000 verses in the Bible which detail God’s instructions for caring for those in need. The second is a journaling/pondering guide to Jesus’s most complete sermon.