“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 KJV
Dr. Luke writes, Jesus was once asked by the Jewish religious leaders, “When will God’s Kingdom come?” Jesus responded, “God’s Kingdom does not come simply by obeying principles or waiting for signs. The Kingdom is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s Kingdom realm is already expanding within some of you.” The Pharisees thought that by every Jew perfectly observing the law and keeping people under their leadership, the Kingdom of God will come as Israel will overthrow the Roman conqueror and the Messiah will be in power. Many Christians feel like that today that by keeping the Ten Commandments perfectly, we are entering into God’s Kingdom. But what does Jesus say? That the Kingdom of God is within us. In the New Covenant, the Kingdom of God is the Person of Jesus Christ, within us, by faith. When people see Jesus in us, and the power of His love, they desire Him. All self righteousness, our performance works, indeed our self-centredness and self-consciousness disappear, as we are only conscious of Christ within us. And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Let many people hear this Gospel and invite the Lord Jesus Christ to dwell within them and the Kingdom of God increase. Hallelujah!
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