Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 King James Version)
Today I sat down and asked God once again to lead me to something meaningful in the Bible for the day. I opened up God’s word turning three times in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. I landed upon Luke 17: 20-21 which says,
“And when he (Yeshua) 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. (King James Version)
I read the comments by Bible commentator Dr. Cane Hope Felder in The Original African Heritage Study Bible regarding this verse. The kingdom of God is found in our midst not simply within us. I meditated on this distinct meaning for several minutes with excitement.
Then I looked up the amplified version which says,
Now having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed or with a visible display; nor will people say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For the kingdom of God is among you [because of My presence].”
Yeshua makes clear that you cannot see the kingdom of God with your physical eyes. You must see the kingdom with your spiritual eyes via faith. Yahweh’s kingdom exist in the spiritual realm juxtaposed to the physical realm.
You really must walk by faith and not by sight. When you trust Yahweh’s word to us and begin to step out in faith, you will become more aware spiritually of the spiritual world around you. You will pick up on the presence of Yahweh through His Holy Spirit who will manifest Himself to you.
I’m growing stronger spiritually so I am learning to walk more and more by faith in God’s words.
Peter for instance stepped out in faith when Yeshua told Him to step out the boat and walk on the water. The Apostle Peter stepped out the boat and walked successfully upon the sea–until of course fear replaced his faith. Then he began to sink in the ocean and immediately screamed for Yeshua to save him.
I’ve notice the spiritual world breaks the rules of the physical world when faith becomes active. If fear comes in, then faith suffers affecting your spiritual walk with Yahweh.
In getting back to the original scripture about the Kingdom of God in our midst rather than within me led me to think differently about the real meaning of this scripture. The kingdom is not somewhere yonder or simply within us, but in the midst of us–within our presence. Wherever I go, the kingdom goes! The Holy Spirit empowers us and brings the presence of the kingdom of Yahweh to us. Imagining that truth should set you free from all fear!
The Holy Spirit not only directs our lives, but He will draw others unto Yahweh through us. Luke wants the follower of Yeshua to move outward with new neighbors rather than inward on a privatized mystical “trip” states Dr. Felder. The paradigm is Yeshua himself, who deliberately chose not to be an introspective hermit but a servant on the move helping and serving others under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Yeshua is our example and we must stand on His words to us to become affective at leading others back to the kingdom by bringing Yahweh’s kingdom to them.
Yeshua says in Luke 17:21, “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” This “within you” remember according to Felder should have been translated in your midst. Dr. Felder continues by writing that “many interpreters find it convenient to translate the Greek preposition “entos” as meaning “within,” thereby interiorizing the Kingdom quite subjectively. How much less threatening and challenging it is when an individual can believe that God’s kingdom is merely “within” each of us.” Dr. Felder goes on to say that Yahweh wants us to understand and recognize that the kingdom is actually here in our midst!
Satan wants to keep this truth hidden!
The truth, however, Yeshua said would set us free.
The truth is wherever we go, the kingdom goes! When others see us, they should sense spiritually the kingdom of God in our midst!
I took this knowledge into my next day at my work place and felt spiritually empowered throughout the day. I felt a deep sense of peace. I stayed cognizant of the kingdom of God in my midst. The knowledge that Yahweh’s words through Yeshua empowered me to walk in the power of the spirit. I could walk by faith and not by sight. I could care less about what was going on all around me via distractors of the enemy and simply enjoyed the conversation with those in my vicinity throughout the day.
Trusting that wherever I go God’s kingdom goes made me view myself differently and made all the difference in the outcome of my day. I could walk by faith and not by fear. I could walk with courage and confidence at a level never experienced before via walking in the spirit. When you know you are bringing the power of God’s kingdom to all you come in contact with, you will walk with power, courage and confidence like you’ve never quite experienced before!
Ask God to lead you with His word today to something meaningful for you in the Bible, stand on Yahweh’s words to you (nothing wavering) and experience the presence of God’s kingdom in your midst today–share your testimony and bless others too.
“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth.”
–John Wesley
Here As In Heaven by Elevation Worship (Lyrics)
“Here As In Heaven”
The atmosphere is changing now
For the Spirit of the Lord is here
The evidence is all around
That the Spirit of the Lord is here
Overflow in this place
Fill our hearts with Your love
Your love surrounds us
You’re the reason we came
To encounter Your love
Your love surrounds us
Spirit of God fall fresh on us
We need Your presence
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
Here as in heaven
A miracle can happen now
For the Spirit of the Lord is here
The evidence is all around
That the Spirit of the Lord is here