Luke 17:21 “… For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
In the Old Testament, God was transported in an ark and a tent. Only the Levites were permitted to enter God’s presence on behalf of the people and offer sacrifices for their sins and transgressions.
But today, we are the modern-day tents and God’s Kingdom – Jesus the Ark is within us! We can freely enter into the presence of God, anytime, 24 hours a day, and commune with God.
Jesus spoke often about the Kingdom of God to teach and train us on how to operate and live within this Kingdom. In Luke 13: 18-19, Jesus describes what the Kingdom of God is like…
"What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."
What Jesus is saying here is everything God gives to you starts in seed form and grows. You don’t always receive things in its fully-grown state. In Mark 4 Jesus teaches the Parable of the Sower describing it as the most important Kingdom parable. It is about a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Jesus explains that the seed is the Word of God.
Everything you need in this life is in that seed of God’s Word. Faith, hope, and love are in that seed. Wealth, health, fruitfulness, and your future are all in that seed. The Kingdom of God comes to you in the seed of God’s Word and within it is everything you need.
Let God's Word grow within you. Let it produce the fruit of prosperity and health, the fruit of righteousness like love, joy, peace…let it transform your life. Let it be the source of abundance within you. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak – as the Kingdom of God grows within, words of faith, love and hope will flow out of your mouth and it will create and transform your world around you and those you touch!
The Kingdom of God grows within you as the Word of God grows within you. The Word is what the Holy Spirit acts upon to transform your life. He doesn’t transform you through motivational teaching but through the Word of God, the Good News about Jesus. That’s why our preaching must always be the Good News about Jesus and not just positive, trendy talk.
James 1:21 “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls”.
Let's receive the Word of God by being teachable, humble, and carrying an open mind! That’s the mindset that receives!