Entering The Kingdom
by Kriston Couchey
SEEING THE KINGDOM
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. While being born of the Spirit gives the ability to see the kingdom; seeing the kingdom and entering it are not the same. We can stand at the border of a city and observe its activities and how people travel to and from that city and still not enter that city. Seeing it does not mean we partake of its lifestyle or becoming a citizen of that city. As it regards the kingdom of God, Jesus spoke clearly about the manner in which the kingdom of God is entered. From what He showed us there are conditions or prerequisites to entering the kingdom.
LOSING YOUR OWN LIFE Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever will save his life shall lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. The Gospel of the kingdom is like a seed. A seed may be planted in the ground, but the growth and the bearing of fruit of that seed is dependent upon right soil conditions. Jesus made it clear in the Parable of the Sower that there were conditions of the heart that either hindered or helped the seed grow to become a mature plant that bears fruit. There is one paramount heart condition: Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it stays alone: but if it die, it brings forth much fruit. There came a time after years of Spirit filled "ministry" when I personally lost my life and abandoned all and stood before Him empty without the baggage of ministry, church, doctrines, anointing, gifts, and call. It became a time of just beholding Him. I began to experience a kingdom reality that transcended my understanding and spiritual gifts. In that place of losing my own life, I found it in Him.
LIKE A CHILD Truly I say to you, Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein "Humble teachableness" is the word that comes to me when I think of a child. Humble teachableness means flexible and changeable to align our beliefs, our being, and our actions according to WHATEVER our Father would desire of us. The kingdom is not complicated, and it only takes the faith of child to receive and enter the kingdom. A child believes what His Father says, and does what he sees his Father do. It is such as these that enter the kingdom. This is rest; to simply believe, accept, love, and trust Father fully in every circumstance, like a child.
DOING HIS WILL Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Those who have entered the kingdom do His will. The kingdom of God is manifest as the will of God is done FIRST within us, and then through us. Entering the kingdom is realized as we become the very dwelling place of God on the earth, and express that oneness in obedience to His will. From this dwelling of union with Him; His will is done, His kingdom comes upon the earth as it is heaven. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The kingdom of God is what Jesus demonstrated as a Son in perfect oneness with Father God's will. All those who are led by His Spirit do His will, and are sons in the kingdom of their Father.
ENTERING THE KINGDOM
The greatest hindrance to the gospel of the kingdom for Jesus was not from sinners. They welcomed Him as He brought them healing and wholeness. In Jesus' day the established "system" of religion resisted and killed Jesus. ...for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in. The gospel of the kingdom is still resisted by the same religious mindset that is unwilling to lose its life and holds selfishly to its ministry, it's traditional church structure, it's position of influence, it's monetary gain; and will not enter the kingdom. We each must lose our own life as it regards the religious mindset that opposes the kingdom. We must also not let "well meaning" men and women bound to religious mindsets hinder us from entering the kingdom.
I believe there are some reading this who are truly seeking to find Life in Christ that has eluded them in their experience with church life. You have been born again, you have been filled with the Spirit, but you are unsatisfied and see the emptiness of man's religion. Your ONLY hope is to lose your life and abandon everything you have known or think you know and come before Him like a little child. No complex doctrine. No gift or ministry credentials. Nothing to prove. Just come face to face with Him with NOTHING but a simple faith as a child who loves their Dad. And where He leads you, GO!
In His Love
Kriston Couchey
http://my.opera.com/Boanerges/blog/
