Sermon
The Doctrine of the Kingdom of God - Part 3
The Kingdom at War
February 7, 2004
Pastor Donald Sheley

Our subject has been for a number of weeks and will be for weeks to come the doctrine of the kingdom of God. Herein is a subject seldom approached from the pulpit as a unit because it's such a massive subject. There are over 130 references to the kingdom of God in the four gospels. And what we did as our first introduction as we launched into this series we went just went through the book of Matthew and we saw so many different references and so many different facets and aspects with regards to the subject of the kingdom of God. Another reason why it's a subject not frequently handled even in evangelical pulpits is because there is such a diversity of opinion. It's a theological battleground, frankly, with theologians.

The reason being is that a very strong part of evangelicalism holds that the kingdom of God is not reference to the church age but only takes place when Christ sets up His earthly kingdom here on earth in the millennium, and because of that you'll find that it is not a subject to be discussed. In fact, I picked up a book this week which absolutely floored me because this pastor has pastored in one of the great evangelical churches in America. He has a strong voice today. He is followed by millions of people who buy his books and who read his writings and he's just an excellent Pastor. But on page 517 in his exposition of the New Testament this is what he wrote. I was amazed. He said the gospel of the kingdom that was emphasized from Matthew 3 to Acts 7 is not our message today.

And I thought to myself, well if you're going to throw away the gospels, why not go home? Because the implied is that all those 130 references plus have no application for our living today. You pick up another Bible that the writer is a very strong evangelical, but he writes his notes in the Bible and he says that Matthew 5, 6 and 7 have nothing to do with Christian living today. It's the way Christians will live during the kingdom age, which is the millennial age, therefore throw away Matthew 5, 6 and 7. And that, of courses, is the great Sermon on the Mount. It's the heart of our Christian faith. It's the way we live out our life here on earth.

Then there's the other aspect that because Matthew says kingdom of heaven and Luke and Mark and John use the kingdom of God, they build a whole theory that they are two different things, but all you have to do is put the places together in the gospels and find that the terms are interchangeable. Because you'll find a reference in Luke that was referenced in Matthew and you'll find where the kingdom of heaven was used Luke will use the kingdom of God. So again, it is a subject because there is so much controversy that it's not a favorite subject by most pastors. Well I'm old enough and I'll walk in where angels fear to tread, and I share a lot with you of the problems in theology that people wrestle with but don't normally become a subject in the pulpit.

So our subject is the kingdom of God and let's take our notes: "Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.

Assuredly I say to you among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Now in the Amplified Bible this is the way that verse 12 reads: "And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize-a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion]."

Now just listen to me for a minute because I've added some notes because I found some very interesting comments on that verse that says the kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent taketh it by force. Now there are several views about the meaning of this verse. If you have an NIV tonight your NIV will read the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold on it. Now this would mean that entering God's kingdom takes aggressive, assertive action.

So what Jesus may well have said, always My kingdom will suffer violence, always savage men will try to break it up and snatch it away and destroy it. And therefore only the man who is desperately in earnest, only the man in whom the violence of devotion matches and defeats the violence of persecution will in the end enter into it.

Now the New Revised Standard version takes the verb as passive indicating that the kingdom has suffered violence and this means that evil violent forces have worked against the kingdom. Some have suggested that Jesus' words had a temporal meaning that they referred to Herod's opposition to John as well, and to the Jewish opponents of John and Jesus. Others interpret this phrase timelessly in reference to the word kingdom implying the antagonism of satanic forces and the attempts of many to injure the kingdom of God. Jesus was explaining that His kingdom advanced and attacks against it by violent men would increase. He referred not only just to the opposition at that time but throughout history.

So if we take the phrase, the kingdom of God suffers violence, and we put it in historical context Jesus may have been say throughout history sinful men will always be in opposition against right and against godliness. In Paul's day they were against it. Finally they took Paul to prison and cut off his head. You follow church history down and you'll find an antagonism against godliness, an antagonism against righteousness that has filled the pages of human history. And it has never ceased. And the implied is that that antagonism against righteousness will even increase more and more as we near the coming of Jesus Christ.

Ladies and gentlemen you don't have to look very far to realize that's true. Satan has his forces and the antagonism against the righteous...we live in America which we thought was a Christian nation and in recent years we've lost some of the great markings and the characteristics of what made us a great nation. And there is a deterioration and Satan is at work trying to destroy the righteous and righteousness. So Jesus is saying that His kingdom will be under attack as it started in His day. Satan takes Him to the wilderness and if Satan could possibly have done it he would have set Jesus off His course then, but he didn't.

Finally Satan thinks he wins by getting Jesus nailed to a cross, and Jesus says the kingdom will always be under attack. The righteous will always find it difficult in a world of unrighteousness.

The question that we have dealt with, and maybe some of you have joined with us for the first time; the question is, what is the kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven? Because most Christians don't have a clear concept, a clear definition of that. So I go over that as we start our lesson almost each time so that you'll understand what we're talking about, because Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, But seek ye first the kingdom of heaven, and his righteousness; and all these things will be added unto you. The implied is, the priority that I must have in my life as a Christian is to seek to kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. And therefore I suggest to you that it's imperative if that's what I'm challenged and I'm admonished to seek, I've got to know what I'm seeking for. So I must know what the kingdom of God is.

Now Jesus said in Luke, "Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothed the grass, which is to day in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

When the Pharisees came to Christ they said, Jesus, tell us about Your kingdom and when it will come. And Jesus says the kingdom of God does not come with observation. So implied, the kingdom of God is not physical or material because you can't see it, and then Jesus went on to say, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. So He's taking this massive concept of the kingdom and says that the kingdom is inside of us as believers.

Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

So Jesus made it very clear at the cross -- My kingdom is not of this world. He has previously said My kingdom is within you. And Paul probably gives us the best definition of the kingdom in Romans chapter 14:17. This is what he says: For the kingdom of God is not meat nor drink. There again, it is not physical, it is not material. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

So Paul says that kingdom within you is God at work within your heart which gives you peace, joy, and righteousness. So I think here's a good definition -- the kingdom of God is inward. It's in the heart. It is a spiritual state of mind and heart and gracious relationship with Almighty God, the desire to have a character molded to the divine image, it is the passion to have a will ruled by the divine law of God, it is a life and heart wherein Jesus Christ is the Lord and the Master and the King. If you are Christians born again by the work of the holy spirit and have become a new creation Christ Jesus wherein the old has passed away and the new life in Christ has come, then we are children of the kingdom and Jesus Christ is our King.

So it's a spiritual truth, and so all of these passages relate to the King ruling and reigning within our lives and within our hearts as our Master and our God. So all of these verses on the kingdom if you throw them out and say that the message of the kingdom from Matthew 5 to Acts 7 doesn't apply today, what else do we have to preach about? For Paul just takes the teachings of Christ and magnifies them and amplifies them and explains them, thus, the message of the kingdom is exceedingly important.

Now let's go back to our notes. I'm still on the front page. Luke chapter 13 verses 24-30, and I'll read from the Amplified. We're reading verses that relate to the kingdom of God. Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it]. You see, there is that exertion; there is that aggressive action. It says strive to enter in through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door [again and again, saying. Lord, open to us! He will answer you, I do not know where [what household-certainly not Mine] you come from.

Then you will begin to say. We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets. But He will say, I tell you, I do not know where [what household-certainly not Mine] you come from; depart from Me, all you wrongdoers! There will be weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves being cast forth (banished, driven away). And [people] will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit down (feast at a table) in the kingdom of God.
And behold, there are some (now) last who will be first (then), and there are some (now) first who will be last (then).

The point that I put those verses in...strive to enter. Remember the verse Jesus said the kingdom of God is taken by force, and He says strive to enter into the kingdom of God. You say, pastor, boy when you start listening to the verses it's not easy believism, is it? That's what's preached today. The message of the kingdom as taught by Jesus that it's something, it's a goal to be achieved, it's a relationship to be cherished, it's a life that you want to live for Christ. It's not easy believism. It affects all of us in all of our being; our body, our soul, our mind and our spirit.

Look at what Ephesians says. Paul is going to take this idea of the conflict or the war that goes on within the Christian. He says, "In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]." You say, pastor, I'm not familiar with the Amplified. The Amplified Bible is simply a Bible that takes the text, the Greek text, and magnifies the shades of meaning in Greek words. Let me explain, and I've done this frequently. If you understand or you speak the Hebrew language, about 10,000 words is all you'll use in your vocabulary as Hebrews. If we are Americans and we speak English, the vocabulary that most of us have is a vocabulary of approximately 30,000 words.

But if you speak Greek and you know Greek well, your vocabulary will be 200,000 words because the Greeks are so specific and so precise. Those words take very clear meaning and make it far clearer. We say I love you or I love my car or I love my wife. You see we only use one word to describe all three of them. I love my dog. But the Greeks say, oh no, I'm going to tell you how to say that correctly. So they'll give us seven different words for love. So now this is the reason why we find this amplification of the text.

Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.

Boy, what a description of our enemy.

Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God. And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked (one). And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people)."

Paul writes, "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." Paul writes to Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

Now if we had time tonight it would be a fascinating study to go through the New Testament and see how many times our Christian life is referenced as a warfare, as a battle, as a race in which we exert strenuous effort...that's when Jesus said the kingdom of God is taken by violent people who prize their relationship with God more than anything else in the world.

To our notes: The coming of Christ two thousand years ago was to launch His Kingdom. And He came to a hostile world under the dominion of Satan. God's Word recognizes the earth as the domain of Satan. Job 1:6-7 says, "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it."

Matthew 4, "Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me." And you'll notice Satan said I have the kingdoms to give to you. Now if that were not true Jesus could have said, Satan, you're lying. But the kingdoms of this world were turned over when Adam and Eve chose sin way back in the garden.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believeth not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Another verse that proves that this world is ruled by Satan.

Ephesians 2:1-2, "And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." So there are ample verses that prove the point, the world we live in is Satan's domain. Ladies and gentlemen, you and I are in enemy territory.

Now the purpose of the kingdom of God is to defeat the kingdom of Satan and to present to the Father the finished victory. Look at the Revelation passage which sums all history up. It says, "Then the seventh angel sounded; And there were loud voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" That's the culmination of time -- He shall reign forever and ever -- but until then the kingdom of God is at war.

The conflict is real. It is fierce and the stakes are high. At stake are major issues like God's glory, our happiness, peace of mind, clear consciences, the testimony of Christ and His Church in a dark and crooked world. Satan established his kingdom in Genesis 3 when he introduced the "fallen factor" by seducing the edenic pair into choosing to serve him instead of God. As Romans 8 states, this introduced sin and its devastation into the human form, creation and universe. Since mankind and creation were the glory of God, the introduction of sin and the satanic forces into creation would deface the glory of God and give Satan a continuing base of operation against God.

This world is his base of operation. The earth is governed by a system of sin and godlessness. And as Christians, we are the targets of this domain of Satan. Jesus said: "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

In Satan's domain Jesus warned us in this world it's not always going to be easy. John 15:18-20, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." Now when John wrote the proceeding words of the verse we just read, the Church was living under constant threat of persecution. Christianity was illegal. A magistrate needed only to ask whether or not a man was a Christian, and, if he was, no matter what he had done or had not done, he was liable to punishment by death.

One thing is certain-no Christian who was involved in persecution could say that he had not been warned. For on this matter Jesus was quite explicit. He had told His people beforehand what they might expect. He said, "They will deliver you up to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, to bear testimony before them...And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are in enemy territory and we are hated. Now the Roman government hated the Christians because it regarded them as disloyal citizens. To worship any other god than Caesar brought persecution because the Christians insisted they had no king but Christ. When Cesar ruled he said, you'll worship me. Once a year you'll take a pinch of some kind of an incense and you'll Caesar is Lord. You've just got to say it once a year. Christians said we're not going to say that. We have one Lord and it's Jesus Christ, and because they took their stand they were martyred by the thousands.

Also because the mob believed certain slanderous things about the Christians. They said that they were insurrectionaries. Even though the Christians could prove the fact that they were good citizens, because they would not burn their pinch of incense and say, "Caesar is Lord," they were branded as dangerous and disloyal people.

Also the mob believed that Christians were cannibals. This charge came from the words of the sacrament, "This is My body which is for you." "This cup is the new testament in My blood." Now a little bit of history: in the New Testament Church there was an open service and there was a closed service. The open service was a service where the gospel was preached and anybody could come, but there was a closed service wherein nobody other than the Christians were allowed to get in the door, and it was in those closed services that the communion service was given. Now those on the outside someone had told them that they say this is the blood of the new covenant, and so those on the outside said those are a bunch of cannibals. They are eating flesh and drinking blood. That was a charge charged by the mob against the Christians.

They were also said to be incendiaries. They looked to the Second Coming of Christ, and to it they had attached all the Old Testament pictures of the Day of the Lord, which foretold of the flaming disintegration and destruction of the world. "The elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up." That came from Peter. So the mob said if anything burns blame it on the Christians. So in the reign of Nero came the disastrous fire which devastated Rome and it was easy to connect it with people who preached of the consuming fire which would destroy the world. So when Roman was burning who gets blame for it? The Christians.

Another charge was laid against the Christians. It was that the Christians "tampered with family relationships," divided families, split up homes and broke up marriages. In a way that was true. Christianity did not bring peace but a sword. Often a wife became a Christian and a husband did not. Often children became Christians and parents did not. Then the home was split in two and the family divided, and such were the causes of hatred in the early years of the Church. And it's still true today that Christians are hated.

When John used the phrase, "the world," he meant the human society organizing itself without God. There is bound to be a cleavage between the man who regards God as totally irrelevant for life, and those who do not want God to reign over their, lives. The world acutely dislikes people whose lives are a condemnation of it. It is in fact dangerous to be good.

Now one of the classic instance is the fate which befell Aristides in Athens. He was called Aristides the Just; and he was banished. When one of the citizens was asked why he had voted for his banishment, he answered: "Because I am tired of hearing him always called the Just." That was why men killed Socrates; they called him the human gadfly. He was always compelling men to think and to examine themselves, and men hated that and they killed him. It is dangerous to practice a higher standard than the standard of the world.

I know of some situations where Christians go to work and because they have a strong and a high work ethic they outperform the guy who's just trying to please the union -- they lay more bricks than the other guy -- and they are not liked on the job. All they're trying to do is be good workers, trying to live honestly and work honestly. You know that oft times when you try to be honest down at the job they kind of mock you for being exact on the ten minute break when others are taking 20 minutes. People don't like to be showed up for who they really are.

Though we remain in Satan's domain, we are uniquely different, reflecting the glory of Christ in the face of Satan's system. Timothy writes, "Thou therefore endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier." Peter says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you."

I had a man walk up to me after the 7:00 service last week and he was crying -- an attorney. And I said to him, I'll call him Joe, Joe what are you crying about? He said, why is it so hard to be a Christian? He said, I work in a profession where when we're supposed to charge an hours work they've redefined it as value time, and so if you have a better education and more years you don't have to list the actual hours you just put the value time I gave to the case, and he said we're billing people for hours we never worked. He said I can't do that. He said my boss said you either do it or we're demoting you. He said I'll take the demotion, but I'm not going to do it.

You know, if you have values of a Christian they don't fit in a world that has no values, and the fight is on. And I said to him, Joe, God bless you, and if you're out of a job because you stand for what's right God will take care of you. Fight the good fight of faith.

On with our notes. As Christians, we have been snatched and rescued from Satan's kingdom of darkness. We have become a part of the Kingdom of God, redeemed and forgiven, a new creation, a child of the King of kings. And until we are raptured from this world, or leave by death, we will continue to make our earthly sojourn through enemy territory. We have noted that this world is Satan's domain. He is the prince of the power of the air, and spiritual forces of evil are at work in this world. And as Christians, we are aliens, we're enemies of Satan.

He hates us! He hates our Christ! He carries on a constant spiritual war against us by using the lust of the eyes, the cravings of our sinful desires, and the pride of trying to live independent from God's power and presence. The war goes on in our mind, our thoughts, and our emotions. The enemy seeks to detract us from our commitment to Christ, he tempts us with sinful acts and evil pleasures, and he tries to distort our spiritual values and principles. He discourages us and causes doubts to arise in our hearts.

So not only do we have this spiritual battle, not only do we have the exterior that we've got to deal with, but there's a battle the goes on inside of us because we have this carnal flesh and it has its desirers and it's drives. So not only do we have to take our stand in a world that hates us, we got to wrestle with a flesh that keeps trying to drag us down. I sometimes wonder if we as preachers don't make Christianity a little too easy. We've got to be honest and say you've got to have a commitment, you've got to have an aggressive desire to want God more than anything else in this world to be a part of His kingdom. It's not easy believism. We're involved in a war and you stand up for godliness and Satan hates you for it, and you try to live godly and this old sinful flesh battles you on the other side.

Look at what Paul says. I'm on page 6. "We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am a creature of the flesh [carnal, unspiritual], having been sold into slavery under [the control of] sin. For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled, bewildered]. I do not practice or accomplish what I wish, but I do the very thing that I loathe [which my moral instinct condemns]. Now if I do [habitually] what is contrary to my desire, [that means that] I acknowledge and agree that the Law is good (morally excellent) and that I take sides with it. However, it is no longer I who do the deed, but the sin [principle] which is at home in me and has possession of me.

For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out]. For I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am (ever) doing. Now if I do what I do not desire to do, it is no longer I doing it [it is not myself that acts], but the sin [principle] which dwells within me [fixed and operating in my soul].

So I find it to be a law (rule of action of my being) that when I want to do what is right and good, evil is ever present with me and I am subject to its insistent demands. For I endorse and delight in the Law of God in my inmost self [with my new nature]. But I discern in my bodily members [in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh] a different law (rule of action) at war against the law of my mind (my reason) and making me a prisoner to the law of sin that dwells in my bodily organs [in the sensitive appetites and will of the flesh]. O unhappy and pitiable and wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from [the shackles of] this body of death?"

He calls it a war. I want to do what's right, but I live in a fleshly body that has its cravings. His answer: "O thank God! [He will!] through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One) our Lord." We are told in Christ we are super conquerors. "Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ." "Now thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ." And again John says, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God." "And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." The secret to victory is found in the passage we noted in the beginning of our lesson -- "Put on the whole armor of God."

It's interesting. Take your Bible and open up Luke 11. I'm going to show you something marvelously wonderful in your Bible. Go with me to Luke's gospel Chapter 11 verses 19 through 23, and here is a truth that we've got grabbed a hold of as Christians, because when you do, we can talk about a war, we can talk about a conflict, but we can also talk about a glorious victory. Look at what it says. Remember Jesus has cast out a demon and they are saying he did it by the power of Satan. Verse 19 says, if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God has come upon you.

Now look at the next verse. Now the reason he's saying that, now look at, you make the choice. If I do what I do by the power of God than you have to know the kingdom is here. Look at what he does: When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

Now that's a verse we've not caught. What's Jesus saying? I came to set up my kingdom. I've walked in to the strong man's house, to Satan's house, and I bound him and it's for you to take the spoils. What's he saying? Greater is he that is within us than he that is in the world. He is saying that in Christ we are more than conquerors because Satan might be a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, but he's toothless. He can't bite. And Satan's got us all mixed up thinking he's such a terrible guy and he's going to get us. Jesus said I bound him and you take his spoils. You be victorious because the kingdom of God is within you, and greater is he that's within us than he that is in the world.

You know, when you walk through life knowing that, there is a confidence. There are times when things as over the years have happened and it seemed as black as night, I have walked up and down all night long these halls and saying, I plead the blood of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus! I plead the blood of Jesus. My Bible tells me in Revelation 12:10 we overcome him, that is the accuser of the brethren, through the blood and through our testimony.

We had a situation 25 years ago where we had a molestation. The newspapers picked it up and it was the blackest of ink. It made us look like horrible people. And that was one of those times when four or five other children's schools were being just attacked by Satan. Four of those schools had to close locally, and I remember that night with nearly 1000 children in our school I'm walking and I say, I plead the blood of Jesus. I plead the blood of Jesus. I claim victory in Christ's name. I claim victory in Christ's name! And I then stood there at 7:00 in the morning thinking maybe these parents will come and take their children out. Ladies and gentlemen, when the day was over out of nearly 1000 children only one child was taken and the rest of the parents say we have confidence in your school and your church.

Greater is he that's within us than he that is in the world. And in Christ, Jesus said, look at, I tied the strong man. It's for you to take his kingdom, and that's what we're doing every day. Reaching out into Satan's kingdom and snatching people from him, and he doesn't like it. That's why the battle rages. That's why I come every morning I possibly can at 5 o'clock and I just plead the blood of Jesus Christ getting ready for the battle of the day. But after 45 years I'm still here and God's still winning back victories and the battles keep being won. Amen?

The kingdom is within us. I really get excited about this subject, you can see that I do, because when you start getting the truths of the kingdom we start truly being biblical Christians. Amen?

Lord Jesus, thank you for the glorious promises that our victory is found in You and we can be more than conquerors. Because greater is the power that's within us, because You're within us, than the powers that are in this world. Hallelujah, hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. And everybody said...Amen. God bless you all. Good night.