Discovering the Unseen Kingdom: The Power of Christ Within
John 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or, lo there! For, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The things which cannot be seen with the naked eye are the most powerful and influential of all. Here, Christ addressed a people looking for an earthly kingdom with eminent domain, with castles made of brick and mortar, with armies forged in stealth and strength, and with kings brave and strong. Most importantly, they wanted something tangible. However, Christ always had a way of bringing things back into perspective. He reminded them that it is not what goes on around us that matters; it’s what goes on inside of us that counts the most!
Nothing on this planet ever came into position or prominence without first a thought followed by an action. It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh so as to reveal its intentions and motives and plan of action. We catapult ourselves into our futures by what we do, which is preceded by what we think, which is preceded by what has been planted into our spirits.
That’s why it is important to understand what Christ is teaching us; that at the very core of our being is found either the essence or the absence of what it takes to be a part of God’s kingdom on this earth. To put it plainly, is Christ in you, or not? Honestly, without Christ, our soul is empty, hopeless, without purpose, and headed for Hell. However, with Christ, our life is filled with purpose and meaning, and our home will be Heaven above.
It is Christ in us who is the hope of our glory (Col. 1:27)! 1 Jn 4:4b says, “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” The key is that He must be IN us! This is done by a simple child-like faith in trusting Christ as Lord and Savior. When this happens, immediately the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, thus installing in him or her the very kingdom of God! A kingdom is more than a domain or a philosophy or an army, but a kingdom is a spirit.
Thus, when Christ indwells the believer through the person of the Holy Spirit, then His Spirit begins to lead and guide us into all truth, shaping our thoughts, attitudes, appetites, and actions to be consistent with His agenda! We’re then to allow the mind of Christ to renew our own minds (see Php. 2:5). Once this happens, we are unstoppable! No wonder it is said in Luke 1:33b, “…and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
The things which cannot be seen with the naked eye are the most powerful and influential of all. Here, Christ addressed a people looking for an earthly kingdom with eminent domain, with castles made of brick and mortar, with armies forged in stealth and strength, and with kings brave and strong. Most importantly, they wanted something tangible. However, Christ always had a way of bringing things back into perspective. He reminded them that it is not what goes on around us that matters; it’s what goes on inside of us that counts the most!
Nothing on this planet ever came into position or prominence without first a thought followed by an action. It is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh so as to reveal its intentions and motives and plan of action. We catapult ourselves into our futures by what we do, which is preceded by what we think, which is preceded by what has been planted into our spirits.
That’s why it is important to understand what Christ is teaching us; that at the very core of our being is found either the essence or the absence of what it takes to be a part of God’s kingdom on this earth. To put it plainly, is Christ in you, or not? Honestly, without Christ, our soul is empty, hopeless, without purpose, and headed for Hell. However, with Christ, our life is filled with purpose and meaning, and our home will be Heaven above.
It is Christ in us who is the hope of our glory (Col. 1:27)! 1 Jn 4:4b says, “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” The key is that He must be IN us! This is done by a simple child-like faith in trusting Christ as Lord and Savior. When this happens, immediately the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, thus installing in him or her the very kingdom of God! A kingdom is more than a domain or a philosophy or an army, but a kingdom is a spirit.
Thus, when Christ indwells the believer through the person of the Holy Spirit, then His Spirit begins to lead and guide us into all truth, shaping our thoughts, attitudes, appetites, and actions to be consistent with His agenda! We’re then to allow the mind of Christ to renew our own minds (see Php. 2:5). Once this happens, we are unstoppable! No wonder it is said in Luke 1:33b, “…and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
~ Pastor Gary Caudill