The Kingdom of God in You

Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 

—Mark 4:30 NKJV

 

A kingdom is a sovereignty—a dominion—a realm ruled over by a king. Since God rules over everything, all of creation is God’s kingdom (Psalm 103:19). However, God’s kingdom applies to His rule in and through those who are surrendered to Him. The “Kingdom of God” specifically refers to Jesus Christ living and ruling in our hearts. When we pray “thy kingdom come,'” we are praying for the growth and impact of God's rule in the hearts of all men and for His physical Kingdom—the Second Coming— to come on earth (Revelation 11:15; 20:4).

 

During Jesus' ministry on earth, the Jews kept looking for Him to launch a physical kingdom and deliver them from Roman domination. Even though one day the physical Kingdom of God will rule the world, Jesus came preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God to be received in the hearts of men (Mark 1:15, Matthew 9:35).

 

“The kingdom of God does not come with observation,” Jesus told the Pharisees. “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20b,21b).

 

“He has delivered us from the power of darkness,” Paul wrote, “and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13). 

 

As believers, God has saved us from the power of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of His Son, Jesus. The Kingdom of His Son is not seen in our hearts. It is invisible. It is where He resides. We have His invisible Kingdom in us. 

 

Our new birth in Jesus brings us into the Kingdom of God which is infinitely greater and more wonderful than our finite minds can comprehend. To the degree we start to understand how God's Kingdom works and apply it to our lives, we can experience the power of His Kingdom working in us. 

 

“The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade” (Mark 4:31-32).

 

A mustard seed is tiny. In these verses, Jesus was saying that the Kingdom of God starts out very small in our lives. Just like the seed of a tree cannot be seen when it is sown, you cannot see the seed’s growth under the ground. However, sprouting occurs and roots grow down into the earth. Few are willing to take the time alone with the Lord so His Word can put down deep roots. They rely on what they sense and experience. They must see the visible to believe what the Word promises. They must see or hear they are healed physically to believe they are healed. They must physically see their lives filled with abundance to believe their lives are abundant. The growth the Word brings cannot be sustained without our roots going deeply into God’s truth. But when the truth of His Kingdom is deeply rooted in our hearts, the truth of God’s Word is abundantly produced in us, and we reap the life of its promise. 

 

Earth is just earth until a seed is sown. But when a seed is sown in the earth, it activates the soil, causing the seed to germinate and begin to grow. The incorruptible seed of God’s Word has the power to transform your life, but it has no opportunity until it is sown in your heart. Once sown, the powerful seed of God’s truth activates the soil of your heart, causing that seed of truth to germinate and begin to grow.

 

“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come (Mark 4:26-29).

 

You have been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible seed, through the word of God which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23). When you keep putting the incorruptible seed of God’s Word in your heart, the miraculous power of the Word that lives forever—that discerns and separates truth from untruth—starts coming to life in you. When you protect the Word from the world and the enemy, the truth of the Word will ultimately be reaped in your life. 

 

Time passes with seed, time, and harvest. You sow the seed of His truth. First comes the blade—the beginning of the spiritual understanding of the truth you have sown, and then comes the head—the increasing of spiritual understanding of the truth by the Spirit. Then the full grain in the head will come—the revelation of the Holy Spirit that comes forth from that little seed of faith sown in your heart. There is a harvest of God’s truth in your life. When that Word ripens, you take that sickle of faith. You receive the harvest. You reap the fruit of the seed you have sown. 

 

His Word cannot be corrupted by anything—by any lie of the enemy—or any word anyone speaks over you. The imperishable and undying seed of God’s truth will produce the fruit His Word promises. But just like a seed takes time to grow, your promise can take time to become your reality. 

 

Jesus is the King who rules and reigns in the kingdom of your heart. You submit to the power of His truth. He came to give you abundant life. You submit to His truth for abundant life by sowing the Word in your heart, protecting it, and nourishing it with prayer and with the renewing of your mind. 

 

Jesus’ perfect work on your behalf is finished. There is nothing more for Him to do. Don’t doubt His Word just because you don’t experience it physically working in your life. Believe in God’s truth above anything you see, hear, or feel. When you are submitted to the truth of the spiritual Kingdom of God, the physical realm will be exceedingly and abundantly impacted by the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through you (Ephesians 3:20).

 

“Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matthew 9:35).

 

When the gospel of grace is heard in your heart, the measure of faith God has given you is motivated (Romans 12:3, Romans 10:17). What truth has His gospel stirred in you? Plant His seed of truth in your heart, and guard your heart with all diligence (Proverbs 4:23). His truth will flourish and give life. The blind will see, and the lame will walk. The deaf will hear, and the dead will live again (Matthew 11:5). 

 

You receive from God through faith in what Jesus has already provided by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 9:29, Mark 11:22-24). Sow the Word of Jesus’ healing grace, and reap its fruit. Sow the Word of your promise, and reap what has had no life, receiving His resurrection life.

 

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