How do we experience the Kingdom of God within us? It begins with a choice.

Let’s start with Luke 17:20-21.

“Now having been asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, [Jesus] replied, ‘The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed or with a visible display. Nor will people say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or ‘ There it is!’ For the Kingdom of God is among you because of My Presence.” (Luke 17:20-21 AMP)

“The Kingdom of God is in your midst.” (v :21, NIV)

“The Kingdom of God is already expanding within some of you.” (v: 21, TPT)

The original text uses a Greek word that can either mean “in your midst” or “within you”. I believe we can hear the gentle invitation of our Savior-Jesus, in this difficult to translate word, asking if we will be one who believes Jesus is in the midst of our church, or if we are the ones who live a life of trusting and believing in the Christ within.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with Me.” (Revelations 3:20)

Your choice.

The Gateway to Life and Truth has come to the door of your heart and asks for entrance!

The Kingdom Realm of God is a person and He is Jesus Christ.

Have you answered His knock and let Him enter your heart? He will live in the midst of you and sit at the table of your control center; the place where your thoughts reside and your will is formed… or transformed. When we join our life with Jesus, we experience the Kingdom of God within.

We carry a reality that far exceeds any other reality. It is a deep, relational, experiential reality not to be taken lightly. We don’t live on a entirely human level, but we think by the thoughts and secrets of the Spirit within. It is a great treasure to be able to live this way. This is a season for you and I to recognize the Kingdom of God within our heart. It must be a treasured reality.

Let’s remember that Jesus never said, “Above all be a good Christian” or “Above all use the energy of your being to to preach, teach, and feed the world”. He never said, “Be good enough to call yourself a Christ-follower by doing many good deeds.”

He did say, above all, “Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you. This is the greatest and supreme commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38).

For God, it has always been about your heart.

Loving God beautifully begins with loving Jesus…letting Him enter our heart, then sit down at the table of our heart, and daily take up residence in the middle of our thoughts.

“The Lord doesn’t look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Your heart is more important to God than anything great you can do for Him.

Jesus came to heal the human heart according to Isaiah 61. He came to restore our relationship with our Creator and He came to restore our souls. A perfect life is a life lived with the One Who Is Perfect.

Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will be your heart” (Matthew 6:21). What do you treasure? Be honest.

When our hearts treasure the living Words of Jesus, He has taken up residence within. When Jesus sits at the table of our heart and feeds us the Words of truth and life in the scriptures, the Kingdom of God has taken residence within us.

Our relationship with Jesus cannot advance without knowledge of His Words. We need to eat to remain at His table. Our relationship with scripture is reflective of how much we treasure the Kingdom of God within.

His heavenly wisdom is magnificent. When our heart is centered on Jesus we have a foundation that will never fail.

“Let the Word of Christ live in you richly , flooding you with all wisdom.” (Colossians 3:16 TPT)

What happens at the table of your heart?

There is a washing…pouring…flooding…outflow.

“The love of God is poured into your heart through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to you.” (Romans 5:5)

Guard your heart with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

Jesus said to us,

The water I give you [in your heart’s center] will become in you a well of water springing up into eternal life.” (John 4:14)

But the water that I give [you] will become in [you] a spring of water [satisfying your thirst for God} welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within you] to eternal life.” (John 4:14 AMP)

Thoughts well up in the heart center and bubble up as words which affect the atmosphere around you. When the Kingdom is experienced within you, you drink in the thoughts of Jesus, which is the mind of Christ, and they flow out as words and they have miraculous, life-changing power. As a result, the Kingdom of God is seen flowing from your life.

Something is always flowing out of your heart.

What is flowing out of yours?

The original blueprint for the human heart (our believing center) was that the active, flowing , life-giving LOVE of God would flow into it and flow out…to others.

Before you believed in Jesus there was one flow and it was the never ending flow of the knowledge of good and evil. A river independent of God that began when sin entered the world. Self protection was the first response of Adam and Eve from that flow and it is the same for us. It leads to broken hearts which lead to grief and self-awareness and eventually fear. This leads to self-preservation, provision, and weariness.

But Jesus came to heal our heart and restore the well. Amen.

When the Kingdom of God is active within you there is peace. It is a peace that guards your heart. The Prince of Peace sits at the table and His peace has overcome the world. We no longer need to police the rivers that flow -His peace guards our heart (Philippians 4:7, John 14:27, Colossians 3:15). His love flows in and out. Jesus makes it so. It is a place of rest in Him. The original blueprint restored.

Our part is to actively allow God to reign in our heart.

Eat a diet of the Spirit’s perceptions. The way to do that is to read the bible. Consume God’s Words every day. Believe His Words and act on His Word. Soak your thoughts with God thoughts. Fill the table of your heart with God’s promises. Go to bed with His promises flowing… wave after wave over your heart. Treasure His voice.

Moments of doubt come toward every believer like a dark river. The unbelief, offence, or fear will try to return to a dry riverbed. The darkness tries to make you return to an old familiar way of self-preservation, self-protection, self-awareness, self-comfort and weariness. There is no condemnation when this happens, but there is a choice.

Where will you return? Will it be a return to the old habit or addiction or control? Or will you return to Jesus and the Secret Place within?

The best experience I have had in the Kingdom of God within has been when darkness is at the door of my heart and I choose Jesus and His voice instead. When His river of kindness flows, I am secure…and I grow in the Kingdom.

Do not be afraid of the deep places. You are not alone. To experience the Kingdom of God within is to exchange what you “know” for knowing Him.

The more I know Jesus, the more I know it is about Him and His promises, and not about me.

I hope this blessed you.

Thank you for listening,

Pastor Teresa

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