Chapter XVIII
As A True Believer,
Your Residence Has Changed.
I pray that the preceding Chapters have given you some insights as to what happened to you down through the successive ages of your history, and what you are “TODAY” as a new creation because you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, Lord God, and Master. Also, we know to put on daily our spiritual supernatural “Armor of God” and to start our day with the “Lord’s Model Prayer.” In this Chapter, I am going to share with you the spiritual perspective of your/our Kingdom Teaching {KT} and Kingdom Living {KL} here on earth.
When you/we accepted Christ as our personal Savior, our status changed in two ways. First, as we learned from the preceding Chapters we became a new SPIRITUAL CREATURE in Christ {2 Corinthians 5:17}. Now, secondly I want you to see, understand, and apply that your/our RESIDENCE has also changed. You/we now have a spiritual citizenship in a different Kingdom than we were born into. We were born into the physical kingdoms of the world with Satan as their “god,” and now through our true faith in Jesus Christ we are “Born Again” citizens of the spiritual supernatural Kingdom of God in heaven!
Philippians 3:20 But we are citizens of the state (commonwealth, homeland) which is in heaven {Kingdom of God/Heaven}, and from it also we earnestly and patiently await [the coming of] the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [as] Savior, AMP
Ephesians 2:6 And He {God the Father} raised us up together with Him {Jesus Christ} and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere {Kingdom of God} [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). AMP
Ephesians 2:19 Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens {of God’s Kingdom}), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God’s own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God’s [own] household {1 Peter 4:17 family – adopted sons and daughters residents of the Kingdom of God/heaven}. AMP
1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I implore you as aliens and strangers and exiles [in this world] to abstain from the sensual urges (the evil desires, the passions of the flesh, your lower nature) that wage war against the soul. AMP
2 Corinthians 4:4 For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God. AMP
At this present time, the Kingdom of God is a “spiritual supernatural” Kingdom which lives in each Saint individually and corporately within the members of the Bride Church of Christ.
Luke 17:21 Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your {spiritual} hearts] and {spiritually} among you [{corporately} surrounding you]. AMP
Jesus Christ’s own command is for us – His adopted children – to seek FIRST His Kingdom of God even though we are residents in the kingdoms of the world, and then we are to seek His righteousness in the way we live while residents in the kingdoms of the world. We are able to do this because of WHO we are in Christ – our new spiritual supernatural nature does NOT conform to the world any longer. {Chapters XII-XV}. So, how do we do this? What will be supplied to us through prayer?
Matthew 6:33 But {you} seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and (KT) {secondly} His righteousness (KL) (His way of doing and being right) {as a “new creation” in Jesus Christ}, and then all these things taken together will be given you besides {God will supply your basic needs.}. AMP
Matthew 6:24-25 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in). 25 Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing? AMP
Matthew 6:9-13 Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven (left, remitted, and let go of the debts, and have given up resentment against) our debtors. 13 And lead (bring) us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one {Satan}. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever {YOU should be praying this prayer EVERY day!!!}. Amen. AMP
In the following text, Jesus was TRYING to teach His disciples about His “ULTIMATE COST” of bringing His Kingdom into the kingdoms of the world. How it would include His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. I say “trying” because they did NOT understand what He was saying! They did not understand that His shed blood, death, and resurrection not only gave man VICTORY over sin and spiritual death but also solidly established His Kingdom in and among the members of His Bride Church in the world. Listen to how absolutely thorough was His explanation, but Peter could NOT understand because he had the SAME distorted mindset as Satan. Satan’s sinful mindset not only applied to him and his cohort fallen angels but was to cause so much worldwide confusion to the peoples of the world that the world would be is a constant state of chaos, confusion, and physical and spiritual turmoil! This is still Satan’s deceptive message “TODAY” for the world as he is the “god of this world.”
Mark 8:31-33 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [from death]. 32 {Jesus speaking to His disciples} And He said this freely (frankly, plainly, and explicitly, making it unmistakable {clear}). {This shows you how confused Peter was} And Peter took Him {Jesus} by the hand and led Him aside and then [facing Him] began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around [His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He {Jesus} rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have a mind intent on promoting what God wills, but what pleases men [you are not on God’s side, but that of men]. AMP
2 Corinthians 4:4 For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers’ minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God. AMP
What Jesus was also freely, frankly, plainly, explicitly, and making it unmistakably clear to His disciples and the members of His Bride Church (KT) was their “cost” of living in His Kingdom (KL) here on earth.
Mark 8:34-38 And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me {daily – Luke 9:23} [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. 35 For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? 37 For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life [in the eternal kingdom of God]? 38 For whoever is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words {about Kingdom of God living} in this adulterous (unfaithful) and [preeminently] sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory (splendor and majesty) of His Father with the holy angels. AMP
Matthew 13:41-43 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of offense [persons by whom others are drawn into error or sin] and all who do iniquity and act wickedly {unrepented sinners}, 42 And will cast them into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and wailing and grinding of teeth. 43 Then will the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God) shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears [to hear] be listening, and let him consider and perceive and understand by hearing {Romans 10:17}. [Dan 12:3.] AMP
