Study 1 – The Kingdom of God Is Within You!

Study 1 – The Kingdom of God Is Within You!

“The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20–21)

Introduction

A kingdom is the influence, dominion, will, and lordship of a king or prince over a certain territory for the purpose of governing its inhabitants. There can be no king without a dominion and subjects. The kingdom from heaven—the kingdom of God—is His realm and His foundation of power manifested on earth, and it is a reality that we can receive and enjoy today. It is His dominion and lordship, in which He establishes His will here and now through the redeeming work of His Son Jesus Christ in the lives of His people. God governs over earthly territories, entities, and human beings; He rules over sickness, poverty, and oppression. He is sovereign over His spiritual enemy, Satan (the devil), who seeks to promote his realm of darkness in the world to counteract God’s kingdom of light. Jesus brought God’s kingdom to earth, and God calls believers, as the church, to continue to expand His reign in the world through our authority in Christ and our power in the Holy Spirit.

Study Questions

Part I: A Kingdom Bestowed from Heaven

1. What was the message Jesus proclaimed as He began His ministry? (Matthew 4:17b)

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2. God’s kingdom and Jesus’ kingdom are one and the same. What did Jesus say about His kingdom, revealing that it did not have its origins in an earthly realm but in a heavenly, supernatural one? Complete the following:

(a) John 18:36a: “My kingdom is _________ _______ ___________ ______________.”

(b) John 18:36b: “…My kingdom is _________ _____________ ___________.”

KEY DEFINITION: The Greek word for “kingdom” in the New Testament is basileia, which means “royalty,” “rule,” “a realm” (STRONG, G932), or “sovereignty,” “royal power” (NASC, G932). It comes from the root word basileus, which relates to the idea of a “foundation of power” (strong, G935).

3. What did Jesus say is our heavenly Father’s good pleasure to give us? (Luke 12:32)

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4. When some religious leaders asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come, what did Jesus’ reply? (Luke 17:21b)

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The kingdom of God must first come within us, so that it may be manifested externally.

REFLECTIONS ON THE KINGDOM AS THE ETERNAL NOW

When Jesus preached about the kingdom, He referred to it mainly in the here and now, saying that it “has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28), “has arrived among you” (verse 28 NLT), or “is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). He taught relatively little about the kingdom as the eternal future. He expressed the concept as a present reality, where there is no past or future—just an eternal now. Jesus said that the kingdom was “at hand” because heaven was on earth. He didn’t tell people to wait for death to enjoy the kingdom in heaven; His message was that the kingdom had arrived and could be received now! Being forgiven of our sin through Christ is just an entryway into God’s kingdom, which is infinite, eternal, and of unlimited power. The kingdom brings everything each human being needs, such as salvation, healing, deliverance, prosperity, and purpose. It is to be experienced today, and it is to be applied to each circumstance we are undergoing at this moment.

5. Jesus told various parables about the kingdom of God. In one parable, He compared the kingdom to a treasure in a field. In another, He compared it to a pearl of great price. How did the main characters in these two parables respond toward what they had found? (Matthew 13:44b, 46b)

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Part II: Qualities and Character of the Kingdom of God

6. When the apostle Paul brought the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 24:14) to the Thessalonians, he did not bring it in “word only” but also in three other ways. What were they? (1 Thessalonians 1:5a NIV)

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7. In what ways did Jesus demonstrate the kingdom as He taught and preached?

(a) Matthew 4:23b: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(b) Acts 2:22a: __________________________________________________________________________

Each time the kingdom is preached, there must be a visible demonstration of God’s power to heal the sick, deliver the captives and the oppressed, and save the lost.

8. What are three characteristics of God’s kingdom? Complete the following:

Romans 14:17: “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but _____________________ and _____________ and _________ in the Holy Spirit.”

Part III: How to Enter the Kingdom of God

• Be Born Again

9. (a) What must happen for someone to enter the kingdom of God? (John 3:5)

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(b) To be “born of the Spirit” is to be “born of God.” (See John 1:13.) What is our role in this process? (Romans 10:9)

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(c) Complete the following:

John 1:12: “But as many as _________________ ___________ [Jesus], to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who _______________ _____ ___________ _______________.” 

There is no entry into the kingdom of God except by the new birth.

REFLECTIONS ON THE HOLY SPIRIT’S ROLE IN GOD’S KINGDOM

When we put our faith in Christ, God gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit, and we become carriers of the kingdom of God, which is revealed in us and through us by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Administrator and Executor of the kingdom. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no kingdom or government of God on earth. He is the only One who can reveal the things of the kingdom and of its King. (See, for example, 1 Corinthians 2:11–12.) Righteousness, peace, and joy are possible only where He operates.

The Holy Spirit is always at work in the lives of God’s people who yield themselves to Him. He produces great spiritual activity, manifesting miracles, healings, signs, and wonders. If the Holy Spirit were to be removed from our midst, we would be left with only a theoretical, theological, and historical kingdom without power, one that would be unable to produce change or transformation in people.

• Repent Wholeheartedly

10. There is a corresponding step we must take in this process of being born again and entering God’s kingdom, which both John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed. Complete the following:

Mark 1:15b: “_______________ and believe in the gospel.”

Matthew 4:17b: “_______________, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

11. (a) What did Jesus say is a requirement for entering the kingdom of heaven? (Matthew 18:3)

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(b) What quality about the child did Jesus commend—a quality that would make a person “greatest in the kingdom of heaven”? (Verse 4a)

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KEY DEFINITION: Repentance is not an emotion, although it may also be expressed through the emotions. Rather, when we realize our true, bankrupt spiritual condition before God, and the rebellious nature that has led us away from Him, repentance is the decision we make to turn 180 degrees and walk in the opposite direction—toward Him. Repentance involves a new frame of mind that effects a change in attitude and lifestyle.

Repentance is the unalterable condition for preparing to receive the kingdom and for being born into the kingdom.

Part IV: The Priority of the Kingdom

12. (a) What did Jesus teach us to pray to God the Father concerning His kingdom? (Matthew 6:10)

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(b) To underscore the meaning of the above statement, where should we ask that God’s kingdom should come and manifest? (Verse 10b)

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The kingdom of God is His will and dominion exercised on earth as it is in heaven.

13. (a) What did Jesus say we must seek first in our lives? (Matthew 6:33a)

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(b) What will be the result if we do this? (Verse 33b)

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(c) What kinds of “things” did Jesus indicate that God the Father would “add,” or provide, for us—things that people often worry about obtaining? (Verses 31–32)

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14. What kind of kingdom are we receiving from God? (Hebrews 12:28a)

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15. (a) To whom did Jesus compare the person who hears His sayings about the kingdom and does them? (Matthew 7:24)

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(b) In this Scripture passage, the rains, floods, and winds depict the trials, temptations, and adversities of life. What happened to the house of the man who built on the rock, and what happened to the house of the man who built on the sand? (Matthew 7:25b, 27)

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True Christianity is the power of God visibly manifested through His children.

Conclusion

God’s kingdom is a reality that can be lived here and now. We, His children, are to manifest His will, lordship, and dominion on earth wherever we go. Heaven is the pattern, or model, that we need to bring to our environment. We are to “seize” whatever is in heaven and bring it to earth: health, deliverance, peace, joy, forgiveness, miracles, healing, prosperity, and so much more! As we depend on the realm of God, we can visibly bring forth whatever is needed. When the kingdom is a priority in our lives—when we worship God, serve others, heal the sick, testify of Jesus, deliver the oppressed, give offerings, and take the gospel wherever we go—all of our needs will be supplied. Receive the revelation in this Bible study and dare to make the advancement of the kingdom of God your priority, in the name of Jesus, and you will see miracles begin to take place. The invisible kingdom will manifest in the visible realm, bringing transformation to people’s lives.

At my church and in my ministry travels, I have seen Jesus heal people of cancer, AIDS, hepatitis, arthritis, diabetes, lupus, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and much more. Many people have experienced creative miracles, such as receiving new organs where they were missing them, and the restoration of cleft palates. In the name of Jesus, people have been delivered from homosexuality, pornography, thievery, abandonment issues, witchcraft, and addictions, such as those to alcohol, prescription medications, and illegal drugs.

I encourage you to make a decision to manifest the kingdom everywhere you go. Where there is spiritual darkness, remove it; where there is sickness, cast out the spirit of infirmity. The kingdom of power is within you. The only thing you need to do is to demonstrate it here and now!

Prayer of Activation

The kingdom of God is entered by spiritual birth, and this “new birth” (1 Peter 1:3 NIV) gives us citizenship in it. We cannot enter the kingdom by being religious; by belonging to a denomination, ministry, or sect; by being affiliated with a particular philosophy; by knowing the theology of salvation through the cross; or by any other means. The Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). A total separation from the curse of sin must take place; the umbilical cord of iniquity that connects us to sin and the rebellious nature must be cut. The kingdom is not a mere “remedy.” It involves becoming a new creation. (See 2 Corinthians 5:17.)

God wants His kingdom to manifest in you. He wants His realm to extend to others through you, bringing righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you desire to be reconciled to God and are willing to submit to His government (see Isaiah 1:18–19), pray the following prayer of repentance and receive forgiveness so that you may enter the kingdom of God in all its fullness:

Heavenly Father, I recognize that I am a sinner, and I repent of my lifestyle, which is contrary to You and Your kingdom. I turn away from all my sins and rebellion, and I desire to follow You wholeheartedly. With my mouth I confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and I believe in my heart that You, Father, raised Him from the dead. In the name of Jesus, I am “born of God.” Let Your kingdom manifest in my life. Use me to spread Your kingdom wherever I go. Amen!

Action Steps

• Daily ask God to give you a revelation of His kingdom, with its power and characteristics, so that you can demonstrate it to the world.