"I came to occupy!" - ADVANCEMENT OF THE KINGDOM

When Jesus said that we should not look here or over there for the manifestation of His Kingdom, He was in a way asking us to look at things in a spiritual sense. Look at the person's heart - inside us where He wants to reign. If outward peace and tranquility is evident it does not mean that God is in control of things!

God reigns by His Holy Spirit and by His Living Word in our hearts. This He does by speaking to us or working through the sanctified mind and conscience. That is by His Living Word! Without the sanctified mind and conscience there remains an evil mind and conscience! SO WE HAVE TO CHANGE! Obey! We change by good sound teaching and by obedience to His instructions!

When God reigns by His Spirit and His Living Word it generates purity in us and it translates into good works by faith! When Paul wrote to Titus in Titus 1 verse 15 and 16 he said - "Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. "

From this we can clearly see it is not good enough to be a good speaker or to profess to know God! We can still be impure. To be pure would mean to be born-again and show iniative to grow in the Word and in Spirit! Then all things indeed become pure!

Isn't it a wonderful thought to imagine the content of God's Kingdom as a volume of Spirit or a distance covered in establishing God's Kingdom on earth - the sum of God's true reign in our hearts! It could be ten percent in this person over here, twenty over there ninety over there and so on and so on. So we have reached a movement of x total percent of establishing God's Kingdom! NOW THINK! If you positively respond to God's Spirit and Living Word then He reigns more in your heart and the result - His TOTAL Kingdom advances! You can influence His Total Kingdom! Awesome! He came to occupy! It advances even more when by faith this translates into good works - the manifestation of the Kingdom! He came to occupy!

Yes friend He came to occupy! God's Kingdom will occupy the world and the Kingdoms of this world. All influences (a kingdom is an area of influence) will become subject (give in to the reign) to the Kingdom of God!

His Kingdom values are easy to discern - true concern and interest and care - that is love, the truth - the nature of truth and honesty and justice, faithfulness in relating all things to God and knowing Him in true devotion enquiry and to search Him out - this is our worship, a good pure motive in what we say and do and other values of faithfulness etc. etc. the fruit of the Spirit which is the character of Jesus! Character and personality are different things. Personality is a given. Character is constantly being formed.

The Kingdom of God advances as our characters are transformed more and more into the image of God's Son Jesus Christ. And God's Kingdom advances! You have an impact on His Kingdom!

Now the question - when last did the Kingdom of God advance in your heart and flowing out into good words and good works? It is one thing to be convinced of our righteousness and our sense of being renewed into the new man - I am a new creation, that is in conviction and understanding. But you also must manifest this in character and works! Change – let His Kingdom advance!

May His Kingdom come! Know this that the more you agree and change in agreement with His word and Spirit knowing that He reigns, then you are showing God's Kingdome and showing that His Kingdom advances! Just a little yes in your Heart can move His Kingdom and He occupies!

What awesome responsibility - make His Kingdom come! Let Thy Kingdom come oh Lord! “I came to occupy! And I am coming to occupy!” - Jesus.