If you trace the references to the Kingdom in a concordance, you will notice that there is a great difference among the four Gospels in the emphasis given to the Kingdom of heaven and the Kingdom of God. You will find a minimum of references in the Gospel of John, which seems strange, since John’s book of Revelation is completely devoted to the coming Kingdom of the Lord and to the submission of other kingdoms to it. Although the Gospel of John was probably written after the book of Revelation, it does not speak much about the Kingdom; yet it is evident that the revelation of the Kingdom is there.
Mark’s Gospel gives only a few references to the Kingdom; he was more concerned about the practical, immediate application of the truths than he was about the entire concept of the Kingdom that is to come.
Luke’s Gospel contains many references to the Kingdom. He held a perfect vision of the Kingdom, because he had been disillusioned by much that he saw in the establishment and in the existing world. Though he was a physician, he reached into a revelation from God of better things, of an ideal state that would come when God had His perfect way. Consequently, he placed much emphasis on the Kingdom.
The Gospel of Matthew places the greatest emphasis on the Kingdom of God. Matthew was a deeply rooted Jew, even though he was a kind of renegade, having betrayed his people by becoming a tax collector for the Roman oppressors. From out of this, Jesus chose him to be a disciple. According to human evaluation, the Jews considered him to be the least, yet his Gospel is the first book of the New Testament. It seems typical that the Lord would choose a Jew who was regarded as one of the lowest in the eyes of his people to become the first one to proclaim His Kingdom. Over and over again, Matthew emphasized this beautiful aspect of the Kingdom: the last shall be first.
What a fantastic revelation of the Kingdom we find in the Gospel of Matthew! It even begins with Christ’s genealogy, establishing the fact that He is the King, the Lord upon whom all the covenants of the Old Testament reside. Matthew presented God’s truths as principles of the Kingdom; consequently, the Sermon on the Mount is considered by most Christians to be impractical to preach to people. Most of the traditional expositions based on the Sermon on the Mount are perversions of the truth. Many preachers emphasize the teaching, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and that is about as far as they go with the teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Yet the entire book of Matthew is a deep revelation of truths that are very important to Christians. When Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount, He said, “If you will do these things, you will be like a man who built his house on a rock. When the floods came, it stood; nothing could destroy it” (Matthew 7:24–25).
It is difficult to contrast the Church age which we have been in with the Kingdom age which we are entering. During the Church period, a man could build his church just the way he wanted, and denominations could build the way they wanted. The churches that will stand in the Kingdom age are not necessarily any of those denominations which have come up through the centuries, but those churches that are carefully built according to the patterns which God has laid down for a church. New Testament order in a church is of great importance, because the shakings that are associated with the passage from one age into another will be devastating. Human institutions will be shaken apart.
God is requiring that we build very carefully, just as Noah had to build the ark exactly according to the specifications which God ordered. It had to carry him and his family from one age into another. The same thing is true now. The New Testament Church becomes our Noah’s ark to carry us from one age into another; therefore it must be in divine order from start to finish. We dare not draw back from it, even if we do not see the necessity of it now; in time we will. Let us be faithful and obedient to do what God tells us to do.
The requirements of the Kingdom are much more stringent than those of the Church age. A greater dedication is required now. The discipleship in this day of bringing forth the Kingdom is far more total. It is such that if you even look back when you put your hand to the plow, you are not fit for the Kingdom (Luke 9:62).
Be thankful that there is a transition period, or everyone would be washed out. In the days to come, there will be a righteousness, a fruitfulness, a dedication, and a total submission to God that have never been seen before. In a remnant of God’s people, there will be visitations of glory and power such as the world has not yet seen. The Church age has never known the glory and power that will be vested upon the sons of the Kingdom. Matthew’s Gospel is dedicated to proclaiming this.
During the past few years, the New Testament Church pattern has been preached; but now we are entering into a period of overlapping ages, and we must preach the Kingdom. It has to be in that order. The Church pattern must be complete and perfect in order for us to have a complete and perfect revelation of the Kingdom principles. A church must be built according to divine order so that it will be able to enter into a new age. An overlapping period is a difficult time, because people tend to be restricted in their thinking by what has been, rather than being projected into what will be.
God is raising up a people in this end time who will be in transition continually for the next few years. Ultimately, when God brings it forth into perfection, the walk of discipleship will not be comparable to what it was in its initial stages.
Those who are a part of God’s present moving in the earth should consider themselves very fortunate. One does not come into it easily; it requires a revelation. There are many Christians who love God very much; yet they do not have the revelation of what He is doing in this hour. Be grateful if He has opened the door of revelation to you. Walking with God today is not according to reason; it is only according to revelation. No one would start such a dedicated walk with God if he knew beforehand the discipleship it would involve. Why would anyone want to become involved with something that will bring a work of the cross in his life, that will bring an end of all interests that have motivated him and been a part of his life? The sum total of everything that he is must change and constantly diminish. God takes the ego drive and the self-confidence that he has relied on before and stomps it to death, in order to bring forth the new motivation that must burn in the heart to do the will of God.
Philip won the entire town of Samaria to the Lord, and he also went into the desert to win just one Ethiopian when the Lord told him to do so. He did not care whether he was ministering to the crowds or to just one, because he was not building his own kingdom. He had no human motivation; he was completely given over to the Spirit of the Lord (Acts 8). The Lord is bringing that same dedication in the lives of many pastors. After seeing both the best and the worst of conventional Christianity, they are now seeing God’s pattern.
The pastors of the New Testament churches that God is raising up are not perfect; they still retain the unique characteristics and peculiarities of their own personalities. God is using men as pastors who are not professionally trained for the ministry. At the very best, they are diamonds in the rough, but God is doing a fantastic work and speaking His perfect Word through them. If they were perfect ministers, then we could understand how a perfect Word could come forth from them; but they are totally inadequate for the work God has set before them. To see the perfect work that God is doing in the earth through such imperfect channels is an occasion of greater rejoicing than to see perfect vessels bringing forth a perfect Word.
This way of ministering has not been done since the early Church. For many centuries, ministries have been professionally trained, but God is not doing that now. He is choosing the base and the foolish, and He is shaming those who are wise. He is choosing the weak and shaming those who are strong (I Corinthians 1:27). He is bringing men out of the most unlikely surroundings and making them His ministers of righteousness. Again we see this principle of the Kingdom at work: the first shall be last, and the last shall be first (Matthew 19:30). Do not draw back and criticize when you see the type of people who are attracted to a deep walk with God. He is sovereignly motivating and bringing in those who appear to be unattractive and undesirable, and He is turning them into pure sons of God. This is an occasion of great rejoicing.
The next time you are tempted to look upon a brother or a sister as being unworthy to walk with the Lord, remember that you dare not be proud. No one will have anything except that which is received from God. No one will become anything except that which God creates by His hand. He is giving a living Word in this hour that is creating His people. He is bringing forth a living worship that is opening them up for fantastic changes. Let us take hold of this vision in our hearts and realize that the Kingdom is coming. He is giving it to us. He is choosing those who are poor to become rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom (James 2:5).
The first shall be last, and the last shall be first. The Lord’s strongest ministries could easily come out of tribes that have never been exposed to any of the refinements of culture. God could easily raise up mighty prophets from among their midst. Do not sell anyone short, because God takes the humble one and exalts him. Instead of being discouraged because you feel inadequate, rejoice; for God is using the inadequate and insufficient ones to bring forth a tremendous work. James said, “Let the poor man rejoice that the Lord has exalted him; let the rich man rejoice that the Lord has humbled him” (James 1:9–10). Both the rich and the poor should be happy. The rich man should be happy if the Lord has pulled the rug out from under him; then he has a chance in the Kingdom.
The Lord tried to help the rich young ruler to be perfect and to inherit eternal life when He told him, “Sell everything that you have, and give it to the poor. Then come and follow Me” (Matthew 19:16–22). The Lord was not concerned about money; He simply wanted the young man to give it away. Giving it to the poor seemed the wisest course, even though it would not solve the problems of the poor, for some are addicted to poverty. Jesus had something else in mind. He loved that young man, and He was trying to give him the greatest opportunity of his life. He was saying, in effect, “Son, I know that you have many possessions; but if you will just give up everything so that you possess nothing, then I will give you everything.” This is the principle of reversal.
Have you been complaining about the assaults of the enemy? Maybe God is bringing you to the place where you can become rich in faith and an heir of the Kingdom. This is often the Lord’s way of teaching His people to be sons of the Kingdom, the progenitors of a completely new age.
The seventh chapter of Matthew gives us this picture of Kingdom fruit. “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not every one who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ ” Matthew 7:15–23.
The Church age seemed to be peculiarly addicted to the idea that anyone with a big bank account could become a member of the church board, but the Kingdom picture is quite different. Not every one who says, “Lord, Lord!” and professes certain doctrines will enter the Kingdom of God. Even those who proclaim that they have prophesied and done many mighty works in His name will be told, “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”
People who move in the gifts of the Spirit, even doing signs and wonders, are in danger if they have not become the will of God in their hearts. If they are without submission to divine order, they are in trouble concerning this issue of entering into the Kingdom. There will be much deception upon people in the days ahead; whenever they see a man prophesying and doing miracles, they will be impressed. Nevertheless, if he is without submission in his heart, they will see him being swept out of the way. Many professionally trained pastors have the reputation of being fine ministers of good churches. They appear to be hungry for God and doing their best to preach the Word. Yet if they are confronted with one requirement of the Kingdom, they run the other way. Too many of them are concerned about losing their denominational retirement benefits, which are rather meager anyway. In this day God does not seem to be concerned about perpetuating the line of those who are motivated by such fear. A man is not able to preach the Word in truth if he is afraid.
Nicodemus was motivated by fear. When he came slipping around by night, Jesus told him, “You must be born again,” because someone who slips around by night will never make it into the Kingdom. Only at the last hour did Nicodemus finally come out in the open and become a real disciple. Look what he missed because of the fear in his heart—those years of precious ministry from the Lord. He was afraid of what the Jews would think about him. You cannot be afraid of what people think about you. You cannot draw back because of the price. You must enter into discipleship with all of your heart. It is like a whole new birth. You are born into another realm—the realm of the Kingdom. People do not merely join the Kingdom; they are born into it by fire, by the pure revelation that comes from God and burns in their hearts.
In order to enter into the Kingdom, you need more than the zeal of denominational missionaries. You need the fire that is born in the spirits of those who are dedicated to a walk of discipleship. You must live with a deeper motivation and concern than Christians have ever had. Your dedication must become deeper and deeper as you prepare to give your life and to live for God with all of your heart.
Do not be content to mumble, “Our Father which art in heaven; hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.” Shout, “Thy Kingdom come!” With a cry of pure motivation, demand, “Thy will be done!” God’s Kingdom is going to come, and His will is going to be done in the world’s governments and systems as it is done in heaven. Where churches have been perverted into a Babylonian harlot system that maneuvers in corruption, you should stand audaciously before the Lord and demand that there will be another vision and another way that is right.
This is the day of the sons of the Kingdom, the day of bringing forth fruit. It is not a matter of being busy and becoming involved in a few little activities, but of bringing forth the fruit, of being the sons of the Kingdom. It is not the quantity of work, but the quality of the workers that is most important. It is not what you are doing, but what you are becoming that has the main emphasis. It is good for you to prophesy, but be sure that your prophecy flows out of a heart that is submissive to divine order. Be sure that you truly know what submission is, what it means to belong to the Lord. The key to the Kingdom is what you are becoming, not what you are doing.
The world is filled with corrupt systems whose efforts are overwhelming because they have more people, more powerful organizations, and more money behind them than the people of the Lord. They can use their money more efficiently, in terms of the work accomplished, than God’s people ever could. They can afford powerful lawyers and promoters. When they come out to do battle, they appear to be as giants nine feet tall, with staves bigger than a weaver’s beam. Therefore, get yourself a few little stones and remember how the victory is manifested: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6b.
God did not choose you because of the excellence of your work. With the feebleness of a few, He intends to bring down all the efforts of the mighty. That pleases Him. He is concerned with what you are becoming—an instrument in His hand, totally dedicated and bringing forth the fruit to the Kingdom. It is the Kingdom fruit that is really important.
The assault of faith is necessary to bring down satanic strongholds and to enter into the Kingdom. Jesus spoke of the importance of acting in faith, saying, “Therefore every one who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.” Matthew 7:24. Notice that the wise man acted. The days of passive faith are ending very rapidly. It is not enough to hear a truth and believe it. You must do something about it. The Kingdom is an activity of dedicated people. It is not a vague, visionary concept; it is a way of life, a way of living, and a way of doing. It is a motivation to walk with God with all of your heart.
Verse 25 pictures what happens to the man who hears the principles of the Kingdom and starts doing them. “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.” Whatever you receive, start acting upon it; put it into action. It is the greatest security you have. People who consent to a truth and agree with it, but are not doing anything about it, will be swept away in the flood. No matter how humble your effort, act upon what God is telling you. Do something about it. If you do not do anything more than pray, at least you can continually ask the Lord, “Show me what to do. Show me how to react to this.”
Jesus also told what happens to those who do not act on what He says: “And every one who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.” Matthew 7:26–27. You either walk with God, or you suffer the consequences of not walking with God. A walk with God is not an intriguing philosophical venture into neglected theological truths; it is doing the will of God.
Jesus gave this illustration of those who do the will of God: “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ And he answered and said, ‘I will, sir’; and he did not go. And he came to the second and said the same thing. But he answered and said, ‘I will not’; yet he afterward regretted it and went. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The latter.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax-gatherers and harlots will get” (the margin reads, are getting) “into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the taxgatherers and harlots did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.” Matthew 21:28–32.
The religious people were always talking, talking, talking, and fighting a big fight with their mouths, but they did not walk in what they talked about. Apparently, the publicans and the harlots had said that they would not do the will of God, and yet when they heard the Word they did it. Therefore, they were getting into the Kingdom ahead of the religious leaders. Jesus finally warned the chief priests and Pharisees, saying, “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and be given to a nation producing the fruit of it.” Verse 43.
The very same thing is happening with today’s Kingdom message. It is not what you profess or even the catechism that you subscribe to that is important, but whether or not you are walking in what God is showing you. Do not be disturbed if you have problems in understanding some aspects of walking with God. You will most likely have problems, not with truths that have been taught and revealed previously, but with truths that God is revealing to His people now. Your dedication will never be so complete that God will not challenge you more and more. He will always deal with your heart. Wherever you still fall short, in the midst of it remember that the real key for walking is to move in what you know.
If you know how to worship, then worship. Do what you can for the Kingdom’s sake, so that you will be included in it. Come to every service that you can possibly attend. Start praying for every minister who stands to speak. Walking with God in this end time does not consist of blind sheep following a few leaders who are giving a Word. The sheep can be as creative as the shepherds. The sheep can bring forth words too. Some of the purest words to be heard can come from the congregation, rather than from the leaders. People in the congregations can speak a Word beyond their knowledge as God moves upon them.
Instead of despising yourself because you are inadequate, realize that God can use you. The Kingdom will be taken away from those who will not bear fruit, and it will be given to those who will bring forth its fruit. Have the audacity to stand and prophesy, believing that the whole world can change if only a handful of people meet together and speak the Word of the Lord. Actually, there is nothing unusual about it. For centuries God has used men to speak His Word and change nations. Just enter in and speak the Word of the Kingdom. Speak it and become it. Do not prophesy from a heart that is not dedicated, lest God say, “Depart from Me, you worker of lawlessness.” Believe in the divine order that God is restoring to the Body of Christ today, and enter in to speak the Word of the Lord. Remember that you must become the will of God before you can do the will of God. It has to be wrought in you first.
In Matthew 24:7 Jesus was speaking about kingdom rising against kingdom. While kingdoms are warring against each other on a natural plane, the real picture, if people would only see it, is that the Kingdom of God is warring against the kingdoms of Satan. The authority of Christ must prevail, and therefore we must align ourselves completely with the Kingdom of God. It must be a total dedication to the Kingdom of God coming forth and to the spiritual warfare that it embraces. Let us turn away from our own interests and let the will of God be our entire desire. Let us dedicate ourselves to proclaim, “Thy Kingdom come! Thy will be done in all the earth, especially in our hearts, as it is in heaven. For Thine is the Kingdom, Thine is the power, and Thine is the glory, forever.”