Are we living in the Kingdom?

1 Corinthians 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

The Father wills it, the Word says it, and the Holy Spirit creates it. That's how God works. That's how God created the physical things, and the Spiritual. The world is the material, and the Kingdom of God is the spiritual. Although it took Will, Word, and Spirit to create the kingdom of God, to enter into the Kingdom of God, the ticket is power!

What or where is the Kingdom of God? Mark 4:11 uses the phrase "mystery of the kingdom of God". Nowhere in Scripture do I find the Kingdom of God defined. It was as if when one was born-again, insight would make it obvious. New persons look at things with new eyes. I love the term "bright eyes" because the Light shines on those who are born-again.

Jesus likens things to the Kingdom of God (Mark 4:30), as if the listeners knew all about God's Kingdom. By the way, the Book of Mark speaks most often about the Kingdom, and John doesn't refer to it in those terms at all! Paul doesn't mention it in his letters, although he does refer to "the mystery of Christ" and "the mystery of God".

From mostly the parables it seems that the Kingdom of God is "the Kingdom of Heaven". In fact, that is demonstrated by Matthew's use of just the word "kingdom", referring to the children of the kingdom:

Matthew 13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

Therein, three places are named: (1) the world, (2) the kingdom, and (3) the place of the wicked one. Although this is a parable, the good seed and the children of the wicked one are both in the field. Hence, within the world are children of the kingdom, and children of the wicked one. It seems that when one stakes claim on Jesus, then his stake is in the Kingdom of God.

This is reinforced by this passage:

Matthew 18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

(The Kingdom had yet to exist for the apostle's at that time because they had no idea that Jesus had to die for them. That came later).

Conversion is "turned about".  That happens when the person is born-again. The transformation is from the old person to the new. From mankind's created condition back to it again. From the children of the wicked one to children of the Kingdom!

Heaven is a Spiritual place. It is not bound by physical boundaries. The location of the Center of the Kingdom of God is the Third Heaven. Some man who Paul knew went there:

2 Corinthians 12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians in 53 or 54 A.D. It is estimated that Jesus died between 30 and 36 A.D. "Fourteen years ago", would have been 38-39 A.D.   Paul's conversion is dated from 31-36 A.D. (All from Wikipedia). Hence, Paul was not speaking of himself, if these dates are correct, but another man. Although the Third Heaven is a specific place, it is not the entire Kingdom of God.

Hence, the conclusion must be that the Kingdom of God is all the souls of all the Christian people:

Luke 17:21 ...the kingdom of God is within you.

It's not that Christians are living in heaven, though, but since the temple of the Holy Ghost is in you, maybe the Kingdom of God has another meaning:

1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

However, the Kingdom of God is not in your heart! It's where Jesus is! Those who followed Jesus in His lifetime were in His presence, knew of His saving blood, were in harmony with Him, and hence were citizens of the Kingdom of God. Jesus was the temple. He said that! (John 2:21). The temple is the center of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is not of this world, but in this world, and in heaven. With the descent of Jesus in Spirit, wherever His Holy Ghost is, is where the Kingdom of God is. Of course, that includes heaven because Jesus sits there at the right side of God.

I am a "royal priest" in the Kingdom of God (1 Peter 2:9).  To be a royal priest, there must be a kingdom. Hence, those living under the kingship of the King live in the Kingdom of God. It's not heaven though! It's a spiritual world preparing the faithful to full citizenship. Although Heaven is a specific place, and his Kingdom is real, the composition of things in that Kingdom are not of this world. As such, we live in the Kingdom on Visas, which can be rescinded. Our reward comes in Heaven when citizenship in the Kingdom of God is full. The Word naturalizes us when we appear in front of the judge!

Let's go back to the original point of discussion: "the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power". Saying, I believe in Jesus, is not saving.  It takes power to become a citizen of God's Kingdom. Of course, it is not by our own power but God's. It is not by our word, but by God's Word alone. Whereas, our word has no power, His does! By the power vested in Jesus we shall be saved.

Saying is not sufficient. We must have that Power within us. God doesn't force His way into His temple. We must welcome Him in.

Most Americans will say, I believe in Jesus. How many desire to be in the Kingdom of God. Therein things are done differently than in the world. In the Kingdom of God, the flesh is of no importance, not to mention pleasuring it! The key to the Kingdom is the willingness to allow God to work in us. We are to submit our will to God for His will. God's will is Him working within us. If we fail to follow the rules of God's Kingdom, He is not truly our King!