Discovering the Kingdom of God

     The Kingdom of God has its mysteries. What is the Kingdom of God? It's when in the presence of God. Scripture is vague about where and what is the Kingdom of God. The best answer which I have found was from Jesus:

Luke 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 21 neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

     God has a realm wherein is His throne, but the earth is merely a place for His feet to rest (God rested on the seventh day). 

Acts 7:49 and 2 Chron 9:18 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

     Kings have authority in their realm. Obviously, to be a citizen of God's Kingdom, God must be the authority in someone's life.  To have full citizenship, since no one cannot hold two spiritual citizenships (Luke 16:13), every person must decide who they will serve: will it be to serve themselves or serve God? Hint: if they elect to serve themselves, it is Satan's will which is done, and their Lord is the Devil who is Prince of the World (Ephes 2:2), a Pretender to God's throne:

Isa 14:13 ...thou (Satan) hast said in thine heart, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."

     Have you ever wondered why God came down to earth as Jesus?

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

     Jesus's purpose in life was "that he might destroy the works of the Devil." It is a spiritual war which overflows into the physical! The "war" is about the spiritual but it is fought on solid ground for control of Heaven. The earth will be destroyed but God's Kingdom cannot be! Satan wants to sit on the throne and have everyone worship him as they should be God. I use the word "should" because none of God's citizens are fully obedient to the King! Like it or not, when Christians sin, we are seditious and traitorous. Christians claim to serve the King but actually serve in deed, the Pretender to the throne. God knows the false promises of His adversary and understands. He knows we are willing to serve Him, but because of Satan's bribes, are tempted to rebel (Mat 26:41).      The war is about control of the Kingdom of God. Christians are actively engaged in the Spiritual Revolution. Why so? Jesus said (Luke 17:21), "The Kingdom of God is within you." When is it that sinners change allegiance? It is when they are born-again (John 3:7). They come to the conclusion that  God is in charge, and they are not. As they are enlightened that they can and will be destroyed by sin, they look up to God for reprieve. Rebirth is changing allegiances from Satan to God, and forsaking the Prince of the Air for the King Jesus - King of the Jews. Christians, when they forsake the world, spiritually become "good Jews". The Christian "elect" are God's chosen people and become peculiar and of God's "holy nation" (1 Pet 2:9). The citizenship of born-again Christians is changed from the world to God's "Holy Nation" which is the Kingdom of God.
     There was a constructed temple in God's nation - Israel - within the world. God said that he didn't need that temple:

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.

1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

      From the Acts passage we see that God doesn't need a building in which to reign but 1 Corinthians indicate that God dwells within the souls of those born-again. Citizenship is granted, and only faithfulness to the King need be tested. Satan does that! He works for God to test the faith of mankind, including the provisionary citizens of God's Kingdom (See the Book of Job).
     Christians can defile the temple! God will destroy that seditious traitor (1 Cor 3:17 above). Satan's role is to test the allegiance of Christians: Which master do they truly serve? If  they are "pretend citizens" in Satan's "pretend kingdom", God will destroy them. Pretending Christians - those not devoted to God - will be cast into Hell with their father the devil!
     With all that said, the Kingdom of God lies within you because of the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit. God and sin cannot coexist. Eventually, it becomes evident whose servant people truly are! Of course, God is patient but he should see his citizens becoming better citizens. That obedience is how the citizens of the Kingdom of God demonstrate their love for the King! (John 14:15). The Law of God in God's Kingdom, then, is not a dictatorship. The Law there is only to test the patriotism of the citizens to the King!     Now let us look at the verses of the day:

Mark 4:11 And he (Jesus) said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

     I have, through scripture, revealed "the mystery of the Kingdom of God". Parables are the use of like stories to simply spiritual matters. Jesus revealed the mystery in parables, but for you, I gathered inspired Word to further explain. We must be patriotic! There is a Kingdom, and patriots are true to the King. It is not a democracy but a theocracy. Our dependence is not on Liberty but on Jesus. That statue in New York Harbor is for the world. Jesus is in my heart. That's where I look for prosperity and safety!