Biblical Kingdom Reality – Part 4
What did Jesus really say about kingdom?
By Ron McGatlin
Revival and Kingdom Reality
Revival may be thought by some believers to be the goal or end of the search for the fullness of God in this life. However, the truth is that revival is a major step in the process of moving into kingdom reality in this life. It is really the work of God introducing us to the glory of His supernatural Spirit reality in and with us to heal, cleanse, deliver, and transform us into redeemed Spirit beings to become agents and carriers of His kingdom reality now in this life.
In the last decade of the Twentieth Century Barbara and I were privileged to be a part of the great outpouring of the Spirit revival that touched much of the world. Our small part was in being connected with the Smithton Outpouring which later became the World Revival Church.
Smithton was only a small part of the world touching revival. Yet, over two hundred and fifty thousands of people from over 60 nations of the world made their way to the tiny town of Smithton in the Missouri corn fields to be a part of the powerful Spirit outpouring. The true revival experiences of the 1990s were beyond description as over a period of several years at least many hundreds of thousands, if not millions were consumed and changed by the miracle working power in the presence of God.
True Revival and Renewal Leads to Kingdom Reality
The supernatural Spirit reality of Christ in us by the Spirit of God ruling and reigning in and with us is establishing the kingdom of God in us now in this life. God’s love and power were introduced to us as His presence came upon us in Holy Spirit outpourings of revivals and renewals. In these experiences of His manifest presence, every person makes a decision whether to receive God by the Spirit as unchallenged King of their lives or to reject His Kingship and walk, if not run, from His manifest presence. Those who turned away often retreated to flawed and powerless religious systems or to profane life in the fallen secular world.
The invasion of the kingdom of God reality by His Spirit binds us together with Him and with others who also receive His Spirit life. We literally become His Body on earth, a body for Him to dwell in on earth. (Rom 12:4-5).
Literally our previous lives, such as they were, are lost and His Spirit resurrection life of Christ Jesus abides in our being where we once lived. We are transformed into a new creation of Spirit Christ Jesus and Father God in us by the Holy Spirit. Now in this time His breath is in us for the establishing of His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. (2 Cor 5:17) (John 17:22-23) (Luke 11:2) (Rom 10:9-11).
The Glory of Christ Divides
The glory of His love and power arrested us in revival and released us into the fullness of His glorious life of love and power in His kingdom.
At the same time the invasion of the kingdom of God separates us from all who will not receive Christ as truly Lord and King in their lives. (Mat 10:34-39).
Those who do not receive the Spirit of Christ in the Holy Spirit reject the kingdom life and are left to seek after the gods of this world to give them a sense of life.
The manifested glory of Christ Jesus in the presence of Spirit God poured out on earth is dividing the people of the kingdom from those who reject the glory, love, and power of His kingdom.
Eventually the whole world becomes divided into two groups: those who receive the kingdom of God and those who do not. They are divided into those on the left and those on the right. Literally the Spirit of Christ is dividing the world.
Christ is dividing the multitudes of people as a Shepherd divides His sheep from the goats. Those on the left deny the glory of God and hate those on the right who abide in the glory of the love of God.
Simple but Awesomely Powerful Parables Reveal Hidden Kingdom
God in infinite wisdom is today dividing the nations of peoples into two groups by releasing His love and glory into the world. This is accomplished by His Spirit giving those with hearts toward Him ears to hear and eyes to see the truth and reality of His kingdom now working in this world. To those who have more is given, and to those who have not even that which they have is taken away. (Mat 13:10-17).
In the simple story found in Matthew 25:31-44 about Christ dividing the sheep from the goats; the happenings of this present day are clearly seen by the Spirit. Mysteries of truth are hidden in the parabolic story about sheep and goats.
Reading this parable with our spiritual eyes and ears open is like watching the news taking place in the world today.
It is more than interesting that Christ Jesus placed the goats on the left side and the sheep on the right. These same terms “left” and “right” are commonly used today in the natural world to describe the two sides of the great divide existing in the world today.
Natural minded people on the left cannot understand the people on the right. The people on the left see the events and values of this life completely differently from the people on the right.
Only by the Spirit can anyone clearly see that Christ Jesus is the real source of division in the “left and right division” in today’s world.
The people on the right tend to love Christ Jesus and believe He is Deity, the Son of God, Lord and King in this life. The people on the left tend to view Christ Jesus as a man and perhaps a good man or even a godly man, but not Deity, God’s Son our Savior, Lord and King in this life.
Matthew 25:31-33: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.” 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”
This passage has traditionally been viewed as only a natural or physical experience to take place after the bodily return of the physical man Jesus on an earthly throne calling all of the nations of the world together and dividing them.
As with all spiritual parabolic teachings of Christ, this natural sounding story has much greater Spirit kingdom reality significance.
Let us look a little deeper into the language of this passage of scripture:
Matthew 25:31: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.” The word “comes” in this verse is the Greek word “erchomai” and is also translated “appear.”
After the time when Christ Jesus spoke these words, He appeared in His people at Pentecost as He returned to be in His disciples in the Holy Spirit. Christ Jesus was in the world, in them working with them doing the mighty works of God. (Acts 2:40-46) (Mark 16-20).
Christ Jesus appeared in His manifest presence in the Spirit outpouring of recent history including the twentieth century revivals and is appearing today in the Holy Spirit in and among His people. (Col 1:27) (John 14:12).
Christ Jesus, Yeshua, has been seated at the right hand of the Father on His throne of glory since His ascension. (Eph 1:20-22) (Heb 8:1).
Christ Jesus, Yeshua, has been present on earth in His people by the Spirit since his return in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Matthew 25: 34: “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Obviously, the events spoken of here imply the time of the inheritance of the kingdom by those for whom it is prepared and who are prepared to receive the fullness of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.
We are now in that season when the great division between the people who are entering the kingdom and the people who are not entering the kingdom.
PRAISE GOD! What a glorious encouragement this is to you and me and all those who are seeking His kingdom first above all else.
In this time of perhaps the deepest division among people of this world, with terrorist and violent mobs of people and high level leaders defying Jesus and all that is godly, it is great to know that this is all temporary. It is a part of the coming of the fullness of the kingdom of God in His people and upon all the earth. There must be separation for cleansing judgments to prepare the world for the fullness of the kingdom.
Even now the great consolation of the reality of the glorious kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy is present and flourishing within us regardless of the temporary circumstance of the vile resistance and accusations of those who are perishing.
Our heart’s desire remains to demonstrate the love and goodness of the kingdom to rescue any and all that will turn and become the sheep of our Great Shepherd, Christ Jesus, Son of God, Lord and King.
Thank you, Father; Thank you, Jesus. We rejoice in You and receive the great blessing of the kingdom you have prepared for us to rule and reign with you on this earth. We worship and praise you with all of our hearts and lives. You are worthy, O Lord, now and forever. Amen!
“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom, Luke 12:32.
Ron McGatlin
www.openheaven.com