The Kingdom is Within You
John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand”
(Matthew 3:2, 4:17). When He (Jesus) was demanded of the Pharisees, when the
kingdom of God should come? He answered them and said, the kingdom of God comes
not with observation. Neither shall they say, lo here, or lo there, for behold, the kingdom
of God is within you. II Corinthians 4:7 says “We have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”. That the glory should
always go to God.
The Spirit of God dwells in us (Romans 8:9-11) “but you are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but
the Spirit is life, because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus
from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken
your mortal bodies by His Spirit, that dwells in you”. We are the temple of God (I
Corinthians 6:19-20) “what? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are brought
with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your sprit, which are God’s”.
Paul says “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me,
and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). We as Paul must see ourselves no
longer as living on our own, but as children of God (Psalms 82:6) tells us to arise. We
are not to think of ourselves as mere men anymore, the Bible tells us that “you are of
God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, then
he that is in the world” (I John 4:4).
Paul reveals a mystery to us (Colossians 1:26-28) says “even the mystery which has
been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints. To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Whom we preach, warning every
man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in
Christ Jesus”.
We are supposed to reign in life by One Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). Revelation 5:10
says “and have made us to our God kings and priest, and we shall reign on the earth”.
If you are complaining, you are not reigning, you are reigning when you speak to that
problem and see it changed (Mark 11:23-24) “for verily I say to you, that whosoever
shall say to this mountain, be you removed, and be you cast into the sea, and shall not
doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass,
he shall have whatsoever he says. Therefore I say to you, what things so ever you
desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them”.
In I Corinthians 2:12 the Bible says “now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of
God”. God has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). I John 4:17b “that we may have boldness in the Day of
Judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world”.
Jesus sent out the 12 disciples saying “and when He had called to Him, His 12 disciples,
He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of
sickness and all manner of disease. And as you go, preach saying the kingdom of
heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:1,7). He then sent out the 70 which came back
proclaiming “even the devils are subject to us in Your name”. This was before the cross,
after the cross Christ spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them (Colossians 2:15). We now have the Holy Spirit living within us.
The early church walked in this power and they turned the world upside- down. They
took control and did the things that Jesus said we would do. They healed the sick and
they cast out devils. Look at Stephen, who was one of those with Philip who the apostles
set before themselves and prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God
increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly.
Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people (Acts
6:5-8). This is the same Stephen whom they stoned and as he looked up into heaven,
he asked Jesus to forgive them.
Look at Philip (Acts 8:5-8) “then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached
Christ to them. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip
spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with
loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them and many taken with
palsies, and that were lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.
Peter is he that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and
coaches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of
them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bringing
sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits, and they were healed every
one.
Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said “for so has the Lord commanded us, saying, I
have set you to be a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation on the ends of
the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of
the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the
Lord was published throughout all the region” (Acts 13:47-49). Remember we are
ministers of reconciliation, to reconcile the world back to God.
Paul tells Timothy how to release the Spirit within (II Timothy 1:5-7) “when I call to
remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in you, which dwelled first in your grandmother
Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in you also. Wherefore I put you
in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my
hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a
sound mind”.
Paul tells Philemon in Philemon 1:6 “that the communication of your faith may become
effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus”.
Peter told them that as long as he was in his body, he would stir them up by putting them
in remembrance (II Peter 1:13) and again in II Peter 3:1-2 “this second epistle, beloved, I
now write to you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. That
you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of
the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior”.
Now, because Romans 15:4 says “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope”; we can take what Paul and Peter said in their letters as for us as well.
We have the same Holy Spirit in us that raised up Jesus, and that dwelled in the early
church apostles. Most importantly Jesus told us “verily, verily, I say to you, he that
believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall
he do, for I go to My Father” (John 14:12).
Let us arise, out of the flesh nature, and let our spirit take control, so we can give glory
to God. The Bible tells us as we bear fruit, we glorify God, who wants us to bear much
fruit. We are not merely human beings. We are wall-to-wall Holy Spirit when we are
filled with the Holy Spirit.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 18, 2008
John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand”
(Matthew 3:2, 4:17). When He (Jesus) was demanded of the Pharisees, when the
kingdom of God should come? He answered them and said, the kingdom of God comes
not with observation. Neither shall they say, lo here, or lo there, for behold, the kingdom
of God is within you. II Corinthians 4:7 says “We have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”. That the glory should
always go to God.
The Spirit of God dwells in us (Romans 8:9-11) “but you are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but
the Spirit is life, because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus
from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken
your mortal bodies by His Spirit, that dwells in you”. We are the temple of God (I
Corinthians 6:19-20) “what? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are brought
with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your sprit, which are God’s”.
Paul says “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me,
and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). We as Paul must see ourselves no
longer as living on our own, but as children of God (Psalms 82:6) tells us to arise. We
are not to think of ourselves as mere men anymore, the Bible tells us that “you are of
God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you, then
he that is in the world” (I John 4:4).
Paul reveals a mystery to us (Colossians 1:26-28) says “even the mystery which has
been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints. To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Whom we preach, warning every
man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in
Christ Jesus”.
We are supposed to reign in life by One Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). Revelation 5:10
says “and have made us to our God kings and priest, and we shall reign on the earth”.
If you are complaining, you are not reigning, you are reigning when you speak to that
problem and see it changed (Mark 11:23-24) “for verily I say to you, that whosoever
shall say to this mountain, be you removed, and be you cast into the sea, and shall not
doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he says shall come to pass,
he shall have whatsoever he says. Therefore I say to you, what things so ever you
desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them”.
In I Corinthians 2:12 the Bible says “now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but
the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of
God”. God has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). I John 4:17b “that we may have boldness in the Day of
Judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world”.
Jesus sent out the 12 disciples saying “and when He had called to Him, His 12 disciples,
He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of
sickness and all manner of disease. And as you go, preach saying the kingdom of
heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:1,7). He then sent out the 70 which came back
proclaiming “even the devils are subject to us in Your name”. This was before the cross,
after the cross Christ spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them (Colossians 2:15). We now have the Holy Spirit living within us.
The early church walked in this power and they turned the world upside- down. They
took control and did the things that Jesus said we would do. They healed the sick and
they cast out devils. Look at Stephen, who was one of those with Philip who the apostles
set before themselves and prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God
increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly.
Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people (Acts
6:5-8). This is the same Stephen whom they stoned and as he looked up into heaven,
he asked Jesus to forgive them.
Look at Philip (Acts 8:5-8) “then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached
Christ to them. And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip
spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with
loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them and many taken with
palsies, and that were lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.
Peter is he that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and
coaches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of
them. There came also a multitude out of the cities round about to Jerusalem, bringing
sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits, and they were healed every
one.
Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said “for so has the Lord commanded us, saying, I
have set you to be a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation on the ends of
the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of
the Lord, and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the
Lord was published throughout all the region” (Acts 13:47-49). Remember we are
ministers of reconciliation, to reconcile the world back to God.
Paul tells Timothy how to release the Spirit within (II Timothy 1:5-7) “when I call to
remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in you, which dwelled first in your grandmother
Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in you also. Wherefore I put you
in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my
hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a
sound mind”.
Paul tells Philemon in Philemon 1:6 “that the communication of your faith may become
effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus”.
Peter told them that as long as he was in his body, he would stir them up by putting them
in remembrance (II Peter 1:13) and again in II Peter 3:1-2 “this second epistle, beloved, I
now write to you, in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. That
you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of
the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior”.
Now, because Romans 15:4 says “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope”; we can take what Paul and Peter said in their letters as for us as well.
We have the same Holy Spirit in us that raised up Jesus, and that dwelled in the early
church apostles. Most importantly Jesus told us “verily, verily, I say to you, he that
believes on Me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall
he do, for I go to My Father” (John 14:12).
Let us arise, out of the flesh nature, and let our spirit take control, so we can give glory
to God. The Bible tells us as we bear fruit, we glorify God, who wants us to bear much
fruit. We are not merely human beings. We are wall-to-wall Holy Spirit when we are
filled with the Holy Spirit.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: July 18, 2008
