From the previous study we could see that the violent entering into the kingdom has nothing to do with trying to possess whatever is yours by praying Holy Ghost fire prayers in order to retrieve by dispossessing the devil of what is yours stolen by the enemy.
It is actually a revelation and understanding of the blessings and glory that are found in the kingdom that drives you to move and want to get into the kingdom.
Matt. 11:12, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”
Matt.11:2 (AMP), “For a long time now people have tried to force themselves into God’s kingdom.”
What do we mean by this? Simply that,
Luke 16:16, “Until John came, there were the Law and the Prophets; since then the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone strives violently to go in [would force his own way rather than God’s way into it],” AMP.
Those trying to force themselves into the kingdom on their own terms primarily were the Scribes and the Pharisees. They felt they owned the kingdom by reason of their being Jews and being custodians of the laws of Moses.
Again, we have men today who will want to bulldoze their way into the kingdom by violent prayers and forceful decreeing of the things they want from God as their rights of being Christians. But the word is saying God has His own terms or way by which you can enter into the kingdom of God and possess it.
First of all going by John’s message you have to repent to be able to come into the kingdom. The Pharisees ought to repent of their ideology and embrace the New Order of the Kingdom that even Jesus was declaring.
For we are told,
Mark 1:14, “Now after John was arrested and put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God, 15 And saying, The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled (completed), and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent (have a change of mind which issues in regret for past sins and in change of conduct for the better) and believe (trust in, rely on, and adhere to) the good news (the Gospel),” AMP.
Even so today we have to repent of our religious ways and embrace the kingdom ethics and principles in order to enter and possess the kingdom.
This is why Jesus told Nicodemus, a religious Guru in his time, when he came to Jesus at night and said to Him;
John 3:2 (AMP), “Rabbi, we know and are certain that You have come from God [as] a Teacher; for no one can do these signs (these wonderworks, these miracles — and produce the proofs) that You do unless God is with him. 3 Jesus said… that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb again and be born? 5 Jesus answered, unless a man is born of water and [even] the Spirit, he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God.”
You see in verse 2, Jesus would not be carried away by the eulogies of Nicodemus but rather went to the point, “Get out of religion and embrace the new season that I represent.”
You have to be born of the Word I am sharing with you and the Holy Spirit in your spirit man for you to be able to both experience the Kingdom and then possess your right in the Kingdom of God that I have come to establish Jesus said to him.
What’s that kingdom?
Romans 14:17, “For [After all] the Kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Matt. 12:28-29 (NLT), “But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.”
So Jesus was telling Nicodemus simply that your being a religious Jew and a Doctor of the law doesn’t equate you being in the Kingdom of God, neither will that guarantee you a possession of the influence of the Holy Spirit in restoring you to the life you ought to have had from God before the fall in Adam.
Hence in Verse 6,
“What is born of [from] the flesh is flesh [of the physical is physical]; and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
In other words, what Judaism produced in you must be undone for your human spirit to receive the light of the Holy Spirit as you embrace the Word; water of the Word of God, not H20.
This is the sprinkling of water as seen in Ezek. 36:25-27 that will produce a new heart of flesh.
So those pressing into the Kingdom today are those whose hearts are opened to receive the light coming from the Word of God and not just being in religious games.
So friends be violent for the kingdom of God on His terms. “Marvel not [do not be surprised, astonished] at My telling you, You must all be born anew (from above),” John 3:7 Amp.
To be continued…