Evidences of the Kingdom of God

Jesus started his ministry by saying, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17b).   In the model prayer that Jesus gives us, he tells us to pray "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10).  In other words, the kingdom is where God is King.  It is where He rules specifically.

It is through the rebirth.   "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).  We understand that in the physical birth that the child is protected by a shield of water that is broken just before the birth.  Therefore, the second birth  is spiritual in nature.  Through a faith commitment to Jesus as LORD (Romans 10:9-10) the Spirit of God unites with our spirit and we become a new creation.  It is more than a doctrine, it is a spiritual reality.

This is more than just being born again, it is experiencing the Kingdom on a daily basis.  Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3).  Those that become destitute, detached from self, but dependent upon God experience Kingdom living.  "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).  When we put self on the shelf, even die to self, then we are free to follow Jesus.

It means that we come to do the work that Jesus did!  Then, what did Jesus do?   "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people" (Matthew 4:23). Jesus did three things: he taught, he preached the good news of the kingdom, and he healed all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Again, "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people" (Matthew 9:35).    "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (John 14:12).  Therefore we are to do what Jesus did.  We are to teach, preach the good news of the kingdom, and heal.

When John the Baptist was arrested and put in prison, he began to raise questions about Jesus being the Christ.   "Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:    The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them" (Matthew 11:4-5).  Jesus said that the evidence was in the healings and miracles which he did.

Jesus also told the seventy that he sent out, "And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you" (Luke 10:9).  The healing ministry was the evidence of the coming of the Kingdom of God.  The healing ministry was the demonstration of the Kingdom to encourage people to ENTER into the Kingdom.

The author to the Hebrews writes, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;   God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" (Hebrew 2:3-4).  The evidence of the Kingdom was signs, wonders, with different miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you" (Matthew 12:28).  Deliverance ministry is an evidence of the Kingdom.  A summary is found in Acts 10:38,  "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

What are the keys to the Kingdom?  The keys are the things that unlock the door to the Kingdom for others to enter into the Kingdom.   " And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:18-19).  The keys are the Authority and Power to do the work of God.    "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.    For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:18-20).  This authority and power is increased with agreement!

Jesus also used both authority and power to minister, then delegated it to others!  "And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out" (Luke 4:36).  The Word confirms that Jesus gave his disciples both authority and power to minister.  "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases" (Luke 9:1).  Paul wrote, "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: " (I Corinthians 2:4).    This authority and power is exercised through teaching,  preaching the good news of the Kingdom, and healing the sick.  Paul wrote, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ" (Romans 15:18-19).