ENFORCING THE KINGDOM
(week 18/11)
OLUBI JOHNSON
Romans 14:17 MKJV: for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Here, Paul by the Holy Spirit tells us that the Kingdom of God is the dominion of God in thought, word and deed in acts of right doing, peace and joy by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now, this dominion of God has to be enforced, because there are Satanic spiritual forces that are trying to hinder God’s dominion here on earth.
Ephesians 2:2-3 MKJV: in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works inthe children of disobedience; (3) among whom we also had our way of life in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Here, we see Satan’s power from the air working through the desires of the will, mind, emotions and body; this power must be counteracted and overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit in sufficient measure and with sufficient force to enforce the kingdom: dominion of God in our thoughts, words and deeds.
The Lord Jesus teaches us this same truth in
Matthew 11:12 MKJV: And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence, and the violent take it by force.
Matthew 11:12 AMP: And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize–a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].
Matthew 12:28-29 NKJV: But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. (29) Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
And the Holy Spirit tells us through John that
1John 2:14 KJV: I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
In our article next week, we will see how to enforce the Kingdom in our lives.
