The Kingdom of God Within Us - by Pastor Doug Riggs

by John Mark on 06/23/24

This message was originally recorded August 19, 2015.

My notes:

As Doug continues to teach on the theme of the Kingdom of God, we are encouraged to "seek for that which demonstrates the rule and reign of God in your life through Jesus Christ." The kingdom of God is not until we get to heaven, or even when the millennial kingdom begins. The kingdom of God is within us - the rule and reign of Jesus Christ who personally indwells every believer. The kingdom will be externalized in the coming age when we return with Jesus Christ as He establishes the church as His kingdom on earth, ruling the nations with a rod of iron in and through Israel as its physical headquarters.

 

Now, during this church age, Jesus Christ is receiving His kingdom in us. "So how does He receive that kingdom? Through the cross in our lives, everything in us that dies to the natural and comes out of that which we are by nature in Adam, and on to the ground of Christ in resurrection. He's receiving a kingdom through that process. Only that which is on resurrection ground can qualify for the kingdom which He is receiving." This does not mean as that kingdom is being established in us that it's going to be easy. "For the rule and reign of God to be established in our life, tribulation and pressure are required... kingdom is attained through tribulation and perseverance."

 

You (the church) are being prepared by God for the Kingdom, "and equipping and constituting you so that you will be the means by which Jesus Christ will judge the world." This requires enduring suffering, testing, travail, and even persecution and afflictions, "so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God" (2 Thessalonians 1:5). "Now is the capacitation phase of that kingdom. When Christ returns with His church, that kingdom glory will be manifested in and through those that are ruling and reigning with Him as KING of kings and LORD of lords... Ruling and reigning with Him, kingship, is an attainment. It is a part of our inheritance. Kingship is not granted at salvation."

 

At the 2nd Advent, "when Jesus Christ comes back as King, He has an internalized, fully formed kingdom, a sphere in which He manifests His rule and reign as King." However, before this occurs, there is that which is yet to come. "There is a shaking coming in the body of Christ to such a degree that when everything's leveled to the ground, all that will remain is the church that Jesus is building. There'll be nothing left but that."

 

As we hear about the kingdom of God coming to Earth in the near future, we should not assume God in the person of Jesus Christ is not ruling and reigning as King here and now. Satan is called “the god of this age”, “the prince of the power of the air”, but Jesus, as the Man in glory, is the absolute sovereign ruler of heaven and earth. All things are under His feet - and under our feet as those enthroned in and with Him at the Father's right hand, "far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come." That age to come is the Millennial Kingdom.

 

Link to Audio: https://dougriggs.s3.amazonaws.com/Assemblies/8-19-15+Wednesday+Assembly.mp3

 

Recommended: Kingdom Value System by Bob Mumford

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7jvIZuvMfY&t=332s)

Note: I recently began listening to Bob and am discovering a plethora of fatherly advice and encouragement. This particular video (only 9 minutes) fits so well with Doug’s series on the Kingdom of God. I have no doubt it will bless you.

 

Maranatha!

John Mark

...hereby committing this unto the providential care of the enthroned Head of the Church; whose Name is blessed forevermore, Yeshua Mashiach - Jesus Christ!