The Kingdom of God: Why not Experience it Now?

 

By David Ryser

And I wonder why would I wait till I die to come alive? I’m ready now; I’m not waiting for the afterlife.  (From the song Afterlife by the group Switchfoot)

 “The Kingdom of God is at hand!” This was the declaration of John the Baptist and Jesus.  Both proclaimed a kingdom that was arriving on the earth. Jesus then proceeded to teach about, and demonstrate, the Kingdom of God.

 Neither John nor Jesus spoke of a kingdom that we would experience only after death.

 To be sure, the Kingdom of God extends beyond this earthly life. We look forward to experiencing God with unveiled eyes and understanding. All doubts will be erased, all questions answered, all diseases & infirmities eradicated, and all sorrows comforted.

 Forever.

 But what about now? If the Kingdom of God is experienced only after we die, we would be well-advised to come to a saving faith in Jesus and then seek death as soon as possible. And what about the other blessings and works of the Kingdom of God? What about healings, miracles, raising the dead, deliverance from demonic oppression, and too many more to name? None of these exists in heaven. If we don’t experience them here…on the earth, in this life…we will never experience them.

 Jesus’ words and works did not cease when He ascended into heaven.  His preaching, teaching, and supernatural works were continued through His apostles and ordinary believers. Every fellowship of believers experienced the presence of God and manifestations of the supernatural, even if it was only prophetic utterances in word and song. Today it is rare to find a fellowship that even believes in any of these things…and those that do rarely, if ever, experience any of them.

 Somewhere along the way we traded spontaneous Spirit-led worship and supernatural manifestations for religious ritualism…and then we created a theology to justify it.

 And the denomination (or non-denomination) of the church is irrelevant. Each has its ritual. And the ritual of any particular church is so rigid, you can set your watch by the part of the ritual you are enduring at any given moment.

 Give me a No-doz! Now you know why so many churches serve coffee in the lobby before their services. It’s not so much to encourage fellowship among the members as it is to keep them awake during the ritual.

 As for the ritual itself….

 Religious Christian services fall into two broad categories. There are those that emphasize the afterlife either through ritualistic observances designed to win the favor of God or through a sales pitch to secure a profession of faith.  And there are those that emphasize this earthly life by teaching a person can achieve his lusts for fame, fortune, and success by means of invoking the name of Jesus and/or the exercising of his faith and his merit (obedience, service, etc., usually to the “ministries” of his church).

 Although these two types of churches appear to be polar opposites, they are, in fact, identical twins.

 In both cases, Jesus is not the object of worship…He is a means to an end. Whether that goal is to escape hell (or shorten one’s time in purgatory) and attain the blessings of heaven, or if the goal is to attain the material blessings of this life, in neither case is Jesus Himself the object of the worshiper’s affection and desire. And in neither case does the worshiper experience God or leave the church service equipped to advance the Kingdom of God on the earth and manifest that Kingdom in word and deed.

 It would be laughable if it wasn’t so pathetic…and heartbreaking.

 So, what does it mean to experience the Kingdom of God?

 There are two ways we can experience the Kingdom of God in this life. I call them the inward and outward experience of God’s Kingdom.

 The inward experience of God’s Kingdom is when we bask in the presence of God, hearing His loving whispers and listening to His “heartbeat”. It is receiving revelation, receiving His lifegiving power in our physical bodies and in our lives, and receiving a much-needed miracle or supernatural provision. It is falling deeper in love with Jesus every day and walking in the intimate relationship with God that Jesus invited us into.

 The outward experience of God’s Kingdom occurs when we minister the King, and His blessings, to others. It is when we introduce someone to Him. It is when we convey His love and power to others whether by a prophetic word, a physical or emotional healing, working a miracle, or imparting gifts both spiritual and material.

 So I don’t kn0w about you, but I have determined to join with Jesus and John the Baptist in their declaration concerning the Kingdom of God with its attendant blessings and invitation to become a part of it.

 “The Kingdom of God is at hand!”

 Now. On the earth. In this life.

 Responses to this article are welcomed.  You may contact the author at drdave1545@yahoo.com