Pastor Dmitriy Leo reveals the laws, characteristics, and spheres of influence of three kingdoms that exist in parallel—the Kingdom of God, the kingdom of darkness, and the kingdom of the world. You will learn exactly how each kingdom wages war and what forces it uses to do so. The school was held at Father’s Blessing Church.
Introduction
Three kingdoms exist in parallel on earth.
- The Kingdom of God has come to earth and is spreading and filling it step by step.
- The kingdom of the world is a temporarykingdom.
- The kingdom of darkness is gradually losing its ground and being destroyed.
1. Dictionary Definition
“The Kingdom of God” and “the Kingdom of Heaven” are synonyms. In general, this refers to the Kingdom of God, which exists in Heaven and on earth.
Matt. 4:17 “From that time on, Jesus began to preach: ‘Repent, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near!’”
Mark 1:15 “The time has come,” He said. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent and believe the Good News!”
2. Revelation of the Kingdom
It is important for us to receive revelation about the Kingdom of God.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples for 40 days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.
Acts 1:3 “After His suffering, He appeared to these people alive, giving many convincing proofs. Jesus appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the Kingdom of God.”
The Apostle Paul spoke about the Kingdom of God in the synagogue for 90 days.
Acts 19:8 “He went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God.”
3. Preaching the Kingdom
Jesus said that the “Good News of the Kingdom” would be preached by the Church until the end. The preaching of the Kingdom must be “good news” for the world, as an alternative to the bad news of eternal torment in the lake of fire.
Matthew 24:14 “The Good News of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
Jesus sent the disciples to do the same thing – to preach.
Luke 9:2 “Then He sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”
4. Who Will Enter and Who Will Inherit the Kingdom of God
No one can see the Kingdom of God and enter it unless they are born again—born of water and the Spirit.
John 3:3 In reply, Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 5 Jesus answered: “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”
The Church of Jesus, in accordance with the testament (Luke 22:29), entered the Kingdom of God.
Col. 1:13 “...who has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son.”
It is very difficult for people who put their hope in earthly wealth to enter the Kingdom of God.
Mark 10:24 The disciples were amazed at these words, but Jesus repeated: “Children, how difficult it is for those who trust in riches to enter the Kingdom of God!”
Unrighteous people (people living in sin) will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
1 Cor. 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes or men who have sex with men, 10 nor thieves, the greedy, drunkards, slanderers or swindlers will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Gal. 5:21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you again: those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Eph. 5:5 For you can be sure of this: no sexually immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.
5. The Kingdom of God and the Church of Jesus Christ
The mysteries of the Kingdom of God are revealed only to the Church — the disciples of Jesus Christ.
Mark 4:11 He replied: “The secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables,”
The Church is the representative of the Kingdom of God on earth, and it has the privilege of deciding matters concerning the Kingdom. If the Church evangelizes, people will be saved; if it does not, they will perish. If it heals and delivers, people will live; if not, people will perish.
Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
Jesus taught that we should pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God and seek (desire) it.
Matthew 6:10 Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 33 But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the rest will also be given to you.
It is very important to always pray for the Kingdom of God to come to us: into our bodies, our homes, our meetings, and our cities. Wherever the Kingdom of God comes, everything else comes as well—salvation, healing, deliverance, breakthrough, prosperity, and so on.
6. What the Kingdom of God on Earth Is Like
Jesus told most of His parables about the Kingdom. Here is what we can learn from them.
The Parable of the Sower. The word about the Kingdom is sown among people, and depending on the heart, the word either does not sprout or sprouts and produces a harvest thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.
The Parable of the Weeds. The sons of the Kingdom are sown throughout the world, and the evil one sows his sons among them. The sons of the evil one will be allowed to remain together with the sons of God until the very end—until the time of harvest.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed. The Kingdom is sown like a small seed, but when it sprouts, it becomes very large.
The Parable of the Yeast. The Kingdom works like yeast in dough. A small amount leavens everything else.
The Parable of the Treasure Hidden in a Field. The Kingdom is a great treasure for which it is worth giving up all earthly treasures.
The Parable of the Pearl. The Kingdom is a great treasure of incomparable value, for which it is worth selling all earthly treasures.
The Parable of the Net. Both righteous and wicked people will be “caught” into the Kingdom, but at the end of the age, the angels will separate the wicked from the righteous, and the wicked will be thrown into the fiery furnace.
The Parable of the King and Debtors. All debts will be forgiven to the people in the Kingdom, but they, too, must forgive everyone’s debts. Those who do not forgive will be punished and will have to repay all their debts themselves.
The Parable of the Vineyard. At different times, different people will be called into the Kingdom to work. Some will work more, others less, but all will receive the reward determined by the Lord.
The Parable of the Wedding Feast. First, the chosen people will be invited into the Kingdom, but not all of them will want to come. Then other people will be invited instead, and they will take the places of the chosen.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins. Half of the people awaiting the coming of Jesus will remain watchful and enter the feast with Him; the other half will not be ready. The door will be shut before them, and the Bridegroom will say, “I do not know you!”
The Parable of the Ten Minas (Talents). In the earthly kingdom, people will receive resources according to their abilities. When He comes, Jesus will require an account of what has been done. Those who have multiplied what was given to them will receive a reward: during the Lord’s reign, they will be appointed to govern cities. Whoever does not multiply the resources received will have them taken away, and they will be thrown into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
7. Signs of the Coming of the Kingdom of God
The Partial Manifestation of the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God is manifested “in people” and “through people” as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Looking at these signs, we can say that the Kingdom of God has come to a person, or that this person has entered the Kingdom of God.
Romans 14:17 The Kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy given by the Holy Spirit.
The Kingdom of God is visibly manifested among people not in words, but in power.
1 Corinthians 4:20 For the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in power*.
It is not words that prove the Kingdom of God has come to a place, but the manifestation of power demonstrates that the Kingdom of God has come there. *In this passage, power [dunamis] means miracles and signs, including casting out demons, cleansing, raising the dead, and healing the sick.
When demons are cast out, it is a visible sign that the Kingdom of God is being manifested in that place.
Luke 11:20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come to you.
The Full Manifestation of the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God has not yet come in its fullness and everywhere.
Luke 21:31 So also, when you see these things taking place, know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Luke 22:18 I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes.
Acts 14:22 There they encouraged the disciples and urged them to remain firm in the faith. “We must go through many hardships before we enter the Kingdom of God,” they said.
The Kingdom of God will come in its fullness after the second coming of Jesus Christ, when the devil is cast down and the reign of Jesus Christ begins.
Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices in heaven said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ! He will reign forever and ever!”
Revelation 12:10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ! The accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been cast down!”
Conclusions
- Three kingdoms exist on earth simultaneously.
- It is important for us to receive revelation about the Kingdom of God.
- The “Good News of the Kingdom” will be preached by the Church until the end.
- No one can see the Kingdom of God or enter it unless they are born again.
- In accordance with the covenant (Luke 22:29), the Church of Jesus entered the Kingdom of God.
- It is very difficult for people who trust in earthly wealth to enter the Kingdom of God.
- Unrighteous people (those who live in sin) will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
- The mysteries of the Kingdom of God are revealed only to the Church—to the disciples of Jesus Christ.
- Jesus taught that we should pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God and seek (desire) it.
- Wherever the Kingdom of God comes, there everything else comes as well—salvation, healing, deliverance, breakthrough, prosperity, and so on.
- The Kingdom of God manifests “in people” and “through people” as righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. By looking at these signs, one can say that the Kingdom of God has come to this person, or that this person has entered the Kingdom of God.
- The Kingdom of God manifests visibly among people not in words, but in power.
- Healings, the casting out of demons, the raising of the dead, and other miracles are signs that the Kingdom of God has manifested in that place.
- The Kingdom of God will come in its fullness after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, when the devil is cast down and the reign of Jesus Christ begins.
End of the third lesson.
Source: Father’s Blessing Church
Author: Dmitriy Leo
