The demonstration of God's power releases praise in the heart of man. The Kingdom of God is not only in word but in demonstration of the Spirit's power. Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

The Kingdom of God is very vast, yet it is within the heart of the believer. Luke 17:20-21, "Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." 

The Kingdom of God is heaven, but it is more than that, the sphere of God's Kingdom includes the whole universe, heaven, hell, and earth. God is omnipresent.

David expressed it this way in Psalms 139:7-10, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

Paul said, in Romans 10:6-13 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).  But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."   For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.  For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."   

This passage removes all the difficulty of receiving salvation it is very simple; believe in your heart and confess with your mouth and you will be saved. There are many Christians but not a lot of sons and daughters of the Kingdom. God is gracious to save many who call out at the last moments of their life. The bible tells us many are called but few are chosen. Just because we are saved, believe in Jesus and will go to heaven when we die doesn't mean we will inherit the Kingdom of power here on earth. Those that pursue God with their whole heart in obedience will receive a great reward.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

There is resurrection life changing power in the cross and the shed blood of Jesus. Paul is stoned and left for dead yet he returns to that city, strengthens the disciples and encourages them to remain true to the faith.

Acts 14:19-22 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many "hardships" (tribulations = pressures, afflictions, anguish, burdens, persecution, and trouble) to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

If you are not pursuing the Kingdom of God you will not experience these hardships, afflictions, and tribulations. If your desire is simply to be saved, live life believing in Jesus and when you die to enter into heaven you will live a much different life. 

Matthew 5:10, Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

• Seek first the Kingdom of God.
  
• If you seek with all your heart, you will see with your heart.
  
• When you see with your heart, you will enter the Kingdom.
  
• When you enter the Kingdom, you will possess the Kingdom.
  
• When you possess the Kingdom, you will inherit the Kingdom.
  
• When you inherit the Kingdom, you will pass it on to others and advance the Kingdom

Example New Testament:  The Thief on the Cross

Luke 23:39-43 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?  (The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom) We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." 

Example Old Testament: Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt through the Passover celebration, and placing the lambs shed blood upon the door post. Moses attempted to lead them through the wilderness into the Promised Land, their resting place into the Davidic Kingdom of God. Exodus 19:4-6 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

When they died they were able to make it into heaven but they did not enter into the Kingdom rest in their Promised Land. Hebrews 3:8-11 Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"  

The Prodigal Son was redeemed; but The Older Brother inherited the Kingdom. Luke 15:11-33 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'  So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. "Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours (inherited the Kingdom).  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother (redeemed) of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"

Inherit the Kingdom

God's unconditional love will save anyone in any condition that will come to Him with a repentant heart. But the Bondservants that love God, serve Him, and are obedient to His every wish and command will receive a much greater and different reward. 

Paul was not content to know he was going to inherit heaven. He wanted to be a son of God and inherit the Kingdom on earth.

Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

God has called us to rule and reign with Him now while we are on earth and when we inherit heaven too. We are called to be a Bride of Christ who is without spot or wrinkle.

1Timothy 6:11-16, Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.  In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time-God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

Upon our death, the life we lived here on earth will forever polarize the realms we rule in heaven for eternity. 

Ecclesiastes 11:3 If clouds are full of water, they pour rain upon the earth. Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where it falls, there will it lie.

Our life affects the people around us, for no man lives unto himself.

Romans 14:7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

As believers we are not to judge one another because we are not qualified and we only know in part and see through a mirror darkly.

Evil spirits try to gets you to come into agreement with religious traditions and doctrines of man through fear and intimidation. When you say "I do" to that type of covenant relationship you are not entering into covenant you are entering into a "Coven" that is operating out of a false and religious spirit that will squeeze the spiritual life and power out of you. Just like a Python religious traditions will slowly squeeze the life out of you.

The blind man Jesus healed knew Jesus was a prophet. He had enough insight to know the truth even though he had been blind his whole life. The Pharisees were divided and his parents wouldn't take a stand for what was right because of the fear of being thrown out of the temple. John 9:18-25 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents.  "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?" "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" It's hard to argue with the supernatural miracle working power of God that opens blind eyes. 

Jesus seeks and finds those that are thrown out of the religious establishments of men.

John 9:35-41 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"  "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."  Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."  Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.