The Kingdom Principle of Faith
Explore how faith acts as the vital currency of God's kingdom, enabling believers to actively engage and take hold of divine blessings, even when faced with spiritual resistance.
The Kingdom Principle of Faith
Tonight, we will explore the kingdom principle of faith. This is a foundational truth the Lord placed on my heart to share, emphasizing how faith operates within God's kingdom.
We begin in Matthew 11:11-15. I will be reading from the New King James Version, but I encourage you to read different translations to gain a deeper understanding. Sometimes, a slightly different rendering can illuminate a point more clearly.
Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subject to violence, and the violent lay claim to it.
13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.
14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.
15 He who has ears, let him hear.
The phrase "the violent take it by force" resonates deeply with me. I grew up in a country experiencing civil war. I witnessed unimaginable things, including child soldiers as young as seven carrying AK-47s. These drugged children were often the most dangerous, unable to rationalize, and driven by substances mixed with gunpowder placed under their skin.
In the midst of this war, the Lord arrested me. I gave my life to Christ in 10th grade. I met a man of God, Reverend C.K. Dagadu, who became like a spiritual father to me. He was a prayer warrior, but a different kind of warrior—one who sought to go deeper.
When I met Reverend Dagadu, I was 17 or 18. Due to the war, my schooling was delayed; I later earned my GED in the US. He approached me one day, asking, "Do you want to go deeper?" I was already saved, Spirit-filled, attending Bible studies, evangelizing, and doing street ministry. I wondered, "How much deeper can I go?"
He then introduced me to the concept of deliverance. He explained that even after salvation, being born again, and filled with the Holy Spirit, there's another level where people can be delivered from spirits and past bondages. This was a revelation, as I thought salvation was the complete end of the process.
Reverend Dagadu explained: when Adam sinned, humanity was not only separated from God, but we also took on burdens and consequences that wouldn't exist without sin. These are the consequences of sin—heavy loads that remain even after we renounce sin and give our lives to Christ.
Consider the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? A scene shows a man getting baptized, his sins washed away. Yet, a friend, a former law student, reminds him, "That doesn't exonerate you from the law. Your sin has been washed away in God's eyes, but I bet that warden is still coming after you."
Similarly, even though God has paid the price for our sins and set us free, the enemy often tries to hold onto past bondages. He feels he has a legal ground in our lives because of past involvement with sin. However, the scripture declares, "He whom the Son has set free is free indeed."
Often, we remain bound because we leave "open doors." We might be saved, Spirit-filled, and church-going, but we leave a crack in the door, never fully shutting off certain areas of our past. Sometimes, we even like our sin. People say sinners are miserable, but initially, sin can be fun for a season, until the enemy truly ensnares you, and then it becomes bitter.
The enemy is crafty. He makes sin seem sweet for a season, but eventually, it becomes a burden. God warned Cain, "Why is your countenance fallen? If you do right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do right, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." Sin is like a tiger, crouching, waiting to pounce the moment you step out that door.
God told Cain, "You must master it. You must rule over it." There's a difference between overcoming and mastering. When you overcome a temptation, it keeps coming back, requiring continuous effort. But when you master it, you subdue it. It's no longer a temptation; it's under your feet. We are called not just to overcome, but to master sin.
Two Kinds of Violence in the Kingdom
Returning to Matthew 11:12: "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." I asked the Lord what this meant regarding faith. He revealed two kinds of violence:
- Violence from Resistance
- Violence from Insistence
John the Baptist, Jesus's cousin, came baptizing and proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." He urged people to turn from their evil ways because the kingdom was within their grasp, right around them. John prepared the way, pointing to Jesus as the one greater than he, whose sandals he was unworthy to untie. The kingdom of God was truly right in their midst.
The first violence, from resistance, came from King Herod. As a half-Jew king employed by the Romans, he was despised by the Jews. When he heard a new king, the Messiah, had been born, he saw it as a political threat to his dynasty. Despite being deceived by the wise men, Herod's fear led him to order the killing of every male child under two in Bethlehem and its vicinity.
For the Jewish people, the coming of the kingdom and the Messiah was a monumental event they had awaited for centuries. They sought not just a spiritual deliverer, but a military and political leader who would free them from Roman oppression. Herod understood this, perceiving the Messiah as the next revolutionary leader, prompting his violent resistance.
The second violence, from insistence, came from those who eagerly embraced the kingdom. They heard John's message: no longer did they need to perform countless rituals for acceptance. All they had to do was repent and accept Jesus Christ. This was an astonishing revelation for many, who believed they would immediately partake in a new earthly kingdom, holding positions of power.
Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." This illustrates the immense passion some had for the kingdom—they were willing to give up everything to possess it.
Jesus also compared the kingdom to "a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." In those days, pearl diving was extremely dangerous, risking life for hours in deep waters. This highlights the incalculable value of the kingdom of God.
The kingdom of God is so valuable that those who truly understood its worth were willing to risk everything. They demonstrated a fierce insistence, a "violence" of passion, to acquire it. Meanwhile, others, like the Pharisees, resisted, unable to accept that salvation could be so simple, calling Jesus a heretic.
Accessing Blessings Through Faith
The Lord revealed that there are some things in His kingdom that we won't access without "taking it by force." As God's people, in God's place, under God's rule, enjoying God's blessing—we often feel we have to fight for everything: our peace, our joy, even just getting through the night. This is because the kingdom suffers violence.
The kingdom of God is designed for us to enjoy the fullness of God's blessing. However, it often feels like we're not walking in the prosperity and riches God has laid aside for us. It's important to remember that God is not obligated to give us more than He's already given. He has already provided abundantly.
Consider creation: the entire universe is designed to sustain life on Earth. Jupiter, for example, is perfectly aligned to block debris from hitting our planet. The movement of moons and asteroids helps refresh our water systems. From one tree, we get countless products; from crude oil, over 300 different products. God has already done everything necessary to sustain us.
As Peter said, "His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness." This means everything you need for your career, for life itself, He has already given. It rains on the just and the unjust because God set it up equally for everyone. Any special treatment or bonus blessing is extra, because He's not obligated to do more.
Here's the beauty of faith: When you are God's people in God's place, under God's rule, enjoying God's blessing, faith is the currency of the kingdom. Just as money is a medium of exchange to transfer goods, faith is the medium of transfer in God's economy.
God is not obligated to do anything more than He's already done, and He would be justified if He didn't. He doesn't respond to fear or emotional pleas. But by faith, you can get Him to do more. As we enter a new year, let us operate not out of fear, but with the kingdom principle of faith, accessing all that God has for us.
What 'Taking By Force' Truly Means
The 'violence' Jesus refers to in Matthew 11:12 is not physical aggression. Instead, it is a spiritual tenacity and unwavering determination. It is the kind of faith that, despite circumstances or spiritual resistance, remains persistent and insistent. It means refusing to give up, clinging to God's promises, and acting on His Word even when it seems impossible. This 'taking by force' is a resolute spiritual stance that says, 'I will not leave until I receive what God has promised me.'
26 She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.
27 When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up through the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.
28 For she kept saying, “If only I touch His garments, I will be healed.”
29 Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
30 At once Jesus was aware that power had gone out from Him. Turning to the crowd, He asked, “Who touched My garments?”
31 His disciples answered, “You can see the crowd pressing in on You, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’”
32 But He kept looking around to see who had done this.
33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him trembling in fear, and she told Him the whole truth.
34 “Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free of your affliction.”
Our Role in Accessing God's Promises
God has already done everything necessary. His kingdom is full of blessings waiting for us. However, His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, but it is our faith that actively engages and takes hold of these provisions. Think of faith not just as belief, but as the active 'currency' or the 'key' that unlocks what is already ours in the spiritual realm. Just as a physical key opens a locked door, faith opens the door to God's promises, allowing us to 'take' what He has freely given.
