Kingdoming Well Part 2

Last week we gave an intro to the Kingdom of God. We now have a working definition of the Kingdom of God which is the authority, the rule and reign of God. We also talked briefly about the idea that the Kingdom is here, but not fully here, an inaugurated Eschatology. The Kingdom was inaugurated when Jesus came the first time, it will be consummated when He returns. We live in a tension between the now and the not yet.
Matthew illustrates this concept in Matthew 12:28:
Matthew 12:28 (NIV)
28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
For our study today, let’s take a look at this verse in context and talk about the kingdom of the evil one, the kingdom of darkness.
Matthew 12:22-30 (NIV)
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.
The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the evil one are not in any way equal. God is and always has been all powerful. He is omnipotent. Even though the evil one rebelled against God, he was never any sort of real threat to all powerful all mighty God.
2 Chronicles 20:6 (NIV)
6 and said: “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.
The end result of the conflict that exists is not in question. The battle that continues on is not between God and the evil one, it is between the evil one and the people on the earth. The evil one is not now and never has been a match for God. God just kicked him out of heaven in a flash.
Luke 10:18 (NIV)
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
This verse records Jesus commentary about the evil one being kicked out of heaven. Let’s look at the verse in context:
Luke 10:1-20 (NIV)
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road. 5 “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. 8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’ 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. 13 “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. 16 “He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
When the seventy-two came back from their ministry in the towns to report to Jesus they were excited because they had been a part of the Kingdom of God ministry of casting out demons. They said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name”.
That is when Jesus replied with, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven”.
Jesus was telling them that He has seen the evil one kicked out from heaven in His pre-incarnate state. He had seen the Father’s absolute power over the evil one. God said get out and the enemy had to go, like lightning. Gone, in a flash. He is telling them that since God could so quickly and easily expel the evil one, they shouldn’t be surprised that under His authority, reign, rule, they could quickly and easily expel demons.
The disciples had seen the power of the evil one displayed throughout their lives but now they rejoiced in their awareness of a far greater power in the Kingdom of God. This is something all believers need to grasp, God is the creator, the evil one is just a creation.
Since God certainly could put a stop to the evil one, why doesn’t He?
The evil one has been permitted by God to rule over the kingdom of darkness and all the people “who love the darkness”.
John 3:19 (NIV)
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
The enemy has been given permission to rule over anyone that is not submitted to God. If we are not submitted to God, have not come under His rule and reign, we are a part of the kingdom of darkness by default, if not by active choice.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 (NIV)
24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Hebrews 2:14-15 (NIV)
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
1 John 5:19 (NIV)
19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
We have been talking on Sunday mornings how Jesus at the cross has rendered the evil one virtually powerless. Our adversary is limited in power to tricks and deceptions to try and keep the world in darkness. Our adversary is like a roaring lion, but he is not the roaring lion. Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah. The enemy is a counterfeit.
1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
At the cross, Jesus broke the hold the enemy had over death. Before we knew Christ we were spiritually dead. Separated from God by our sin.
Ephesians 2:1-3 (NIV)
1 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
John 8:44 (NIV)
44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Before we are “born again” we are spiritually dead. But in Christ, by His work on the cross, we can be set free from the kingdom of darkness, from the captivity of the evil one and enter the Kingdom of God.
John 3:16 (NIV)
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
2 Peter 1:4 (NIV)
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
As believers in Christ, with the hope of eternal life, set free from spiritual death, under the authority, rule and reign of God, filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are to engage in the conflict to help other people find freedom in Christ. We are to extend to the world the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
Acts 1:1-8 (NIV)
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” 6 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”