My Kingdom is not of This World
As Christians, we are “new creatures”, old things are past away, all things are become new. II Cor. 5:17
While we are created new, born again, instantly by God when HE reveals HIMSELF to us … we grow day by day into the image of Christ, to the image of the Word of God by doing the Word of God in the issue at hand.
As we live in this world, we are continually cleansed and kept by the Word of God.
Destructive thoughts come from our own fleshly desires and from devils who fight against the Word of God and the way of God.
We overcome daily by hearing from the Spirit of God and choosing to go as directed by the Spirit in various scriptures of the Holy Bible.
Sometimes the Holy Spirit will remind us instantly of a scripture to counter a destructive thought.
Other times we have to turn to God in prayer, asking HIM about that thought and depending always on the faithfulness of God to lead us in the way of escape.
I Corinthians 10 … 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
It is so helpful if you will learn to live within your financial means rather than living as the world lives, charging things and barely making it from one month to the other.
At the time I was born again, 1975, I owned a small business in Dallas, Texas (USA).
I felt God showed me to get out of debt. I began working diligently on this.
A friend of mine was an executive with Braniff Airlines (now out of business). She was amazed at the way I was operating my business.
She said: “Usually what people learn to do in business is to borrow money and operate their businesses on other people’s money.”
That is common practice in the world.
That is not what God showed me to do. Instead God showed me to pay cash for merchandise and if I could not pay cash do not buy the merchandise.
Also, just before God revealed HIMSELF to me, causing me to be born again, I had accepted a business loan from one of my customers who was not a Christian.
As soon as I became a Christian, I felt I needed to free myself and pay her back all the money she had loaned me for merchandise.
This became my first goal after being born again.
As I remember it, I had fully paid her within a few months after becoming a Christian.
The following scripture was leading me in this matter:
II Corinthians 6 … 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
A friend of mine at the time was a very good businessman. He said he was a Christian but his best friend and business partner was an unbeliever. I never could understand how this was possible. He told me he kept his business life and his personal life and his “Christian” life separate … 3 different lives.
I doubt he was really a Christian.
I did get my business out of debt. I worked at it diligently, even in small ways. I didn’t purchase things outside that I could make myself, such as coffee. Even though this was a matter of 50-cents, it was a “way of life” to me.
An important consideration for each of us as Christians is the following.
The apostle Paul said … some people consider gain as a sign of godliness, and Paul said for us to withdraw ourselves from such people. I Tim. 6:5 …
Then Paul went on to tell us … 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I Tim. 6
Although we can deal with destructive thoughts with specific scripture, it is important for each of us to lay a good foundation for our new lives in Christ.
A very revealing scripture which will pay very big dividends to us is to learn to live the following way:
Jesus said: My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Jn. 18:36
When we come to the understanding that our kingdom is not of this world either, we shut the door on many destructive thoughts. We live in far more peace when we view our lives here as the great men and women of faith viewed their lives, reported in Hebrews 11 …
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for HE hath prepared for them a city.
Rev. 21 … 1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people, and God HIMSELF shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
5 And HE that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And HE said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
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