Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display, 21 Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]. AMPC
Since the Kingdom of God is within us then God is always with us. That means when we believe and call upon Him we know He always there for us, we will know we’re not alone but that He lives within us.
I watched a movie the other night and a guy was calling out to God in desperation. It was a starry night, a beautiful moment as he went to God pouring his heart out to God. He was looking up to the stars looking for God, a gorgeous picture.
I love it when people turn to God because I know God is their answer. He is there and He does care. It was beautiful moment until this other guy showed up. He ruined the atmosphere of faith when he said —hey because you’re not going to hear anything from up there I decided to butt in. What a terrible thing to do I thought, but that is the world some live in.
It was upsetting to me to see that unbeliever not only display his doubt in God but transfer his doubt to the person who just started to trust God.
When we’re the most desperate we turn to God in hope and faith, and that is when God can do something. That’s when we find out we are not alone, that God is always there and always has been.
The thing is, is we can’t see Him except by faith and that is why when we are desperate, when we are looking, we can see Him.
Hebrews 10:38 But the just shall live by faith [My righteous servant shall live by his conviction respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, and holy fervor born of faith and conjoined with it]; and if he draws back and shrinks in fear, My soul has no delight or pleasure in him. AMPC
The opposed to that is doubt and in doubt we can’t see Him or have faith in Him and we will think we are alone with no answers.
That said God is pleased when we have faith in Him because we can see Him and He can actually do something in our lives when we have faith in Him.
I love this in the Message translation; it shows us how God is moved by our faith in Him.
Romans 1:16-17 It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: “The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives.” Message
I like the word rescue because just as we talked about yesterday He is ready to rescue us, His will is to do good, change our lives from bad or okay to good, to His higher standards of excellence! That is God’s plan to do good in our lives and to be with us but, He can do that only as we have faith in Him.
What I can see in this translation is that in the midst of our faith God’s way of making things good happens —then confirming scripture that says the person in right standing with God is the one who really lives. In other words in the midst of your faith you will see God move.
The just shall live by faith, the one that has faith will live that abundant, good life Jesus said we would. That life is lived by faith in Jesus. Therefore when we have faith in Him we are not alone, we always have Him to count on in every circumstance whatever the need. He is there as we acknowledge that He is and is a rewarded of those who seek Him out.
When I talk to Him or about Him I can feel Him. When I call out to Him He answers me. Why? Because I have faith in Him that He is in me. He is inside of me because I invited Him to be. So by faith, by my belief in His Word, I know I am never alone.
To hear Him and feel Him is amazing, and as well it is amazing it when He shows up and does that miracle. When the thing happens that I had been asking Him for.
Having faith in Him makes that miracle happen and we know that because Jesus said over and again, your faith has made you well, your faith...
In that moment of faith the desired thing we hope for will manifest!
James 2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead). AMPC
Faith means you have to do something. Whatever that action might be it has to happen in the midst of you believing you have faith in God.
One thing for sure you have to do is get faith, increase your faith by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). If we believe we will live by the instructions in the Book.
If we believe then we will talk and act what we believe. If we believe God is taking care of us we will have His presence and peace because we paid attention, we took heed of His Word.
I need to know God is there, I need to feel Him, hear Him and have His way in my life. I am so grateful for His presence in my life and that happens in our lives by determining to have faith in Him. Determine to take time to build our relationship with Him.
That is where most miss it; they don’t want to take the time to know God. To me it makes so much sense. You can’t trust someone you don’t know. Yet many want that Someone they don’t know to make provision for them. That Someone they don’t know or have time for, or even agree with, to be there for them all the time.
That isn’t practical in a natural relationship so why would it be with God? If you want a relationship with someone you have to take time for that person and get to know that person.
Because people don’t know God they mistake Him for who He is not, they lack wisdom, they feel alone, and live short of His blessings.
Just yesterday I heard the news of another Pastor killing himself. They called it mental illness. Mental illness is the same as to say in my knowledge of the truth from the Word of God, that he was harassed and oppressed by the enemy.
The Word of God is truth and the Word tells us that we need Jesus to heal us from the oppression of the enemy.
Acts 10:38 How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the [Holy] Spirit and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and, in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by [the power of] the devil, for God was with Him. AMPC
Anyone who doesn’t know, have the knowledge of the truth, the enemy can harass. He comes dressed up, not as himself but of something or someone that appears to be good. As Peter said looking for someone he can devour.
That person that he can swallow up in self pity, offence, guilt, condemnation excreta, he will. He will make that person feel alone, worthless and eventually get that person to the place of suicide.
Why? Because then he has another one out of the way of him doing his work. Especially a Minister of the Gospel, that one would be a great threat to him.
The thing we need to know is he is our enemy and we have to resist him. Submit to God resist the enemy and he will flee (James 4:7). When he comes to judge you, to condemn you and tell you how worthless you are, your part is to resist him and go to God. Don’t take on his lies as to fellowship with him and disagree with God.
In the midst of an attack and even before go to God and worship Him. Get in His presence and let Him love you. Read His Word and remind yourself of His goodness and the good plan He has for you. Fellowship with Him so He can prepare you and tell you things to come.
If you submit to God the enemy will be gone before you know it. But, you have to stay filled up with the Word. Get faith (Romans 10:17) so you can stay high and lifted up, above his criticisms. He will keep trying, he will come back again and again to try and harass us, but as we stay in faith, in the presence of God there is nothing he can do.
We are never alone if we don’t want to be. If you are sitting home by yourself it is because you want to be. If you didn’t want to be alone you would go and find someone to spend time with, someone to bless, or serve.
The same is true with God, if you don’t want to be alone, just reach out to Him and He will be there! Jesus said He is knocking at the door of your heart and if you open the door He will hang out with you (Revelation 3:20). All you have to do is open the door and let Him in.
Faith without action is dead because without faith there can be no provision, no console in fact no relationship. If you don’t open the door to Jesus there is no faith, in the fact that you can have a relationship with Him and He can be there for you.
If that man would have reached out to God instead of let the enemy pounce on him, he would be here today. Why? Because faith comes by hearing the Word, hearing God confirms we are not alone and when we are not alone, but with God, comes faith, revelation knowledge, guidance from the Holy Spirit comes and Joy comes!
Satan can’t take out a happy Christian that is why he tries so to hard to harass and oppress us!
God told me one day, He is not looking to take people to heaven, but He is looking for workers on the earth (Luke 10:2). God didn’t need that man in heaven but that man had an assignment and Satan stole it from him by getting him to take himself out!
We have to know Satan is lurking around in our thinking to try and control us and we are to resist him, yes in our thinking!
Instead of thinking his thoughts we have to think God’s thoughts. Think on these things, whatever is pure and lovely and of good report (Philippines 4:6-8). That is having our trust in God.
We truly are not alone when we commit to Jesus. When you ask Him to come and live on the inside of you, He really does. He really is there and is He is all you need for every need.