The Kingdoms

The phrase “Life is Spiritual” holds profound meaning. The Scripture points to the existence of three distinct kingdoms:

1. The Kingdom of the World:

This is the physical realm we inhabit, visible to our natural eyes. It was created for humanity, granting us dominion and the capacity to interact with it. Our physical bodies are uniquely designed for this kingdom, enabling us to navigate and dominate it.

2. The Kingdom of Darkness:

This spiritual kingdom was established on Earth by Satan and his fallen angels after their expulsion from heaven (Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-17, Luke 10:18). Other fallen angels, referred to as “sons of God” in Genesis 6:1-4, appeared in Noah’s generation.

3. The Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Heaven):

This is the spiritual realm where our Creator, our Heavenly Father, reigns. Jesus frequently spoke of this Kingdom, from which He came. This realm is also inhabited by Holy angels who fulfill various roles. For instance, Angel Gabriel served as a messenger, delivering the news of Jesus’ birth to Mary (Luke 1:26-38), while Angel Michael is depicted as a warrior angel (Daniel 10:13).

The Interconnectedness of Kingdoms:

The Kingdom of the World was never intended to operate independently of spiritual influence. The Garden of Eden, a territory within the Kingdom of the World, was a place where it merged with the Kingdom of Heaven, fully governed by God’s presence. Satan, already a fallen angel, existed outside Eden. When he cunningly entered Eden disguised as a serpent and deceived Eve, their subsequent disobedience led to their expulsion (Genesis 3:23-24). God placed a guard to prevent humanity’s return to Eden, as eating from the Tree of Life found in the garden in their fallen state would have granted them immortal evil, akin to Satan.

Outside Eden, the rest of the earth was cursed and inhabited by Satan in spiritual form. With humanity’s separation from God, they became vulnerable to Satan’s influence, as evidenced by Cain’s murder of his brother. Humanity, inherently spiritual, was never meant to operate apart from a guiding spirit. If God’s Spirit is not in control, another spirit inevitably takes His place (Matthew 7:16).

Human Limitations and the Search for Higher Power:

In our physical kingdom, we are inherently limited in power, knowledge, strength, and lifespan. We continuously strive to understand the physical world through science, often fantasizing about superheroes with unlimited abilities. We have little control over life’s events, leading to feelings of being lost, powerless and a yearning for deeper meaning. Our desires often clash with the unpredictable nature of the world.

When faced with these limitations, many recognize the existence of a Spiritual world that can influence our physical reality. We turn to prayer, seeking spiritual backing. There are two spiritual kingdoms to which we can appeal for divine help. However, some unwisely turn to the Kingdom of Darkness, choosing a shortcut that ultimately costs them and their future generations.

Spiritual Influence on the Physical World:

The Kingdom of the World is significantly manipulated and controlled by spiritual kingdoms. It is naive to assume that the spiritual world does not affect our physical lives. Many of our struggles—broken relationships, stagnation, unfulfilled dreams, illnesses, depression, addiction, financial oppression—have spiritual roots and often require spiritual intervention through prayer. Satan perpetuates the lie of his non-existence to deter us from seeking the appropriate spiritual help.

Those who grasp this spiritual reality, even the wicked, seek spiritual assistance. Some willingly, others unknowingly, engage in worship within the wrong Kingdom in exchange for the help they desire. Satan and his fallen angels have divided territories, forming principalities that control the world we live in. When we don’t worship the true God, we are likely to start worshipping one of these principalities. In Daniel 10:13 an angel of God informs Daniel that he had been detained by the prince of the Persian kingdom, delaying him from delivering a message from God and that Michael, a more powerful angel of God, had rescued him from the Persian prince. An ordinary person cannot detain an Angel of God, therefore, it’s safe to conclude that the prince of Persia was not an ordinary person but one of the fallen angels, a principality.

The Gift of Free Will and the Choice of Partnership:

God, in His design for humanity, bestowed upon us the gift of self-will and dominion over the world He created, to be exercised with the help of the Spiritual Kingdom. However, the choice to partner with Him rests solely with us. God does not impose Himself; we must choose to align with Him. There is no neutrality; we are either partnered with one spiritual kingdom or the other (Matthew 12:30: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”).

In regions where people openly or deliberately seek spiritual forces outside God’s Kingdom for selfish gain or cultural practices, the activities of the Kingdom of Darkness are often overtly apparent. This is seen in beliefs about witchcraft or rumors of influential societies controlling industries or regions.

Principalities, Oppression, and a Greater Hope:

Principalities and evil forces undeniably govern this physical world, aiming to control it and oppress humanity. They are worshipped, directly or indirectly, and dictate how the world operates. Through willing human participation, they have established oppressive systems designed to steal humanity’s life force, consume our time, and prevent us from reaching our full potential. Therefore, believing that no spirit influences your life is to overlook the systemic oppression at play. Even the wealthy experience forms of oppression.

However, this reality should not discourage you. Remember there is a superior Spiritual Kingdom, which champions our triumph and is infinitely more powerful, capable of helping you overcome all opposition.

Christianity: A Kingdom, Not Just a Religion:

Christianity is often mistakenly seen as merely another religion. Jesus did not come to establish a religion; He came to introduce the Kingdom of God to the world. God created both heavenly and earthly beings, with heavenly beings being immortal. Some disobeyed and were cast from heaven to Earth, forming the invisible spiritual kingdom of darkness within our physical world.

God grew weary of humanity’s oppression. Many were impoverished and powerless within the kingdom they were meant to reign over. Lacking an alternative spiritual authority, they remained largely oppressed, hungry for a different leadership. Scripture refers to Satan as the “prince of this world,” acknowledging his spiritual authority (John 14:30). Jesus, speaking of his impending crucifixion, stated, “He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.”

Matthew 9:36 describes the condition of the crowds following Jesus as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd,” illustrating the state of those under the rule of the Kingdom of Darkness.

The Currency of Partnership:

As mentioned, we were created to partner with or be under a spiritual kingdom. With God’s Kingdom, righteousness is the currency of partnership. With Satan’s Kingdom, sin is the currency.

Every sin committed,  grants Satan permission to act in our lives. Even those who seek Satan for personal gain may achieve their desires, but they grant him access to their lives, allowing him to act as he pleases. Unrepented sin creates “open doors” for Satan to access our lives at will, making us vulnerable to his plans to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). True repentance, which closes these doors, is only possible through the blood of Jesus. Without belief in Him, we lack this covering, leaving us at Satan’s mercy.

Choosing Your Spiritual Allegiance:

It is crucial to remember that you have the power to choose which spiritual kingdom to align with. Being under the Kingdom of God means being covered by the blood of Jesus, granting you authority to keep Satan out of your life, home, and surroundings.

Partnering with God’s Kingdom:

John the Baptist, preparing the way for Jesus, declared in Matthew 3:2, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus outlined the steps to entering God’s Kingdom: repentance, water baptism, and baptism by the Holy Spirit. Believing in Jesus allows His blood sacrifice to atone for our sins, granting us a righteousness we could never achieve on our own. When we approach God in prayer through Jesus’ name, His blood spiritually covers our sins, enabling God to see us as holy. Furthermore, receiving the Spirit of God, which occurs when we welcome Jesus into our hearts, initiates an inner transformation, aligning our thoughts and actions with righteousness. This spiritual growth is nurtured through consistent engagement with God’s Word.

To be a Spirit dominated Soul, is be an individual whose entire life is under the authority of the Kingdom of God. This kind of an individual operates outside the laws and the patterns that have been established in the world and instead allows the Spirit of God to lead and guide them through the decisions in their lives.

Many Christians are unaware of the power and authority they possess. This lack of understanding leads them to live with unrepented sins and to continue sinning, inadvertently granting Satan legal opportunities to oppress them through these spiritual “open doors.” Additionally, many Christians are still managing their own lives guided mainly by the wisdom of the world, which is the very system created to oppress them.

Furthermore, some fall into the trap of “religiousness,” adopting a Pharisaic focus on self-righteousness rather than embracing God’s grace. This approach leaves them vulnerable to oppression, which the devil exploits to his advantage. He then uses their struggles as evidence to spread the narrative that believers are oppressed by their faith, ultimately making them poor ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

Conclusion:

We exist and operate within the physical kingdom, yet its activities are profoundly influenced by spiritual kingdoms. Created with a spirit for communication with the spiritual world, we have the crucial choice of which kingdom to partner with during our time on Earth. Whether we acknowledge it or not, spiritual kingdoms impact most of our lives. Therefore, we must consciously and wisely choose which Kingdom will provide us with backing and guidance.