Shutting Up the Kingdom

(Mat 23:13) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

This is perhaps the greatest success in the enemy’s attempt to render the children of God powerless in the world today.

So many Christians are being used, unknowingly, by the enemy because they have believed the deceptions being perpetrated by him and teach this false doctrine to other believers.

(Mat 18:6) But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Interestingly the word offend, as used in today’s English language, looses something in the translation when compared to the original Greek. The Greek word used here is skandalizō (offend) (scandalize)comes from the Greek word skandalon which literally means to trap or to trip up. This is exactly what many believers are doing to the members of the body today. Especially in terms of our spiritual walk and maturation.

This truth is made evident in a number of ways, not the least of which is found in the understanding, or lack there of, of what exactly the “Kingdom” is. The word basileia (kingdom) is used some 150 times in the new testament (which to me lends the word some importance).

What did Jesus mean when He said that “the kingdom of heaven was at hand”(Matt 4:17) or “seek ye first the kingdom of heaven”(Matt 6:33)?

This Greek word basileia is used as a concrete noun, denoting a territory or a people over which a king rules. It is not to be confused with an actual kingdom rather it refers to the right or authority to rule over a kingdom. In this context it makes reference to the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah and to the royal dignity, authority and power conferred on believers in the Messiah’s kingdom.

(Joh 17:22) And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

(Joh 17:23) I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

The next question is: what is this “glory” that Jesus once shared with the Father “before the world was” (John 17:5) that he has “given” us?

The best applicable definition of this Greek word doxa, which comes from the word dokeō (anointing), in the context of this prayer is that Jesus has given us this anointing that we may be made “perfect in one” as He and the Father are one and as evidence that the Father sent the son (as Jesus has sent us) and that the Father loves the Son (as Jesus loves us).

Brothers and Sisters this is such a powerful request and commentary made by our Lord on our behalf that can’t simply be ignored or rationalized away by secular thought or opinion. Yet this is exactly what has happened within the body of believers in this present age!

This is the exact reason that the body of Christ here on Earth is, for all intents and purposes, powerless.

The Problem

(Rom 12:2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Many Christians have conformed to the world. They speak like the world and act like the world and think like the world. They rely on their own wisdom and understanding rather than that which comes from above. They have not minds which have been renewed and know not the will of God corporately or individually.

(Mar 10:14) But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

(Mar 10:15) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

What does Jesus mean here when He says we must “receive”(dechomai – to take with the hand, to take hold of) the kingdom of God as little children or we cant enter into it?

It means that we are to believe in Jesus and His teachings with childlike faith. We are not to believe what our intellect or our own understanding tells us to believe. We are not to believe what the world tells us to believe. We are to stand on the word of God in spite of those things as little children who blindly trust in the love of their Lord for them!

Why then do we listen to the world? Why do we live as carnal and not as spiritual?

Because we put our trust in men and in ourselves rather than in the word and the power of God!

One such example can be seen in the acceptance by so many believers that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not in operation today or that the way they operate is somehow different. Even worse, without any biblical evidence to support the position, that the gifts were only intended for the apostles of Jesus time and not for us and not for today.

This “belief” in and of itself is enough to render that power void!

(Mat 21:21) Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

(Mat 21:22) And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Jesus says here that we must have faith “and doubt not” “and ALL THINGS, WHATSOEVER” we shall ask in prayer, BELIEVING, YE SHALL receive (dechomai – take with the hand).

Now brothers and sisters how many times have you heard, after quoting these verses, “that is only if you pray in accordance to God’s will”?

Interestingly enough, when you search the scriptures, Jesus Himself only mentions “the will of He who sent me” one time.

(Joh 6:40) And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

He uses the term “the will of the Father” one time:

(Joh 5:30) I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

And He uses the term “the will of God” one time:

(Mar 3:35) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

The question here is what is God’s will? That is to ask what does the word “will” actually mean?

The Greek word used here, thelēma (a verb from the prolonged “thelo”- to be willing, to do of ones own accord) means, in the context of these verses, that Jesus set aside his own will (that which was His own desire) as he did in the garden:

(Mat 26:39) And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

accepted what He knew the Father expected from Him, submitted to the desire of the Father and expects us to do the same.

NOWHERE in scripture does it say, nor did Jesus ever say, “ask in accordance to the will of the Father and you will receive it” or “you will have it” or “it shall be given to you”. He simply said “ask and it shall be given”, “seek and ye shall find” knock and it shall be opened to you”.

So then where did this idea of “asking within the will of the Father” come from?

It is a lie of the enemy designed to cause doubt!

Please stay with me here. I know that this may not be a popular belief but I will prove to you that it is none the less biblical truth.

The idea came from a poor interpretation of James 4:3:

(Jas 4:2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

(Jas 4:3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

These verses have been used to shut off the kingdom and I will show you why.

The same people who tell us that we MUST keep our understanding of scripture within the context that it has been written do not apply that same rule here!

The key word here is found in verse 3 in the word “it”. What is this “it” that is being asked for and not being received? To find the answer to that question we must go back to chapter 3.

(Jas 3:13) Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

The “it” that is being asked for and not being received is wisdom!

These verses are speaking about the difference between earthly (carnal) wisdom and that wisdom which comes from above.

(Jas 3:15) This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

We must remember that when the scriptures were originally written they were not punctuated nor were they broken into chapters and verses. This was man’s idea not God’s.

Does this mean that the bible is in error? God Forbid! It simply means that when we read it we must keep everything in context.

James continues:

(Jas 4:1) From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

(Jas 4:2) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

(Jas 4:3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

(Jas 4:4) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

The “fightings” arguments were about wisdom. The lust was to show who had the most wisdom. The desire was for wisdom. The war was about wisdom.

What did they want? Wisdom! What didn’t they have? The wisdom from above! Why didn’t they have it? Because they asked amiss in that it was for their own glory and not the glory of God!

You see brothers and sisters, this has nothing to do with what Jesus was saying way back in Matthew 21:21. Yet is the argument most used to rebuke the idea, that Jesus put forth in His own words;

(Mat 21:22) And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

This doubt, which is caused by the teaching of false doctrine, is just enough to keep us from the blessings that Jesus has promised us. It is enough to cause us to waver. It is enough to cause us to sink into the stormy seas as Peter did!

I suppose the real question here is two fold:

1) Is God the same today as He was yesterday and will he be the same tomorrow?
2) Has God ever given his people anything that was clearly outside of His will?

The answer to number one, and I’m sure we can agree on this point 1000%, is a resounding yes. God is the same today as He has always been and will continue to be who He is for eternity.

With regards to the second question the answer is also a resounding “yes”. God has, in the past, and continues to this very day to hear the cry’s of His people and gives freely to them the desires of their hearts even when it is not His will (good pleasure).

Was it not God’s intent to destroy all of Sodom and Gomorrah? Did He not hear the plea of Abraham and spare Lot and His family?

Was it not God’s intent to smite the Israelites for their idol worship at the foot of Mount Sinai when Moses received the law? Did he not acquiesce with the petition of Moses and only kill 3000?

Was it God’s desire for His people that they have an earthly king or was it His will that they worship only Him? Did He give the people what they wanted? Did He give them an earthly king? Yes He did!

What about the manna from heaven? Was it God’s intent for the people to have meat? No! If it was He would have originally given them meat. But He didn’t. He gave them manna. However He did give them quail after they moaned and groaned about it.

The point here is that God does indeed give us what we ask for even if it is not what is the best thing for us. We know that if we ask, in accordance to His will, we will receive it and it will be a blessing to us.

We also know that if we ask outside of His will, we will receive it, but it will not be a blessing to us. Were earthly kings the best thing for God’s people? No! Was quail the best thing for His People? No!

(Num 11:31) And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

(Num 11:32) And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.

(Num 11:33) And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

(Num 11:34) And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.

The questions here are;

If God is unchanging when exactly did He stop answering the prayers of His people?

More importantly; where exactly in scripture does it say that the answers of our prayers are contingent to our asking within God’s will?

Now is it wise to be sure that you are asking within the will of God? You bet it is!

I believe the lesson here is to be careful of what you ask for because you are going to receive it!

Weather it will be a blessing to you or not is a whole other issue.

The point that I’m trying to make here is that the foundation to our receiving the blessings which our Father has for us, including those which come from our petitions (asking in prayer), are brought a screeching halt because of doubt or, in biblical terminology, little faith!

Which brings me to my next point here.

These same people who shut off the kingdom by teaching this false doctrine also have a spirit of political correctness about them. That is to say that they attempt to put the blame on those who preach the truth rather on those who don’t life the truth.

In other words, we are told to be doers of the word and not hearers only.

(Jas 1:22) But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

You see brothers and sisters we are told that we need to apply what we have learned from scriptures. Most people however talk the walk rather than walk the talk.

They use pretty sounding words and make eloquent speeches but there is no meat on their dead bones. There is no function in the unction. They are more concerned with pleasing the world with their words rather than speaking the truth in order to set people on the right path!

One example that comes to mind is the typical response made to defend those who’s faith might be wavering.

When someone brings up the point that a persons spiritual problems might be due to an issue of faith, for example, the typical response of the flesh is; “are you saying that I don’t have enough faith”? My response is usually; “that’s not what I am saying but is it a possibility”?

Brothers and Sisters we are all human and are subject to times of weakness of faith. I am no exception to that reality. I also however am willing to be honest about that fact and admit, to others as well as to myself, that I might be lacking in faith at a particular time about a particular issue which I am dealing with.

Now this is where the emissaries of the enemy love to put their two cents worth in. “Don’t you know that you are hurting people when you say that their faith may be weak”? Now there people look like heroes. They have defended the weak against the big bully who has viciously attacked another brother or sister. They glory in themselves and their actions and are more times than not beloved because of the love they have shown.

Well, let’s see what scriptures have to say about faith!

The word “faith” is used some 230 times in the new testament alone (which might make it a topic of some importance). The first time that the word is used in the NT can be found in Matthew 6:30:

(Mat 6:30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Here we see Jesus speaking about someone, or in this case a group of people (the multitudes), having “little faith”. This single verse tells us that, like it or not, there are people who have less faith than others.

In contrast we also see:

(Mat 9:22) But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

Here we see someone who, in contrast, has been made whole because of her faith!

(Mat 9:27) And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.

(Mat 9:28) And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.

(Mat 9:29) Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.

Here we see Jesus telling these blind men that it is “according to your faith” it will be done unto them.

(Mat 15:28) Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Here is yet another example where Jesus states that it is according to the faith of this woman that “her will” will be done and her daughter was made whole “from that very hour”

The verses go on and on where Jesus makes it abundantly clear that it is the will and faith of the people which brings on the blessings.

(Mar 11:23) For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

Notice here where Jesus adds the Pharisees “doubt not” and “not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things he (himself – not Jesus) saith SHALL COME TO PASS; HE SHALL HAVE WHATEVER HE SAYITH!

Brothers and Sisters I ask you this; is Jesus a lair? Are the words written here untrue?

Has the kingdom and the power thereof been shut off to the body of believers because there are those who preach false doctrine and others who believe their words over the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ?

I am just a man brothers and sisters and I don’t ask you to believe me or what I post here based on anything at all. I do pray however that you offer what has been written here up to the Father and ask of Him confirmation that what has been written here is the truth.

I also pray that with that confirmation comes the God given desire to seek His wisdom and power that we may finally begin to live as He has intended us to live. As sons and daughters of the Most High God! Amen!