Leave the tent

Last week we talked about salvation. What we mean when we say someone is saved. God has done all the hard work of salvation. The rest is up to us. Once we are saved, we can start to live and experience heaven’s kingdom realm. Heaven’s kingdom realm is the space where we exist as Christians. We are in the world but we are not of the world, see John 15:19 and John 18:36. As our desires, actions, words, thoughts, lifestyle start to align with God’s word, we find that we start to experience heaven’s realities in our earth life.

However, this takes humility. If we think we know it all, or we have life figured out, we will miss out on life’s greatest gifts. Accepting that Jesus is Lord means I also need to accept that I am not in charge. I am not in control. There is someone bigger than me, stronger than me, wiser than me, who knows more than me and whose ways are better than mine and thoughts higher than mine.  None of us have life figured out.

Matthew 18:3-4 TPT says, “Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable like a little child, you will never be able to enter in. Whoever continually humbles himself to become like this little child is the greatest one in heaven’s kingdom realm.”

When I read that verse, I picture little children. They believe whatever you tell them. The Bible is not encouraging us to believe everything we hear out on the streets, or on the internet but to believe everything the Bible tells us about God. When we become like little children and take God at His word, believing and confessing that God is who He says He is and He will do what He said He will do, we will experience heaven’s kingdom realm.

Before we are saved we live life based on worldly standards. After we are saved, we move into God’s heavenly kingdom and life is so much better, much more enjoyable, full of joy and peace when we do things God’s way. But we have to be humble like little children and be willing to learn God’s way of doing things and grow our faith in alignment with the word of God.

When we believe that God is our healer and we confess His word that “by His stripes we are healed” we will start to experience healing, Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24. When we believe that our God shall supply all our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus, we see God get to work and bring provision into our lives, Philippians 4:19. Where we cast our anxieties onto Him with prayer and thanksgiving, we will begin to experience peace that makes no sense, Philippians 4:6 and 7 and 1 Peter 5:7.

Living in heaven’s kingdom realities is not automatic. Salvation is what gets us through the door into God’s kingdom. But if we build a little tent by the door and camp there, we will miss a whole kingdom full of all that God has stored for us. There is so much to be gained by journeying with God through life. Submitting to His voice and His word. Doing what He asks us to do no matter how silly it sounds to us. Like love your enemies. Like really? Really? Do I really need to love Karen? Answer is yes. Yes, you do need to love Karen.

Journeying with God is not a solo event by the way. Jesus went to the Synagogue (which would be our equivalent of church). Jesus, the Son of God, went to church. Even more, we are told that Jesus is the head of the church which is the body, Colossians 1:18. So, if we really want to submit under the Lordship of Jesus, we need to locate ourselves in the church.

There are so many Christians who think salvation is the end but it’s the beginning. You are not just saved from something, you are saved for something. Yes, after you are saved you are going to heaven. But life does not have to be a living hell whilst you are waiting for heaven. You can start to live in heaven’s kingdom realities right here on earth, so why wait?

I’ll leave you with this, Matthew 10:7 and this is Jesus speaking, “And as you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s kingdom realm is accessible, close enough to touch.’”

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano