Have you ever been looking for something that has been right there all along? Take for example ministry, I once was so busy trying to make an impact for God frustrated that nothing really was happening, when the greatest impact I could make was with my family who were right there with me all along.
The Kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of this world, it is spiritual not natural. Meaning it is beyond what meets the eye. First of all only those born again, who receive the Holy Spirit can enter into this spiritual Kingdom. The Holy Spirit opens our blind eyes to spiritual reality much like the blue pill did in the movie Matrix. The King having domain in the natural realm depends on born-again Christians willingness to allow Him access to their hearts and lives.
So here in Luke 17:20-37 the Pharisees were asking Jesus a natural minded question, they were blinded by religion and could not understand spiritual truth, they were puppets of the state and most likely were asking the question so they could report it to the Roman leaders. Jesus answered that the "Kingdom will not come visibly for it is already amongst them." It does not come by force it comes by the choice of our will following His ways.
Too often people are looking outward instead of upward regarding the Kingdom. We get caught up complaining and criticizing the church rather than praying and being simply obedient. We are too often limiting God's grace because we are conducting ourself in the flesh rather than being led by the Spirit. In the Spirit we have an unlimited supply of grace for we have an open heaven, in the flesh we are cut off from grace still under the curse that befell Adam and Eve when they were cut off from the Garden after refusing to repent. One's perspective means everything! We cannot advance the Kingdom of Heaven with an earthly perspective!
Christians are judging the return of the King from natural circumstances but the bible clearly says the world will be as it always was, people will be going about their daily duties, yes their is a sign of the times, but History is full of these signs, each generation since Christ left the earth thought they saw the signs of the times. So instead of spending endless hours being concerned with the end of the world, how about we be concerned with hearing His voice and following His commands. His Kingdom is amongst us waiting to expand through our daily walk of faith. When He comes those who know Him will be the first to know, what matters now is while He is away, how are we preparing for His return? We must be like the virgins carrying enough oil so our light does not flicker off on the way.
We are in the age of Grace, everything is not yet in all it's fullness, many things are in part, shadows of what is to come, but yet we can still be in communion with the God who was and is and is to come. He is not far off, His Spirit is within us, so we should not grow weary, we just must make sure we daily wait on Him so that He can renew our strength and we c mount up on wings like Eagles and soar into Heavenly places (Is. 40:31). It is like being apart from your family though you long for their physical presence and you easily get down, but one call, and it is as if they are their. Our Father is a prayer away, as soon as we draw near to Him though we don't see Him physically, we know He is there!
