“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,…”

Beloved, I am glad to share with you today on a particularity of the kingdom of God, namely the violence required to seize it: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.” We read this in Mat 11:12. Indeed, when it comes to entering the kingdom, violence becomes a quality, and an indispensable quality. For God opens all his treasures to us, and on our side we have the ardent desire to possess what he offers us, that is to say the holy zeal of faith which boldly takes hold of all divine promises. But how many young men, young girls who for lack of decision and energy, for fear of struggles and renouncements, have remained behind the door, for example, when it was necessary to welcome the Lord with his lighted lamp.

Let’s not forget that the timid will be there in the company of unbelievers, murderers and all other sinners without repentance. For he that sat on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new. And he said, Write; for these words are certain and true. He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Then the Lord Jesus recalls that “From the time of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is forced, and it is the violent who seize it. For until John, under the rule of law and of the prophets, all of Israel were the people of God; but in view of his state of ungodliness, John had announced the establishment of the kingdom and preached the repentance necessary to enter it. But the proud Jews said, “We have Abraham for our father,” and wanted nothing of a kingdom introduced in this way, and they led the people to reject the king. That is why those of them who accepted the word of John and Jesus Christ had to do violence to all around them, according to the word of the Lord in the Sermon on the Mount: Strive to enter through the narrow gate. So doing violence around you to go through the narrow door is to make strong decisions.

The same is true today, for we are in the midst of a world that has rejected Christ. Let’s therefore resist him in order to enter the narrow path which leads to life! And the Jews are warned that John was indeed Elijah who is to come before the establishment of the kingdom and the judgments that will precede it, to prepare the way of Christ in hearts. This is what John the Baptist did, as the Lord said when quoting the passage from Malachi. For all who have not benefited from his ministry have had their part with the unbelieving people. And in future times, before the coming of Christ in glory, an Elijah will be sent again, according to this saying: “Behold, I send unto you Elijah the prophet, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes”(Malachi 4.5), and likewise all who do not receive it, will be struck by the judgments. So doing violence around you to go through the narrow door is making strong decisions. 

Then the Lord speaks these words which are solemn today as then: “He who has ears to hear, he hears.” For  “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ(Rm 10.17). So the people were without excuse: God had used, but in vain, all the necessary means, so that all could enjoy the promises of blessings through the presence of the Messiah; like children, sitting in the market place and never agreeing with the proposals of their comrades. When John the Baptist appeared, austere as a prophet, separated from sinners he invited to repentance, they said: “He has a demon”. But the Son of man comes in grace to seek sinners wherever they are, not fearing to come into contact with the most defiled men, because he came to seek and save what was lost, and they said then : “Here is an eater and a drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners”.

Finally, in the midst of this state of affairs, the Lord called out those who believed the children of wisdom, because they listen to the voice of wisdom, the voice of God who warns the simple to accept the Word (Pro 8; Pr 9.1-6). Wisdom found them and was justified by them, that wisdom of God which is foolishness to the wise and clever of this world. So, what glorious and eternal results for those who find it (Pr 8:35), and what a contrast with those who reject it! It’s therefore essential for everyone to do violence to everything around him, in order to have access to the kingdom of heaven, by becoming children of wisdom and by renouncing the world.

The following verses have been compiled for your edification and put together for your understanding.

• Spiritual warfare:

Luk 13.24“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to; Ph 1.27 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to; Col 1.29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me; He 12.4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

• Spiritual kingdom:

Luke 17.21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”; Jn 3.5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit; Jn 18.36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”; 1 Co 4.20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

• Timelessness in prayer examples:

Abraham: Gn 18.32  Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”; Jacob: Gn 32.27 The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered; the Canaan woman: Mt 15.27“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table”; Jesus: Lc 22.44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.; the royal officer of Capernaum: Jn 4.49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies”; Elie: Jam 5.17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.

• Listening ear to those who repent:

Ps 34.19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; Jr 3.22 ; Jl 2.13; Mi 7.18; Luc 15.7

From all of the above, we note that when it comes to entering the kingdom, violence becomes a quality, and even an indispensable quality. For God opens all his treasures to us, and that is why we should have the ardent desire to possess what He offers us, that is to say the holy zeal of faith which boldly takes hold of all divine promises. That is why those of them who accepted the word of John and Jesus Christ had to do violence to all around them, according to the word of the Lord in the Sermon on the Mount: Strive to enter through the narrow gate. So doing violence around you to go through the narrow door is to make strong decisions. Our prayers support you all as you strive to enter through the narrow gate to the kingdom of heaven.

PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS ​​CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR

I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me as follows: 

Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge that I have sinned against you and ask forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as my Lord and personal Savior. I acknowledge that you died on the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.

I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me each day to eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal to me and strengthen my heart and my faith so that your light may shine in my life right now.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me in your divine family so that I too can contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.

I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

To you all worship, power, and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!

I would be glad to respond to your queries and comments if necessary, before sharing with you next week about scandals: “Who is not against us is for us.”

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you profusely.

David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.