Imagine with me, living a life where you lived in such peace that no matter what happened, you knew that everything would be OK? It would be like if you were a small child in a safe and warm home where loving parents constantly provided for you and valued everything about you. You didn’t have to “prove anything” or be something you weren’t- you were free to be yourself and you could play and create to your heart’s content. There were certain “realities” that would introduce messiness and limitations, even evil. But the “reality” of absolutely knowing you were loved for who you were, and that you always enjoyed the full attention of Mom and Dad, transcended them completely.
- What would that kind of living feel like to you?
- What would the quality of your life be like if your reality was like that described above?
- Who could you be, together with others, if you operated in that abundance?
But you might say, “that isn’t the way it works in the ‘real world’!” “You have to grow up, scratch and claw your way to “make it” and “be somebody.” What about nastiness in people, inequality, disease, world hunger, suicide, taxes…? This “real world” indeed consists of these things that people would call ‘evil’ as well as things that are called good and beautiful. What all of these things have in common is that they are all in the category of the never-lasting. They are all temporary and can never bring about a lasting satisfaction and peace no matter what ladder is climbed, good or evil.
If this so-called real world is all there is then one might as well make the most of this short journey, navigating the thick and the thin as the “master of my fate”, the “captain of my soul”. But what if there is that different reality of perfect peace through having a Captain of one’s soul that gives them safe passage while loving and attending to them better than even the most loving parent? An everlasting Master of their fate that never fails to bring them to the full place of well-being in this age and the age to come, helping all who want to become those who are what He’d always designed them to be- adult sons and daughters who can preside together with Him in the most complex situations while at the same time having the quality of heart of a little child.
- Which one would of these two kinds of people would you like to be?
- What is the most inspiring possibility of living in the reality you chose?
Our examination of these two realities (together with a third reality that I’ll call the Sever-lasting) starts at the very beginning of life in this World when the Creator bestows on Adam and Eve the high privilege to have dominion (co-rule with Him) over it with one stipulation. Because God’s Kingdom always allows choice He gave them the opportunity to not choose Him and replace Him as King. He warned them about that other choice, embracing the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Though already equipped with all of the intellect and discernment of perfect beings who were to lovingly carry out their assignment together with God, they allowed themselves to be duped by the lying influence of the evil one and the allure of becoming king with everything under their “control” now. They had it all, unlimited peace and everlasting life, and ex-changed it for the excruciatingly never-lasting existence. Ever grasping for significance and love, but never able to fully obtain it, they were now their own captain, master, and protector.
The results were devastating as humankind had now opened the door to the ongoing influence of unhealthiness in their world and the control of it over to the sever-lasting one, the satan. This is the one who Jesus said had come to steal, kill, and destroy”. He always looks to sever people from what is truly lasting- from the truth, from real life, from real love, away from others, and especially away from God Who is always wanting to embrace them. The Severer and his culture of death and darkness cruelly invaded the world on planet Earth and throughout the universe. Opened up fully now to the dark reality, people were now in hiding severed from the Light (Genesis 3:8,9). The King and His kingdom of heaven had been rejected and replaced as the operating system for reality going forward.
So with that said, I thought it would be helpful to discuss the three realities mentioned in the story above and where things stand now with each of them. In particular, we need to examine how each of them can affect all of us.
The Never-lasting World
The first reality is the World that we all were born into and are living in now throughout the rest of our lives here. It is a physical universe with a physical planet Earth inhabited by people and other living creatures. There are various kinds of resources there for sustaining physical life as well as forces such as diseases, weather, earthquakes and death itself that are all part of this reality limited as it is in space and time.
In addition to the purely physical aspects of this reality there is goodness and badness (evil) operating in and through all people individually together with the resulting multiplication of this as they form families, orders, companies, political parties, tribes, nations etc. These then further develop into overarching cultures and systems that include the world of arts and entertainment, religions, industry, economies and money systems, sciences, the political and government, education and all the rest. Both individuals and all of these dimensions of humankind are subject to many non-physical aspects such as emotions and feelings, beliefs that can be helpful or harmful, thought and communication to name a few. They all take on “a life of their own” and are all affected by the two other realities (spiritual in nature) discussed below.
The Sever-lasting Dominion of Darkness
The second of the other two realities is the Sever-lasting Dominion of Darkness (or Hell). Headed up by a being named the satan, it includes many other powerful spiritual beings that take on all of the characteristics of its leader. As mentioned earlier, it is bent on severing and stealing that which is truly good along with projecting death and destruction.
Characteristics of how it operates is that it is always trying to force, coerce, pummel into submission, deceive, denigrate, manipulate and control people (within all of the systems mentioned above) It’s goal is to influence people and peoples into the darkness of slavery severed from the goodness of the Kingdom of Light. Though this dominating power cannot ultimately force anyone to do anything, it wields incredible power of influence as its leader is referred to as “the god of the world” (2 Cor. 4:4) by Paul and “the ruler of this world” by Jesus Himself. Consistent with his names, he operates out of stealth and accusation to distract and keep his influence hidden but deadly. He never looks to create a relationship with people but instead tricks them to unwittingly submit as slaves to his evil rule while deceptively suggesting “get all that you can get and be your own ruler”. Unfortunately, human hearts and minds that are unsuspecting, and outside of the Kingdom of Light, are fertile ground for the influence of the very real reality of the dominion of darkness through its many weapons of mass media, tainted education systems and all of the rest of those systems that invariably move toward his control.
The Everlasting Kingdom of Heaven
The third reality, as alluded to earlier, is the Everlasting Kingdom of Heaven. It’s Head of course is God who exists in three expressions as Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit and is altogether good and loving (though the evil one always tries to distort who God is and cause people to believe that He’s not at all trustworthy). It is also known as the Kingdom of Light, in stark contrast to its dark counterpart.
The Kingdom of Heaven is the complete opposite of the dominion of darkness in every way and it’s characteristics are totally upside down from that of the World as it is today. In this reality, one can feel completely safe and taken care of and accepted. It is everywhere that God is present and active and wanted. It is where perfect relationship dwells and is desired. Everything there aligns perfectly with His idea of what’s right and best and when people freely choose to come under this will, they find a freedom of mind and heart impossible anywhere else.
Instead of “steal, kill, and destroy” its all about freely giving to the undeserving, replacing death with real life, always building up and co-creating. No heavy loads to carry but instead, lightness and playfulness. While the dominion of darkness brings hell to the world, Jesus brings heaven to it through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. Unlike the other spiritual reality, it operates on drawing, inviting, joining vs. severing, gentleness, being merciful, the power of request, always radiates peace. The people of that reality, who are never alone and enjoy complete access to Him all of the time, are those that choose to enter into life with Him.
- What other distinctions do you see between these two spiritual realities?
- What things come to mind to be more aware of going forward?
So where are we now? Plainly the world is getting darker because of the increased intensity of the domain of darkness in its desperation and sensed shortness of time. This is no surprise though to the King of the Kingdom of Light Who holds everything in His hand. He’s calling forth sons and daughters to join Him in the restoration and the full emergence of His Kingdom that sets people free.
Just as the Garden of Eden once reflected the wholeness of God’s heavenly Kingdom, creation is now groaning for and rejoicing to see it come forth again. Though it has been relatively quiet, the reality of its influence has been growing around the World more lately than anytime since Jesus announced it’s glorious re-availability 2000 years ago. This is just the start as God ramps up His advance in calling many to His Kingdom now in preparation for the return of the King. This is Jesus the King of Kings Who came the first time as the Suffering Servant Lamb, but will come the second time as a Liberating Lion Who will set the Kingdom back to its original glory in this world. He will make everything completely right again and personally wipe away the tears from every cheek. In this age to come will come a new universe and a new Earth, a new world completely under His care, a Captain that brings together all those who’ve wanted to be with Him to a beautiful Everlasting interactivity and purpose.
Jesus is calling. Calling all people everywhere to real life … to Jesus living with and through us. Calling each of us to join Him now in doing all of life with Him, announcing the way of escape from the Never-lasting World which is now under the rule of the Severer and now, the availability of the Everlasting One Himself and His Everlasting Kingdom that, even now in this present age, provides the opportunity under His care to live in complete peace and well-being. Just ask Him and see.
Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them? For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Romans 11.33-36