Seeing the Invisible: Embracing the Kingdom's Power
Summary
In this evening's reflection, we delve into the profound nature of the Kingdom of God, emphasizing that it is not merely a matter of words but of power, as highlighted in 1 Corinthians 4:20. To truly grasp the Kingdom, we must shift our vision from the physical to the spiritual, understanding that faith is the knowledge and vision of the invisible world. This is exemplified in the story of Peter, who, despite his revelation of Christ, was still bound by an old vision of reality. Our vision of reality is often limited to the physical world, but true faith, as demonstrated by Moses and Paul, is about seeing the invisible and living by it.
The Kingdom of God is a realm of immense power, where God, the Creator, manifests His infinite energy into the material universe. This is illustrated through the biblical imagery of God as a consuming fire and the miraculous events where divine power intervenes in the physical world, such as the multiplication of loaves and fishes. The Kingdom is not a small, struggling entity but a vast reality where the physical universe is just a minor part.
Understanding the Kingdom of God as a basis for death to self is crucial. It involves abandoning oneself to the eternal life of God, trusting in His infinite resources rather than our own. This is exemplified in the story of Ananias and Sapphira, who failed to die to self by pretending to be something they were not, leading to their downfall. The Kingdom of God invites us to live authentically, relying on God's provision and power.
Fasting is presented as a practice that aligns us with the life of God, as seen in Deuteronomy 8, where God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness. It teaches us to live not by bread alone but by every word from God, demonstrating the Kingdom's presence in our lives. The power of God is both a source of life and a dangerous force, reminding us of the seriousness of living in His presence.
Key Takeaways:
- Vision of Reality: Our vision of reality is often limited to the physical world, but true faith involves seeing the invisible and living by it. This shift in vision is essential for experiencing the Kingdom of God. [02:30]
- God's Infinite Power: The Kingdom of God is a realm of immense power, where God's infinite energy manifests in the material universe. This understanding challenges us to see God as a consuming fire, full of creative potential. [09:04]
- Death to Self: Embracing the Kingdom of God involves dying to self, which means abandoning our control and trusting in God's eternal life. This is a call to live authentically, relying on God's provision rather than our own. [12:53]
- Fasting and God's Provision: Fasting is a practice that aligns us with God's life, teaching us to live by His word rather than physical sustenance. It is a reminder of God's provision and the presence of His Kingdom in our lives. [19:11]
- The Power and Danger of God's Presence: The power of God is both life-giving and dangerous, reminding us of the seriousness of living in His presence. This understanding calls us to trust in God's greatness and release our lives into His hands. [29:48]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:36] - The Kingdom of God in Power
- [01:30] - Peter's Vision and Reality
- [02:30] - Vision of Reality and Faith
- [03:19] - Moses and the Invisible
- [04:09] - Faith and the Invisible World
- [05:21] - The Invisible World and Language
- [06:17] - Science and God's Creation
- [07:06] - E=mc² and God's Power
- [08:20] - God's Infinite Energy
- [09:04] - God as a Consuming Fire
- [10:38] - The Kingdom and Creation
- [12:53] - Death to Self and Eternal Life
- [19:11] - Fasting and God's Provision
- [29:48] - The Power and Danger of God's Presence
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Corinthians 4:20 - "For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power."
2. Hebrews 11:27 - "By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible."
3. Deuteronomy 8:3 - "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."
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#### Observation Questions
1. What does 1 Corinthians 4:20 suggest about the nature of the Kingdom of God? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on power over words? [00:36]
2. How does the story of Peter illustrate the struggle between old and new visions of reality? [01:30]
3. In what way did Moses demonstrate faith according to Hebrews 11:27, and how does this relate to the sermon’s message about seeing the invisible? [03:19]
4. How does Deuteronomy 8:3 connect fasting with reliance on God's provision, as discussed in the sermon? [19:11]
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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of the Kingdom of God as a realm of power challenge our understanding of God’s presence in the physical world? [09:04]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between faith and the invisible world, and how does this impact our daily lives? [04:09]
3. How does the story of Ananias and Sapphira serve as a warning about authenticity and self-reliance in the context of the Kingdom of God? [25:36]
4. In what ways does fasting serve as a practice that aligns us with the life of God, according to the sermon? [19:11]
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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current vision of reality. How often do you find yourself limited to the physical world, and what steps can you take to shift your focus to the spiritual? [02:30]
2. Consider a situation where you relied on your own strength rather than God’s provision. How can you practice "death to self" in similar situations in the future? [12:53]
3. How can you incorporate the practice of fasting into your life as a way to deepen your reliance on God’s word and provision? [19:11]
4. Think of a time when you experienced the power of God in your life. How did it change your understanding of His presence and power? [29:48]
5. Identify an area in your life where you are pretending to be something you are not. What steps can you take to live more authentically in God’s Kingdom? [27:22]
6. How can you cultivate a deeper faith that sees the invisible and trusts in God’s infinite resources? [04:09]
7. Reflect on the power and danger of God’s presence. How does this understanding influence your approach to living in His presence daily? [29:48]
Devotional
Day 1: Seeing Beyond the Physical World
To truly experience the Kingdom of God, one must shift their vision from the physical to the spiritual. This involves recognizing that faith is the knowledge and vision of the invisible world. Often, our perception of reality is limited to what we can see and touch, but true faith calls us to see beyond these limitations. The story of Peter illustrates this struggle, as he had a revelation of Christ yet remained bound by an old vision of reality. By embracing a spiritual vision, we align ourselves with the Kingdom of God, which is not just a matter of words but of power. [02:30]
Hebrews 11:1-3 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you rely solely on physical evidence? How can you begin to see this area through the lens of faith today?
Day 2: Embracing God's Infinite Power
The Kingdom of God is a realm of immense power, where God's infinite energy manifests in the material universe. This understanding challenges us to see God as a consuming fire, full of creative potential. The physical universe is just a minor part of this vast reality. By recognizing God's infinite power, we are invited to trust in His ability to intervene in our lives in miraculous ways. This perspective encourages us to live with a sense of awe and reverence for the Creator, who holds all things together. [09:04]
Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV): "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength."
Reflection: In what ways have you underestimated God's power in your life? How can you begin to trust in His infinite energy and creative potential today?
Day 3: Dying to Self for Authentic Living
Embracing the Kingdom of God involves dying to self, which means abandoning our control and trusting in God's eternal life. This is a call to live authentically, relying on God's provision rather than our own. The story of Ananias and Sapphira serves as a cautionary tale of the dangers of pretending to be something we are not. By dying to self, we open ourselves to the fullness of God's life and resources, allowing us to live in alignment with His Kingdom. [12:53]
Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are holding onto control? How can you begin to surrender this area to God and live more authentically today?
Day 4: Fasting as Alignment with God's Life
Fasting is a practice that aligns us with God's life, teaching us to live by His word rather than physical sustenance. It serves as a reminder of God's provision and the presence of His Kingdom in our lives. As seen in Deuteronomy 8, God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness, teaching them to rely on Him. Fasting helps us to focus on the spiritual nourishment that comes from God's word, reinforcing our dependence on His provision. [19:11]
Matthew 4:4 (ESV): "But he answered, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Reflection: How can you incorporate fasting into your spiritual practice this week? What specific area of your life do you need to rely more on God's provision?
Day 5: The Seriousness of Living in God's Presence
The power of God is both life-giving and dangerous, reminding us of the seriousness of living in His presence. This understanding calls us to trust in God's greatness and release our lives into His hands. The Kingdom of God is not a small, struggling entity but a vast reality that demands our reverence and awe. By acknowledging the power and danger of God's presence, we are invited to live with a deep sense of respect and humility before Him. [29:48]
Hebrews 12:28-29 (ESV): "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."
Reflection: What is one way you can cultivate a deeper sense of reverence for God's presence in your daily life? How can this awareness impact your actions and decisions today?
Quotes
The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power, and this evening we have to do something that's really pretty hard to do but that is to talk about the nature of God and the nature of the spiritual world of which he is a part and see until we have that in our vision our faith is going to be hindered. [00:45:48]
Faith is essentially the knowledge and vision of the invisible world. That's faith. Faith is not a wild leap. Faith is confidence in the reality of the invisible world, and she did not that informs everything that we do. Once again from Hebrews 11, he that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him. [04:09]
You have to think how big a God would be who could throw off this thing we call the material universe and still have lots of gas left. I mean, you just think about our sun 90 million miles away, and thank goodness it's that far away, right, because of the power that's in there. [08:20]
We don't have a little god struggling with matter. We have a God of immense reality in which there is a little thing called the physical universe, and Jesus the logos is at the heart of the whole creative process. What are we talking about? We're talking about the kingdom of God. [10:38]
Death to self really means abandonment of yourself to this great life, this great eternal life which is God. The kingdom of God basically consists of the Trinity and upon that all of created order. The angelic realm, for example, is a part of the kingdom of God. [12:53]
The commandments of God are always instructions on how to live in the kingdom of God, how to live from the infinite resources of God, and if we will learn that, that will set a hedge around us and we will know the goodness of rightness because this is God's kingdom that's being expressed. [19:11]
Man does not live by bread alone, food alone. Brett there doesn't mean bread, means food, but by every word, everything including bread that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. Look at the next verse, your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these 40 years. [22:48]
The loaves and the fishes, how were they multiplied? They were multiplied by the direct power of God coming in to those loaves and fishes until they had baskets full left over. Now there's another side to this that's not so happy. Sometimes you remember in Acts 5 there's a couple named Ananias and Sapphira. [25:04]
Ananias and Sapphira fell crosswise of the power of God. You remember the story, I trust, is simply the story of two people who wanted to be known as giving to the community where everyone was giving everything they had, and so they sold a piece of land and kept back part of it. [25:31]
The presence of God in his redeemed people is so great that people can actually die of it. Now you remember that one of the sayings about God is that no man shall see God and live. The power of God is a dangerous thing, and we need to understand that. [29:48]
It's our vision of the greatness of God that will sustain us in it. See, and you think of all the details of your life or I think of all the details of my life. It may be that some huge business transaction is afoot, and all sorts of things could go wrong. [30:06]
We can trust that God, that we can release it into his hands and ask him to glorify himself in what's being done. [30:34]
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