God with Us
Jesus said the entire kingdom of heaven has been available to anyone hungry for it since the time of John the baptist. Jesus said that John's preaching marked a shift in the history of the created order. He described it like this:
Matthew 11:10 For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ 11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Jesus said that the prophets and the law prophesied until John. What He was saying was that the law and the prophet's statements dictated what mankind could see as available in the kingdom. The law, while good at demonstrating our shortcomings, is weak for revealing the richness in the kingdom. The law limited mankind until Jesus came and revealed the richness of the kingdom (Galatians 3:23). Jesus paid the price of free access to the throne of heaven and the amazing splendor that emanates from it. Jesus, who is called Emmanuel (God with Us) restored what was lost in the Garden by Adam: Access to the fullness of the wonder and awe of the kingdom. We now have access to all of the amazing things available to all who would choose "spiritual violence.": Wisdom, revelation, supernatural love, peace overflowing, joy, healing, insight, friendship with the Author of Life, the power of heart change, depth of love that will take an eternity to explore, greatness in humility...
This is not even scratching the surface of what will take an eternity to uncover. There is an entire shimmering and glowing kingdom of splendor beyond the veil, but only the spiritually violent will pursue it enough to see what is hidden, step by step, storming the gates of what is known, pressing in for new revelation of riches in the kingdom, then reaching for more. First believing without seeing, then building a history of experiencing first the reach and then the successful firm grasp of faith on new and exhilarating aspects to God's eternal vast kingdom.
Spiritual violence is one thing we don't hear much about, but it is the characteristic that Jesus emphasized in the new covenant, or "new access" to God, He provided to mankind. When Jesus breathed His last breath on the cross, the most amazing thing really happened: an earthquake tore the veil in the temple between the inner court and the Holy of Holies. Spiritual violence was officially an option for whomever might choose it.
So what is spiritual violence? Jesus told the Pharisees by using the same example of John the Baptist...because John the Baptist was the first to demonstrate spiritual violence:
Luke 16:15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
Spiritual violence is "pressing in" to the kingdom. It is the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle: recognizing our lack (taking and inventory of what we know is available and seeing our poverty) ; mourning our lack (not being satisfied but rather crying out for more); and then petitioning God to continue to give us eyes to see what new measure is available. Spiritual violence is being thankful for our relationship with God where it is at right now, but having a vision for a deeper relationship with Him that agrees with what God says is available to mankind. The book of Acts is the minimum experience with God we should be contending for...we already know God will give this experience to men and women pressing into Him. But Jesus promised "greater things than these" will be given to those who choose to be "violent," pressing in with all of our desire. Choosing to develop a taste for fascination with Jesus by asking for it, rather than settling for one dimensional fascination that mankind "highly esteems."
Living spiritually violent is a lifestyle choice. I can't pick it up at a conference, or learn it from a book. It takes a conscious decision to be different from everyone else. John the Baptist didn't dress, eat, or share a life vision with the vast majority of the people He lived by, but still thousands came to hear what He had to say, and He welcomed them. I need a vision to pursue with everything the One who laid down everything to pursue me. There is only one road to spiritual violence: reaching with words and desire to the One who called me first...the One who suffers (allows) violence in the kingdom He longs to share!
Matthew 11:10 For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ 11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Jesus said that the prophets and the law prophesied until John. What He was saying was that the law and the prophet's statements dictated what mankind could see as available in the kingdom. The law, while good at demonstrating our shortcomings, is weak for revealing the richness in the kingdom. The law limited mankind until Jesus came and revealed the richness of the kingdom (Galatians 3:23). Jesus paid the price of free access to the throne of heaven and the amazing splendor that emanates from it. Jesus, who is called Emmanuel (God with Us) restored what was lost in the Garden by Adam: Access to the fullness of the wonder and awe of the kingdom. We now have access to all of the amazing things available to all who would choose "spiritual violence.": Wisdom, revelation, supernatural love, peace overflowing, joy, healing, insight, friendship with the Author of Life, the power of heart change, depth of love that will take an eternity to explore, greatness in humility...
This is not even scratching the surface of what will take an eternity to uncover. There is an entire shimmering and glowing kingdom of splendor beyond the veil, but only the spiritually violent will pursue it enough to see what is hidden, step by step, storming the gates of what is known, pressing in for new revelation of riches in the kingdom, then reaching for more. First believing without seeing, then building a history of experiencing first the reach and then the successful firm grasp of faith on new and exhilarating aspects to God's eternal vast kingdom.
Spiritual violence is one thing we don't hear much about, but it is the characteristic that Jesus emphasized in the new covenant, or "new access" to God, He provided to mankind. When Jesus breathed His last breath on the cross, the most amazing thing really happened: an earthquake tore the veil in the temple between the inner court and the Holy of Holies. Spiritual violence was officially an option for whomever might choose it.
So what is spiritual violence? Jesus told the Pharisees by using the same example of John the Baptist...because John the Baptist was the first to demonstrate spiritual violence:
Luke 16:15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.
Spiritual violence is "pressing in" to the kingdom. It is the Sermon on the Mount lifestyle: recognizing our lack (taking and inventory of what we know is available and seeing our poverty) ; mourning our lack (not being satisfied but rather crying out for more); and then petitioning God to continue to give us eyes to see what new measure is available. Spiritual violence is being thankful for our relationship with God where it is at right now, but having a vision for a deeper relationship with Him that agrees with what God says is available to mankind. The book of Acts is the minimum experience with God we should be contending for...we already know God will give this experience to men and women pressing into Him. But Jesus promised "greater things than these" will be given to those who choose to be "violent," pressing in with all of our desire. Choosing to develop a taste for fascination with Jesus by asking for it, rather than settling for one dimensional fascination that mankind "highly esteems."
Living spiritually violent is a lifestyle choice. I can't pick it up at a conference, or learn it from a book. It takes a conscious decision to be different from everyone else. John the Baptist didn't dress, eat, or share a life vision with the vast majority of the people He lived by, but still thousands came to hear what He had to say, and He welcomed them. I need a vision to pursue with everything the One who laid down everything to pursue me. There is only one road to spiritual violence: reaching with words and desire to the One who called me first...the One who suffers (allows) violence in the kingdom He longs to share!
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