The Two Kingdoms
The Vision
One recent Sunday morning, as I was waiting before the Lord, I saw a picture of two large triangles. They were pointing at each other, like heads of arrows and they were touching at their points. The picture reminded me of a bow tie. The triangle on the left was dark and depressing. It was filled with black and gray images. The triangle in the right was filled with colors. It was bright and exciting.
As I looked more closely at the image, I realized that there was a cross between the two points. As soon as I saw the cross, I heard The Lord speak into my spirit, “The Cross of Jesus is the point in history!”
Since the word seminal is not a normal part of my day-to-day vocabulary, I looked up its meaning. It carries the connotation of being a seed, having the power to originate or be creative.
As I waited, The Lord then began to explain what I had just seen and heard.
First, the Cross of Jesus was like a seed that had to be planted to bring forth a whole new reality (1 Corinthians 15:361 Corinthians 15:36
That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;).
For many, Jesus’s cross was an event on an ongoing timeline. Although this is what it looks like to the world, it is actually a door through which we have the ability to enter into a whole new reality (2 Corinthians 5:172 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.).
Lastly, the old life, the life before the cross, is the life of the flesh. The life after the Cross is the life of the Spirit. We are engaged in a battle between our flesh and the Spirit to determine where we are going to live (Galatians 5:16-17Galatians 5:16-17
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.).
The Finished Work of the Cross
Over the following weeks and months, The Lord would take me back to this experience and add more understanding to what He was saying to me. One of the first things that He added had to do with Jesus’ crucifixion. The 19th chapter of the Gospel of John records Jesus’ last moments on the Cross (John 19:28-30John 19:28-30
After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, "I am thirsty." A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.).
When Jesus saw that He had accomplished everything to fulfill scripture, He said it is finished. He wasn’t saying that His time on the Cross was finished. He was saying that His mission on earth was finished. He only had one final battle to fight, against death and Satan. Upon His resurrection, He defeated death and all of the armies of Satan. He arose victorious! He overcame the world! (John 16:33John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.")
When we deal with our day-to-day challenges, we can walk in the assurance that Jesus has already won the battle. We are not fighting to take ground from the enemy. We are fighting to hold onto and to proclaim the victory that Jesus has already won!
The Pearl of Great Price
On another day, The Lord showed me more detail about the image I had seen. On the dark side, there were words such as sickness, depression, defeat, offense, unforgiveness, depravity and sin. On the colorful side were words such as healing, intimacy, love, wholeness, freedom and victory. I immediately thought about Jesus’ parable of The Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46Matthew 13:45-46
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.").
I suddenly had a whole new appreciation of what a “pearl of great price” meant. The treasures offered through Jesus’ Cross were beyond my wildest imagination (Ephesians 3:20-21Ephesians 3:20-21
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.).
The treasure is real! The treasure is priceless! The treasure is available to us today!
The God of Invitation
The Lord also reminded me that He is a God of Invitation. He is not an overbearing, demanding, impatient God. He is a loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle Father who wants the absolute best for me.
Salvation is an invitation! I have often used the analogy that salvation is like a wrapped present sitting on a table. It is free. It has my name on it. It has been given to me. It is there, waiting on me. But, until I go over to the table, pick up and unwrap the present, I haven’t received it.
The overcoming life is an invitation! All of these treasures are an invitation! We just have to be willing to walk over to the table and unwrap His presents! Jesus says that He is standing at the door knocking, waiting for us to let Him in. (Revelation 3:20Revelation 3:20
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.")
The Two Kingdoms
The next thing I saw was what looked like two large fields stretching as far as the eye could see. They were separated from each other by a straight line. The field on the left was barren, lifeless, and desert-like. The land on the right was lush, green, and inviting.
When I looked, I realized that God had been showing me two kingdoms all along. One was the kingdom of God. The other was the kingdom of Satan. These two kingdoms were caught up in a conflict that began in heaven when Satan rebelled against God (Isaiah 14:12-14Isaiah 14:12-14
How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.").
This battle was being fought before we were born. It is a battle that continues to this day. Mankind is the subject of this battle. Satan tries in every way to strike out at God. One of his favorite tactics is to separate God from the creation he loves so dearly (1 Peter 5:81 Peter 5:8
Be of sober [spirit,] be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour, John 10:10aJohn 10:10a
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy ...").
On the other hand, God loves us. He seeks to save us and bring us into His kingdom, where we can live in abundance (John 3:16John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.", John 10:10bJohn 10:10b
"... I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.").
The Chasm
As I continued to look at the two fields, I realized that the border between the two fields was actually a deep, wide chasm.
The Lord immediately started showing me that it is impossible for us to cross the chasm by our own effort. I was reminded of the chasm described in Jesus’ parable about Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:26Luke 16:26
"And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.").
No matter how much we study or pray. No matter how many times we attend Church each week. No matter how many good works we do. None of these will help us to cross this chasm. It cannot be crossed by human effort.
The Lord then showed me a familiar image of Jesus’ cross lying across the chasm, like a bridge. This image has long been used to depict Jesus’ Cross as the bridge for salvation. I immediately realized that Jesus’ Cross was far more than the bridge to salvation. It is the bridge to the Kingdom of God! The only way to move any part of my life from Satan’s kingdom over to God’s Kingdom was through the Cross(John 14:6John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.").
When Jesus said that He is the way, He is not talking about just salvation, but so much more. Satan is a thief. One of the greatest treasures that he ever stole was when he deceived the Church into believing that Jesus’ Cross is for salvation alone. Salvation is only the beginning. Jesus’ Cross is the way to The Father and The Father’s Kingdom! Jesus’ Cross is the way to Abundant Life (John 10:10bJohn 10:10b
"... I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.")!
God is inviting us into the overflowing abundance of His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33Matthew 6:33
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."). Are you willing to respond to His invitation?
