Luke 17:20-21 (KJV) says, “And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Luke 17:20-21 (NASB) says, “Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

What is the kingdom of God? The kingdom of God is everything concerning the authority and wealth of heaven. It is the culture of heaven on earth. It is not limited by location, but lives on the inside of those who believe!

The Kingdom is within you (Luke 17:20-21). When you realize the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you, you no longer diminish or devalue what you are carrying because it is more than being anointed to do certain things, but you carry an entire kingdom within you, the very personality, character and identity of Jesus. Just as the King of the universe rules and reigns in the kingdom of heaven, you rule your body as a king since your body is the church, the temple of the Holy Spirit! This mindset will help us transition from simply going to church and surviving on Sundays to partnering with Christ to see His kingdom fully established on earth.

The kingdom of God is the true revelation of Jesus Christ! Therefore, the better question is not, “What is the kingdom of God”, but rather, “Who is the kingdom of God?”! In Luke 9:27-36, Peter, James and John would not taste death until they seen the kingdom of God, which was fulfilled when they witnessed Jesus being transfigured before them (Matthew 17:1-13). Peter, James and John saw the kingdom, and the immediate response was to build a tabernacle. The last thing we need to do is build another church building in a failed attempt to solidify another movement. The kingdom of God drawing near wasn’t about just seeing Jesus in the flesh, but for who He really is, the one whose face is as bright as the sun clothed as the High Priest of the profession of our faith!

The kingdom of God is not demonstrated in word but in power (1 Corinthians 4:20). The only gospel to be preached is the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; Mark 1:14-15), but it goes beyond preaching. It comes through action! Casting out devils was one of the signs that the kingdom of God had come near (Matthew 12:28). The disciples could proclaim this message as they healed the sick and worked miracles (Luke 10:9)! What are we doing now that shows we are functioning in the kingdom?

There is no such thing as a miniature or junior Holy Spirit! You do not have to be a certain age or have a specific title in church leadership to operate in the kingdom of God, but all you need is Jesus! God is simply waiting for us to be filled with boldness, know who we are in Christ and who Christ is in us, and walk in the full expression of a Christ-centered life! He is waiting on our surrendered, “YES!”