The 3 Kingdoms of Life
What You Must Know To Live Forever
When we use the term kingdom we are referring to the realm, domain, or sphere of existence where someone rules as the highest and unquestionable authority. With this understanding, we can identify 3 Kingdoms: The Natural Kingdom, The Kingdom of Darkness, and The Kingdom of God.
The Natural Kingdom
Everyone is born into the natural kingdom of which self is the highest and ultimate authority. Self rules as king in this domain which is heavily influenced by the desires and passion of our human body and nature. In this realm, we are truly the king who orders our lives according to however we choose. We are submitted to no one but ourselves. Living in this natural kingdom we rely on our natural minds and natural hearts to provide insight into all our thoughts, choices, and actions. Our natural human bodies have many appetites that we struggle to control such as eating, sexual desires, anger, pride, greed, selfishness, hatred, and so on.
In the natural kingdom where self rules supreme, we develop a pseudo morality acquired from our parents first, friends second, and the world third. These concepts of right and wrong, good and evil are transitory and constantly evolving according to social and cultural changes. Almost nothing is absolutely right or wrong. In the natural kingdom, we strive for self-satisfaction and personal pleasures as our chief pursuit along with personal independence as much as possible.
Religion and religious beliefs are part of this realm in as much as they receive a moderate level of impassionate lip service. In 2 Timothy 3:5, this is described as “having a form of godliness” that seems to be just for show. However, religion and religious beliefs are all subject to what the king (self) determines as useful to further one’s personal satisfaction and happiness. It is not unusual to hear people speak of church, God, prayer, or some other religious activity. The man upstairs (God) is often referenced doing difficult times and hardships. I remember sharing Christ with a coworker years ago who momentarily produced some prayer beads from his pocket that he secretly carried for protection and as his ticket or key to heaven as he put it.
The natural kingdom shares a kind of open-door relationship with the kingdom of darkness which secretly exercises deceptive and not easily understood influences over those living in the natural kingdom. Because the kingdom of darkness is supernatural in nature it can easily mislead and deceive those living in the natural kingdom. Its invisible influences masquerade as natural thoughts in the minds and hearts of those in the natural kingdom. However, the natural kingdom remains highly guarded and often resentful of the kingdom of God. Illuminating truth flowing from the kingdom of God is often viewed as foolishness and archaic stupidity. Those living in the natural kingdom of self-rule are not sold out to the kingdom of darkness but neither are they part of the eternal kingdom of God. People living in The natural kingdom occasionally visit the kingdom of darkness when all hell breaks loose in their lives—some never return. Sometimes others seek the kingdom of light for answers.
The Kingdom of Darkness
While the inhabitants of the natural kingdom serve self and not God, those living in the kingdom of darkness serve Satan and boldly oppose God and Christianity.
In the kingdom of darkness, Satan rules as King over your life. He is the master of deception. You are not the King—Satan is your ruler. Those living in this kingdom are proponents, advocates, and practitioners of all manner of ungodliness, wickedness, and evil that often shocks those in The natural kingdom. Such practices as Atheism, abortion, same-sex perversion, pedophilia, prostitution, murder, rape, drug addiction, and drunkenness to name a few are actively practiced in the darkness of Satan’s realm. There is no fear of God, hell, or judgment. There is no belief that one will be held accountable for their corrupt deeds. Their consciences are seared beyond sensitivity. They are hateful, immoral, corrupt, and fierce enemies of truth and God. Those that live in darkness love the deeds of darkness. They have no regard for honor, truth, righteousness, goodness, justice, or decent behavior. When you think about it we all know people that fit some of these characteristics and we often warn others not to have anything to do with them because they are wicked to the core.
Hypocrisy is a powerful weapon employed by those living in the kingdom of darkness. They are almost always not what they seem to be at first, but once you get to know them you see through the facade. They are highly skilled liars and deceivers, treacherous enemies of righteousness. They are willful soldiers of Satan filled with every kind of wickedness. Jesus put it this way when speaking to a group of pretentious Pharisees:
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
Satan is the invisible supernatural god of darkness. He is far superior to your human intellect and your natural mind. Satan once lived within the Kingdom of God but rebelled against the Creator to establish his own kingdom. It was God who cast him into this lower region where he dwells as the wicked and evil god of this world.
In Ephesians 2:2, Satan is called the “ruler of the kingdom of the air.” In John 10:12, he is the “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” In John 10:10, he is the “thief that comes to steal kill and destroy.” In 1 Peter 5:8, he is the “roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.” In 2 Cor. 11:14-15 he “masquerades as the angel of light” as do his followers.”
The Kingdom of God
In Matthew 6:33, Jesus urges his listeners to “seek first his kingdom” instead of seeking other things. Nothing is of greater importance in your life than entering the Kingdom of God. Seek God first and God will provide the other things.
In John 18:36, Jesus says, “my kingdom is not of this world.” The kingdom of God is a spiritual dimension. It is in this world but not part of our world. It emanates from the unseen realm of God. It cannot be observed in any natural sense. It is not a church building, denomination, or religion. The kingdom of God is the eternal domain where God rules supreme. It can only be understood and entered into through the new birth. In John 3:3, 7, Jesus emphatically declares “you must be born again.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
Only spiritual beings inhabited God’s kingdom. You must be born again by the Holy Spirit of God to live in this Domain. Each of us has a body, soul, and spirit. Before turning to God, our spirits are dead or dormant and need to come alive in Christ. This can only happen when we genuinely repent and turn to God. There must be a new birth, a regeneration of our spirit that is accomplished through repentance and the new birth.
In Luke 12:32, Jesus teaches that it is God’s desire to give you the kingdom of God. God loves us so much that He desires to rescue us from ourselves and the kingdom of darkness although no one really deserves to be rescued. I know this to be the truth for 2 reasons; first, the Bible says it, and second, I and100s of millions of repentant sinners have experienced being born again. All this is possible when we open our hearts and turn to God. The Kingdom of God is here and now, it is in our midst.
Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, 21nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20-21)
Dear friend, isn’t it time to turn to Jesus?
How to Turn to God
Perhaps at this very moment, you have realized that you need the Lord in your life. Maybe you drifted away or need to be been born again? If so, you can stop right now and begin talking to God. Ask Him to forgive you for being a sinner and the life you have been living outside of His love. Surrender your life to Him, unconditionally. Call Him Lord and make Him Lord of every thought, attitude, and action. You can say, Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins and come into my heart and take full control of my life. I am your child from this day forward. Change my heart and mind to be Christ-like in every way. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior forever.
