We are bold enough to call ourselves children of God, not because we want to, but because God called us His children. We have the nature of God, we are expected to manifest the lifestyle and the works of God.
“Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:3-6 ESV
Jesus told Nicodemus that “if you are not born again, you can’t see the kingdom”, meaning, there’s a status you need to attain before you can participate in the ways of God. You can’t see nor experience the kingdom, except you’re born-again, this is what Jesus was trying to tell him! Jesus told him about the real birth which is spiritual. To be born of water refers to the washing by the word of God, and to be born by the Spirit refers to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. As you allow the Holy Spirit and yield in submission to His instructions and guidance, you will see yourself manifesting the traits and the nature of Christ. We are built up on the foundation of obedience to the Word of God, fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and fellowship with the saints. This is how to culture ourselves so that we can manifest our encounter with God’s kingdom.
Fellowship With the Holy Spirit
As we fellowship with the Holy Spirit the love of God is consistently poured into our hearts. The Holy Spirit gives us the insatiable desire for more of God but we have to be consistent to keep growing in our love for God.
"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:5 ESV
“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, …….” John 15:10 ESV
We express our love to God by our obedience to him in keeping his commandments.
"Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us." 1 John 3:24 ESV
The Holy Spirit has been given to us, he continually pours the love of God into our hearts and enables us to keep the words of Jesus by practicing daily obedience.
The Third Anchor is Fellowship With Believers.
The early church; “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings, so that they can hear the Word, and the fellowship, and to the breaking of bread, and the prayers.” Acts 2:42 ESV
Fellowship with believers is pivotal if we are to manifest the results of kingdom encounters.
"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding." Romans 14:17-19 ESV
A New Kingdom & A New Government
The Kingdom of God can only be expressed in the Holy Spirit hence why you have to consciously submit yourself to the influence of the Holy Spirit. Remember when we lived in the world we were under the management of the prince of the power of the air, the spirit at work in the children of disobedience. But now that you are born again, you have come under a new government which is the kingdom of God and the Lordship of the Holy Spirit.
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Romans 8:14 ESV
Now that you’re born again, you need to be led by the Spirit on how to live and engage different aspects of life. You need to learn the new culture of the kingdom, which is hinged upon obedience. Being born again without experiencing transformation is of no profit to God. God has made us kings and priests to reign on earth, so he has made the provision for us to live the life that brings glory to him. The nature of God can be lived and we are to manifest God in human form. The original intent of God which was to make man in His image and likeness is fulfilled in Christ.
We are to manifest the nature and the works of God.
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet, You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16 ESV
Jesus expects his followers to live as the salt and the light of the world. If men can’t testify of the change in you something is wrong. In the scripture we can see that everyone who became disciples had to give up their old ways. The adulterer stopped committing adultery. The murderer stopped killing, Apostle Paul is a great example, his life is a testament of the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Apostle Paul was changed from a killer into a minister of life. The woman caught in the act of adultery became a true worshipper of Jesus.
“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” Ephesians 4:28 ESV
Apostle Paul was emphasizing the need for true transformation in the life of a believer who has passed from death to life. Most of us struggle in manifesting the new life in Christ because we are living in the past. We’re like the children of Israel who got delivered from Egypt but still had Egypt in their mind and subconscious. They always considered returning to bondage (Egypt) every time they faced any challenge.
New Creation
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation all things have passed away, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
We produce results that are consistent with the kingdom because we’ve been made new in Christ Jesus. We shine our light so that men can tell the difference between darkness and light. Child of God! You are the light of the world, an extension of the kingdom to reconcile men back to God.
“For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision, availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature in Christ Jesus,". Galatians 5:15 KJV
The new birth is purely spiritual, and it is sourced in Christ Jesus. The goal of being born again is that Christ may be formed in you. Any doctrine that makes you comfortable to remain in the same state as your old self is from the devil, sent to hinder you from manifesting God on earth. The Holy Spirit was given to ensure that we would be conformed into the image of Christ.
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son." Romans 8:29 KJV
God desires that we should be conformed to the image of His Son. He wants you to reflect Jesus in thoughts, words and deeds. Therefore, by definition, a disciple of Jesus is someone who is in the process of being transformed into his likeness. You are born into the kingdom, to become Christ-like, and thereby conforming to the image and likeness of God.
The whole idea of being a believer in Christ is not just about making that mental decision of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, rather, a daily decision to submit to the process of transformation. This is what brings joy to God because he wants us to be conformed to the image of His Son.
Transformation is the Goal
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, and what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 ESV
Becoming Christ-like is the goal that is achieved by the help of the Holy Spirit.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Verse eighteen, "and we all, with unveiled faces, beholding the glory of the Lord, have been transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 ESV
As we behold him and meditate in his word we are changed into his image. The Holy Spirit does the work of transformation by the word of God.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he shall do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go to my father." John 12:14 KJV
"And I will pray to the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth." John 14:16-17 KJV
We are not of this world because we have the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive. Jesus introduces the Holy Spirit as a person, never refer to him as a power or force or a thing, that is an error! We are governed by the Spirit of God whilst unbelievers live under the dominion of darkness. They don’t know him! He got us saved, we’re born of the Spirit, we know Him!
"...but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:17
So child of God, you are born again, and God filled, so that you can live the God life.
Submission to the Holy Spirit
The manifestation of the results of kingdom encounters takes the help of the Holy Spirit, as we learn to submit to Him, the kingdom of God finds more expression in our lives.
"But the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom God will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:26 KJV
The sincere fellowship with the Holy Spirit is revealed in obedience.
"Howbeit, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. He will show you things to come. He shall glorify me, He shall receive of mine, and shall show it on to you. All things that the Father has are mine." John 16:13 ESV
The whole goal of having the Holy Spirit is to reveal Christ to you. When you look into the perfect law of liberty which is the word of God you are being changed into his image. The more of Him you see, the more of Him you become.
"We all with open faces behold Him as in a glass, the glory of the Lord are being changed into the same image, from one degree of glory, from one level of glory to another, even as part of the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV
This is the Holy Spirit at work, He will never put any other person or any other thing in the picture except Jesus. He is the Spirit of truth and there is no deception in Him. Without the Holy Spirit, there’s no kingdom. Jesus is the King of the Kingdom, but Jesus, as we can see in the scripture, has handed over the authority of the kingdom to the Holy Spirit.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV
Anybody that will operate the divine life on earth, cannot do it without the Holy Spirit. Jesus in the flesh had to manifest by the influence of the Holy Spirit.
“How God anointed Jesus Christ of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good.” Acts 10:38 ESV
He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power, and Jesus had to ensure that the early church also received the Holy Spirit. They were empowered by the Holy Ghost before they could perform and manifest the kingdom! We must learn to submit to the Holy Spirit. It is when we submit to the Holy Spirit that we will manifest the nature of the Holy Spirit. When we submit to the Holy Spirit we will manifest the works of Jesus!
Nobody plants a tree and expects it to bear fruits in a day. There’s a process involved which entails three spheres of engagement: the first, is fellowship with the Holy Spirit, second is obedience to the word of God and thirdly, is fellowship with the saints. The more you fellowship with the Holy Spirit in the word, make a practice of obedience and fellowship with other Saints, the more you grow consistently in the things of the kingdom.
Manifestation of the Sons of God
We’re on a journey of transformation that entails conforming to the image of Christ as we practice obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. God wants us to become like Jesus. When there are many sons of God working on the face of the earth, the devil is in trouble.
“For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:19 ESV
The pattern Son is Jesus and we must be like him. That is the goal of salvation and sanctification
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5 KJV
Jesus expects us to bear fruit, the fruit of love which is outlined in Galatians 5:22-23.
There’s a story of how Jesus and his disciples visited a town, he saw a fig tree that was fruitless and he cursed it. However it wasn’t the season for the tree to bear fruit and yet Jesus Christ cursed the tree for not bearing fruit. This teaches us that Christ expects us to bear fruit even in unfavorable seasons.
We are the trees of righteousness, planted in the Holy Ghost, by the rivers of water, expected to bear fruits consistently. Bearing fruit and manifesting the nature of Jesus is the order of the day. The more you pattern yourself after Christ, the more you will manifest the power of the world to come. the more you will manifest the power of the kingdom, the more you will manifest the gifts of the Spirit.
Much emphasis is being placed on the gifts of the Spirit and many are being led astray. We’ve wrongly prioritized our kingdom engagement, remember, Jesus Christ said we should seek first the kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added.
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." John 14:12 KJV
Believing in Him means building your life around His Word and abiding in His Word. You cannot claim you believe in Jesus, if you are opposed to His instructions. If all you have is a worldly perspective of living, you are deceiving yourself, you can never manifest his nature like that.
Every disciple, every believer in Christ Jesus, every born-again Christian must cultivate this attitude, a sincere heart response to the workings of the Holy Spirit. Child of God, if you don’t commit your heart to the processing of the Holy Spirit, where the Holy Spirit uses the word of God to remold your heart, to alter your priorities, change the way you think, speak and live, you cannot manifest the kingdom. You can’t claim to be a citizen of the kingdom, and live a life of rebellion and disobedience. You can’t violate the principles of God and expect the results of God, it doesn’t work that way. Your citizenship is not the grounds of abuse. We build on the foundation of obedience to the Word of God, fellowship with the Holy Spirit and fellowship with the saints. This is how to live the life and culture ourselves so that God can manifest in us.
In conclusion, make transformation your goal at these two levels:
- Transformation in your understanding,
- Transformation in your affection.
The Lord said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your hearts, and with all your soul.” The Bible says, Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world.
Transformation at the level of your understanding, deals with the wrong belief systems that you have built your life around that hinder the manifestation of kingdom encounters in your life.
Your affection must be transformed. Child of God, if you’re willing to compromise your affection, in order to please the world, you’re far from the kingdom life. If you make up your mind to stand for God in every circumstance you are ready for God’s manifestation. May God help us to produce results of kingdom encounters in Jesus name!
