The church life is the kingdom life. A normal Christian in a normal church life lives out Christ by being under the headship of Christ, under the direct ruling of Christ. Such living is a kingdom living of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The Lord has been graciously leading us as the church here in Gurgaon into the kingdom living. Unconscious and unintentional hurts among the saints are being exposed, and in the light of the Lord's word, the saints have come to the understanding of the source of misunderstanding caused by Satan.
True to His word in Matthew 16:18, the Lord Jesus is building His church, and to this, He added that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against the builded church. As the believers are being built up together and are growing in life, the enemy crept in to deceive the weaker ones with lies and negativity. To the extend that one sister became so bitter towards a brother. When the matter was brought to my knowledge, the only culprit I could think of is Satan himself. This is his handiwork and he is the master of it. Nevertheless, he is the defeated foe. I am no problem-solver, but I do pray and follow the Lord is visiting this sister to shepherd her.
Initially I had to listen to all what that sister had to say; mostly complains and bitterness. However, I made it known to her that all the "tamasha" was the work of Satan, and we should identify him(Satan) as the one and only culprit, not our brothers and sisters. The mystery of the "missing link" in fellowship among us need to be solved in mutual fellowship, reconciliation and forgiveness, and thereby forgetting all about it. Finally, after months of "'groping in darkness" in relationship, the Lord led the more mature ones to set things right. In fellowship, things were set right in a home meeting and we experienced that the Lord was indeed the Victor! When the matter was set right, the issue was joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. I personally enjoyed the peace and joy that issued from setting things right last night. Praise the Lord!
Righteousness is to be right with God and man; with matters, things and persons. To the extend that Satan has no ground, no chance, no opportunity to say anything. This is the reality of the kingdom of God.
The Lord's speaking through the ministry of the word in the HWMR is so subjective and experienceable to the saints. The morning revival pursuit as the church is on the same line too. The Lord has been gracing me to fellowship with many saints in my locality, and more so, I am thankful to Him for His works of transformation in each saint. As I compare and contrast the fellowship and shepherding I had with them now, and when they initially came in to the church life, I extol the Father for His greatness. So much growth in life have transpired. Besides, the peace and joy of the Lord in the church life is praise-worthy. Hallelujah!
These experiences in the church life are rightly noted in the footnote of the Recovery Version Bible below. Genuine speaking of the Lord, in interpretation of the Word or prophesy, is always confirmed by genuine experiences of Christ in the church subjectively.
17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but 2righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
172 The kingdom of God is the sphere in which God exercises His authority so that He may express His glory for the fulfillment of His purpose. In such a kingdom, what matters is not eating and drinking but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Righteousness denotes that which is right and proper. Those who live in the kingdom of God should be right and proper toward others, toward things, and toward God; with them there should be nothing erroneous, improper, crooked, slanted, or biased. This requires that they be strict in dealing with themselves. Peace is the fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11 and note). It characterizes the relationship that those who live in the kingdom of God should have with others and with God. If we are righteous, right, and proper toward others, toward things, and toward God, we will have a peaceful relationship with others and with God. Thus, we will have joy in the Holy Spirit and, in particular, before God. In this way we will be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52) and will live out righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, which are the reality of the kingdom of God.
According to the context of this chapter, this verse was written for our receiving of the believers. If we receive the believers according to the apostle's instruction in this chapter, we will be right and proper toward those whom we receive and will have peace with them; thus, we will have joy in the Holy Spirit, proving that we are living in the reality of God's kingdom and are under God's rule. Otherwise, we will not be right or proper toward those whom we do not receive and will not have peace with them; thus, we will not have joy in the Holy Spirit before God, proving that we are not subject to God's authority in the kingdom of God.
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