https://youtu.be/un2T5BLbFH0

The Realm of the Spirit

Second Corinthians 4:18

ERV-So we think about what we cannot see, not what we see. What we see lasts only a short time, and what we cannot see will last forever.

EHV-We are not focusing on what is seen, but on what is not seen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal.

Prayer (Ephesians 1)

I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation to know him through your deepening intimacy with him.

I pray that the light of God will illuminate the eyes of your imagination,flooding you with light, until you experience the full revelation of the hope of his calling—that is, the wealth of God’s glorious inheritances that he finds in us, his holy ones!

I pray that you will continually experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power made available to you through faith. Then your lives will be an advertisement of this immense power as it works through you!

This is the mighty power that was released when God raised Christ from the dead and exalted him to the place of highest honor and supreme authority in the heavenly realm! 

And now he is exalted as first above every ruler, authority, government, and realm of power in existence! He is gloriously enthroned over every name that is ever praised, not only in this age, but in the age that is coming!

And he alone is the leader and source of everything needed in the church. God has put everything beneath the authority of Jesus Christand has given him the highest rank above all others. 

And now we, his church, are his body on the earth and that which fills him who is being filled by it! Ephesians 1:

Father, I pray that you Help us to hear and to see what the Spirit is saying to us in Jesus name.

2 Points

• Have Faith in God—Faith like a grain of Mustard Seed
• Shift your focus to the spirit realm

In 2 Corinthians 4:18 the Apostle Paul exhorts us to Look. Imagine you are at an important gathering. You’re standing in a crowd of likeminded people. Someone suddenly shouts with excitement, “Look!!!” while they point at something in the distance.

The crowd shifts their focus from what they are doing and turns their attention to Looking. As they focus on looking, they are expecting to see something. They may think, ‘Look at what’? As they gaze ahead.

Some may turn and look at the person who shouted ‘Look’ to see exactly what direction that person is looking in. Some may be suspicious and refuse to look. Preferring to look in the opposite direction or ignoring the shouted out ‘Look’.

Think about the word ‘Look’. When we look we expect to see or experience. Here are synonyms (words with same or similar meaning) for ‘Look’:

Glance Gaze Focus on Watch Examine

Study Consider See Observe Take Note Of

Pay Attention To Check out Squint at BeholdThink about

We can look visibly with our eyes and we can look spiritually. We all can look and we all can see spiritually!

Picture a person who is legally blind/physically blind or visually impaired. They may need assistance (or glasses) or a guide to lead them safely. As the saints of God, believers, followers of Christ we are multi-dimensional members of the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit is our guide. The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us safely and we can trust Him.

By multidimensional- I mean we have a mind, body, soul, spirit. We have our free will, our emotions, they way our brains are wired, etc. We have own individual DNA (Genetic Code-Deoxyribonucleic acid-our hereditary material).

In the natural our genetic code can be altered by mutagens and outside environmental/external things that get inside of us or the cells in our body. In the same way, in the spiritual our genetic code is altered when we are born again.

In the spiritual realm or realm of the spirit there is the Kingdom of Light (God and all His treasures-His armies of angels…, the family of God-the Body of Christ on this side and in the spiritual realm) and the kingdom of darkness (evil).

First things first, seek the Kingdom of God (Jesus said, “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33).

So we see that the Kingdom of God is not limited to the physical or what we can see with our physical eyes. The things we can see with our physical eyes are temporary. You might be thinking, but what about the Bible. Is it temporary also?

We see the words with our physical eyes. The Bible or biblical Scripture is the Word of God, logos. Merriam-Webster.com defines logos as, “the divine wisdom manifest in the creation, government, and redemption of the world and often identified with the second person of the Trinity (Jesus).

Jesus Christ is the Word (John 1). God is a Spirit and true worshippers Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. So, the living Bible/Scripture is eternal and everlasting.

Jesus and the Kingdom

Jesus placed emphasis on the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Heaven. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He again emphasized the Kingdom. Matthew 6:

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.

Jesus is our example for living. If Jesus emphasized the Kingdom, we also must emphasize the Kingdom. Jesus taught many parables of the Kingdom.

Mark 4:26-29-And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head…..But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

Matthew 13:44-46-“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “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.

Mark 4:30-34-And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

Matthew 13:47-52-“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous……

Matthew 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. ² And five of them were wise, and five were foolish…..

Matthew 25:14-30-“For it (the kingdom) is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents……..

Matthew 18: At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³ And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵ And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Matthew 18:21-35-Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves…………………

Matthew 22:1-14-Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come………………….

Matthew 13:24-30 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also…..

Matthew 20:1-16-“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the market place……..Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Parables-Of-The-Kingdom-Of-Heaven

Reality Check

The spirit realm is reality. Our physical bodies are temporary. The Kingdom of Heaven-the spiritual realm is eternal, everlasting, and imperishable. Apostle Paul said think on, focus on, study, pay attention to, look on, examine, consider, observe the unseen.

The realm of the spirit the unseen realm- where Faith in Jesus is. God has MORE for us, the realities of the kingdom. The Holy Spirit wants to give us revelation of the more of God. We must partner with the Spirit.

God wants to give us more of Him. He wants to spend personal time with us in close-intimate fellowship, like friends. There is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother. “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”Proverbs 18:24.

God reveals what we need to know through dreams, visions, and encounters, with miracles, signs, and wonders. The church must take back what belongs to God’s kingdom people.

Yes, there is also demonic in the realm of the spirit but Jesus came to destroy the works of darkness. We have the authority of the believer.

We, the body of Christ, exercise our legal right and authority to destroy the works of darkness in our lives, family, community/church, cities and the nations of the world.

We pray effectively and declare Matthew 6:9-10.

Jesus gave us the keys to the kingdom, the Word of God, the authority to bind and loose, the Ephesians 6:10-17 battle plan, the right to appropriate the Blood of Jesus.

Jesus knew we would need these things to advance the kingdom as He commissioned us to.  “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19)

The unseen realm is described all throughout Scripture and is undeniable. The supernatural belongs to the kingdom of God. I pray that as you study the Word and engage in Scripture that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to the reality of the spirit realm; in a new way. 

The Body and the Bride of Christ has the authority to do the Father’s will and declare the kingdom of God on earth just as it is in heaven. The Kingdom of heaven is a governmental system that we have received when Jesus secured the victory of the cross and our dominion.

‘Be fruitful and multiply’. This is not some dogmatic demand for control. It is the mandate to share the love of God with the world and exalt Jesus’ finished work of the cross. To take dominion and advance the kingdom is to bear fruit unto God.

We want to see people born again, saved, and growing in God. We are instructed in 2 Timothy 2:15 to study the Word……..What is our purpose in studying the Word of God? Life Application and Kingdom reality. We apply the Word and steward over it as a Father’s letter of inheritance to his children.

God cannot be boxed in and limited to human understanding, traditions or agendas. Can you put the Holy Spirit in a jar and put a lid on it to contain the Spirit of the Living God? Most definitely not. Jesus said he had more to tell His followers.

John 16:  ¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” Jesus’ words are in red, here.

John 16: ¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. (KJV) Jesus’ words are in red, here.

Jesus taught the principles of the kingdom of heaven, principles of the spirit realm as He pointed to the Holy Spirit.

Welcome to the era of the unveiling of the spirit realm as revealed by the Holy Spirit!!! The timing of the people of God demonstrating the Kingdom.

Kingdom of Heaven- Realm of the Spirit-Let your Faith Arise!

F.A.C.T.S.

As I share with you 2 Corinthians 4:18-consider the F.A.C.T.S

1. Focus
2. Attention
3. Choice
4. Time
5. Spirit Realm

Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting. AMPC (2 Cor. 4:18)

Because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.TPT (2 Cor. 4:18)

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. NLT (2 Cor. 4:18)

F.A.C.T.S.

F-Focus on Faith

• Second Corinthians 4:18 Tells us what not to focus on—don’t put your focus on what you can see—the tangible circumstances of life. You know that these are real issues. You are not denying that you need healing or that bills are coming. You are not ignoring your temporary feelings of frustration, loneliness, or devastation. Your unbelief! You are aware of your relationship breakdown. But–You must Focus on your faith in our all powerful mighty God. Center your Faith on Jesus.
• You understand the reality of pleasure, success, accomplishment, accolades, accumulation of wealth, great relationships. Be thankful, truly grateful.
• But don’t set your affections here. Focus on your faith and advancing the kingdom of heaven; representing the kingdom of God- well. You take the Kingdom of God every where you Go.
• Matthew 6: 33 AMPC But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 For we live by faith, not by sight. Our Faith is supernatural, unseen in the natural but we see evidence of our faith in the realm of the spirit

A-Attention:

• We fix our gaze on the things which cannot be seen-we pay attention to the unseen. (2 Cor. 4:18)
• Joshua 1:8 “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate (attention on) on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 
• Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked
  or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, ² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. ³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. (Pay Attention to Jesus teaching the parables of the Kingdom)
• Look behind the scenes in your life, look to the unseen realm, the realm of the spirit. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you what is going on.
• Give attention to and embrace what Jesus wants to do and say. Once you see and hear—apply the Word and live a healed and victorious life.

C-Choice:

• God loves us so much He gave us a free will.
• We can choose. We can choose the bondage of the kingdom of darkness or the glorious freedom of the Kingdom of Light (God’s Kingdom realm). We choose what we give our attention to and what to focus on.
• We have the ability to select what we will pay attention to. It’s called ‘Free-Will’ and we all have it.
• Choose to partner with what Jesus is doing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Choose wisely.
• Make your choice today, align with the Holy Spirit and advance the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

T-Time:

• Temporary and Eternal are concepts of time. Time is a range that is measured as temporary (for a period of time) or eternal (until infinity-unending time).
• In the natural sense, we measure time with clocks, or seasons, or light or darkness. Time in America is different from time in Africa or Australia.
• We have absolutely no control over time. Our time is now!
• Our time on earth is the dash between the date we were born and the date to transition to eternity. We have to Trust God with the timing of our lives.
• Apostle Paul said don’t look on all the temporary, fleeting, here today-gone tomorrow stuff. But, rather look on what is eternal, permanent.

S-Spirit Realm or the realm of the spirit.

• For the realm of the spirit- think about the spiritual reality of the Holy Spirit in our lives; that we don’t only see with our natural eyes.
• When we have faith-it is in the spirit realm. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for it is the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1).
• Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. (Mark 4:30-31).
• So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. (Matthew 17:20).
• We demonstrate the Kingdom of God by faith and it happens in the realm of the spirit. First, we have the faith to ‘say’ to speak. Jesus said if we have faith as a mustard seed- a mustard seed is small but it grows and bears fruit. (Not to mention all the health benefits of the mustard seed and I enjoy the taste of mustard. Lol!). Let’s plant and grow our faith. 

Unseen

God is the Owner of all creation. He created the spiritual realm which consists of both good—God and His angels and evil—the devil and his demons. satan rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven along with one third of his demonic-angels which are evil.

(satan knows that his time on the earth is limited and running out) “Therefore rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them [in the presence of God]. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time [remaining]!” (Rev. 12:12 AMP).

For further understanding please see-Ezekiel 28: 11-17 (the father of lies is a fallen angel), Isaiah 12:12-15, Revelation 12:7-9.

The kingdom of darkness is the kingdom where satan, the devil, rules and controls. Those in this kingdom are subject to the devil and obey him. (Ephesians 6:10-17 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood…..but)

Again, in the realm of the spirit there are two kingdoms: The Kingdom of God and kingdom of darkness. The Kingdom of God is the Sovereign rule of our Lord. We gain access to the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, alone.

Kingdom of God:

• Jesus Christ is King. Our King
• The spiritual realm over which God reigns as King
• The fulfillment on Earth of God’s will
• A glorious Kingdom full of the heavenly host

We Are Supernatural!

We wonderful humans were created by God in His likeness and image Genesis 1:27.We are physical beings and we have a soul and spirit.  While the spiritual realm is invisible to our physical or natural eyes, we are directly connected to and affected by whatever goes on in the realm of the spirit. (Behind the scenes of our lives, so to speak).

FACTS: We have the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to see the unseen and by faith advance the Kingdom of God.

Second Corinthians 4:13-18

¹³ We have the same Spirit of faith that is described in the Scriptures when it says, “First I believed, then I spoke in faith.”So we also first believe then speak in faith. ¹⁶ So no wonder we don’t give up. For even though our outer person gradually wears out, our inner being is renewed every single day. ¹⁷ We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.

‘Through the Eyes of Jesus Look at the Unseen’