The kingdom is one item of the basic structure of the Scriptures, but it has been neglected by most Christians. The kingdom is the pervading subject in the whole New Testament. It pervades nearly all the books from Matthew through Revelation. Although you may have been a Christian for years, you have probably heard very little about the kingdom. Although the preaching of the New Testament started with the kingdom, and the kingdom is a basic subject of the New Testament, yet it has been much neglected for centuries because of the subtlety of the enemy.
We have said in the past that the church is God's goal, but the ultimate goal of God is the kingdom, not the church. In eternity and for eternity God will have a kingdom. The church is the main part of the kingdom. Consummately, God will have the kingdom for eternity. When the Lord Jesus returns, the church, in a sense, will be completed, but the kingdom, which includes the church, will continue for eternity. God's ultimate and eternal goal is the kingdom.
Satan, the enemy of God, knows God's goal. That is why he will allow you to do many things as long as you are not for the kingdom. God's intention is to build up a kingdom; the enemy's intention is to destroy this kingdom. The enemy will turn people to anything else as long as he can keep them out of the kingdom. If he cannot utilize sinful or worldly things, he may use religious things. As long as you are distracted from the kingdom, Satan will be satisfied.
The preaching of John the Baptist concerning repentance for the kingdom was not directed to the Gentiles; it was directed to God's people, Israel. His preaching was directed to the religious people who held the Holy Word in their hands, the people who tried their best to worship God according to the Scriptures. John did not say, "I am very happy that you are worshipping God. I am here to improve your worship to God. God has sent me to encourage you to offer sacrifices, to burn the incense, to light the lamps, and worship God by singing and praising and giving thanks." Instead, John preached to the religious people saying, "Repent for the kingdom."
Where is God's kingdom? The whole earth is filled with demons. We have seen that the principle of a demon is rebellion. Although you may love your wife or submit to your husband or have a good family life, you may not be for the kingdom of God. Whatever you do and whatever you are may be altogether in the principle of a demon. The Lord intends to have a kingdom. Whatever you are, whatever you do, and wherever you go must all be under the ruling of His life. Your style of hair, your manner of dress, and everything else must be under the life-ruling of the Lord Jesus. That is the kingdom.
If you live in a brothers' house, it makes little difference whether you lose your temper or you are patient. If you lose your temper, that is an ugly demon. If you are nice and patient, that is a pretty demon if you are not under the ruling of the kingdom. Whether you lose your temper or you are patient, you are still rebellious against God. Even your silence, your patience, and your niceness may not be under the ruling of the Lord Jesus. Only that which is under the ruling of the Lord Jesus is in the kingdom!
How about your life? How about your daily living and your daily walk? You may be so good in the eyes of men, but in the eyes of the Lord you are not under His ruling. He still does not have a kingdom within you. You may be moral, you may be good, you may be gentle, and you may be religious, but you are not under the ruling of His life. There is no kingdom of the Lord Jesus within you. I hope that the Lord Jesus will open our eyes so that we may see the kingdom. The kingdom is not merely a dispensation or a sphere. The kingdom is simply the Lord Jesus sown into us, growing in us, ruling, governing, reigning, and becoming mature, until there is the harvest, that is, the manifestation of the kingdom.