The Kingdom of God And The Narrow Path

Romans 14:17
King James Version
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

The Kingdom of God is
– Righteousness
– Peace
– Joy in the Holy Ghost

Righteousness:

Without the right standing with God you cannot have peace of God…

Acts 4:12 Expanded Bible (EXB)
12 ·Jesus is the only One who can save people [Salvation is found/present in no one else]. ·No one else [No other name given to people] ·in the world [under heaven] is able to save us.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 Expanded Bible (EXB)
21 God made ·Christ [ the one] who ·had no sin [or never sinned; did not know sin] to become sin for us, so that in ·Christ [him] we could become ·right with [the righteousness of] God.

Peace:

Philippians 4:7 KJV
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

John 14:27 KJV
King James Version
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

The peace of God that is beyond human understanding gives you access to the Joy in the Holy Ghost.

The Joy of the Holy Ghost:

Romans 14:17 KJV
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Such are those who will be able to pray without ceasing and can rejoice forever more.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Matthew 7:13-14 KJV
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matthew 7:13-14 NIV
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

A. The wide gate and broad road:
Some Characteristics –
1. Allows for distraction
2. No structure
3. Anyone and anything permitted to move freely and behave wildly.
4. No discipline
5. It is very convenient
6. Disorderly
7. Confused Crowd mentality
8. Move from one lane to another out of dissatisfaction or envy
9. Compromise any how you wish…
10. Enough room for the devil and his agents maneuver.

*The devil is not going to bother you on your way to hell and destruction.*

Proverbs 14:12-13
The Message
12-13 There’s a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell.
Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak.

B. The small gate, strait and narrow road:
Some Characteristics –
1. Committed (focused, determined and diligent).not making it easy at all to turn back
Your face is set like a flint looking forward and pressing on…

Isaiah 50:7 Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Lord God helps me,
so I will not be ·ashamed [disgraced].
I ·will be determined [have set my face like flint;], and I know I will not be ·disgraced [put to shame].

Philippians 3:13-14 AMPC
13 I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.
14 I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

2. Accountable to higher authorities
3. Accountable for – Responsible.
4. Consecrated: may seem lonely but you are never alone. God is with you.
5. Not convinient on the flesh but there is a building up of the inner man. You build a strong spirit and a disciplined flesh.
6. Leave No room for compromise.
7. Give No room to the devil.
8. The Holy Spirit leads you on as you follow.
9. Because you have submitted to God resisting the devil and causing him to flee becomes a norm.
– you become a threat to the devil and not the other way round.
10. You are on your own lane/ not competing with another…in your divine calling and destiny heading towards Heaven.

Psalm 18:25-27 EXB
25 Lord, you ·are [show yourself] ·loyal [faithful; kind] to those who are ·loyal [faithful; kind], and you are good to those who are good.
26 You ·are [show yourself] ·pure [sincere] to those who are ·pure [sincere], but you ·are [show yourself] ·against [hostile/shrewd/cunning/perverse to] those who are ·bad [perverse; devious; crooked].
27 You ·save [rescue; T deliver] the ·humble [afflicted], but you ·bring down [watch and humiliate] ·those who are proud [the haughty].

You get to choose the side of God you want to experience. God gives us many chances to get it right, for those who chose not to make it an habit to keep getting it wrong. He gives us opportunities to get better we must careful not to discount those opportunities.

Romans 6:3-4 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
3 Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
4 We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life
The foundation remains sure except your are genuinely saved by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you cannot experience the Kingdom of God.

https://www.lifeoasisinternationalchurch.org/resources/blog/item/8-who-is-genuinely-saved

The Dream:
I fell asleep very briefly after I had done an intercessory prayer for some members of my Church.
In that dream it was like my biological dad was talking to me even though I could not see his face. He was telling me about his visit to the house of a person he thought he was very close to.
As he spoke I was able to see and observe the events that took place.

The person he was to visit came out of house dressed in an army camouflage and had an automatic rifle raised and ready to shoot.
At this point the voice said to me …that response, not being recognised as a friend brought tears to his eyes.

I continued to look on… the man who had his gun raised lowered the gun and then smiled as if eventually recognising his visitor (the person narrating the event to me unhappily).

We are the soldiers of Christ and the weapons of warfare are not carnal but mighty through God. It is to be used against the enemy not a friend. The Holy Spirit does not only make our weapons effective but He makes us when we fellowship with Him, effective in using our weapons of warfare.

If there is a problem with the man carrying the weapon even though he is carrying a weapon he still be a victim of the battle. Victory is secured in alignment with the help of the Holy Spirit.

We need the right sensitivity in dealing with the Holy Spirit we need him always on our side. He dwells in you and I that close that we should not mistaken Him for an enemy or not recognize Him quickly as a friend.

The Holy Spirit was sent to us who are born-again by Jesus Christ to Help us get it right with God.

John 14:26 Amplified Bible
But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor — Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.

May you never mistaken your Helpers in destiny and God-given friends for an enemy. And may you never mistaken your adversary, enemy and destroyer for a friend. In Jesus Name.

Your path and that of destroyer will never cross but your path and that of your helper will always cross. In Jesus Name Amen.

The Message Bearer
Cornelius Bella