Page 63 - Overcoming Addiction

Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Yahshua answered, "You
say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have
come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth
hears My voice."

Every kingdom has a king. The king can only be said to truly be ruling over
his kingdom if everything in the kingdom has been brought under subjection to
his rule. Since the kingdom of Christ is within mankind, all who would be a part of
this kingdom must bring everything within them under the rule of the Son of God.
Yahshua made this very plain in the following words.

Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

Christ’s words are quite clear. We cannot enter into the Kingdom of God by a
mere profession of faith. Words alone are insufficient. We must do the will of God
in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. He only rules those who are submitting
themselves to Him for obedience. Anyone who claims allegiance to God, but fails
to do His will, has no part in His kingdom.

Luke 6:46-47
“And why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?”

Christ’s question here reveals how easily men and women are deceived.
Many do not do the will of Christ, but they call Him ‘Lord.’ Are they not deceived
when they do so? Yet Christ is not deceived. He knows those who are His.
Even as much of the Old Testament is focused upon the natural nation of
Israel as a type of the Kingdom of God, so is the New Testament focused upon the
establishment of a kingdom. One day every knee will bow before Christ, and every
tongue confess Him as Lord, but there will be no reward for those who resist His
kingdom in this present age. It is only now that we can come and freely offer
ourselves to Him for obedience and attain a reward.
Many battles must be fought, and hardships endured, in order to establish
the Kingdom of God in these pieces of earth which we occupy. Our Lord is not
unjust that He would not reward those who fight valiantly for His kingdom. The
magnificent part of this whole matter is that Yahshua has so taken up the side of
those who would follow Him into battle, that all who obey Him will come forth as
victors. There is no possibility that we will be unable to conquer any foe. There is
no chance that those who obey Christ will not be able to completely subdue every
enemy in the land of their flesh. He has promised us the victory!
We see this promise of victory over every sinful passion and desire that
resides in our flesh foreshadowed in Yahweh’s words to Joshua as he prepared to
embark on the conquest of the land of Canaan.