Those in the Kingdom of God vs. Those in the Reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens

 

Those in the Kingdom of God vs. Those in the Reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens

Central Revelation

The Kingdom of God is the realm of all regenerated believers who possess the divine life.

The Reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens is the living of the overcoming believers who are under the inward ruling of Christ's life.

Regeneration brings a believer into the Kingdom of God; submission to the law of the divine life brings the believer into the reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens. 

Item	Those in the Kingdom of God	Those in the Reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens
Meaning	Regenerated believers possessing God's life	Believers living under the inward ruling of Christ's life
Cause	Through faith in Christ and regeneration (John 3:5)	Through daily denying the self, bearing the cross, and walking according to the Spirit
Life Characteristic	Possess the divine life	Express the maturity and reign of the divine life
Spiritual Condition	Have life	Have life governed by life
Center of Living	Christ dwells within	Christ reigns within
Kingdom Experience	Entered the kingdom	Live out the kingdom
Spiritual Nature	Beginning of life	Maturity and manifestation of life
Daily Living	Sometimes in the spirit, sometimes in the flesh	Habitually live in the spirit
Law of Life	Possess the law of life	Submit to the law of life
Christ's Government	Partial submission	Continual submission
According to Witness Lee	Transferred into Christ's kingdom (Col. 1:13)	The kingdom becomes one's practical living
Illustration	Citizens who have entered a kingdom	Faithful subjects living under the King's rule
Another Illustration	Christ has entered the house	Christ governs every room of the house
Another Illustration	A seed has been planted	A tree grows according to the law of life
Explanation	Christ is present but may not govern	Christ governs every aspect of living
Rule of Christ	Intermittently accepted	Constantly accepted
The Self	Often preserved	Daily denied
The Flesh	Still active	Dealt with by the cross
Natural Man	Still retained	Renewed daily
Ground for Satan	The natural man still gives opportunity	Satan loses all ground through Christ's ruling
Result	Saved and possessing eternal life	Living the heavenly kingdom life
Outcome	Children of the kingdom	Overcomers of the kingdom
Degree of Growth	Initial stage of life	Mature stage of life
Church Life	Participate in the church	Build up the church in reality
Purpose	To receive life	To express God's governmental administration
God's Desire	To gain sons	To gain reigning companions
Future Reward	Eternal salvation	Reward and reigning in the coming kingdom
Millennial Kingdom	May not reign	Will reign with Christ
Relationship	Includes the reality of the kingdom	The highest practical expression within the Kingdom of God
Scope	All regenerated believers	Only the overcoming believers
In the Church	Every genuine believer	Only the overcoming believers
Compared with Outward Christendom	Different from merely nominal Christians	Higher than outward religious practice
Biblical Examples	The Corinthian believers (saved but fleshly)	Paul, Timothy, John, Stephen
Examples in the Gospels	The disciples when first called	The disciples living according to the Sermon on the Mount
Present Application	Be assured that we are in God's kingdom	Allow Christ to rule our mind, emotion, and will daily
Daily Practice	Meetings, prayer, Bible reading	Living in the spirit, following the anointing, accepting the cross
Practical Test	Do I possess the divine life?	Am I under the ruling of the divine life?
Ministry Burden	Not merely to be saved	To live under Christ's inward government
Goal of the Ministry	From regeneration to maturity	From the position of the kingdom to the reality of the kingdom
Speaking Burden	God is not merely seeking saved people but believers who allow Christ to reign in every part of their being, becoming today's overcomers and tomorrow's co-kings with Christ.
Conclusion	The Kingdom of God emphasizes the entrance of life.	The Reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens emphasizes the government of life.
Ultimate Goal	Members of God's household	Co-kings reigning with Christ
Related Scriptures	John 3:3–6; Col. 1:13; Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; Mark 4:26–29	Matt. 5–7; Matt. 16:24–28; Matt. 18:3–4; Matt. 19:23–30; Matt. 24:45–47; Matt. 25:1–30; Luke 17:20–21; Rom. 8:2, 4, 6, 13; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 2:5–13; 2 Tim. 2:11–12; Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 20:4–6

 

Spiritual Sequence

Believe into Christ
↓
Be Regenerated
↓
Enter the Kingdom of God (the realm of the divine life)
↓
Christ dwells within
↓
Submit to the law of the Spirit of life
↓
Live under Christ's inward government
↓
Enter into the Reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens
↓
Become an Overcomer today
↓
Participate in the Manifestation of the Kingdom (the Millennium)
↓
Reign with Christ
↓
Consummate in the New Jerusalem

Spiritual Core Relationship

The Kingdom of God (the realm of the divine life)
↓ contains

The Church (the corporate expression of the divine life)
↓ produces

The Reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens (the living under Christ's heavenly ruling)
↓ perfects

The Overcomers
↓ inherit

The Manifestation of the Kingdom (the Millennial Kingdom)
↓ consummates in

The New Jerusalem (the eternal and ultimate Kingdom of God)

One Prophesying Summary

Regeneration brings believers into the Kingdom of God; submission to the inward law of the divine life brings them into the Reality of the Kingdom of the Heavens. Those who allow Christ to reign within today become the overcoming believers, will participate in the manifestation of the Kingdom to reign with Christ in the coming age, and will ultimately consummate in the New Jerusalem, God's eternal kingdom.

 

*Please refer to the 2026 Memorial Day Special Conference theme: The Urgent Need for a New Revival, Part Four: Living the Life of a God-Man by Living in the Kingdom of God as a Holy Kind.

Why Is Rebellion the Principle of Demons?

 

Why Is Rebellion the Principle of Demons?

This text is compiled based on the Bible and with reference to ministry information (especially *Life-Study of Matthew*, *The Kingdom of God*, and *Kingdom Messages*). The statement here that "the principle of the demon is rebellion" refers to a spiritual principle, meaning that anyone who disobeys God's administration, rejects God's authority, or goes against their inner life's feelings possesses the principle of rebellion represented by the demon. It does not mean that believers themselves are demons, but rather that in those aspects of life, the elements of rebellion represented by the demon still remain, requiring the Lord's intervention. 

Item	Integrated Explanation
Meaning	The essential principle represented by demons is rebellion against God's authority. Demons were originally created beings, but by following Satan in his rebellion they became evil spirits. Therefore, wherever there is refusal to submit to God's rule, the principle of demons is present.
Cause	Satan first rebelled against God (Isa. 14:12–15; Ezek. 28:12–17). The demons followed Satan and became spirits of rebellion. Likewise, every area of human living that refuses God's authority manifests the same spiritual principle.
Illustration	Like rebels in a kingdom who reject the lawful government, demons are the rebels in God's universe, refusing His legitimate authority.
Explanation	The kingdom of God is God's ruling and reigning. Demons represent resistance to God's authority. Therefore, when the Lord Jesus cast out demons, He was not merely removing evil spirits but restoring God's authority. Hence He declared, "If I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you" (Matt. 12:28).
Effect	Rebellion breaks fellowship with God, robs believers of peace, frustrates the operation of the Spirit's anointing, strengthens the flesh and the self, and gives Satan ground to work.
Purpose (Satan)	Satan seeks to establish his kingdom through rebellion so that people will live independently of God, according to the self, the flesh, the natural life, and the world.
Purpose (God)	God casts out the principle of rebellion through Christ so that people may return under His divine government and live under His kingdom.
Relationship	Satan → Rebellion → Demons → Kingdom of Darkness → Human Disobedience → Hindrance to God's Kingdom; Christ → Casting Out Demons → Restoration of Submission → God's Reigning → Manifestation of the Kingdom of God.
Biblical Examples	(1) Satan's rebellion (Isa. 14; Ezek. 28); (2) Adam's disobedience (Gen. 3);  (3) Saul's rebellion, "rebellion is as the sin of divination" (1 Sam. 15:23);  (4) Peter setting his mind on the things of men (Matt. 16:23); (5) Christ's absolute obedience to the Father (John 6:38).
Practical Examples	Brother illustrates that when the Lord inwardly forbids us to buy something, go somewhere, or do a certain thing, yet we insist on our own choice, this is outwardly a small matter but inwardly the principle of rebellion—the principle of demons. The same applies to money, entertainment, internet use, time management, relationships, and church service whenever we ignore the Lord's inner leading.
Application Today	Exercise to live in the spirit daily, obey the inward anointing, deny the self, reject the flesh, and allow Christ to rule every area of life without giving Satan any ground.
Ministry Burden	Brother emphasizes that the Lord desires not only to cast out outward demons but also to remove every inward element of rebellion so that God's kingdom may be established within us in reality.
Guideline for Prophesying	God's warfare today is not merely against sin but against rebellion. Whatever rejects God's authority is the principle of demons; whatever submits to Christ's kingship is the manifestation of God's kingdom. May we allow the Lord to cast out every rebellious element so that His kingdom may spread within us.
Conclusion	The essence of demons is rebellion, whereas the essence of God's kingdom is submission. Every act of obedience enlarges the kingdom of God, while every insistence on the self expresses the principle of demons. Christ casts out demons to restore God's kingship within man.
Key Scriptures	Gen. 3:1–6; 1 Sam. 15:23; Psa. 103:19; Isa. 14:12–15; Ezek. 28:12–17; Matt. 6:10; Matt. 12:28; Matt. 16:23; Luke 10:17–20; John 6:38; John 14:30; Rom. 8:6–14; Eph. 2:2; Eph. 4:27; Col. 1:13; James 4:7; 1 Pet. 5:8–9; Rev. 12:7–12; Rev. 20:1–3; Rev. 21:27.

 

Spiritual Sequence

Satan rebels against God
            ↓
Demons follow Satan and become spirits of rebellion
            ↓
Rebellion forms the kingdom of darkness
            ↓
Man lives in the self, the flesh, and the natural life
            ↓
Man refuses God's authority
            ↓
Christ casts out demons by the Spirit
            ↓
God's authority is restored within man
            ↓
The kingdom of God comes upon man
            ↓
Believers submit to the Spirit
            ↓
The Body of Christ is built up
            ↓
The New Jerusalem becomes the ultimate manifestation
of God's eternal kingdom.

 

The Spiritual Relationship

Kingdom of Darkness	Kingdom of God
Satan	Christ
Rebellion	Submission
Self-will	God's will
Flesh	The Spirit
Natural life	Divine life
Disobedience	Obedience
Demonic rule	Christ's reign
Darkness	Light
Death	Life
Confusion	Peace
The World	The Kingdom of God
Satan's kingdom	The New Jerusalem

 

One Prophetic Declaration

The principle of demons is not primarily power but rebellion; the manifestation of God's kingdom is not primarily miraculous signs but Christ, through the Spirit, removing every element of rebellion and establishing God's authority within His people. Every act of obedience to the Spirit enlarges the kingdom of God, while every insistence on the self manifests the principle of demons.

 

*Please refer to the 2026 Memorial Day Special Conference theme: The Urgent Need for a New Revival, Part Four: Living the Life of a God-Man by Living in the Kingdom of God as a Holy Kind.