Greetings in the name of our Majestic Savior, Jesus Christ. We appreciate all you do for this ministry as members of the Body of Christ and partners. Your prayers and financial support make us go. We recently held meetings at Northwest Believers Church in Katy, Texas. The Holy Spirit was there, as always, and the people were blessed, and lives were changed. You were a part of it! So, a deposit has been made in your heavenly account, which means you have something to draw on in this world today!
Before the meetings in Katy, we attended Kenneth Copeland’s annual Ministers Conference. That entire week the Holy Spirit ministered to me about heaven—how real it is and how close we are to going there (whether it is in the Catching Away or because our physical bodies expire). It won’t be long before those of us who have asked Jesus to come into our hearts and be the Lord over our lives will see Him face to face. For us here, that is indescribable and as the song goes, “I can only imagine. “
Heaven is a physical destination for us, but it is also a spiritual destination. The Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, tells us that God would not have us uninformed about spiritual things, which means spiritual and heavenly things are readily available for us to receive and understand. God withholds no good thing from His servants who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11).
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 1 Corinthians12:1
The translators added the word “gifts” to help us understand that things spiritual and heavenly are to be cherished as gifts. Pastor James tells us in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Gifts from heaven are good and perfect, and they also come down to us here on earth.
God still performs the miracles today that He performed throughout the Bible. The last part of James 1:17 says that in God there is no variableness or chance of Him changing. Wow! He is not going to change His mind. So, we have no reason to doubt Him. He wants to pour heaven out on you right now! He hasn’t changed His mind concerning you. No matter what, He still knows the plans He has for you, and they are good (Jer. 29:11). Praise God!! I’m ready for those perfect plans to continue manifesting in my life. How about you?
You might ask, “Brother Byerly, I’m not seeing these things in my life, what’s wrong?” Well, let’s start by asking the question, “Where are you looking?” Jesus tells us this:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
Jesus puts a priority on seeking the kingdom of God—Do It First! That means before everything or anything else. We easily look at things other than God’s kingdom first. So many will say, “I have to do this or that.” How many will say, “I have to go to church” or “I have to read my Bible” or “I have to pray.” Then do it! You know you have done this, I have too—I’m not leaving myself out.
A football receiver has to keep his eyes on the ball in order to catch it; likewise, a believer has to keep their eyes on the Kingdom to receive things from heaven. The Kingdom of God IS the Kingdom of heaven. Now here is a twist, Jesus says, “The kingdom of God is within you”(Luke 17:21). If it is in you, you have all of heaven inside of you. Think about that. The heaven inside of you had to get there somehow, and you had to allow it to enter. How?
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8
Faith was imparted to you when you heard and believed the Word of God. The gift of grace (God’s supernatural ability) was given to you which caused your spirit to be born again from heaven. The Scriptures say we are born of God—this is when heaven entered you.
Heaven entered you by faith in the Word you heard. So, to keep heaven growing on the inside of you, you must continue to hear the Word.
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17
Faith comes by hearing,not having heard. As your faith develops more heaven on the inside of you, there is more to draw out. The heaven inside of you is truly the Holy Spirit. He, not “It,” must increase in you as your spirit decreases, thus allowing Him to be the guide and comforter in ALL things.
Seeking the kingdom of God “first” means knowing where to look for the kingdom. It’s the Word of God you hide in your heart. Inside of yourself is your belief system. That belief system should be formed by the kingdom of light (heaven). If not, the kingdom of darkness will form it by default. Increasing your knowledge of God’s Word will increase your knowledge of His Spirit and the things of heaven.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge… Hosea 4:6
God’s spiritual knowledge will render your adversary, Satan, helpless and unable to destroy you. The opposite of destruction is construction or creation. This is what heaven on the inside of you gives you the power to do—create! Create heaven on earth around you. When chaos comes, you can draw on the peace of heaven that dwells inside of you. When sickness comes, draw on the healing of heaven. When lack comes, draw on the abundance of heaven—all of it is within you.
Just because some on the earth are on their way to hell, and people make things hell on earth because their belief system has been formed by the kingdom of darkness, doesn’t mean that’s you! At least I hope not. You are on your way to heaven and are the conduit to bring heaven to earth. You are the hope of glory!
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
The glory is heaven. All of heaven has it’s hope in you to manifest what’s on the inside of you to the world. God has given you His supernatural ability (grace) to be able to accomplish this. You are well able to overtake the world and believe the report of the Lord and Master!
As we draw closer to the end of this Age, the kingdom of God is being made manifest in the earth. Where difficulties abound, grace that much more abounds for those who will seize hold of that gift. The dream some have of heaven on earth is not far away.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. Revelation 21:2-5
God is coming to live here on the earth physically. When he comes, He is bringing heaven and all of its benefits with Him. Bible Prophecy foretells of this future. This happens at the end of the millennial reign of Christ and the Church.
This dream of heaven on earth can be a reality today for those who will seek His kingdom FIRST before all things. By doing so, we continue to grow into the image and knowledge of Jesus. It is truly all about relationship. Let’s strive in our relationship with the Father today.
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