Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

This scripture and the surrounding verses have volumes to say in just a few short lines. First thing this is Jesus saying this. So it is something you can take to the bank!

Image from the Pursuit of God Google search.

One thing I have found, when God has something for us as His children, this thing will almost never come easy and will always be contested by the enemy and his camp. Many times our friends and family will also contest the amazing things of God in our lives!

The day you decide to have a better bible study or prayer life.
The day you decide to live Holy and pure.
The day you decide to share your faith with others.
The day you decide to give more to the poor or the Work of the Lord.
The day you decide to have family devotions.
The day you see a promise in God’s Word and you know it to be true and you begin to believe for it in your life.

You can count on this every good thing you decide to do, will be contested!

“The violent take it by force!

Something you can always see when reading the Words of Jesus, He never says things in a small or mediocre way! He alway declare the best or the upper limit! In response His people settle for far less! When Jesus promises something or says something He is expecting us to pursue it until that territory is ours, or better put, the territory is the Kingdom’s.

When Jesus declares that the “Kingdom of God is at hand”, He is telling everyone that His Kingdom is within our reach. But it is the violent that take it by force!

Why are these things contested by hell?

Let’s look at the previous verses.

Mat 11:11 “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Wait did Jesus really say that?
Did He really mean this?
This seems to be impossible! He must have had a hidden meaning!

Isn’t this the same voice that Eve heard in the garden?
Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

The serpent said to Eve, “Did God really say that?”

Look what Jesus says here!
Born of a woman (which includes all of mankind), there is no one greater than John the Baptist.
Jesus is declaring something incredible about John! From Adam until this moment in History, John is the greatest or most significant man of God.
Greater than Moses, Elijah, Abraham, Samuel or David.

What? Is He really saying that? Read the verse!

Then what He says next will make your head spin!

Mat 11:11b “notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

At this time, Jesus was standing at a time in History when a major chapter was closed, the page turned and a new chapter or New Covenant was coming. John was the last of the Old Testament Prophets. He was the forerunner of Jesus! “The Elijah that was to come”.

John was the best so far! But he that is the least in this new kingdom is greater than he!

This greater has to do with our potential in Christ! We have a better covenant, built on better promises. The thing is many will look at this and succumb to the voice that will say, “Hath God really said?”.
Christians every day are settling for less!
We have not learned to belly up to the table and eat of the feast He has prepared for us!

This is why the enemy contests and resists you and I when we determine to do something for the kingdom!

The devil knows this truth! The least in this new kingdom can resist him and he has to flee!

Are we gong to believe the Master or the other voices?
Just because we don’t see something, promised in the Word of God, active in our life and ministry, are we going to settle for that? Or are we going to violently take these things by force?

My pastor from Ghana used to say, “The richest place on earth is the graveyard”, meaning many people had the potential to do great things for the kingdom, but instead of doing these great things, they took them to their grave.

Five years ago, my wife and I came to the Philippines on vacation. We spent 11 days in total there! We spent 3 days in Luzon, then went to the island of Mindanao on the fourth day. This day I saw a 3 month old baby girl! She had only gained 3 ounces since her birth and was so weak she coukd not hold her head up and when she cried, she only whimpered.
When I saw her, it really broke my heart! I believe the promise in Mark 16, “These signs shall follow them that believe..they shall lay hands on the sick and the sick shall recover!” I took her in the bedroom and layed her on my chest and cried out to God. I prayed for 1 1/2 hours and.....Nothing!
But I was not going to take no for an answer! So the second night, I took her in the same room. I held her on my chest! I said, “Lord, you love this girl more than me!” “It is your character to heal!” “Your Name is Jehovah Rapha!” “I am not going to let you go, until this child is completely whole, in the Name of Jesus!”.
The presence of God manifested in that room! I cried such a deep anguish and God filled me full of His Love for that child! His Awesome presence lingered for an hour and a half! Such an incredible experience, with such an Incredible God! Words can’t really describe what happened!
But when we got up off of that bed, this little precious one was 100% healed. She gained 5 pounds or over 2 kilos in the next two months. Today she is five! Smart, healthy and beautiful! She is the little girl you see at the end of most of my posts!

We were called to make disciples of nations!
We were called to greater works!
We were promised rivers of living water would flow from our bellies!
We are the light of the World!
We are the salt of the earth!
We are the army of God!
Christ in us is the Hope of Glory!
We carry this treasure in earthen vessels!

Every promise is yes and Amen in Jesus!
Don’t let people slow you down or keep you from the promises. Don’t stop because it is difficult. God loves it when we go after the promises and don’t give up!

Are you the violent that take it by force?

I am believing God for 1 million souls! Not because of pride, but because I believe God!
What do you see in God’s Word?
What promise should you see in your life, family, nation, or ministry?

The violent take it by force!

Thank you for your time!
All comments are welcome, if they are done with respect. I will return the favor!
God bless!
Daddy William!