“From the time of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent
take it by force.” Matt 11:12
I. Violence began in the Kingdom of Heaven when John the Baptist began preaching a Gospel
of repentance. Matt 3:1-3 “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” …..
a. This fight began with preaching the Gospel of confession and repentance.
b. This fight continues in our time as the Gospel of confession and repentance is preached
and men and women confess and repent by believing that Gospel. Not the gospel of
prosperity and social justice or any other philosophy.
c. Jesus said, “Thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to
rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission for sins should be
preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.” This is the Gospel that
Jesus died for.
II. The time of John the Baptist until now is now. As believers in Jesus, we must know what
time it is (Eph 5:15-18; Redeem the time!). We still fight today through confession and
repentance (1John 1:9). Not just to come into the Kingdom, but to operate in the Kingdom.
Confession and repentance lead to spiritual cleansing. Without confession and repentance
we fall into a weakened state, where we rebel against God. The Bible says, “if we say we
have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” (1John 1:10)
a. We are not to be passive Christians (passive-accepting or allowing what happens or
what others do, without active response or resistance.) The church in Revelation 2:20,
Thyatira was a passive church that allowed false doctrine to thrive, leading to ramped
sexual immorality in their midst. Jesus’ message to this church is to repent.
b. We are not to be complacent or aloof Christians (complacent- marked by self-
satisfaction, especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or
deficiencies; aloof- removed and distant either physically or emotionally cool and
lukewarm). The church in Revelation 3:14, Laodicea relied on their wealth and comfort
for justification, but Jesus said that they were wretched and naked in the spirit. He said
they were neither hot or cold, just existing, and not in service unto the Lord. Jesus’
message again to this church was to repent.
III. We are to fight, understanding that we don’t fight against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual
host of wickedness in the heavenly places. Eph 6:12 Since this is a spiritual battle, we must
be spiritually dressed in clean garments. 1John 1:9
a. We must be a faithful church like the church in Philadelphia identified in Rev. 3:7. Jesus
told this church, “Because you have kept my commandment to persevere, I will keep
you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell on the earth.”
b. We must be courageous believers like the church the church in in Smyrna. Although
they had very little materially and were heavily persecuted, they continued to work for
the Lord. Jesus told them that outwardly they may have been poor, but inwardly,
because of their faith they were rich. Jesus promised them that if they were faithful
unto death, He would give them a “crown of life”.
c. Fight the good fight! 1Tim 6:11,12
