The kingdom of God and challenges to overcome Do everything possible to enter God's kingdom.
Text Luke 13:22-30 ;16:16; Acts 14:21-22
In this text, Jesus tells us to do everything possible to enter the kingdom of God at the right time.
Introduction
Some beautiful characteristics of those who made it into God’s kingdom (Rev 7:13-17 14:1-5).
Justice for those who were beheaded because of Jesus and the kingdom (Revelation 6:9-11).
We must compel some people to enter God’s kingdom(Luke 14:23-24 ), e.g., Lots family (Genesis 19:12-17).
To enter God requires faith in Jesus, repentance, baptism, and living as a child of God till death (Acts 2:36-47).
There are different phases of challenges to enter God’s kingdom (Matt 10).
In this passage, Jesus tells us some challenges and how to overcome them that we must pay attention to.
First challenge: Social struggles, coming from friends who distract you with programs and entertainment (Matt 10:32-32 ); Solution: Tell them about Jesus until they are saved.
Second challenge: Personal struggles to live holy (Matthew 10 ); solution: self-discipline and wise decisions.
Third challenge: After struggling to start living holy, you must overcome Family struggles (Matt 10:21; 35-37)- Family members not encouraging you in the faith, sometimes opposing. Loving Christ above family members and praying for them, their time will come to be saved ( Matthew 10:37-39).
Fourth challenge: Your ambition against God's will (Matt 10:38-39); normally, this comes when things are getting better. Solution: put God first in all things (Matt 6:32-32).
Fifth challenge: persecutions (Matthew 10:22-31) - anything that will hate you because of your faith in Christ. Solution: Don’t worry; God will take care of you to be victorious.
Spiritual attacks are behind all the challenges. These are unseen people and forces working behind the scenes against your faith: The solution is to put on the full armour of God (Eph. 6:10-18).
Conclusion: To enter God requires faith in Jesus, repentance, baptism, and living as a child of God.