We never, never, never are to give up. We never are to accept any enemy in our land. The battle may take a period of time. But if we do not give up in unbelief we will be filled with righteousness. This is the promise of Christ.

If we have a hunger for righteousness we already have been blessed by the Lord. That hunger is the guarantee we will be filled. Let us regard the hunger we have for the Kingdom of God and His righteousness as one of the greatest of all the blessings we possess. Let us never allow the hunger for righteousness to be crowded out by the cares and things of the world. Let us nourish and cherish the hunger until the Lord fills us with complete righteousness of personality.

The Kingdom of God consists of righteous people—people who, being filled with God and Christ, always perform the Lord's will. The scepter of Christ's Kingdom is a scepter of righteousness.

Notice that one of the differences between the concept of entering the Kingdom of Heaven and the more traditional "going to Heaven" when we die is that we are to be entering the Kingdom now—not just after we die. We are to take steps now to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But we cannot go to Heaven until after we die physically.

We are trusting Christ to save us from our bondages now, not after we die. Because we are entering the Kingdom of God and His righteousness now, we shall have faith and victory in the hour of our physical death—faith that Christ whom we have served diligently during our life will not desert us in the hour of our death.

But if we wait until we die to enter the Kingdom we cannot be sure of what kind of reception we will receive. All we can be certain of is, "it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).

How much better to enter the Kingdom now, having our conduct judged and corrected by the Lord now, rather than to wait nervously until we die in the hope that we, in spite of the total lack of scriptural assurances, will enter Paradise even though we have continued to follow the lusts of our flesh during our life on the earth.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

One of the most important principles of the Kingdom of Heaven is that of sowing and reaping. If we are merciful we will receive mercy. If we are unmerciful we will be dealt with unmercifully. Whatever we sow we shall reap.

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Matthew 18:33-35)

To be continued.