Today, let’s explore Matthew 11:12, and how this verse affects our daily life. We often overlook things in the scripture, or for lack of understanding, think they may not apply to us directly.  The Lord Jesus said,  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.  The best way to get a handle on that verse is to break it down to its simplest terms.  When you were in school, they taught you about fractions, and the key to working with fractions was to locate what is called “the least common denominator”.  This verse of scripture is but a fraction of the total, and we must get to the least common denominator to be able to apply it to our lives.
   The kingdom of heaven is a place where God’s will is done continually.  So for the kingdom of heaven to operate in our lives, we have to ask ourselves, how does He live?  If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t know when you get there, right?.  Is there any lack in heaven?  obviously, no.  There’s no sin or sickness, or poverty or lack of any kind.  There isn’t any strife or bitterness or unforgiveness.  There isn’t any depression or confusion or insanity or sadness.  Sound like a place you’d like to be? 
When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, He gave them an example in Matthew 6:9-13 of kingdom of heaven living, known as “The Lord’s Prayer”  It goes like this:
Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11  Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

   Kingdom of heaven living starts most importantly with worship, acknowledging Our Father which art in heaven for who He is, Holy and Lord and master of our lives.  We’re telling Him we want His rules to be applied to our lives.  That’s why we say Thy kingdom come, thy will be done ON EARTH, right here were WE are, just like it is done where YOU are in heaven.  Are you with me so far?  Ok, let’s go on.  Give us this day our daily bread, in other words, make sure we have no lack.  That’s fine with God, because so far we’re agreeing with His desire for our lives. He is happy to supply His kids, just as an earthly father is happy to see to the needs of his kids.   And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors….well now, maybe we have a little problem with that?  Come on now, God didn’t necessarily promise that would be easy, but Jesus attached the condition “as we forgive our debtors” as a part of having our sins forgiven.  Here we see the kingdom of heaven type of living suffering violence in our lives.  We want to live as God wants us to, we WANT to forgive, but there’s opposition facing us.  Opposition? Yes, and guess who it’s from?  Not God!  He wants us to live like He does.  Our violence, our opposition is coming from the devil and his crew of thugs. He tells us, “You know so-and-so really hurt you, they need to squirm and suffer for hurting you, they don’t deserve to be forgiven.”  The devil isn’t telling you that HE is the one who talked them into hurting you in the first place, is he?  No, of course not.
   Jesus said about the kingdom of heaven suffering violence, and the violent take it by force.  But He didn’t necessarily define who the “violent” had to be.  The could be the devil’s crew who are trying to overthrow the kingdom of heaven (and failed), or they could be YOU, the child of God, who is the “overcomer”, establishing the rule of the kingdom of heaven here on earth.  And only you decide.  Someone is going to take the kingdom of heaven by force, it’s either going be the devil, or you.  Seems to me, it might as well be YOU and ME.  After all, we want to do things God’s way, right?  Moving on.
   And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.  God is not going to lead you to do evil, but the devil will surely tempt you sore.  However, if you resist, God WILL deliver you from evil.  The key here is to RESIST.  Many people want God to do the resisting for them, while they remain passive.  Tell me, how can you be an “overcomer” by being passive?  You can’t!  YOU have a part in this, to resist a violent takeover of the kingdom of heaven in your life, by the name of the Lord Jesus, applying His rule to your life.  For God’s is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  And as a child of God, you have both the privilege and responsibility to enforce the rules of the kingdom of heaven in your life.  Let’s go on.
The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
   Your body, the temple of God, is not your own, but God’s.  It’s just “on loan” to you, the spirit man, which He placed on earth to establish His kingdom here.  Is that clear?  You’ve been placed  inside of that body which He designed to serve you while you’re living on this earth.  He designed your body to heal itself from injury and disease, however, the devil violently attacks people from time to time with all manner of evil symptoms, and one of two things is about to happen.  Either the devil will overthrow the “kingdom of heaven” from operating in you and overcome you, possibly killing you, or else in defense of the “kingdom of heaven” in you, you will rise up and throw him out.  That’s the bottom line.
   You can apply that same principal to every area of your life.  As you strive to live a godly life, the devil will most assuredly come against you.  He hates God, and everything He stands for.  And if you love God, then you have a target painted on you.  The devil will attack your body, your relationships, your finances, your goods, anything you have, and he will try to steal, kill, or destroy, or all three.  The violent will take the kingdom of heaven by force.  The devil is violent, no question about that. But the devil is no match for the man or woman of God, filled with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  The violent take the kingdom of heaven by force.  Let’s define “VIOLENT”.  I saved that for last. Strong’s concordance defines it: to force, that is, (reflexively) to crowd oneself (into), or (passively) to be seized: – press, suffer violence.
    Are you passionate enough for the kingdom of heaven to operate in your life that you are willing to crowd yourself into it, to force your way in, to press in, to seize it as your own?  If so, you have all of heaven backing you!  GO FOR IT!!!!