FORCEFUL MEN LAY HOLD OF IT / MATTHEW 11:12

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Matthew 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.

Forceful Men Lay Hold of It: The Spiritual Courage Needed to Follow Jesus

In a world that often prizes passivity and convenience, the Gospel calls us to a completely different rhythm. Following and serving Jesus is not a casual hobby; it is a high-stakes spiritual reality that requires deep conviction.

In Matthew 11:12, Jesus states a profound truth:

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (KJV)

In other modern translations, like the NIV, it reads:

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”

At first glance, the language of “force” and “violence” can feel unsettling. But Jesus is not talking about physical aggression or carnal warfare. He is calling for an unwavering spiritual courage, faithfulness, power, and determination.

To live out the Gospel effectively, we must understand what it means to be the kind of “forceful” believer who lays hold of God’s Kingdom promises.

1. Spiritual Courage in the Face of Opposition

From the moment John the Baptist began preaching repentance, the Kingdom of God broke into the world with unstoppable momentum—and it immediately faced fierce resistance from established religious and political structures.

The truth remains unchanged today: the Kingdom will face opposition. When you decide to live out your faith authentically, you will encounter cultural friction, spiritual pushback, and systemic doubt. True spiritual courage means standing firm anyway. It means refusing to let intimidation or discomfort silence your testimony.

2. A Determination to Advance the Gospel

Being “forceful” means constantly seeking or making ways for the gospel to go forth. It is an active posture. Forceful believers do not sit back and wait for perfect circumstances to serve God or share their faith. Like the desperate crowds who physically pressed through barriers just to touch the edge of Jesus’ robe, we must possess a holy desperation that refuses to be blocked by obstacles. If a door is shut, we pray for God to open a window. If a culture is dark, we shine our light brighter.

3. Maintaining the Driving Strength of the Mission

It is easy to start a race with enthusiasm, but finishing it requires endurance. Maintaining a driving strength in our mission to reach others for Christ means refueling our spirits daily through:

• Fervent Prayer: Interceding boldly for the lost and pulling down spiritual strongholds.
• Unwavering Faithfulness: Consistently showing up, serving, and loving others, even when the results aren’t immediately visible.
• Holy Zeal: Keeping our spiritual passion alive so that routine never replaces our raw love for Jesus.

The Kingdom of God is moving forward. The only question is: Will we have the holy resolve to lay hold of it and run alongside our King?

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, Almighty God,

Thank You for the unstoppable power of Your Kingdom. Lord, forgive us for the times we have been passive, fearful, or hesitant in our walk with You. Today, we ask for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to ignite a holy zeal within our hearts. Grant us the spiritual courage, faithfulness, power, and determination needed to follow and serve Jesus with everything we have.

Give us a bold, driving strength to advance Your Gospel in our communities, workplaces, and families. When we face opposition or exhaustion, remind us that the victory is already won in Christ Jesus. Help us to be forceful in our faith—resolute, prayerful, and unyielding against darkness. May we boldly lay hold of Your promises and relentlessly reach others with Your saving grace.

In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter

1. GREATER THAN HE / MATTHEW 11:11
2. JOHN / MATTHEW 11:7
3. PROPHET RIGHTEOUS MAN / MATTHEW 10:41
4. TAKE HIS CROSS / Matthew 10:38
5. I DID NOT COME TO BRING PEACE / MATTHEW 10:34
6. ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN / MATTHEW 10:32
7. YOU ARE WORTH MORE / MATTHEW 10:31
8. HELL / MATTHEW 10:28
9. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM / MATTHEW 10:26
10. CITIES OF ISRAEL / MATTHEW 10:23
11. GIVEN WHAT TO SAY / MATTHEW 10:19-20
12. PREACH THE KINGDOM / MATTHEW 10:7
13. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT EVIL SPIRITS / MATTHEW 10:1
14. ASK THE LORD TO SEND / MATTHEW 9:38
15. THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL / MATTHEW 9:37
16. NEW WINE INTO OLD WINESKINS / NEW WINE PRESERVED / MATTHEW 9:17
17. THEN THEY WILL FAST / MATTHEW 9:15
18. EAT WITH ‘SINNERS’ / MATTHEW 9:11
19. THEY PLEADED WITH HIM TO LEAVE / MATTHEW 8:34
20. DEMON-POSSESSED MEN /MATTHEW 8:28
21. LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR OWN DEAD / MATTHEW 8:22
22. HEALED ALL THE SICK / MATTHEW 8:16-17
23. GREAT FAITH / MATTHEW 8:10
24. DON’T TELL ANYONE / MATTHEW 8:4
25. JESUS TOUCHED THE MAN / MATTHEW 8:3
26. I NEVER KNEW YOU / MATTHEW 7:23
27. MANY WILL SAY LORD, LORD / MATTHEW 7:22
28. DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER / MATTHEW 7:21
29. BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM / MATTHEW 7:16
30. WATCH OUT FOR FALSE PROPHETS / MATTHEW 7:15
31. SMALL IS THE GATE … AND ONLY A FEW FIND IT / MATTHEW 7:14
32. YOUR FATHER … GIVE GOOD GIFTS / MATTHEW 7:11
33. ASK … SEEK … KNOCK / MATTHEW 7:7-8
34. DO NOT JUDGE / MATTHEW 7:1
35. SEEK … KINGDOM … RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 6:33
36. IF THAT IS HOW GOD CLOTHES / MATTHEW 6:30
37. DO NOT WORRY / MATTHEW 6:25
38. MONEY / MATTHEW 6:24
39. EYE IS THE LAMP OF THE BODY / MATTHEW 6:22
40. WHEN YOU FAST / MATTHEW 6:16
41. IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE / MATTHEW 6:15
42. IF YOU FORGIVE / MATTHEW 6:14
43. DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE / MATTHEW 6:13
44. FORGIVE AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN / MATTHEW 6:12
45. DAILY BREAD / MATTHEW 6:11
46. YOUR KINGDOM COME – YOUR WILL BE DONE / MATTHEW 6:10
47. THIS THEN IS HOW YOU SHOULD PRAY / MATTHEW 6:9
48. PRAY IN SECRET / MATTHEW 6:6
49. ‘ACTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS’ BEFORE MEN / MATTHEW 6:1
50. DO NOT RESIST AN EVIL PERSON / MATTHEW 5:39
51. EXCEPT FOR MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS / MATTHEW 5:32
52. HELL / MATTHEW 5:29
53. LOOKS LUSTFULLY / MATTHEW 5:28
54. ANGRY … RACA … FOOL / MATTHEW 5:22
55. UNLESS YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:20
56. GREAT IN THE KINGDOM / MATTHEW 5:19
57. THE LAW TO FULFILL / MATTHEW 5:17
58. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS / MATTHEW 5:14-16
59. SALT OF THE EARTH / MATTHEW 5:13
60. PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:10
61. THE PEACEMAKERS / MATTHEW 5:9
62. THE PURE IN HEART / MATTHEW 5:8
63. THE MERCIFUL / MATTHEW 5:7
64. HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:6
65. THE MEEK / MATTHEW 5:5
66. THOSE WHO MOURN / MATTHEW 5:4
67. BLESSED POOR IN SPIRIT / MATTHEW 5:3
68. SERMON ON THE MOUNT / MATTHEW 5-7
69. THE KINGDOM AND HEALING / MATTHEW 4:23
70. FISHERS OF MEN / MATTHEW 4:19
71. SATAN / MATTHEW 4:10
72. ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD / MATTHEW 4:8
73. IT IS WRITTEN / MATTHEW 4:6-7
74. FASTING FORTY DAYS / MATTHEW 4:2
75. JESUS … TEMPTED / MATTHEW 4:1-11
76. THE TRINITY IN EXAMPLE / MATTHEW 3:17
77. SPIRIT … ON HIM / MATTHEW 3:16
78. JESUS … BAPTIZED / MATTHEW 3:13
79. WILL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / MATTHEW 3:11
80. FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE / MATTHEW 3:8
81. PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES / MATTHEW 3:7
82. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN – REPENT / MATTHEW 3:2
83. WARNED IN A DREAM / MATTHEW 2:22-23
84. KILL ALL THE BOYS / MATTHEW 2:16
85. ESCAPE TO EGYPT / MATTHEW 2:13
86. CHIEF PRIESTS AND TEACHERS OF THE LAW / MATTHEW 2:4
87. HEROD – MAGI / MATTHEW 2:1-2
88. NO UNION WITH HER UNTIL / MATTHEW 1:25
89. VIRGIN … GIVE BIRTH TO A SON / MATTHEW 1:23
90. JESUS / MATTHEW 1:21
91. MARY … JESUS / MATTHEW 1:16
92. CHRIST – SON OF DAVID /MATTHEW 1:1
93. GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST / MATTHEW 1:1-16
94. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace