Living in Zion

People live in different cities throughout the world. It’s often possible to tell what city or country a person is from by their clothes, their accent, or their behavior.

There are two spiritual cities that dominate the world, Babylon and Zion. These are spiritual, not geographical cities. Wherever a person lives on the earth, he lives in one of these two cities. Babylon is the city that is controlled by Satan. Zion is the city that is ruled by God. These cities shape the lives of those who dwell in them.

Those who are in Babylon live in the flesh. They live according to the world. Sin dominates their lives, and they are contrary to God.

Those who live in Zion live according to the Holy Spirit. They are in Christ. They are seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). They are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). They have come to Mount Zion, to heavenly Jerusalem in the the spiritual realm (Hebrews 12:22).

To live in Zion, a person must be born again. When a person is born again, he is born in Zion (Psalm 87:5-6). God keeps a record of all the people who have been born in Zion.

To walk in Zion, a person must be baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit must flow in and through us. 

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk according to the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

Living and walking are two different things. A baby lives, and then he learns to walk as he matures. Walking is a sign of growth. To live spiritually means we have the life of God in us. To walk in the Spirit means to walk according to God’s word, in his power. 

The only person to walk in Zion all the time was Jesus Christ. He always did the will of his Father, and he brought the reality of heaven into the earth.

Other people have walked in Zion occasionally throughout history. Their exploits have left an indelible impression on the earth.

One Zion-dweller was Ahijah. He was a blind man who heard from God. A woman once disguised herself and came to see Ahijah to try to trick him. Her disguise was pointless, because Ahijah couldn’t see anyway. But Ahijah knew her identity by revelation from God. He exposed her lies and prophesied of God’s judgment upon her (1 Kings 14:4-6).

Elisha also operated in Zion. Elisha’s servant once took some things from someone and then lied about it. Elisha said his heart went with his servant and knew what he was doing. His servant’s lies were exposed (2 Kings 5:25-26). How? By the spiritual operations of Zion.

We have become new, spiritual, heavenly people in Christ. We are no longer confined to our five physical senses, but we can receive information from the Holy Spirit. This is how we will walk in Zion.

One example of transcending the limitations of this world and rising up to live in Zion is Joshua the high priest. God promised that if Joshua was faithful to follow God’s word, that he would have places to walk among the angels (Zechariah 3:7). When we follow God’s word, we will walk in heavenly places of power in Zion even while we live upon the earth.

As we spend time in God’s house, we will learn more of the ways of Zion. Within the fellowship of God’s people is the presence of God, the bread of life, the living water, and other blessings. These things are essential for our own spiritual success.

The word of God will renew or renovate our minds. The word of God has the power to cleanse our minds from wrong thoughts and mental garbage and fill us with true things from God. Wrong ways of thinking can hold us back. We need truth to set us free.

It’s pointless to live in Babylon anymore. Babylon will be destroyed. Besides that, life in Babylon is limited and sad. Zion is way more fulfilling. Let us follow God’s word and be filled with his Spirit. As we do, we will experience and manifest the powerful reality of Zion – the heavenly city of God.