The Kingdom of God
November 27,
2005
The word
"kingdom" is composed of two different words, 'king' and
'dominion'. The word 'king' means ruler, and the word
'dominion' refers to a place of governing. Therefore,
"kingdom" means a place ruled by a king.
There is the
kingdom of God and kingdom of Heaven; these are mostly
interchangeable. There is a kingdom of God on Earth and in
Heaven.
There are 2
different types of spiritual kingdoms, which are the kingdom
of God and the kingdom of Satan. The kingdom of God is
light, whereas the kingdom of Satan is characterized by
darkness.
Similar to a
master's seed, a kingdom starts small. The seed is planted,
it grows, becomes a tree, becomes a place for birds and
other creatures to nest, while it continues to grow.
Matthew 13:33
says, “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took
and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all
through the dough.” The kingdom of God is like yeast in
bread dough. It increases or enlarges the bread. Therefore,
the yeast is in charge, not the bread.
The system of
God’s kingdom brings change into our lives. Jesus says in
Luke 11, “...Pray like this, ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be
done on earth as it is in heaven.” In John 3:3, Nicodemus, a
Jewish leader, learns from Jesus what is needed in order to
enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus tells
him, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of
God unless he is born again.” Being born again is the
entrance to the kingdom.
In addition,
Jesus says in John 14:26, “But the Counselor, the Holy
Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, will teach you
all things and will remind you of all the things I have said
to you.” Once a person is born again, they’re not alone.
God has sent
the Holy Spirit to come and guide them in the ways of God.
This is also stated in 2nd Corinthians, that the Holy Spirit
resides inside of us when we're born again.
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December 4,
2005
A kingdom is
set up for a purpose, which is to fulfill the desire of the
king. Those who are in God’s kingdom are in it to fulfill
God’s desire.
We, as born
again Christians, are ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. We
are here to fulfill the will of and represent the entirety
of our native kingdom.
An embassy,
though in another country, operates under the law and
identity of the nation it is representing. The country the
embassy is located in has nothing to do w/ embassy’s
governance.
Similarly, we
are citizens of heaven. We are comissioned to represent
Heaven on Earth. Everyone in God’s kingdom carries out His
will and plan. We manifest His kingdom on Earth.
God is high
and lifted up in heaven, according to Isaiah 6. We are his
representatives on Earth.
Second Peter
1:3 tells us that God has given us all the things that
pertain to life and godliness. The Holy Sprit is inside of
us, so the kingdom is inside of us. Now we are to move out
and establish it outside of us.
The system of
the world tries to impose itself on us. The world uses every
avenue to impose worldly or Satanic desires on us, such as
through peer pressure. Instead of being controlled by peer
pressure and falling into the devil’s traps, we should
search the heart of God. Find out what God wants us to do
and his purpose for us individually and as a church.
We have
righteous empowerment. We can turn the peer pressure the
other way around. Instead of being led in the wrong
direction by peer pressure, we can change it around and lead
others in God’s direction. We can make the system of God’s
kingdom the norm instead of the world's system
. In Matthew
16:13, Peter says that Jesus is the son of the living God
and Jesus says he will give him the keys to the kingdom.
Also in John 3:3-6 it is stated that you must be born again
in order to enter the kingdom of God, then you’ll have keys
to the kingdom.
What exactly
is being born again? Being born again is when one decides to
leave his/her life of sin and accept Jesus Christ into their
lives as Saviour and Lord. Once they turn from their sins
and accept Jesus's death and rising from the dead, which he
died so they wouldn't have to and revived so they would have
life, they are born again. The Bible says that the things of
the spirit can’t be received by the mind of man, only
through the revelation of God’s Spirit to an open heart.
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December 11,
2005
God is
spiritual, yet this world is physical. Therefore, when God
wants to do something on Earth he will use a body, a person,
to do it. This is where we come in.
God uses us
in order to fulfill his will. Likewise, Satan, being a
spirit, needs a physical body, human, to use to do his work
as well. You must understand who your father is, who is God,
the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
He is who we
need to follow. We need to let Him use us to do what he
wants to do on Earth. You should realize that you are a
child of a king and his purpose for you is to bring heaven
to earth. For example, when Daniel was thrown among lions in
the lion’s den, God called heaven down to where Daniel was
so no lions attacked him.
Also, in the
book of Daniel 3:10, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are
thrown into the fire. However, they did not get hurt because
heaven’s presence was there.
When you’re
in God’s kingdom, wherever you go somebody is behind you
backing you up. You’re never alone. Ephesians 3:20 says,
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we
ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work
within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." The
word 'power' refers to, “position in Christ” and
“possessions in Christ”.
Dominion was
first given to man on earth. The tasks were to govern, to
rule, and to manage. The third chapter of Genesis tells us
that after Adam sinned, man lost dominion over earth and
broke his relationship with God. However in John 1, Jesus,
to whomever accepted him, gave the power to be the sons and
daughters of God, restoring man’s relationship with God.
Like
mentioned previously, we are ambassadors of heaven on Earth.
When someone is sent as an ambassador, there is always
someone backing him up. For example, when a small, skinny
policeman directs traffic at a large intersection; any of
the cars in the intersection could easily ignore him and run
him over; but they know he is backed up by the authority of
the U.S. government, state, or local government so they obey
him.
Likewise, we
are backed up by God so no one can be against us. Romans
8:31 says, “If God is for is, who can be against us?”
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January 1,
2006
What you do
with your seed today will determine what will happen
tomorrow. You can only reap what you sow. Therefore,
whatever you do today, will determine your future.
The main
focus you must have is God. God has to be first in your
life. He should be the most important part of our lives. The
Bible says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom and
his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you
as well.”
It also says
in Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the lord with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding, in all ways acknowledge
him, and he will make your paths straight." By making God
first in our lives, everything else will surely work out.
How do we
make God first in our lives? Well, in order to make Him
first, we have to trust him totally and completely. This
doesn’t mean that you’ll always have it together or be
perfect all the time. Sometimes you may stumble or fall, but
always get up and return to God.
For example,
when a football player is knocked down, he doesn’t just stay
down and give up. He gets up and keeps running. He aims to
win, no matter what or who gets in his way.
We are more
than conquerors. It doesn’t mean that we won’t be challenged
at some point or another, but we must to keep going. We are
already victorious; God has guaranteed that, all we have to
do is follow Him.
We can
overcome any of our challenges because we are backed up by
God. Colossians 2 says that all things against us, Jesus
nailed to the cross; 1st John says the Son of God was
manifested to destroy the work of the enemy; Ephesians 2:6
says, we are seated in heavenly places with Jesus; 2nd
Corinthians 5:17 states, the victory is already ours, Jesus
had already won for us.
Everything is
set for us, we will win no matter what! If you make any
thing else first in your life, other than God, you will
surely be disappointed. However, with God first in your
life, everything will turn out well.
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January 8,
2006
Jesus
preaches in Matthew 4:17 saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is near.” Also in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the
kingdom and his righteousness and all things will be given
to you as well.”
Once we put
His kingdom first, we will succeed in every area of life,
whether it is school, or work, or even sports. God owns
everything. Therefore, since we’re his, everything that he
owns belongs to us. Romans 14:17 states, “Kingdom of God is
not just meat, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy
Ghost.”
We have to be
kingdom-minded. We have to work to grow instead of just
being localized only in a chapel of a church. “For the
kingdom of God is not in word, but in power,” 1st
Corinthians 4:20.
Jesus asks
his disciples in Luke 9:18, “Who do people say that I
am...?” Then Jesus gives the “Keys to the Kingdom" to Peter
when he replied that Jesus is the son of the living God, the
Messiah.
Who is Jesus
to you? The answer to this comes by revelation from God.
Second Peter 1:3 says, “ He (God) has given us everything
that pertains to life and godliness through his knowledge.”
God has given us the Keys to the Kingdom. Keys show
ownership, responsibility, authority, and accessibility.
According to
1st Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may
declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness
into his wonderful light.” Understand that you are a child
of a king beyond this Earth. You are called and chosen by
him.
The things
that are seen come from the things that are unseen. The
things that are seen are only temporary, where are the ones
that are unseen are eternal. The Bible says, whatever you
bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you
loosed on earth will be (amplified: already loosed) loosed
in heaven.
Since the
Kingdom of God is in me, and in all of us, whatever system
operates in heaven will operate in me, and in all of us.
For example,
the U.S. embassy in Ethiopia operates just like U.S.
mainland. It follows the laws, uses the same currency, and
operates under the same system.
The Word of
God governs what happens in the Kingdom of God. There are no
such things as sickness or disease in heaven, in God’s
kingdom.
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January 15,
2006
Looking at
everything in the world and actually thinking about it may
make you realize that it is all temporary. None of it really
matters. It might seem very exciting or eye-catching but it
is all pointless.
The kingdom
of God is what really matters. Our lives here are very
short, but heaven is eternal. Therefore, we shouldn’t be too
excited about anything the world provides because it is all
temporary.
We should
prepare ourselves for heaven. For example, if a person is
going on vacation, he/she has to pack and prepare for
his/her trip. How much more should we prepare for heaven
which is eternal? Again, what you do today will determine
your tomorrow.
God has
EVERYTHING. We are kings and queens, and our father is the
King of kings and He has given us everything we need on
earth. Therefore, none of us are poor, we are all rich and
we have everything we need because our father is rich. The
temple of God was as follows in the old testament:
There was on
outer court where any group of people could enter; then an
inner court, where some people could enter; then there was
the holy of holies where nobody could enter except once a
year. Only the high priest, who had to stay holy year-round
could go into the holy of holies after being sanctified to
make a sacrifice to God. If he wasn’t holy he would
instantly die after entering the holy of holies.
However, in
the new testament, Jesus, sacrificing himself, presented his
own blood to God and now our sins have been removed. God
placed sin of all humanity on Jesus, who then died and rose
again to life. Now we are able to enter into the courts of
God with boldness. He will not touch you because Jesus’
blood removed all sins forever.
The word
righteousness means right standing with God, without fear,
inferiority, or guilt. It is written in the Bible that,
there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
For example, imagine how you would boast and tell the whole
world if a famous musician, pop artist, or an actor were to
give you the keys to his/her house.
Now think
about this; Jesus gave you the keys to his throne.How much
greater is it to receive the keys from the Sovereign creater,
ruler, and sustainer of the whole universe than a musician
or an actor giving you the keys to his/her house? It’s
JESUS! and He gave you the keys to his throne! Go tell
somebody!
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January 22,
2006
It is very
important that we seek the Kingdom of God. Seeking the
kingdom of God is allowing God’s kingdom to govern over our
lives. The kingdom operates through His word; the authority
of the word of God. What you say, think, and do is affected
by the word of God.
There is a
difference between righteousness and holiness. Righteousness
is a gift from God. It is automatically given to you when
you accept Jesus Christ into your heart. However, holiness
is how you conduct your life. You could be saved and not be
holy.
In order to
be holy, you need to live according to the word of God, the
Bible, and conduct your life based on it.
It is stated
in 2Corinthians 5:21, “He (Jesus) who knew no sin God made
him sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him.” Jesus Christ took on our sins and gave us his
righteousness.
Holiness is a
byproduct of righteousness. Once you believe, righteousness
is given you by God and then holiness follows. Righteousness
is being. We have been made righteous. Whereas Holiness is
doing.
You choose to
live a holy life. God always looks at you through the blood
of Jesus Christ, so therefore He always sees you as
righteousness.
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January 29,
2006
The Bible
says in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us come boldly to throne of God.”
We are granted permission through the blood of Jesus Christ
to “come boldly to the throne of God.”
Again, like
previously stated, the kingdom of God is righteousness,
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Inner peace exists through
the kingdom of God. If you have inner peace, you will have
no worries.
There is
tranquility, wholeness, fulfillment, quietness, serenity
etc. In order to see if something you get is from God, check
to see if you have peace about it. If all is quiet around
you, but not all quiet inside you, you don’t have peace.
The Holy
Ghost gives you peace inside, then blesses those around you
on the outside. When you have peace inside you, then you can
pass it on to others around you.
Jesus says,
“The peace that I give you is not like the world…” Nothing
in the world could give complete peace if you don’t have
Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 states that Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
When you’re
in the Kingdom of God, you have access to the peace that God
provides because the kingdom of God itself is within you.
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February 5,
2006
Romans 12:1
says, “...be transformed by the renewing of your minds....”
Man is a spirit, and he has a soul. This spirit lives in a
body.
What drives
you is what is inside you. Either body and human spirit will
rule you or God’s spirit will be in contact with man’s
spirit and rule.
It’s up to
you. Either you let your flesh rule you or you let the
spirit of God rule your life. It is written in 1Corinthians
2:14 that, “Natural man can’t understand things of the
Spirit.”
It is
important that you allow the Spirit of God to rule over you.
Once you do that, everything will become clearer. When
you’re ruled by God’s word, you start living in the Kingdom.
One time as
Jesus and his disciples were traveling by boat, a storm
started in the sea, the disciples were very afraid and
worried they would die. In the midst of that, Jesus got up
and said, “Peace, be still....” and stopped the storm. If
God can stop this storm, He is able to stop any chaos or any
type of problem in your life, no matter what the
circumstances in your life are.
Isaiah 26:3
states, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind stays
upon the Lord because he trusts You.” This means that in
order to experience the kingdom of God and the peace of God
you have to put your trust in Him first.
Philippians
4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing, but with prayer and
supplication make your requests known unto God,” then it
says in verses seven and eight, “Peace of God which passes
all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through
Christ.”
Whatsoever
things are pure, true, honest, just, lovely, of good
report…think on these things, nomatter where you are.
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February 19,
2006
According to
Romans 14:17, the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace,
and joy in the Holy Ghost,” and Philippians 4:4 says,
“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”
God wants us
and desires for us to enjoy life. He wants us to be happy
and rejoice all the time. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I am
come that they might have life and that the might have life
more abundantly.” Psalms 16:11 also states, “In thy presence
there is fullness of joy.”
This means
that wherever God goes, he brings joy with him. Whenever you
are in God’s presence, there is always joy. He wants us to
be joyous and He always provides us with joy.
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February 26,
2006
Whenever God
is present, there is always fullness of joy. When you come
into his presence, you get to experience the kind of joy he
has provided for us.
But how do
you get into the presence of God? Worship! This is what
brings you into the presence of God. Many people see worship
(in church) as a side order (like fries with a burger meal).
Yet it is the main course, the burger, not the fries.
This is how
you get into the presence of God so do not take it lightly.
The more you’re in the presence of God, the more wisdom you
gain. “The joy of the Lord is my strength,” and it is found
in worship.
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April 16,
2006
The Kingdom
affects how you think, what you say, and what you do. This
works the same way so many people in the world today are
affected by secular culture, such as the MTV Generation.
The Bible
says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Hence, you
are the byproduct of your thinking. If a person continually
thinks about fear, he is going to be afraid. Therefore,
always think in a godly way and think positively. Job said
in the Bible, “The things that I feared have come upon me.”
Satan tested
Job by destroying everything he had and everyone he loved.
Everything that he feared ended up happening to him. For
example, he feared his children would be ungodly and
something would happen to him and that‘s exactly what
happened.
The way you
think is shaped by what you hear and see. So by reading the
word of God you will start having positive thoughts. The
principles of the Kingdom of God are in the Word of God.
Proverbs 4:23 states, “Keep your heart with all diligence,
for out of it flow the issues of life.”
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May 7, 2006
According to
James 2:1-12, man can tame all kinds of objects and
creatures, however a man can not tame the tongue.
“The tongue
is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.”
Things come from what you say because the tongue (what you
say) has the power to control your whole life and body.
The tongue is
like fire. It is stated in Proverbs that, “Life and death
are in the power of the tongue.” Therefore, what we say will
control our bodies, and our thinking.
The Bible
says in Mark 11:22-24, “Say to a mountain, having faith, ‘be
thou removed....’” Confess what the Bible tells you about
who you are. If what people say about you does not agree
with the Bible, what they’re saying is not true, so whatever
you say and ask for has to be according to the Bible.
Preached by: Pastor Teddy
Written by: Rebka Tekeste