About The Author
Diane Jurino is a
Spirit-filled Christian who resides in Erie,
Pennsylvania. She is the mother of three grown
children, and four grandchildren. Her professional
background is in Copywriting, Sales, Advertising, and
Marketing. She has developed and conducted custom
training courses in Human Relations, Communications,
Personal and Professional Development
Disclaimer:
Unless otherwise
indicated, all Scripture quotations in this volume are
from the King James Version of the Bible.
Dedication:
Matthew 6:33 “But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added
unto you.”
To all my brothers
and sisters in Christ, who hear from God and are
obedient to His lead. I thank you for who you are, and
what you will accomplish for the Kingdom in the days
ahead!
Preface
Revelation 3: 19 “As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
therefore, and repent.”
The Lord is not
pleased with His people. We’ve become lukewarm and
lost our first love, as it was predicted. There is
strife and division among us; we are not walking in
peace and unity as we ought to be. We claim to hear
from God, but few are doing His works. We lack zeal
and enthusiasm for His plans and purposes; we have a
form of religion with no power in it.
We need to repent of
our unrighteousness, sanctify ourselves, and tune into
the Lord for guidance and direction. Gross darkness
covers the earth. Men everywhere are afflicted and
suffering; they are lost in sin and desperate for the
truth. Now more than ever before, we need divine power
and glory to manifest in our lives as we usher in the
Kingdom of God on the earth.
Isaiah 55:8 “For my
thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your
ways my ways, saith the LORD.”
While we should be
doing what Christ did on the earth, we are engaged in
all sorts of foolish controversies among ourselves. We
are proud and arrogant, self-centered and disobedient.
Hypocritical man-made traditions and controlling
religious doctrines mislead and divide us. We have
compromised our faith and diluted our effectiveness.
Instead of playing church, we must be enlightened to
the truth that sets us free to serve God and all of
mankind.
We need to focus on
developing our love and strive for unity in the
brotherhood again. We should be walking in miraculous
signs and wonders, healing the sick and even raising
the dead. We should be preaching the gospel and
bringing in the end-time harvest of souls. We must
join together as living testimonies of God’s unfailing
mercy and kindness to the world.
Matthew 12:25 “…
Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to
desolation; and every city or house divided against
itself shall not stand:”
The church needs to
fall back and regroup. We need to revise our mission
statements and update our goals. We don’t need just
another revival in the days ahead. We have an eternal
destiny that must be fulfilled. The Lord is waiting
for us to take back control of the earth and assume
our role in His eternal redemption plan.
Jesus Christ is
scrutinizing us and using a strict selection process
at this time; He is separating the sheep from the
sheep in judgment of the very household of God. He is
calling out the Body of Christ to function as His
hands and His feet on the earth. They will receive a
full anointing of His power and authority. But not
everyone in the church will be a member of the Body.
Some will be disqualified because they refuse to do
what it takes to serve the Lord in the days to come.
We should be totally
consecrated and dedicated to His holy purpose – to
bring heaven to the earth realm in the Kingdom of God.
We must be willing and obedient to serve the Lord and
others in a spirit of love and humility. We must be
hearing from Him clearly and distinctly. We should
tune out all distraction, and take our marching orders
direct from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
Introduction
Exodus 9:16 “And in
very deed for this [cause] have I raised thee up, for
to shew [in] thee my power; and that my name may be
declared throughout all the earth.”
God is moving over
the face of the earth, searching for a select group of
people, pure in heart and spirit that He can entrust
with His power and authority. He is sifting through
His church to find those who will follow Him, and Him
alone. He is assembling the Body of Christ, under the
direct leadership of His Son, Jesus Christ. He is
assembling His end-times army, and its role will be to
usher in the Kingdom of God on the earth!
We are to walk the
walk, not just talk the talk. Heaven is coming to the
earth and there is much to be done before Christ
returns. The Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached to
all men. The sick must be healed; the dead raised; and
the captives set free from enemy oppression. We are to
destroy all demonic strongholds, put all enemies under
Christ’s feet, and deliver the Kingdom to Him when He
returns.
1Corinthians 12:12
“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and
all the members of that one body, being many, are one
body: so also [is] Christ”.
The Body of Christ
will consist of consecrated believers from many
denominations. No longer bound by limited thinking or
man-made tradition, they will worship God in spirit
and in truth. They will rise above organized religion
to fulfill their destiny. They will hear and take
direction from the Lord Himself, and go forth in His
Name to take back the earth. They will be of one mind
and spirit, and demonstrate the Lord’s power and glory
in all that they do.
As members of the
Body of Christ, we must remember who we are, and whom
we serve. We were created for an eternal purpose, a
chosen generation for such a time as this. We were
called out and refined to be of service to the Lord
and all of mankind. We have been sanctified and
purified, and we are spiritually mature. We are to
function as one, in total unity with Jesus Christ and
with one another in the days ahead.
Romans 7:4
“Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to
the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be
married to another, [even] to him who is raised from
the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
We have been
redeemed from the curse of the law. Man-made
traditions no longer control us. We should not worry
what others think of us. We need to tune out the
voices of men and be quick to hear the voice of God.
We need to take our marching orders straight from the
King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ. Moment
by moment, we must be sensitive to His call and quick
to obey. We have an eternal destiny that must be
fulfilled.
We should consecrate
and dedicate all our efforts to the Lord’s eternal
plan and purpose. We must devote ourselves to
heart-felt fervent prayer to birth the Kingdom of God
on the earth. We should be well instructed in the
Word. We need to know that we are one with Christ, and
joint-heirs with Him to all the promises of God. We
are seated with Him in supreme authority, in heavenly
places, and we will rule and reign with Him on the
earth for all eternity.
Daniel 2:44 “And in
the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up
a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the
kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it
shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand for ever.”
The Kingdom of God
is coming to the earth, and it will consume all
earthly kingdoms and overthrow the demonic hierarchy
once and for all. The Body of Christ will be delegated
great power and authority in the days that lie ahead.
We will judge and decree God’s righteous judgments,
and assist in the re-creation, reformation and
restoration of all things. And we will be generously
rewarded for our service; we are heirs to great
promises.
We should practice
hearing the Lord’s voice, and His alone, during the
important days to come. He leads and directs us by the
inward witness, through the words of the prophets and
the saints, and through the increased revelatory power
of His Word. He may even send His angels with a
message. He could give us spiritual dreams and
visions, or speak audibly to us as the days progress.
We must be open to any and all of God’s efforts to
communicate with us, and we should be quick to obey
all that He asks us to do.
1Corinthians 12:
22-26 “Nay, much more those members of the body, which
seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those
[members] of the body, which we think to be less
honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour;
and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant
comeliness. For our comely [parts] have no need: but
God hath tempered the body together, having given more
abundant honour to that [part] which lacked: That
there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the
members should have the same care one for another. And
whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with
it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice
with it.
The Body of Christ
is one under the leadership of Jesus Christ. All
members in the Body are critical to the smooth
operation of the whole. We are to be functioning in
our individual callings, in close cooperation with
each other. Unity is more critical than ever; we
should be in constant intercession for one another.
Time is of the essence, and it is important that we
learn to hear clearly and obey immediately, both as
individuals and as a group. The Lord’s plan will
dictate our orders of the day, and we should be ready
to advance as He moves us forward in His strategy.
This will not be a
friendly takeover of the planet. The enemy will not
acquiesce willingly to the Lord’s eternal plan of
salvation and redemption for all creation. It is true
that he is a defeated foe that was vanquished forever
by Jesus Christ on the cross, but he still holds on to
many strongholds. It is imperative, that we align
ourselves with Christ and one another, and prepare for
this last great forcible breakthrough that will usher
in the Kingdom of God on the earth.
Luke 9:62 “And Jesus
said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the
plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of
God.”
Bringing the Kingdom
of God to the earth will require some concentrated
effort and personal sacrifice on our part. We need to
reach full spiritual maturity. Sanctification and
unification are no longer options. Hesitancy, fear,
doubt and unbelief will disqualify us. If we shrink
back now, we will be on the outside looking in. We
must be alert and obedient, and the Lord will manifest
His authority in us and through us. He will restore
total dominion to mankind on the earth.
We are to pave the
way, and in some instances, that will require that we
make a way where none exists. There is much to do,
vital accomplishments to be made. We must always
remember that it is the Lord’s plan, and His power and
might which will bring the victory. Our goal is to
remain willing and obedient, and stay connected to Him
and to one another in the days ahead. We will be
honored and privileged to follow the glory cloud
wherever it takes us…
Chapter 1
– Communication With God
Psalm 29:3 “The
voice of the LORD [is] upon the waters: the God of
glory thundereth: the LORD [is] upon many waters.”
We are not the weak,
faint-hearted people that the world would have us
believe Christians are. We are not like the Old
Testament saints that trembled at the Lord’s voice
when it thundered out of the heavens. We are not like
the ancient Israelites who feared to see the
manifestation of God’s power and glory on Mt. Sinai.
We are not like the judges and prophets of old, just
select individuals with whom the Lord has chosen to
communicate for the benefit of the multitudes.
We are called out,
blessed and privileged – a chosen generation of
believers who hear direct from the Creator of the
universe Himself. We are the Body of Jesus Christ on
the earth, and we commune directly and regularly with
our God. We avoid all sinfulness, pursue right
relationship with the Lord and enjoy close fellowship
with Him. He confers all His power and authority on us
to walk as Christ walked the earth.
It’s All About
Relationship.
It goes without
saying that we should be in close personal
relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as
members of the Body of Christ. Christ restored us to
the full fellowship that man and the Lord once had
before Adam’s transgression. He bought back our right
standing and received our promised rewards with His
atonement on the cross. He replaced the covenant that
the Lord had with Moses, Abraham and David and
established a better covenant of promises for us in
His Blood. We have rights and privileges that we have
yet to assert, and innumerable blessings that await us
for all eternity.
We enjoy an even
closer relationship with the Father now, because our
position is that of sonship. We share intimacy as
members of God’s own family. Christ is literally in
us, and we can hear from Him on a continuous, ongoing
basis through the power of His Holy Spirit. He is
calling our names and beckoning to us at this time:
“Be much with me.” He has much to tell us and show us
in the very important days that lie ahead. He will
imbue us with His divine power and glory and we will
be a source of pride to His Name.
Deuteronomy 5:24
“And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us
his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his
voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this
day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.”
We have reached the
period of the outpouring of His glory on the earth,
and we hear God’s voice continuously yet live through
it. In fact, we succeed and thrive in all areas of our
lives when we hear from Him, process the information
correctly, and obey. The Lord is calling us to go up
higher in our spiritual walk, to transcend our earthly
bodies and souls and become one with Him in glory.
We must practice
entering into the presence of God on a continuous,
ongoing basis, and strive to remain in close communion
with Him in the days ahead. We can hear from Him
regularly, so that we never lack protection or
direction in our lives. He trusts us with His
mysteries and He downloads progressive revelation to
us, if only we will take the time and energy to hear
His voice and act on His words.
As we do so, there
will be no more second-guessing – was that from God or
the enemy? We can always hear His voice. The Lord is
an expert communicator. He is willing and able to get
His message across to us clearly and effectively. We
can be certain that we hear from Him and Him alone;
what He tells us will always line up with the written
Word of God. That is our surety and our confirmation.
Communication Through
Prayer
Psalm 140:6 “ I said
unto the LORD, Thou [art] my God: hear the voice of my
supplications, O LORD.”
Like any personal
relationship, our communication with the Lord should
be two-way. We engage Him in meaningful dialogue when
we pray. We don’t have to beat our way to the throne
of grace with our petitions. We don’t have to beg and
wail, crying out to God for mercy and the answer to
our prayers. We are seated at the very right hand of
God with Christ Jesus. We go boldly to the throne of
grace, and we commune with Him continuously. We enter
into the Holy of Holies as kings and priests.
We hear from Him and
He hears from us. And when we speak to Him, we know
that He listens, and that our prayers are always
answered. We know His nature; it is one of love, mercy
and compassion to our needs. We can meet with Him at
any time and for any purpose. We can simply fellowship
with Him or discuss our thoughts and concerns. We can
make all our requirements known to Him personally. No
need is too great; no petition is too small.
Through prayer and
meditation, we can sharpen our spiritual communication
skills so that we express ourselves more effectively
and hear from God more quickly and clearly, many times
without a word being spoken by either party. He hears
the inner yearnings of our heart and spirit. And we
hear His replies with no doubt or interference. Our
inner spirit man is ever receptive and responsive to
His lead.
Ephesians 6:18
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in
the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Praying in the Holy
Spirit with our spiritual prayer language will enhance
our communication with God, because we don’t always
know how or what to pray. Regardless of our inability
to express our needs with words, we should be assured
that the Lord hears our groans and cries in the
spirit. This type of prayer will be most effective in
the days ahead, because our spiritual prayer language
is a code that the enemy cannot break.
We should pray for
one another now more than ever before. The Body of
Christ requires stamina and endurance to do all that
they are called to do. The Bride of Christ must strive
for spiritual maturity and perfection. We all need to
be concerned with bringing in the full harvest of
souls required before the Kingdom is ushered in. We
must walk in total love, peace and unity in order to
fulfill the Lord’s plan and purpose for our lives.
Whether we are in
supplication, praise or thanksgiving, the Lord hears
and acknowledges it all. He is a loving God, attentive
to our every need and concern. He delights in our
efforts to communicate with Him and promptly responds
to our prayer requests. The enemy doesn’t stand a
chance of penetrating our lines of communication when
we pray often and from our hearts. We are assured of
privacy and intimacy in our communication with God.
Psalm 64:1 “Hear my
voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear
of the enemy.”
Prayer causes us to
dwell in God’s very presence. Praying and meditating
on a regular basis assure us of a hedge of protection
from the enemy. Satan cannot get a foothold in our
lives if we stay in constant communion with the Lord.
So too, we hear His voice, which tells us when to move
and when to stay, when to speak and when to remain
silent. His words hold the solution to every
perplexity.
If we are speaking
to and hearing from God on a regular basis,
then we are forewarned and forearmed. We should have
no fear of a defeated foe. Satan has been forever
vanquished at Calvary, and there is no fear of Him in
the Lord’s presence. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom,
discernment and insight. He instructs us how to do
spiritual warfare effectively, so that we tear down
strongholds and put the enemy under our feet.
The Power Of The
Tongue
God created the
entire universe with His words. There is creative
power in the Word of God. And since we were formed in
His image and likeness, there is also creative power
in our words. But there is also destructive power; we
must learn to use our words wisely.
With our tongues we
bless and curse; they should always be disciplined to
speak what the Lord speaks. This way we will never sin
with our mouths and jeopardize the power that they
have to negatively affect our lives and the lives of
others.
We must guard our
words and speak with right judgment. We should speak
the solution instead of the problem. We should make
decrees that line up only with the Word of God.
Speaking contrary to the Word is both inadvisable and
foolish. It will attract curses in our lives instead
of blessings.
Proverbs 18:21
“Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue: and
they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
What we decree with
our mouths is what we will have manifest. If we decree
positive results, these occur in our lives. If we
speak negatively, we cancel the positive decrees that
we have made, and set the stage for negative
situations to materialize.
We are the
orchestrators of our own destiny. Whatever we
experience will be generated by the power of our
tongues. Good and evil are resident in our words. Our
future depends on our knowing the Word and will of
God, and speaking positive, God-directed decrees over
our lives.
Matthew 12:36-37
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men
shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the
day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be
justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
Words are the basic
components of our communication. Jesus said that we
will be held accountable for whatever we speak. Every
uplifting word and every idle word will be judged.
Every word that lines up with the Word of God will
prosper. Every negative word will bring destruction.
We cannot afford to
get sloppy or careless in our communications with God
or with each other. We should remain in constant
fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
We should pray for our brethren, encourage one another
and exhort ourselves to serve the Lord with more
enthusiasm and zeal than ever before.
We must speak
positive, God-inspired words that generate life and
not death to our personal circumstances. And we must
scrutinize every word that we speak to others on the
Lord’s behalf, to make certain that it lines up with
the written Word of God. We should avoid all negative
words, as they have power to bring destruction to our
lives and the lives of others.
James 3:5-10 “Even
so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great
things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire
kindleth! And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of
iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it
defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the
course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For
every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents,
and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been
tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; [it
is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith
bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we
men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out
of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My
brethren, these things ought not so to be.”
Once again we see
that life and death are in the power of the tongue. We
unleash great power from the words of our mouth,
whether we realize it or not. We need to guard our
words so that they line up with the Word of God. We
should never defile ourselves by speaking negatively.
We need to hear what the Lord says, and speak only
what He speaks.
His words are always
life and light to us. They will move mountains and
destroy demonic strongholds. They have creative
ability to effect positive change and work miracles in
both spiritual and natural realms. They will bless us
and motivate others, and never ever bring death and
destruction on us.
Speaking The Word Of
God
Job 22:28 “Thou
shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established
unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”
Numerous promises
are stored up for us in the Word of God, but they have
to be released by our spoken words. When we speak the
Word of God, it is as if the Lord Himself speaks
something into reality. We tap into His very own
creative power. We become creators of our own
circumstances.
The Bible tells us
to call those things that be not as though they were.
We should call those things that we hope to see
manifest from the spirit realm into the physical world
around us. Combining our faith with words generates a
powerhouse of action. Our faith is voice-activated,
and our words can create just as the Lord’s words
created the entire universe.
We should guard our
words wisely. We cannot afford to get careless or
sloppy with our mouths. What we decree will become our
reality. If we speak negativity on ourselves or
others, it will bring a curse. If we speak light and
life to our situations and circumstances, we will
enjoy many blessings.
2Corinthians 4:13
“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it
is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken;
we also believe, and therefore speak;”
It is always
appropriate to speak the Word of God. It pleases the
Lord when we remind Him of His Word. It is His gift to
us, and we unleash its power by our faith and with our
mouths. He wants us to lay claim to all that it
provides, by voice-activating what He has already
promised us.
He‘s given us power
of attorney in the Name of Jesus, and we will have
what we claim and speak over our situations and
circumstances. All of our needs will be met in
accordance to what we speak into reality. We are to
speak what He speaks and watch miracles follow.
It’s important that
you personalize the Word and adopt it as your very own
decree. You must actually take possession of God’s
promises for your life. Remember, you engineer your
own fate with the words of your mouth. You can have
victory over every stronghold of the enemy. You can
enjoy health and prosperity, youthfulness and zeal,
beginning with the words you speak into your
situations and circumstances.
The most important
thing to remember is to set your mind on reading and
speaking the Word over your life regularly and
consistently. The more you speak the Word of God out
loud, the more power it generates in your life. It
will have life-changing results for you and those
around you. It will turn your captivity. And as you
teach this to others, it will free men and women
everywhere from tremendous demonic strongholds.
Decrees Based On The
Word Of God
I am the head and
not the tail.
I am above and not
beneath.
I am seated with
Christ in heavenly places.
God is the strength
of my life.
I can do all things
through Christ who strengthens me.
My God does supply
all my needs according to His riches in glory.
I am prospered
coming in and going out.
Everything I put my
hand to prospers.
I dwell in the
secret place of the Most High.
He gives His angels
charge over me.
No scourge will come
near my dwelling.
No plot or scheme
formed against me will prosper.
Any tongue raised
against me will be confuted because of me.
Jesus bore my
infirmities and carried my diseases, and by His
stripes I am healed.
The same spirit,
which raised Jesus from the dead, dwells in my mortal
body.
He satisfies my
mouth with good things and my youth is renewed like
the eagle's.
I have not been
given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a
strong mind.
I call those things,
which be not, as though they were.
A Pure Speech
Zephaniah 3:9 “For
then will I turn to the people a pure language, that
they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve
him with one consent.”
Relationship
requires effective communication. The Lord wants to
hear from all people, not just a select few. He wants
to be in relationship with His entire creation. He
wants all men to communicate with Him and serve Him
willingly and obediently for their own good.
Very soon, the Lord
will turn our speech into one single language that is
easily understood and spoken by all men, as was the
case before the Tower of Babel was built. We will be
able to communicate effectively with Him and with one
another without language barriers interfering.
In the days to come,
as we usher in the Kingdom of God on the earth, all
men will learn to communicate with the Lord
intimately. He will be our God and we will be His
people, and we will share all that is in our hearts
with Him for all eternity.
The Lord will reveal
all His mysteries to us and ask us to partner with Him
in ushering in His Kingdom on the earth. We must
practice hearing the voice of God and respond quickly
to his directives. We must be willing and obedient to
do all that He asks of us; our eternal destinies and
rewards are at stake.
Two Ears And One
Mouth
Ecclesiastes 3:7 “…
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak:”
There are times to
speak with the Lord and times to listen to Him and
reflect on His words. We have two ears and one mouth,
and that ought to dictate how we are to communicate
with God. We should spend twice as much time listening
as we do in speaking. He has an abundance of things to
reveal to us, and delights in our attentiveness to His
words.
We must maintain a
continuous vigilance to hear His voice, since He will
reveal key strategies to us in the days ahead that
will impact the coming of His Kingdom to the earth. So
too, He will release information for us to impart to
others in bringing in His harvest of souls. The Lord’s
words are always purposeful, and His commands are
never optional.
We should guard
every word that comes out of our mouths, particularly
if we will be trusted with God’s power and authority
through the spoken word in the days ahead. Our mouths
are key weapons of our warfare and they must be
disciplined to be effective. With our words, we will
destroy demonic strongholds and loose manifold
blessings on the earth. We should practice hearing
from the Lord for everything that we utter from our
mouths.
Topics For Discussion
1. Describe the Relationship The Lord Wants With Us
2. Two-Way Communication With The Lord
3. How We Speak To God
4. How God Speaks To Us
5. The Importance Of The Tongue
6. Decrees – Speaking The Word Of God
7. Listening vs. Speaking
Chapter 2 – Hearing From God
Proverbs 20:12 “The
hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made
even both of them.”
Some people think we
are strange when we say we hear from God. They think
we always hear an audible voice or that He sends His
angels, as messengers to speak with us. More often
than not, when we hear from the Lord, we simply
experience a quiet knowing – commonly called
the “inward witness.” He is present in the still small
voice of our spirit, and through the power of His Holy
Spirit, we hear and interpret His message.
Other times His
words are confirmed for us by other believers who
receive direct revelation from Him or through modern
day prophets that give us a word of knowledge. Still
other times, He gets our attention in a more dramatic
way with attendant dreams or visions, which may or may
not be accompanied by verbal messaging.
Regardless of how
the Lord speaks to us, it is critical that we listen
with our spiritual ears sharpened, and be extremely
obedient to His lead. He will impart increasing
revelation to us in the critical days that lie ahead.
It is vital that we respond in a timely fashion and
move when He says to move. Much will be required of
us, and we must be quick to hear and obey.
Amos 8:11 “Behold,
the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a
famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a
thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the
LORD:”
If we are not
diligent to hear from the Lord, the day will come that
we will be unable to hear His voice amid all the other
voices that bombard our hearing. We will become
confused and immobilized unless we keep the
communication channels open. Now more than ever, we
must strive for a deeper intimacy with God and seek
His Word as the ultimate authority for our lives.
It is vitally
important that we also test what we hear. We should
make certain that we have, in fact, heard from God
Himself. Any words we hear from the Lord, whether they
be direct to us, prophetic revelation or through
confirmation from others, should line up with the
written Word of God. The Bible is the yardstick we
should use to measure their validity. We must not
receive anything that doesn’t line up with the written
or spoken Word of God Himself.
Acts 22:14-15 “And
he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that
thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One,
and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou
shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast
seen and heard.”
Paul was
commissioned by seeing and hearing the Lord. Christ
actually appeared and spoke to him, and asked why Paul
persecuted Him. There could be no doubt of his
experience; he was struck blind as a result. He was
later instructed by Ananias, who healed his sight, to
testify to all that he had seen and heard from the
Lord. We can all agree that he did a magnificent job
of this, since many believed on Christ through his
spoken and written words in the New Testament.
We can hear from
Christ also, and we should strive earnestly for His
direction to us. What He tells us is always life and
light for us, and the solution to every perplexity.
His words will keep us walking strong in righteousness
and unity. He will instruct us to walk in love as He
walked and perform miraculous feats in His Name.
In the days ahead,
it will be vital that we be tuned in and turned on to
every word of the Lord. We will be witnesses to His
might and power on the earth, and through us, many
people will be converted and baptized into the Kingdom
of God. We will overthrow demonic strongholds and
shake up world governments so that they line up with
God’s plan and purpose. We will assist in the
re-creation of the entire planet, and it is vital that
we be open to Christ’s instructions.
Hearing The Voice Of
Christ
Mark 4:9 “And he
said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him
hear.”
It is easy to hear
and understand the words of Jesus, since we are
intimately connected with Him as members of His Body.
He actually lives in us, and we have the very mind of
Christ. We communicate with Him in prayer and
meditation, and we interpret revelation that He shares
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Christ’s entire
adult ministry was dedicated to speaking and spreading
the good news of the Kingdom of God. He did not just
talk the talk, however. He walked out His beliefs and
served as a role model to His disciples in all that He
did. His words continue to live on in us as His
followers, when we speak them forth and act on them
accordingly.
If we have studied
the four Gospels in the New Testament, then we know
with some assurance that we have experienced the words
of Christ. We can continue to receive ongoing, direct
revelation from Him and actually hear His voice, as we
pursue a deeper relationship with Him in the important
days to come. In fact, it will be critical that we
fine-tune our hearing so that we can be quick to obey
and respond to His commands as we usher in the Kingdom
of God on the earth.
John 10:27 “My sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
Any believer that is
born again and filled with the Holy Spirit can hear
from Christ. It’s simply a matter of tuning in, and
using our spiritual ears and discernment. When we
surrender our lives to Him as Lord and Savior, He
actually takes up residence in us. In addition, we
have the Holy Spirit to explain all things to us. The
Lord is able to bypass our natural minds and flesh,
and communicate with us intimately in our spirit man.
As we go deeper into
the things of God and experience the baptism and full
indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we acquire Christ’s
wisdom; we develop His compassion; and we have
knowledge of His righteous judgment available to us
through His written and spoken words. Christ’s words
are inspiring and life-changing. They attract us to
Him like a magnet, so that we want to follow in His
footsteps, doing the things He did while He was on the
earth.
Jesus Was An Expert
Communicator
Matthew 13:13
“Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they
seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do
they understand.”
Jesus spoke to the
multitudes in parables, so that they might understand
the life-changing lessons He taught them about the
Kingdom of God. These were simple stories that He told
to illustrate Kingdom principles. He was an expert
communicator, and conveyed the basics to them in words
geared to their level of understanding.
He used dialectic
methods – question and answer format – when He spoke
with the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, so that
they would question their man-made traditions and turn
towards the truth. What Jesus had to say concerning
the deeper things of God was not for every ear,
however. Many could not understand His teachings
because they lacked spiritual insight.
But to His disciples
then and now, Christ speaks plainly. We hear with
spiritual ears and not natural ones. We can understand
the deeper mysteries of God. We perceive the truth
through our spiritual information processing
capabilities, by the power of the Holy Spirit that
indwells us. And then we assimilate that information
in our spirit man, and act on it.
We can know Christ’s
thinking on a multitude of subjects because of the
words He spoke during His public ministry. When we
read these recorded in the written Word, it’s almost
as if He continues to speak to us today. Jesus is
called the Word of God, and He is truly a living Word!
Insight From Jesus
For example, let’s
look at some of the things Jesus told His followers as
recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, that still have
application for us in the here and now. His insight is
both timely and timeless. His wisdom is reflected in
every word that He spoke to His disciples. It also has
relevance and meaning to the Body of Christ today.
Christ spoke on a
variety of topics, both practical and spiritual. He
often preached about the good news of the Kingdom of
God so that His followers would embrace these ideals
even before His Kingdom was established on the earth.
We can fine-tune our understanding by heeding His
advice and relating it to our role in the coming of
His Kingdom on the earth.
Matthew 10:27 “ What
I tell you in darkness, [that] speak ye in light: and
what ye hear in the ear, [that] preach ye upon the
housetops.”
Jesus was both God
and man, but He laid His deity aside when He came to
the earth. He was perfectly obedient as a man, and
told us that He only spoke what He heard the Father
say. He reflected the Father’s will in all His
actions. He wanted His followers to listen and
understand His words, so that they could then share
them with others.
What He told them
about the secrets to the Kingdom of God, He wanted
openly communicated to all the world. He gave them
instructions about a multitude of subjects – both
spiritual and practical – and His advice was always
relevant to their lives. Jesus spoke with the very
authority of God Himself when He preached the Gospel
of the Kingdom, and the people were eager and
attentive to His words.
Matthew 16:24 “Then
said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come
after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow me.”
It’s plain that
Christ wanted us to pattern our lives after His, by
denying our own selves and following Him in His love
walk. He encourages us to lay down our own personal
agendas and crucify our flesh. He wants to cultivate
the principles of the Kingdom in our lives so that we
will be productive in serving others. We can only do
this by walking in love and humility as He did.
Jesus called
Himself, “the Way, the Truth and the Life” and He
serves as our role model for righteous living. As He
loved others and walked in peace with all men, we can
pattern our own lives after His. Christ’s words to us
are plain and powerful for changing lives and winning
unbelievers to the truth of the gospel message.
Matthew 17:19-20
“Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why
could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them,
Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you,
If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall
say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place;
and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible
unto you.”
Similar to the
message of Mark 11, Jesus wanted to instill tremendous
faith in His followers. He wanted them to be bold and
take control over their situations and circumstances
with faith-filled words. He emphasized that what they
spoke had creative power and divine authority. They
could engineer their own destinies with the words of
their mouths.
Jesus wanted His
disciples to be victorious in every area of their
lives. He knew that they could destroy enemy
strongholds, to include casting out demons, healing
the sick, and even raising the dead. He wanted their
words to back up their faith with corresponding
action. The key here was to have great faith and speak
it forth.
Matthew 19:26 “But
Jesus beheld [them], and said unto them, With men this
is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
Jesus wanted His
followers to rely totally on God’s power for their
overall success in daily living. Instead of being
independent and performing works under the law, He
wanted them to be God-dependent. He stressed that they
had unlimited potential in the Lord, but that in and
of themselves, they could do nothing.
We know today, that
we are empowered with the very anointing of Christ
Himself when we walk in love and righteousness in
every area of our lives. With God, all things are
indeed possible. He is victorious through us and in
us, by the power of His Holy Spirit. We can do all
things through Christ who strengthens us.
Matthew 22:14 “So
the last shall be first, and the first last: for many
be called but few chosen.”
Jesus knew the
dangers of pride and arrogance. He also knew the
results of being self-serving. He wanted followers who
would walk in love and be obedient, humble servants of
others. He served as a role model to us, and expects
us to imitate His ways and to do all that He did to
serve others during His earth walk.
Although Christ has
many followers today, not all of them are willing to
meet His selection criteria for righteousness. There
are many who choose to walk in the flesh and have
their own selfish agendas. They deliberately violate
His law of love in their dealings with others and
promote their own needs and desires over Christ’s plan
and purpose for their lives.
We are called out
and chosen as members of the Body of Christ. We have
sanctified ourselves and purged out all known
selfishness and pride. We have privileges and
corresponding responsibilities. We are to walk as
Jesus walked and do the works that He did on the
earth, even before He returns to join us in the
Kingdom of God. We will be amply rewarded for our
willing obedience and humble service to others.
Matthew 22:29 “Jesus
answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing
the scriptures, nor the power of God.”
Christ hated all
that the Pharisees and Scribes stood for in their
religious observance of man-made tradition. They
placed heavy burdens on men by stressing obedience to
the law, knowing full well that the law was impossible
for men to obey. Their leaders could not even obey it.
Christ came to fulfill the law and yet they refused to
see that.
Jesus hated
hypocrisy. He refused to engage in constant debate and
controversy with the Jewish leaders. They pretended to
be learned and pious, but He felt they had a form of
religion with no power in it. He called them vipers
and disdained their teachings both publicly and
privately.
He always spoke to
them with the very authority of the Father to back Him
up. They still misconstrued and twisted His words, and
constantly sought to trap Him. But they were not able
to overcome Him or exceed His righteousness. He was
ultimately victorious over them and all their
sinfulness with His obedience at the cross.
This should be a
lesson to us in the Body of Christ. We must not be
overly pious or hypocritical in our dealings with
others. Mercy always should prevail over judgment. We
will be judged by the very same standards that we use
to judge and criticize others. Our love walk is far
more important a testimony than our self-righteous
words.
Matthew 22:37-39
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself.”
Jesus came to
fulfill the Law. He gave us His take on it by
summarizing the Ten Commandments into two general
categories – love of God and neighbor. His entire
ministry reflected this belief, and He was love in
action as He went about ministering healing and
deliverance to all He met. He enthusiastically
preached the gospel of the Kingdom and shared the good
news of God’s love with everyone He met.
These are but a few
of the things that Jesus spoke to His followers in
only one Gospel account that focuses on the Kingdom of
God coming to the earth. He spoke on an endless
variety of topics that were relevant to people’s
everyday lives. He also revealed the oracles of God to
those who could perceive those messages. And He
continues to speak to us today.
His words are so
powerful that they become etched in our hearts once we
hear them. When we read the Word for ourselves, they
are simply called to our remembrance. When we pray and
meditate on them, they become alive and powerful. When
we speak the words of Christ, we can create miracles
of healing and deliverance not only for ourselves but
for the benefit of others also.
Light And Life
John 5:24-26
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my
word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming,
and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the
Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the
Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the
Son to have life in himself;”
Jesus’ words to us
are light and life, the good news of the Kingdom of
God. He said that if we will hear His words, and
believe on the Father who sent Him, that we will pass
from condemnation to everlasting life. His words also
have resurrection power, and will actually call the
dead back to life in the days to come – the
spiritually dead and the physically dead!
We should speak only
light and life to others as we bring in the end-time
harvest of souls that is required before the Kingdom
of God is ushered in on the earth. Our words have the
ability to soothe and calm, create and bless. We
should guard them carefully so that they mirror what
the Lord Himself would have us speak to His people.
Take Heed How And
What You Hear
Luke 8:18 “Take heed
therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him
shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall
be taken even that which he seemeth to have.”
Jesus cautioned His
followers about how they heard and processed
what was told to them. It’s as if He was saying that
those who value His insight and comprehend, will be
given even more revelation. But those who do not
understand His words, will lose even that which was
given them originally. Hearing the Word of God
requires spiritual maturity and keen discernment, so
that it is interpreted correctly and we can apply it
to our lives.
There are many
voices that call out to us today with man-made
traditions that are far from the truth. The gospel
message has been watered down and perverted to suit
men’s personal agendas. We should carefully guard what
goes in our ears, because it settles in our hearts. It
is easy to be deceived by mind-blinding spirits that
attempt to dominate and control us.
We should evaluate
what we hear by God’s standard and compare it to His
written Word. This will always be our final authority
and sure test for validity. We should be determined to
accurately hear and understand the uncompromised Word
of God through the discerning power of the Holy
Spirit. We must then meditate on that Word until it
gets down in our spirits, and comes out our mouths. It
ought to be reflected in all that we say and do.
As the days
progress, we will be entrusted with even more
revelation into the deeper things of God. That will be
critical for our understanding and obedience. We have
a corresponding responsibility to walk in the light
that we have at any given time, and to share what we
hear with others as the Lord directs us to do.
Mark 4:24 “And he
said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto
you that hear shall more be given.”
The Lord reminds us
to pay attention to what we hear. We must
forego listening to the controversial theories and
traditions of men. We cannot succumb to worldly
controversy. We have been trusted with the secrets to
the Kingdom of God. We are held strictly accountable
to walk in the light we have revealed to us.
In the days ahead,
we will be doing what Jesus did, preaching to and
teaching multitudes. We will also be speaking forth
God’s righteous judgments and the entire earth will be
shaken. It is critical that we hear accurately so that
even more revelation can be entrusted to us. When we
hear the very oracles of God, much is expected of us.
We are then obligated to act on His Word and share the
truth with others as He directs us.
We are to speak
forth the pure Word of God and decree it for all men
to hear, as we gather in the end-time harvest of
souls. There is explosive power in the Gospel of the
Kingdom of God, and when we speak it forth, the very
atmosphere is charged with power and glory. Positive
changes occur in men’s lives and their circumstances
improve. The truth of God’s Word sets them free. Their
hearts are converted and they walk in the newness of
life.
Hearing The Word And
Keeping It
Luke 11:28 “But he
said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the
word of God, and keep it.”
Faith without
corresponding action is pointless and powerless. We
are responsible for hearing the Word of God
accurately, and then acting on it. Hearing and obeying
God is not an option. It is a commandment to us in
these days to come, if we are members of the Body of
Christ who will usher in His Kingdom.
Christ is our role
model for perfect obedience. He routinely sought the
presence of the Father so that He could communicate
with Him before launching into the next step of His
ministry. So too, we must seek the Lord, hear His
voice and step out in faith as He reveals our role in
His eternal salvation plan for all mankind.
Every move we make,
every word we speak, must be God-oriented and directed
to us by Jesus Christ Himself. Now more than ever, we
ought to sharpen our communication skills and be quick
to listen and accurately interpret His will. We must
immediately obey any and all commands that the Lord
gives us in the very critical days that are ahead.
Then and only then will we be useful to Him in
bringing heaven to the earth.
Topics For Discussion
1. Methods The Lord Uses To Communicate
2. Hearing From Christ
3. Parables
4. Insight From Christ Regarding The Kingdom
5. How And What You Hear
6. Hearing The Word And Keeping It
Chapter 3 – Obeying
God
Deuteronomy 13:4 “Ye
shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and
keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye
shall serve him, and cleave unto him.”
Hearing from God,
obeying and serving Him are not optional for the Body
of Christ. This is an express command from the Creator
of all things. The Lord is not running His Kingdom
like a democracy in heaven or on the earth. We do not
get a vote; there is no room for dissension. Total
willing obedience is required if we will move into the
deeper things of God and implement His will on the
earth.
We should have a
deep-rooted reverential fear of the Lord. He is an
awesome and mighty God that is capable of creation and
destruction. There are eternal ramifications for
obedience and disobedience – corresponding rewards and
punishments. We can be disqualified at any time from
serving in the Body of Christ and prevented
from entering into His Kingdom if we are purposefully
disobedient.
Obedience From The
Heart
God is not mocked.
He knows if we are obeying from the heart or out of
fear alone. He knows if we are just in something for
the promised reward. He’s a God of love; He wants
devotion together with obedience and respect. He wants
us to lay down personal goals and agendas of our own
free will. He wants us to forego the works of the
flesh and walk in the Spirit. His will then becomes
our will, and He can move over the face of the earth
quickly and completely through us.
The Lord desires
both our attention and our immediate response. He
wants such a high standard of obedience from us in the
days to come, that we actually cling to Him as if we
were one. He doesn’t want us doing our own thing and
making matters worse in the world. He wants His plans
and purposes to be ours also. And He wants us to be
ready and willing to be His instruments for change on
the earth, so that the results are effective and
eternal.
Exodus 19:5 “Now
therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep
my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto
me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine:”
We are in covenant
relationship with the Lord through our faith in
Christ. He wants to give us everything that the world
has to offer. He has the heart of a Father towards us.
So too, we will be given power and authority to
exercise the Lord’s will on the earth in the days to
come. But in order to receive and be trusted with all
things, we must first learn obedience to His voice.
When we do, we will have great value to the Lord and
He will take great pride in us.
There are multitudes
of blessings, both temporal and spiritual, that await
us if we will be willing and obedient to the Lord’s
lead. And while these should not be our only goal –
joy, prosperity, protection, health and long life are
all promised rewards in repayment for our devoted
obedience. These will not be ours just for a season,
but for all eternity, as we help to usher in the
Kingdom of God on the earth as it is in heaven.
Willing And Obedient
Isaiah 1:19 “If ye
be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the
land.”
The Lord is not
stingy in His promises to us. We will be given the
actual keys to the Kingdom of God, if we only heed His
voice and obey. He has promised us vengeance on all
our enemies. We will have redemption of our physical
bodies. He will reform, restore and re-create the
entire universe through us. And He has also promised
usthat we will rule and reign with Christ in His
Kingdom forever.
What an awesome
privilege we have for our obedience. We don’t have to
die and go to heaven to get our eternal rewards, as
some religious doctrines would tell us. We are not
pawns of the devil and subject to his whims either. We
are not victims of luck or fate. We will be given
power, authority and blessings in the Kingdom of God
right here on the earth. And our rewards will be
generous for all eternity.
Jeremiah 7:23 “But
this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice,
and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and
walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you,
that it may be well unto you.”
It’s all about
relationship when it comes to God. He loves us with an
everlasting love; it is His heart’s delight to
fellowship with His people. He wants to take up actual
residence with and in His people. He wants to
shower us with blessings, but we must strive always to
hear His voice and obey His direction for our lives.
He commands
obedience from us for our own good. His ways are
higher than ours, and He always has our best interest
at heart. He expects us to get over ourselves, repent
and turn from all known sin. We should lay our
personal interests aside and follow Him wherever He
leads us. We should walk in love, peace and unity as
He commands us. There are many eternal rewards stored
up for the obedient.
In the days ahead,
we will be given strict orders from the Lord of Hosts
for each step in ushering in His Kingdom. It is
imperative that we obey promptly and completely. Our
willingness to hear and obey is critical, and our
total submission is vitally important to God’s
ultimate plan for the redemption of all things. There
are eternal ramifications for our obedience and
disobedience, and we must be aware of these.
Obedience Better Than
Sacrifice
1Samuel 15:22 “And
Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of
the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice,
[and] to hearken than the fat of rams.”
King Saul was
disobedient to the Lord when He came up against the
Amalekites in battle. He spared their king and took
spoils of war, when He had been specifically
instructed through the prophet Samuel to do neither.
Then when He was confronted with His sin, he simply
made lame excuses for it. As a result, he lost His
kingdom to David. Even when he repented and asked the
Lord’s forgiveness, it was too late.
Disobedience has its
price, and God is not obligated to give us another
opportunity to get it right. It is far better to hear
and obey immediately, than to come to the Lord after
we have disobeyed and attempt to appease Him.
Disobedience in the Body of Christ will be grounds for
our total disqualification in the days ahead. We can
be stripped of the anointing just as quickly as we
were selected and appointed for it. The choice is
ours…
Blessings For
Obedience
Deuteronomy 28:1-2
“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken
diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to
observe [and] to do all his commandments which I
command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set
thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all
these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee,
if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy
God.”
Obedience, on the
contrary, carries its own rewards. These include
advancement and promotion, together with an abundance
of blessings. The Old Testament promises that were
part of the Mosaic covenant were granted to the
Israelites for their obedience. They didn’t
just fall on them.
While it’s true that
we should not do what we are instructed by the Lord in
order to simply get a reward, it is really that
uncomplicated. Hearing and obeying God will bring
blessings. Ignoring and disobeying God will bring
curses on us.
Deuteronomy 30:8-10
“And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD,
and do all his commandments which I command thee this
day. And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in
every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body,
and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of
thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice
over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy
God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which
are written in this book of the law, [and] if thou
turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul.”
Obedience requires a
turning from our own ways to the ways of God. His ways
are always above ours. If we hear His voice and
respond positively, we will enjoy similar covenant
promises of health and prosperity even today. However,
ours is an even better covenant than the Old Testament
provided because of the atoning work of Christ
Himself.
We’ve been made
righteous because of Christ’s obedience unto death. We
have inherited His promised rewards. We are
joint-heirs with Him to the very Kingdom of God. We
will enjoy health and eternal life, peace and
prosperity, safety and security, joy and gladness
forever. We will be given the heathen as our
inheritance and we will rule and reign with Christ for
all eternity.
As heirs of God, we
have corresponding responsibilities. We have to
crucify our flesh and all its desires and lay down our
soul lives. We must walk in love and unity. We are to
be more obedient than we have ever been before. We
must earnestly seek the Lord’s will and do all that He
requires of us. This is only our reasonable service to
Him for all the benefits He promises us.
Christ was perfectly
obedient.
Romans 5:19 “For as
by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so
by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Christ was the
perfect Son, the sinless Lamb that laid down His life
for mankind. His blood sacrifice was the ultimate
obedient act in accordance with the Lord’s salvation
plan. His obedience and righteousness brought right
standing with God to us again. It’s almost as if the
Lord knew that we could not be perfectly obedient in
and of ourselves, so He sent Jesus to be our role
model for hearing and being obedient to the voice of
God.
Christ was a
testimony in life and in death to the ultimate
obedience we should strive for in our lives. He is our
pattern and role model, our king and our leader. The
Bible says that Christ is the first born of many sons
and daughters, so obedience is possible for each of us
to attain. Perfect obedience is within our reach,
possible for all of us, through the Blood and
anointing empowerment of Jesus Christ Himself.
A Better Covenant of
Promises
Hebrews 8:6-13 “But
now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how
much also he is the mediator of a better covenant,
which was established upon better promises. For if
that first [covenant] had been faultless, then should
no place have been sought for the second. For finding
fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with
the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not
according to the covenant that I made with their
fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to
lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they
continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not,
saith the Lord. For this [is] the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel after those days, saith
the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and
write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a
God, and they shall be to me a people: And they shall
not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his
brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me,
from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful
to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more. In that he saith,
A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that
which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish
away.”
The entire Book of
Hebrews discusses this covenant of better promises
that Jesus bought for us with His conquest over sin,
death and the grave. He obtained a more excellent
ministry than the Levitical and Aaronic priesthoods,
and His covenant promises are much greater than those
of the old Mosaic, Abrahamic and Davidic covenants.
His obedience unto
death promises us not only forgiveness of sins, but
restoration of our fellowship with God. The Lord
literally blots out our sin from His memory. We now
have actual sonship, and we are eligible to receive
God-given power and authority to rule over the earth.
This is indeed a better covenant than our forefathers
had with the Lord, with greater blessings and
corresponding greater responsibilities.
In the days to come,
we will be preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to the
entire world, so that all men will have an opportunity
to know the Lord and live by His principles. His law
will be in our hearts and we will do only what He
would have us do. We will walk in holiness and
spiritual perfection. Then and only then, will the
Creator of the universe take up residence with His
people as the Kingdom of God is ushered in on the
earth.
The Tabernacle Of God
Revelation 21:3 “And
I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold,
the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell
with them, and they shall be his people, and God
himself shall be with them, [and be] their God.”
Once again, the
Lord’s major concern is His relationship with us. He
wants to dwell at peace with this mankind He created.
But we are not without obligation in this plan. He
desires to confer all blessings, honor, power and
authority to us, if we will simply follow His
commandments. Our sole responsibility is to sanctify
ourselves in the truth and be receptive to His lead on
a daily basis.
We should be growing
in our relationship with Him, based on our love and
respect for His plans and purposes. We ought to desire
to please Him and seek His approval in all we do. We
have to be motivated by perfect love and not by fear.
God’s love and power will enable us to do anything
that He calls us to do in the days ahead as we usher
in His Kingdom.
The Lord is not
simply dangling a bunch of promises over our heads in
return for our undying devotion. He is setting Kingdom
standards for the God/man relationship even before the
Kingdom gets here. It will be based on mutual love and
trust. We must strive for holiness and spiritual
maturity, as God Himself is sinless and perfect.
Peace and order will
be the norm in His Kingdom. Joy and gladness will be
the prevailing mood. Fairness and equality will be the
standard. These come only with set limits of behavior
for both parties. His role is to be our Father God and
provider; our role is to love, thank and praise Him
for all eternity.
Consequences Of
Disobedience
Hebrews 3:15 “While
it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden
not your hearts, as in the provocation.”
The Israelites who
were brought out of the land of Egypt continually
offended God with their fear, unbelief and
disobedience to His lead. They were selfish and
demanding, ungrateful and lawless. There were severe
consequences for their rebellion. The Lord eradicated
an entire generation of disobedient people who vexed
Him.
There were none who
were sick or feeble among them, when they left their
captivity in Egypt. But they were made to wander forty
years in the desert on a journey that should have
taken them a matter of days. Because they hardened
their hearts to God’s voice, they were allowed to
become sick and die on the way.
Fear, doubt and
unbelief displease God. He does not want us to shrink
back from His discipline, nor be hardened to His
voice. He wants us to allow His purging fire to
cleanse us of all unrighteousness. He desires that we
remain open to His lead and strengthened in our inner
man by His promises. He wants us to walk in total
victory as we proceed to bring heaven to the earth
realm as He has planned.
Daniel 9:10-11
“Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God,
to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his
servants the prophets. Yea, all Israel have
transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they
might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is
poured upon us, and the oath that [is] written in the
law of Moses the servant of God, because we have
sinned against him.”
There is always a
penalty for disobedience. Israel knowingly and
repeatedly transgressed the laws that were given to
them by God through Moses. There was still too much
Egypt left in them. They stubbornly refused to walk in
God’s ways, and brought guilt and condemnation on
themselves as a result.
Because of their
disobedience, the Jewish people were taken into
captivity. Daniel acknowledges their guilt in this
prayer to the Lord, and realizes that they are under a
curse as a result of their sin of disobedience. The
Israelites knowingly transgressed God’s law and
suffered huge penalties for their hard-heartedness.
We need not fear
that a curse will come on us. We have chosen to be
willing and obedient to the voice of the Lord. We
desire intimacy with Him that comes from making and
keeping promises. He is ever gracious and merciful
towards us, and quick to forgive us when we miss the
mark. We should vow never to let Him down again, and
walk in total obedience to His direction for our
lives.
Deuteronomy 28:15
“But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken
unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do
all his commandments and his statutes which I command
thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon
thee, and overtake thee:”
This passage refers
to the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28 clearly
spelled out by God to His chosen people. Moses did his
job in adequately warning the people regarding the
severe repercussions for their disobedience. He told
them that the curses of poverty and disease would come
on them and destroy the blessings they had once
experienced.
And while it is true
that we can be unknowingly disobedient to the Lord by
being outside His perfect will for our lives, we have
no excuse for flagrant disregard of His commandments.
We must set our hearts and minds to hear from God, and
be perfectly obedient to His will if we would enjoy
His promised blessings.
If we miss it, we
should repent quickly and resolve to be obedient in
the future. However, God is holding us to much higher
standards now, because of the darkness of the world
around us. We must be obedient right from the start,
when He gives us a directive. We will reach a point in
time when there will be no more second chances given
to us. Our disobedience will have eternal
consequences.
Jeremiah 3:25 “We
lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us:
for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and
our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and
have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.”
We always know deep
inside when we miss the mark. When we disobey the
Lord, we suffer guilt and recrimination that disturbs
our peace and causes us shame. We become lonely for
His presence and afraid that we have lost His mercy
and grace forever. The only solution is to repent,
turn from our sin, and be obedient to His will. This
restores us to right standing with Him.
It re-opens the door
to blessing rather than curses in our lives. And while
this should not be our entire motivation for
obedience, it is a substantial by-product. We should
desire good things in our lives rather than have to
struggle to survive. So too, obedience pleases God.
It’s the very least we should do for Him after all the
blessings He has given us.
Obedience affects
not only our own lives, but those of others, as well.
For example, there are generational curses that come
on entire families because of one member’s
disobedience. We should guard against these by
following the Lord’s directions and positively
responding to His lead. Then things will be well with
us, and with our children and our children’s children.
Be Determined To Hear
And Obey
Deuteronomy 30:20
“That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that
thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest
cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length
of thy days:”
Moses was a man
after God’s own heart. He saw the Lord face-to-face
when he received the Ten Commandments of the Law on
Mt. Sinai. He knew His power and His glory, and he was
determined to persuade the Israelites of the benefits
of loving and obeying God. He reminds them here, that
fullness of life and longevity are theirs if they will
be obedient.
That’s a promise we
can still claim today for our obedience. The
Lord is the strength of our life and our surety for
length of days. When we enter the Kingdom of God, we
will trade our corruptible bodies that are subject to
disease and death, for glorious, immortal bodies that
are healthy and live forever.
We should cling to
the Lord and His words to us. They will bring life to
all our situations and circumstances. The Lord desires
that we are so obedient that we actually cleave to Him
as if we were one. This type of intimate relationship
based on trust will be characteristic of what we
experience in His presence in the Kingdom of God.
Jeremiah 26:13
“Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and
obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will
repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against
you.”
The prophets knew
God intimately and they tried to correct the people of
their erring ways before disaster struck them for
their disobedience. Unfortunately, the people did not
always heed the voice of God delivered to them through
the prophets, and they were punished severely with
wars, plagues, famine and exile.
But each time they
repented, God relented in His punishment. It’s
important to note that God is not obligated to give us
second chances. He is a just God, and justice requires
punishment for sin. We must remember that the
penalties of disobedience can be severe and eternal.
We do not want to be disqualified members of the Body
of Christ because of our rebellion. It’s better that
we hear and obey immediately, rather than try to
appease our God after we slip and fall.
Jeremiah 42:6
“Whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil, we
will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we
send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey
the voice of the LORD our God.”
Here we see that the
Israelites repent of their disobedience and newly avow
to obey the Lord regardless of how the situation
appears in the natural. They knew that their
well-being was directly connected to their behavior.
They had disobeyed God in the past, and had been
obliterated as a people. They now chose to obey God
and live in His blessings.
Eventually even the
most stubborn of us get it right. The Lord is
infinitely patient and merciful. But the Body of
Christ does not have the option of disobedience at
this point in time. We must fully consecrate and
dedicate ourselves to hearing from God and responding
immediately. We have eternal destinies that will
affect many others. We should be emulating the laid
down life of Jesus Christ if we would demonstrate His
miracle-working powers in the days ahead.
We should be walking
in close intimacy with Christ and His Father, and
strive for peace and unity with one another. There is
much to do to usher in the Kingdom of God on this
earth. The world will be turned upside down and right
side up, according to the very will of the Lord. This
requires a new and improved standard of devotion and
obedience than we have known in the past. It requires
that we think like God thinks, say what He says and do
what Christ did on the earth.
Topics For Discussion
1. The Type Of Obedience The Lord Wants
2. Fear Of The Lord
3. Blessings For Obedience
4. Consequences Of Disobedience
5. The Tabernacle Of God
6. Why Hear And Obey?
7. The Standard of Obedience For The Body Of Christ
Chapter
4 – Walking As Christ Walked
Hebrews 5:8 “Though
he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things
which he suffered;”
Christ had to learn
obedience just as we do. He came to the earth as a man
and stripped Himself of all deity, to do what the
Father had called Him to do. It took Him thirty years
to prepare for His ministry. He had all the attributes
of a man and suffered from the same temptations and
weaknesses that we do. Yet He was obedient even unto
death. All that He accomplished He did as a mere man
walking in close fellowship with the Lord, in the
“Anointing Power” of God Himself.
We know that Jesus
struggled with much that He did, because the Bible
tells us of His frustration with His followers and the
Pharisees, and His overwhelming agony in the Garden of
Gethsemane. His human temptations and physical
sufferings perfected obedience in Him, just as our
struggles with the flesh, mind, will and emotions will
perfect us.
Revelation 3:19 “As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
therefore, and repent.”
We need to repent of
all known sin and cleanse ourselves of all filthiness
of the flesh and soul that interferes with our doing
the perfect will of God in our lives. We have to
substitute His will for ours. However, only through
Christ do we have permanent victory over sin. His
death was the ultimate act of obedience that paid for
our sinfulness and restored us to righteousness with
the Father. Through the Blood and the Name of Christ,
we can remain continuously righteous.
We cannot be
resistant to the Lord’s correction. Instead, we should
invite it into our lives, knowing that in the long
run, we will benefit from chastisement and repentance.
We need to ask for the fire of God to burn out
everything in us that displeases Him, or hinders us in
our calling to walk as Christ walked on the earth. We
ought to seek purity and holiness so that we are
consecrated vessels for the Lord’s use, and fit to
dwell in His presence for all eternity.
Hebrews 9:28 “So
Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and
unto them that look for him shall he appear the second
time without sin unto salvation.”
Christ’s redemption
included not only the forgiveness of sins, but the
restoration of all our rights and privileges in
relationship with the Father. We have no excuse for
not walking as He walked. We have His anointing power
in us to accomplish all good things. It is our
connection with the divine, and our energy source for
all miracles. Yet none of us will ever be expected to
make the sacrifice that He did, and die in agony and
shame.
Our Lord’s atonement
for our sins and victory over sin, death and the grave
must not be underestimated or taken for granted. This
great substitutionary work was part of God’s eternal
salvation plan for mankind. While Adam’s transgression
brought punishment and the curse on us, Christ’s
suffering and death on the cross purchased the
blessings of God on our behalf.
Jesus will soon
return to put an end to all evil on the earth. He will
destroy all the ungodly and their ungodliness in His
coming wrath. He will take vengeance on all our
enemies and restore all that has been taken from us.
Christ will rule and reign in His Kingdom for the
express benefit of all the righteous; they will know
peace and joy, love and unity, safety and security for
all eternity.
The Works Of Christ
John 10:25 “Jesus
answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the
works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness
of me.”
Christ revealed
Himself as the Son of God, but also called Himself the
son of man. All that He did, He did as a perfect man
walking in the anointing power of the Father. What He
said and what He accomplished was through the power
and authority of God Himself, operating in human form,
perfectly and obediently.
That same anointing
that was on Jesus is available to us. We will share
His very power and glory as we usher in His Kingdom.
There is nothing left to impede us from following in
Jesus’ footsteps and doing the works that He did while
He was on the earth. The only thing that can hinder
us, is if we shrink back in fear, doubt or unbelief.
That will disqualify us from participating in the
establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth.
So what exactly is
it that Christ did and expects us to do? He spoke with
authority; He operated in power; and He walked in
love. He ministered to the needs of the people in a
real and meaningful way. He healed and delivered them.
He taught and exhorted them in all truth. He told them
the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. He was perfectly
obedient to the will of the Father and walked in pure,
unselfish love for mankind.
Jesus Walked in the
Anointing Power of God
Luke 7:22 “Then
Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell
John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the
blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the
deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel
is preached.”
Jesus Christ was the
first born of many sons that are being led to
righteousness, through perfect obedience to God. He
constantly communicated with His Father, spoke what He
was told to say, and did the things that He was
instructed to do. He laid His self-life aside and took
His place in the eternal redemption plan. In return
for His obedience, He was given a full measure of
God’s very own creative power and glory.
He preached the
Gospel of the Kingdom to the poor; He healed the sick
and raised the dead; He cast our demons and cleansed
the unclean; He restored hearing to the deaf and
vision to the blind; He helped the cripples walk
again. He gave life and hope to all the people He met;
an outpouring of miracles attended Him wherever He
went.
Jesus was the
Father’s express will in action. We should look to Him
not only as our Savior, but also as our role model for
victorious living. He came to save and serve all
mankind and nothing less than laying down His life in
total obedience could accomplish that. That same level
of obedience is required of the Body of Christ on the
earth today. If we walk in the flesh, it is impossible
to achieve, but if we follow the lead of the Holy
Spirit, we can do all things through Christ who
strengthens us.
Matthew 9:35 “And
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching
in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the
kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease
among the people.”
The Bible says that
Christ went about doing good. He preached the Gospel
of the Kingdom of God to the people so that they had
hope and confidence for the future. He also attempted
to instruct the religious people in sound doctrine,
even though they rejected Him. He came not to observe
man-made law, but to fulfill the law of God on the
earth. His life’s work was to show the love of God for
mankind and to teach them to walk in love with one
another.
Jesus healed all
those who were sick or feeble. He had a variety of
techniques that He used in healing. Some He laid hands
on; with others He rebuked demons and the sickness and
disease left; to still others, He simply spoke healing
words. In some instances, He mixed saliva with dirt
and smeared it on blind eyes, and they were healed.
It’s important to
note that no one was turned away or left with their
lives untouched. Christ impacted lives for good
wherever He went, because He walked in the very power
and authority of God Himself. We will emulate His very
actions in all that we are called to do in the days
ahead. All that will be necessary to our success is
willing obedience.
Anointing For Healing
Matthew 15:30 “And
great multitudes came unto him, having with them
[those that were] lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many
others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he
healed them:”
Jesus knew how to
draw a crowd and get their attention. He was able to
heal the dumb, give sight to the blind, cure the
crippled and the maimed, and do restorative health
miracles in great numbers, regardless of the people’s
conditions. He changed their lives of pain and misery
to health and wholeness. He was thorough and effective
in all that He did. They were healed totally and
completely. The deciding factor was that He obeyed the
Father’s will in all healing that He performed.
It was, and still
is, God’s express will that all men walk in health and
wellness, to enjoy days of heaven upon the earth. The
Body of Christ will work miraculous healings as
evidence of the anointing power of God in our midst
today. We will have the ability to heal all disease
and even perform creative, restorative miracles.
Missing limbs and body parts will be replaced under a
healing anointing in the days to come. This will all
take place to glorify God and draw attention to His
gospel message.
Matthew 8:3 “And
Jesus put forth [his] hand, and touched him, saying, I
will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was
cleansed.”
Jesus never turned
anyone away. He healed all who were unclean, lepers,
sinners and even demoniacs. Whether they had faith or
not, He was able to heal and deliver them from the
curse. There is no evidence in the scriptures that
would suggest that those He healed lost that healing
in the future. We have every reason to believe that
they were healed once and for all time. His anointing
was not partial or intermittent; it was total and
complete to revolutionize lives.
So too, the Body of
Christ will have a full impartation of the anointing
power of Jesus Himself in the days ahead. The very
power and glory of God will fall all over the face of
the earth as we walk in supernatural healings and
creative restorative miracles. We will attract many
new believers to the truth because of the strength of
God’s healing power to help His people.
Matthew 9:2 “And,
behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy,
lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto
the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins
be forgiven thee.”
When the people’s
faith was strong, healing flourished. It was
effortless and flowed from the Lord. Jesus even
forgave sins and healed the disabled of the curse that
sin had brought on them. He elevated their spirits,
blessed them and gave them hope. He ministered to
their bodies and their spirits, so that their healing
was total and complete, permanent and lasting.
While the Body of
Christ certainly won’t be given the power to forgive
sin, they will in fact lead many to repent and turn
towards righteousness again. They will deliver many
captives of the enemy that have been sick and infirm
due to their sins and harmful habits. They will lay
hands on all the sick and restore them to health and
wellness.
Matthew 9:22 “But
Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said,
Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee
whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”
Jesus healed the
woman with the issue of blood, who had spent all her
money on doctors to be healed. After many years of
suffering, she was still sick from a chronic
hemorrhage. The Bible says she simply touched His
clothing and was healed by her faith. She made a
choice for direct contact with the anointing power of
Jesus Christ, and her life was forever changed. Christ
backed up her healing with His faith-based words, and
her healing was immediate and permanent.
The Body of Christ
can establish a point of contact for healing others
through the laying on of hands, and intercessory
prayer. We can drive out spirits of infirmity in the
sick and loose healing and blessing into their bodies.
Their faith will be greatly enhanced with this display
of God’s almighty healing power.
Anointing To Set The
Captives Free
Luke 4:35 “And Jesus
rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of
him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst,
he came out of him, and hurt him not.”
Jesus rebuked the
devil and cast him out of people, restoring their
wholeness. The enemy did not always go willingly, but
Christ resisted him and all his efforts to destroy
lives. He consistently drove out demons of all types
during His earthly ministry, and set many free for the
first time in their lives. His anointing removed
burdens and destroyed yokes for all time.
Christ’s ultimate
defeat of Satan came later at the cross, as a result
of His victory over sin, death and the grave. The
enemy remains a defeated foe today, as we continue to
dominate him in Jesus’ Name, with all of His power and
authority transferred to us for setting captives free
of enemy oppression. We have been given back our
dominion on the earth for all time.
We will penetrate
all enemy strongholds in the days to come through the
power of Christ’s anointing. The devil will never
harass or oppress mankind ever again, as we usher in
the Kingdom of God on the earth. Christ Himself will
banish Satan in His second coming, as He destroys all
the ungodly and their ungodliness off the face of the
earth.
Mark 5:13 “And
forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean
spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the
herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea,
(they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the
sea.”
Jesus cast out
demons and freed the captives. He virtually terrorized
the demonic powers everywhere He went. He restored
what had been lost to the Gadarene demoniac referred
to in Mark, Chapter 5 above. Once he was set free, the
man went back to his town fully clothed and in his
right mind, as a living testimony to the power of God.
Christ made an open show of Satan and all his minions.
He demonstrated the power of God over evil time and
time again.
The Body of Christ
will continue to serve mankind as Jesus did when He
walked the earth. We will subjugate all demonic powers
as we fine-tune our weapons of warfare in the days
ahead. We will bind Satan and set captives free of
demonic strongholds, such as addictions and
afflictions of all types. We will loose blessings and
health into their lives, and win many to the Lord
through this show of awesome power. Men will
experience freedom to love and serve God, sanctified
and purified through His anointing.
Anointing For
Teaching And Preaching
Matthew 11:1 “And it
came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding
his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and
to preach in their cities.”
Jesus taught and
ministered to the needs of the people. He spoke in
parables so that they would be able to better
understand the principles of the Kingdom. He preached
forgiveness, servitude and righteousness. He taught
them how to love the Lord and one another. His very
life was an example to them of divine power and
authority for victorious living.
The Body of Christ
will function similarly in the days ahead, as we
preach and teach the nations of the earth to walk in
God’s ways. We will harvest a bountiful number of
souls for the Kingdom of God if we are willing and
obedient to the Lord’s direction. We must be walking
in love and righteousness so that we are living
testimonies of God’s power and glory on the earth.
The end-time harvest
of souls is ripe for reaping. The Gospel of the
Kingdom will be preached all around the world with
attending signs and wonders, miraculous healings and
deliverances. Men everywhere will be eager and
receptive to the good news of Jesus Christ. The
awesome power and glory of God will manifest as
millions throng to hear His Word. They will repent and
be baptized and forever be set free.
Anointing For
Miracles
Matthew 15:32 “Then
Jesus called his disciples [unto him], and said, I
have compassion on the multitude, because they
continue with me now three days, and have nothing to
eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they
faint in the way.”
Christ had a heart
for the people. He loved them with an uncompromising
love that only God has for men. He fed them the Bread
of Life and ministered to their temporal needs as
well. He fed multitudes on several occasions,
performing miraculous multiplications of a few loaves
of bread and pieces of fish.
He was able to
transcend natural laws and overcome them. He worked
miraculous signs and wonders, never for the sake of
the miracles themselves, but for the benefit of His
followers. His miraculous actions were meant to
be a visible manifestation of God’s power, a
confirmation of the Word of God that He spoke to them.
We too will walk in
the miraculous in the days ahead. The Lord will
supernaturally empower us to show forth His glory to
all the world, as evidence that He does indeed exist
and involve Himself in the affairs of men. We will
demonstrate the love of God in performing miracles
that attract many to Kingdom principles. We will teach
them His way of doing things and being right.
Matthew 14:25 “And
in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them,
walking on the sea.”
Jesus took authority
over all of nature. He had dominion over the climate
and the weather conditions. He spoke to the storms; He
calmed the winds and the waves; and He was able to
transport Himself over the water into His disciples’
boat. He walked on water several times, and
supernaturally defied the very laws of gravity.
Through His willing
obedience to the Father, He had total dominion over
the earth restored to Him, just as Adam had once
enjoyed before the fall. That same power and authority
over the earth has been given to us as we usher in the
Kingdom with all attending signs and wonders. It may
very well be that we, too, will defy natural laws. It
will be exciting to see how the glory of God manifests
in us and through us for the benefit of others.
We do know that the
Body of Christ will take authority over all creation,
as we restore its original beauty and balance. The
plant and animal kingdoms will be subject to us.
Climatic conditions will respond to our words. There
will be no natural catastrophes that frighten and harm
mankind, as we bind all demonic powers and speak peace
and order to the earth and everything in it.
Mark 9:2 “And after
six days Jesus taketh [with him] Peter, and James, and
John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart
by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.”
Jesus was able to
overcome the flesh and enter into the spirit realm at
will during His transfiguration. He took on divine
attributes for His disciples to witness as proof that
He was who He said He was. He manifested Himself as
God right before their very eyes.
He had the ability
to walk as both man and God on the earth, but He
stripped Himself of His deity in His earthly ministry.
All that Jesus accomplished was done as a mere man who
heard from and obeyed God. His anointing power from
the Father was generated by His very obedience.
We may not be
transfigured as Christ was during His walk on the
earth, but we have been transformed and spiritually
changed to become new creatures in Christ. We are a
new race of being; we have spiritual DNA just as
Christ did. As joint-heirs with Him to all the
promises of God, we know that we too will walk in the
miraculous in the days to come.
Mark 10:32 “And they
were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went
before them: and they were amazed; and as they
followed, they were afraid. And he took again the
twelve, and began to tell them what things should
happen unto him,”
This passage
suggests a type of non-conventional spiritual
transportation as Jesus and His followers were going
to Jerusalem. The disciples were both amazed and
afraid of what transpired. They were obviously
transported from place to place by the very Spirit of
God that knows no confines of time and space.
Jesus also
prophesied His future and what suffering and death He
was to experience. In the natural, He could not know
these things, but by the Spirit of God that indwelled
Him, He could know everything.
We can only
speculate concerning spiritual transportation for the
Body of Christ as we usher in the Kingdom. There will
be much to accomplish, and only a limited time in
which to do it. It may very well be that the Lord
Himself will supernaturally move us about at His will
and for His divine plan and purpose.
So too, the Body of
Christ will have the ability to read men’s hearts as
Christ did. Our spiritual powers of discernment will
be greatly enhanced as we preach the Gospel of the
Kingdom and turn them towards God. We will be able to
minister to their needs effectively and permanently;
there will be millions called in to the Kingdom as a
result of our evangelization efforts.
Luke 4:14 “And Jesus
returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and
there went out a fame of him through all the region
round about.”
Jesus was able to
transport Himself in the power of the Holy Spirit from
one place to another. He supernaturally overcame
confines of time and space. He miraculously defied the
very laws of natural physics. He was an amazingly
effective minister because of His ability to be in any
place at any given time.
Perhaps the Lord
will demonstrate His power in transporting us to
different mission fields around the world in the days
to come. Time is of the essence and there are many
souls to harvest. It could very well be that He will
move us at will to do His work abroad.
Luke 5:22 “But when
Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto
them, What reason ye in your hearts?”
Jesus had
exceptionally good spiritual discernment. He could
read men’s minds and know their innermost thoughts. He
looked into the very hearts of men and knew what
motivated them. He could see the source of their
suffering, rebuke it and heal it. He could see their
hidden sins and expose them. He knew their thoughts
and feelings and often rebuked them even before they
surfaced in the natural realm.
We have Christ’s
very own wisdom and compassion. We have keen spiritual
discernment, as well. We will win many hearts and
souls to the Lord through our strong witness of love
and a and glorious demonstration of divine power and
authority. Men everywhere will be given an opportunity
to hear the gospel message and be baptized in the
faith, as we usher in the Kingdom.
John 20:30 “And many
other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in this book: But
these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye
might have life through his name.”
Jesus worked many
miraculous signs and wonders so that people would
believe on Him and the power of the Gospel of the
Kingdom. The miracles He performed were always
beneficial and relevant to their lives. He was the
first born of many brethren that will do as He did,
the Bible tells us. The Body of Christ will function
as He did on the earth in the days to come.
However, we will not
perform miraculous signs and wonders unless we are
hearing from the Lord and walking in total obedience
to His will. There can be no powerful anointing to do
what Jesus did without perfect love and obedience.
We must present our
bodies as living sacrifices and consecrate all our
efforts to the coming of the Kingdom. It is certain
that a remnant of faithful, obedient believers will
walk exactly as Christ did, in full power and
authority over the natural realms!
Anointing To Raise
The Dead
John 11:41 “Then
they took away the stone [from the place] where the
dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up [his] eyes, and
said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.”
Jesus did the
ultimate work of the Father when He raised the dead.
He had re-creative resurrection power, not as God in
operation, but as a mere man walking in the power and
authority of God. This account of the raising of
Lazarus is only one instance of Christ resurrecting
the dead. He also raised Jairus’ daughter, and He will
raise all the righteous dead when He returns to the
earth.
In the days to come,
the Body of Christ will do just as Jesus did and also
raise the dead. We will lay hands on them and/or call
them forth, and they will live again. Death is the
last enemy that is to be put under Christ’s feet
before He returns to rule and reign with us in the
Kingdom of God for all eternity.
Then Christ Himself
will return to raise the righteous dead and to deliver
us incorruptible, glorious resurrection bodies that
will never be subject to disease and decay again. So
we will all be changed in the twinkling of an eye, the
Bible tells us.
The Great Commission
Matthew 28:18-20
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power
is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with
you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Christ’s obedience
had a huge pay-off for us and for Him. He was given
all divine authority in heaven and on the earth. He is
seated at the right hand of God, the Bible tells us.
And we are seated right up there with Him. He
delegates all His power and authority to us as His
Body. We have the very anointing of Jesus Christ
inside of us to do good works on the earth as He did.
We are to walk as
Jesus walked, as we usher in the Kingdom of God before
Christ’s second coming. He has commissioned us to go
forth in His Name with full power and authority to
preach the gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead and
deliver the oppressed. It’s only by doing His works
that we will actually see heaven come to the earth; He
will be glorified with us in all that we do.
He will never leave
us or forsake us in our mission. He will give us
clear-cut instructions in all that we are called to
do. We will appropriate His very own anointing power
to compensate for what we lack in the natural to do
His work. All that will be required from us is willing
cooperation and obedience to His plan and purpose in
ushering in His Kingdom.
Signs Of The Believer
Mark 16:17-18 “And
these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name
shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new
tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they
drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they
shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.”
We have a surety
that the works Jesus did we will do also. We will have
a full impartation of His anointing power to do good.
He tells us that these miraculous signs follow our
faith. In His Name we will cast our demons, speak with
other tongues, and heal the sick. He will back us up
in all we are called to do. His anointing power will
work in us and through us to accomplish everything.
So too, we will be
covered with a hedge of divine protection as we serve
the Lord in ushering in the Kingdom. No attempt of the
enemy will thwart the Lord’s purpose in our lives. No
evil will come near us to interfere with the anointing
or to harm us personally. Every demonic stronghold
will be destroyed, and Satan will be forever banished
at the coming of Jesus Christ Himself.
John 14:12 “Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the
works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works]
than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”
Jesus preached the
Gospel of the Kingdom, cast out demons, healed the
sick and raised the dead routinely. These tasks should
be simple for us when we walk in the fullness of faith
under the power of the anointing. We will be able to
accomplish great feats as we walk together with Christ
and with one another in total unity of purpose. The
very glory of God will descend on the earth in a
miraculous manifestation to the unbeliever.
Christ’s anointing
power is on the Body of Christ in the earth to do ALL
the works that He did, and even greater works. We will
be able to accomplish all things necessary to usher in
the Kingdom. We need only receive our marching orders
clearly and concisely and be obedient to His
leadership, to see this planet turned upside down with
the power of God at work through us.
The Greater Works
We can only
speculate what the “greater works” are that Jesus
refers to here. But since He overcame the
confines of time and space, overturned natural laws,
worked miracles of multiplication, read men’s minds
and hearts, and foretold the future, we should be able
to do the same under the power of His anointing.
Because He had
authority over all nature and transported Himself and
others supernaturally, we can assume that these
capabilities will also be transferred to us. The
miraculous will become commonplace in the days ahead.
And we will appear as super-heroes to a sick and dying
world.
We will demonstrate
the very power and glory of God to the entire universe
as we go about doing the works of Christ.
Whatever we do and
whenever we do it, we must remember that it is by
Jesus’ Blood and His Name that we have both the power
and authority to do the works that He did while He was
on the earth. In doing what Christ did, we will help
usher the Kingdom of God on the earth even before He
returns to rule and reign with us. We can do nothing
in our own strength; we have to hear direct from Him
for our specific instructions.
I believe that in
the days ahead, Christ will download tremendous
revelation and impart limitless capability to us. We
have to be prepared to do the seemingly impossible, as
if it were normal and ordinary. We should eagerly
await the time when we will see governments shaken,
hospitals and funeral homes emptied, and millions
thronging to hear the Gospel of the Kingdom.
The entire universe
will be re-created and restored to its original state
as it was at creation. The plant and animal kingdoms
will be subject to our dominion over them. We will
speak to the weather and it will be perfect and calm.
There will be no climatic disturbances that frighten
or hurt anyone. All of creation will be subject to our
rule and reign with Christ for all eternity.
Topics For Discussion
1. The Obedience of Jesus Christ
2. The Works Of Christ
3. Healings
4. Casting Out Devils
5. Raising The Dead
6. The Great Commission
7. The Greater Works
Chapter 5 - Kingdom Power And Authority
Matthew 6:9-13
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which
art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors. 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.”
Jesus taught us to
pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth as
it is in heaven. That’s great news, since we do not
have to leave this world to enjoy heaven’s blessings.
They will be brought to this earth for us to enjoy
forever and ever. We will experience love and joy,
peace and prosperity, safety and security, health and
length of days all in the presence of our loving God.
But we must
fervently pray to birth the coming of the Kingdom to
the earth realm, whether we are members of the Bride
of Christ or His Body. We must remind the Lord of His
promise and ask Him to make good on it as quickly as
possible. We should make positive decrees that the
Kingdom will manifest and actually visualize it coming
into reality. We should proclaim the good news of its
coming to all men, and give the Lord all the thanks
and praise that He deserves.
Our Father God is
the source of the power and authority that Jesus
Christ had when He walked the earth. He is almighty
and omnipotent. Jesus was human in every respect that
we are, but He operated in divine power authority to
do the works that He did. We share in His anointing
power and will also work miracles in the days to come.
We will demonstrate God’s awesome presence for the
entire world to see.
The Source Of Our
Power
2Samuel 22:33 “God
[is] my strength [and] power: and he maketh my way
perfect.”
God is our source
for all Kingdom power and authority. It is He that
anoints and only He that appoints. Advancement and
promotion comes from Him alone. He confers Christ’s
anointing on all who are willingly obedient to His
lead and direction. He assigns us our roles in His
eternal redemption plan. The basic requirements are
that we should be sanctified and dedicated to His holy
purpose for our lives.
That requires a
certain amount of self-emptying on our part. God will
send His purging fire to root out all that defiles us.
We need to be walking in the Spirit and not our flesh.
We have to lay down our souls and forego all earthly
ambitions. We cannot be exalted or proud, but must
remain humble servants. We must walk in love – for the
Lord and for one another – in every situation and
circumstance.
We need to see
things as God sees them and respond as He would
respond. He tests, purges and refines us, until we can
be entrusted with power from on high to do the works
that He wants done on the earth. This sanctification
process will be stringent and ongoing in the days
ahead, but it is also necessary so that we will be
consecrated vessels for the Lord’s plan and purpose
and suitable stewards for the anointing on our lives.
The Body of Christ
has an awesome responsibility to hear and obey God, so
that His eternal redemption plan is smoothly and
effectively implemented. We must be willing and
cooperative to do all that He assigns us. We must
cling to the Lord as one and walk in total unity with
one another. There is no time to spare and no place
for dissension or insubordination in our ranks.
The Lord will bring
each of us up to His standards of spiritual maturity
and perfection as the days progress. We need not fear
that we will be ill equipped for all that He calls us
to do. He will arrange for divine connections within
the church to assist us. So too, He will assign His
angelic hosts to pave the way. He will provide us with
supernatural empowerment to perform every detail that
is required for bringing heaven to the earth realm.
Romans 1:4 “And
declared [to be] the Son of God with power, according
to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from
the dead:”
Christ’s
resurrection from the dead was the most powerful event
that’s taken place since creation. It was so powerful
that it caused an earthquake, and the rock tomb was
forcibly opened and bathed in light, the Bible says.
It was a feat of such magnitude that it altered the
course of human events forever and all time. It
demonstrated the greatest display of raw power in
action that the world has ever seen.
The same spirit that
raised Jesus from the dead – what the Greeks call
“dunamis” – potentially resides in every believer
today. Dunamis is explosive, raw power that can do the
seemingly impossible. It was this same awesome power
that the Father used in the creation of the universe,
and it will be the same degree of power that will be
used in its re-creation and restoration to the pre-Adamic
state.
We have resurrection
power of such strength and magnitude resident in us as
believers, that it staggers the imagination. Without
hearing from and obeying God, we could literally be
dangerous. That’s why the Lord is extremely selective
about delegating and activating His power. The Body of
Christ must be sanctified, hearing His voice clearly,
and disciplined to obey every directive He gives us.
We cannot do our own thing; it is vital that we move
according to God’s will and perfect timing.
Authority Is
Delegated Power
Luke 9:1 “Then he
called his twelve disciples together, and gave them
power and authority over all devils, and to cure
diseases.”
Authority is simply
delegated power. Jesus delegated His anointing power
to His disciples during His earthly ministry. He sent
them forth to preach the Gospel, heal the sick and
cast out demons. He equipped them for success in all
that they were called to do. And He’s commissioned the
Body of Christ to go forth and do His works in His
Name today.
In order to fulfill
our divine commission, we must be entrusted with the
same degree of power and authority that Christ had
when He walked the earth. There is much to be done in
ushering in the Kingdom. We need a full impartation of
His anointing power and authority. That requires our
obedience, consecration and dedication to His purpose.
The Lord has to be
totally confident of both our motives and our ability
to employ the anointing for good and not for evil. We
must strive for full maturity and spiritual
perfection. We should have discipline and
self-control. We must exercise right judgment. Then He
Himself will provide us with the power and authority
to do His will in all things.
We will destroy all
enemy strongholds that prevent the coming of the
Kingdom. We will preach and teach regardless of our
human talents to do so. We will heal all men and do
creative restorative miracles. We will set all
captives free from enemy oppression of all types. Our
power will be limitless for doing good and benefiting
mankind.
The Early Church
Power
Acts 4:33 “And with
great power gave the apostles witness of the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was
upon them all.”
The early church
enjoyed great power and authority after the feast of
Pentecost. When the Holy Spirit descended on them and
filled them, these followers of Christ went about
boldly doing all that He had done during His public
ministry, despite heavy controversy and religious
persecution. They continually sanctified themselves
and walked in love and unity, and the works they did
were phenomenal in expanding the church.
Peter and Paul were
filled with such power and authority as they preached
the Gospel of the Kingdom, healed the sick and cast
out demons, that the Book of Acts tells us that people
were healed even when their shadows passed by. They
reflected the glorious light of Christ in their
Christian walk. There were many miraculous signs and
wonders that they performed as evidence of their
faith.
The disciples did it
all in the Name of Jesus Christ, just as we will do.
But the power and glory that will be demonstrated in
us during these latter days will far eclipse the power
shown by members of the early church. It will be both
destructive and creative in its nature, and must be
employed to the Lord’s exact specifications.
Our power and
authority will be both destructive for tearing down
enemy strongholds, and creative for restoring the
entire earth. We will have to be extremely careful in
the use of it. All natural earthly power will pale in
comparison to the awesome power of Christ in us, as we
usher in the Kingdom of God on the earth in the days
to come!
Power In The Body Of
Christ
1Corinthians 15:24
“Then [cometh] the end, when he shall have delivered
up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall
have put down all rule and all authority and power.”
Jesus Christ
stripped Satan and all His demons of their power and
authority to hinder and destroy, through His victory
over sin, death and the grave. He continues to rule
and reign on the earth through His Body. He exercises
power and authority in us and through us. He is the
Head, and we function as He directs us.
All demonic
strongholds will come toppling down and be stripped of
their power to destroy once and for all. All men will
be set free of enemy oppression. Sickness and disease
will be totally eradicated. Poverty and death will be
things of the past. Pain and sorrow will disappear
from the face of the earth. All enemies of Christ will
be put under His feet.
All earthly kingdoms
and civil authority will be swallowed up by the
Kingdom of God, as we take back control of human
government. The nations of the world will be
restructured and reorganized to function according to
Kingdom principles. All men will enjoy peace and
prosperity and walk in love and unity with one
another. Nothing defiling will be present in the
Kingdom.
The Kingdom of God
will impact the entire universe. All of creation will
be renewed and restored to its original condition
prior to the fall of Adam. The plant and animal
kingdoms will be in total harmony with one another and
subject to man. The climate will be temperate and
predictable, with no natural disasters occurring. The
earth will be a virtual paradise once again.
Ephesians 3:20 “Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think, according to the power that
worketh in us,”
The Lord is able to
accomplish great things through His people that
willingly and obediently serve Him. He will restore
the earth and everything in it with the coming of the
Kingdom of God. Heaven’s way of doing things will come
to the earth and peace and order will prevail. The
entire universe will once again line up with the will
of God.
All we need to do is
be ready and willing to cooperate with God, in order
to see the total consummation of all things. We will
be richly rewarded for our efforts and eternally
blessed in His Kingdom. He will boast of us to all
creation and fellowship with us in love and intimacy.
We will be honored and glorified, and rule and reign
with Christ for all eternity.
Divine Overcomers
1John 4:4 “Ye are of
God, little children, and have overcome them: because
greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the
world.”
The Body of Christ
is an extension of Christ Himself. It remains our part
to subdue both earthly governments and destroy demonic
strongholds under Christ’s leadership in the days
ahead. Everything we do will be done in Christ’s Name
and by His anointing power. It all has to line up with
the will of God implemented through His perfect plan
and timing.
We can and will
overcome just as Christ did – the world, the flesh and
the devil. No iniquity will be present in the Kingdom
of God on the earth. It will be eradicated by the Body
of Christ, and banished for all time at Christ’s
coming. No oppression, sickness, death or evil of any
kind will mar the total perfection that the Lord has
in mind for His people for all eternity.
Ephesians 2:5-6
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And
hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit
together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:”
As believers, we
have been elevated to our place of authority in Christ
Jesus because of our relationship with Him that
occurred when we were born again. At that moment, the
Lord no longer looked on our sinfulness, but on our
righteousness in Christ. As we purge ourselves of all
known sin and personal ambition, and present our
bodies as living sacrifices, we are promoted and
advanced to be members of the Body of Christ.
We have been raised
up with Jesus to sit in heavenly places where He sits
– at the right hand of the Father. We don’t beat our
path to the throne of God with wailing and begging, we
sit by its side and make our requests known as mature
sons and daughters. And we know that the Lord hears us
and grants all our requests in accordance with His
will. He delights in partnering with us to bring
heaven to the earth realm, and He will make our needs
His priority in the days ahead.
The Lord will be on
alert to equip us with all that we require to
implement His plan and purpose for mankind. We will
receive ongoing revelation regarding His timing and
our specific role in it. The Lord will dispatch angels
at our bidding, to assist us in all that we are called
to do. He will stand ready to energize and protect us,
so that we can be efficient and effective in ushering
in His Kingdom on the earth. We will overthrow all
demonic attempts to impede our progress and assist
Christ in destroying evil for all time.
Spiritual Victory
Zechariah 4:6 “… Not
by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the
LORD of hosts.”
It will require
supernatural power and authority for us to usher in
the Kingdom of God on the earth. This comes not by
physical strength or intellectual ability, but by the
Spirit of the Lord. The Holy Spirit dwells in every
believer and the anointing power of Christ is
available to each us for His plan and purpose. All we
must do is be willing and obedient to His direction.
None of what the
Body of Christ is to accomplish will be done in the
natural. It will all be done by the Holy Spirit of God
Himself. He is the source of our ultimate capability.
We will perform superhuman feats in the Lord’s Name to
demonstrate God’s almighty power and glory to all of
creation, and attract multitudes to His Kingdom
message.
1Chronicles 29:11
“Thine, O LORD, [is] the greatness, and the power, and
the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all
[that is] in the heaven and in the earth [is thine];
thine [is] the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted
as head above all.”
The Father has
entrusted the coming of His Kingdom to Jesus Christ
and His followers on the earth. He alone is the source
of all power to get the job done – to establish the
Kingdom, set up its government, gather in His people,
re-create and restore the earth. He is the exalted
Head of all power and authority in the universe.
Anything we do, we must do under the Lord’s delegated
authority and Christ’s anointing power.
While we may appear
to be just ordinary men and women, when the anointing
power of the Lord enables us to walk in supernatural
realms, we become invincible. We have been given
authority to take back the earth from the enemy. The
Lord delights in partnering with us, but requires that
we be perfectly obedient to His direction. There will
be no individual demonstrations of God’s power being
violated and misused.
Humble Servants
Luke 22:25-29 And he
said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise
lordship over them; and they that exercise authority
upon them are called benefactors. But ye [shall] not
[be] so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be
as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth
serve. For whether [is] greater, he that sitteth at
meat, or he that serveth? [is] not he that sitteth at
meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are
they which have continued with me in my temptations.
And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath
appointed unto me;”
Power often
corrupts, and Jesus warned His disciples against this.
We should not be engaged in a power struggle among
ourselves nor with the world. Our power is conferred
on us by the merits of Jesus Christ; He came to serve,
not to be overbearing and dictatorial. We cannot beat
people up with our Bibles or impose our standards on
them. We will have to employ gentle persuasion and
convincing evidence to win souls to Christ.
Whoever would be the
greatest among us in the Kingdom of God should be the
greatest servant to others. Christ will not trust His
anointing to us if we are careless or frivolous in its
use. He can’t have us running around doing our own
thing. He must be confident that we hear, obey and
carry out His orders to His exact specifications.
He has appointed a
very special Kingdom to us for our co-ruling and
reigning. With it comes responsibility to use due
diligence in exercising power and authority. We must
hear direct from Him. We must judge with right
judgment and decree what He would have us say.
Everything we do will line up with the Word of God and
with the Father’s will. We should be humble and
grateful for the ultimate privilege of serving God and
others.
Shepherding The Flock
Acts 20:28 “Take
heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock,
over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers,
to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased
with his own blood.”
The Body of Christ
will aid in the restructure and reorganization of the
church in these last days. Christ will be returning
for a Bride without spot or blemish. We will remind
believers of the truth that Christ taught when He
walked the earth. They were bought with a huge price,
and they have to get back to the basic foundations of
the faith before Christ returns for His Bride.
Organized religion
will come down; the Lord hates Babylonian religious
systems that keep people in bondage. The Body of
Christ enjoys a favorable position of hearing directly
from the Lord, and in the days to come, we will be
called on to teach and minister the very oracles of
God to fellow believers, as well as to evangelize the
masses with His Kingdom message.
The Body of Christ
has been in intense training and preparation. The more
we sanctify and consecrate ourselves for the Lord’s
use, the more He can entrust to us. There will be
sudden promotions and advancements in the Body. We
will become ministers of the gospel, healers and
miracles workers.
Many of us will be
promoted to become teachers, pastors, evangelists and
prophets in the days to come, while those who formerly
held these positions will be uprooted and demoted
because of poor stewardship and lack of shepherding
the flock. The Lord will replace these false shepherds
with leaders and teachers after His very own heart.
We will minister in
love and compassion for others in the days ahead. We
will lead by example and use gentle persuasion in
bringing in the harvest of souls that is required
before we usher in the Kingdom. We will preach the
uncompromised Word of God that sets men free. We will
baptize, heal and deliver all captives of the enemy.
We will teach
Kingdom principles and encourage sanctification and
spiritual maturity. Our natural skills and talents
will have no bearing on our supernatural performance.
All that will be required of us is strict obedience
and a willingness to serve God and others. The very
anointing of Christ Himself will enable us to
demonstrate God’s love for all mankind.
Topics For Discussion
1. The Source Of All Power
2. What Is Authority?
3. Power In The Early Church
4. Power In The Body Of Christ
5. How The Body Of Christ Differs From The Bride Of Christ
6. The Role Of The Body Regarding The Church
7. Shepherding The Flock
Chapter 6 – Marching Orders From The King
Mark 9:1 “And he
said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be
some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of
death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come
with power.”
The disciples of
Jesus thought that the Kingdom of God would arrive
during their lifetimes. It did, in fact, come very
near to them with Christ’s victory over sin, death and
the grave. That perfect act of obedience birthed the
Kingdom of God in the spirit realm. But that was only
the beginning of what the Lord wanted to do. The
Jewish people were expecting a military takeover to
free them from Roman rule, but the Lord had a better
plan then, just as He has today.
The Lord is
preparing to close the gap between heaven and earth.
The Body of Christ will usher in the Kingdom of God,
with all His might and power demonstrated for the
entire world to see. We are a chosen people who will
assist the Lord in bringing heaven to the earth realm.
God’s way of doing things and being right will
manifest on this planet, and overshadow the darkness
and destruction that has enveloped us.
Proverbs 3:6 “In all
thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy
paths.”
God has a great plan
for the redemption of mankind that He developed from
the foundation of the world. We will actually assist
Him in the restoration of all creation to its original
state. We will heal His people and set them free from
all captivity. We will bring millions of souls into
the Kingdom of God. We must praise and give Him thanks
for masterminding such a marvelous plan for all of
mankind.
We should be on
alert and listen closely for His guidance and
direction in the days ahead. He will lead us in
everything we are called to do. All we must do is be
consecrated and dedicated to His purpose, instead of
our own agendas. We must lay down our soul lives and
sanctify our flesh. We should be sincere and humble
servants of others, and walk in love wherever
possible.
The Lords requires
our strict obedience to His lead, if we will be active
participants in this glorious manifestation in our
lifetime. We must pray fervently for the power and
glory of God to manifest on the earth. We should also
intercede for one another so that we can assume our
divine destinies and fulfill our individual and
corporate roles willingly and obediently as the Lord
requires.
The Head Needs The
Body
1Thessalonians 2:12
“That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you
unto his kingdom and glory.”
Christ is the Head
and we are His Body. He has called us, justified and
prepared us, and deemed us worthy to serve Him. The
Head cannot do anything without the Body’s
cooperation. Nor can the Body function without the
Head being in control. Jesus Christ will mastermind
the establishment of His Kingdom; we are simply His
hands and feet on the earth.
We may be called to
do things that appear impossible in the natural.
However, the Lord has a specific purpose for
everything that He asks us to do. It is critical that
we move forward in perfect synchronization with Jesus
Christ, and in total unity with one another in the
days that are ahead of us. He will equip us for every
task and we will walk in the miraculous as we obey His
commands.
Psalm 31:3 “For thou
[art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy
name's sake lead me, and guide me.”
This book is all
about communication with the Lord and obedience to His
voice. We must tune out the voices and opinions of
others, because they do not see the big picture. They
may only confuse us and take us off course. Only the
Lord knows what needs to be done to fulfill His
eternal redemption plan, and whom He can trust in
doing it at any given time.
We have to be
listening closely for His voice, and take our marching
orders direct from the King of Kings and Lord of
Lords. We must be quick to hear and immediately obey.
No disobedience or insurrection will be tolerated.
These will be grounds for disqualification in the Body
of Christ, and the Lord will be compelled to replace
us with those who follow His directions to the letter.
1Corinthians 4:20
“For the kingdom of God [is] not in word, but in
power.”
Christ will not
delegate His power and authority arbitrarily to just
anyone. We have to be found faithful and true. We must
be consecrated and dedicated to His purpose. We should
literally present our bodies as living sacrifices to
Him. He will work in us and through us to accomplish
His purpose.
It will take
resurrection power to usher in the Kingdom of God on
earth and reconstruct the planet. It will take the
very anointing of Jesus Christ Himself to destroy
demonic strongholds and restore all of creation to its
original state. Since that power is so awesome and all
consuming, we must be found suitable to wield it.
The Lord will build
our resources, enhance our natural abilities and
transfer His anointing power to us to accomplish all
that is required in the days ahead if we are diligent
and obedient to His lead. We need not be afraid or
intimidated; Christ will be our sufficiency. We should
have total faith and confidence that our Savior will
prevail once again on the earth.
He will give us
supernatural talents and abilities that defy logic. He
will provide us with information into the deeper
things of God, so that we can respond in a timely and
appropriate manner. Christ will arrange for divine
connections so that our individual capabilities are
greatly enhanced to get the job done as He assigns it.
Consecration And
Sanctification
Romans 12:1 “I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable
service.”
If we would be
effective for Kingdom purposes, we must take obedience
to a whole different level. We must totally commit
ourselves to the Lord’s plan and purpose. We should
walk in perfect love and unity with one another and
with Christ as our Head. That is only our reasonable
service, and the one basic requirement for eligibility
in the Body of Christ for the future.
We will be on duty
24/7 as the days progress, and the Lord will give us
clear insight, incredible energy and limitless power
to do all He requires of us. He will dispatch legions
of angels to assist us, and annihilate any opposition
that comes against us in ushering in the Kingdom. It
may not all be easy, but it will be powerful and
global in scope. All the earth will marvel at God’s
manifested power and glory.
We are members of an
elite, armed forces that will overthrow all
adversaries and establish an everlasting Kingdom on
the earth. No soldier does His own thing. Our goal
should be to do the will of the Father and the Son. We
need to hear accurately, respond immediately and obey
completely. If we would rule and reign with Christ, we
must learn to be selfless and subservient to His goals
and purposes in bringing the Kingdom of God to the
earth.
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.”
We must renew our
minds and fine-tune our spiritual senses for the days
that lie ahead. Our total perception will change as we
hear from the Lord concerning our part in the takeover
of this planet. His revelation to us will be
continuous as circumstances change. We will have to be
skilled and flexible, loyal and dependable as we go
about serving the Lord.
We must have an
unwavering faith in Jesus Christ and His ability to
communicate with us and empower us for all we will be
required to do. Some things we will be assigned may
seem foolish to us in the natural, but we have to get
past our limited thinking and see what the Lord sees.
So too, we must remember that we can do all things in
Christ.
We should pray
constantly for increased revelation knowledge and
heightened spiritual perception. We must ask the Lord
to open our spiritual ears to hear and our eyes to
see, and increase our wisdom and understanding in the
days ahead. We should request that He teach us
righteous judgment so that we can serve all men with
fairness and equality.
He may call on us to
visit hospitals, and do mass healings, or interrupt
funeral ceremonies and raise the dead. He may
transport us in the Spirit all over the planet to
preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. Whatever He requires
of us, wherever and whenever He sends us, He will
provide the power and resources to get the job done.
It’s by His Spirit that we will prevail in all things.
No Opposition
Tolerated
The Body of Christ
has to be quick to recognize all subtle undermining
and overt subterfuge, whether it comes from the world,
the organized church or the devil. We should pray for
better discernment so that we are able to circumvent
any attempts that would deter the coming of the
Kingdom of God to the earth realm.
We must fine-tune
our methods of warfare. We will have to forcibly come
against the enemy’s attempts to hinder and halt us in
our efforts. We should practice rebuking, binding and
casting the enemy out of our situations and
circumstances. We must bind all his efforts to hinder
or oppose us, and loose angels to assist us in doing
all that we are called to do.
Members of the Body
need to use praise and worship as weapons of our
warfare, and pray in our spiritual tongues for
increased revelation of the Lord’s plan and strategy.
And we should invoke Psalm 91, the Warrior’s Psalm, as
we go about confidently serving the Lord in overcoming
every effort of the enemy to prevent us from setting
up the Kingdom of God.
Psalm 91:5-11 “Thou
shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; [nor] for
the arrow [that] flieth by day; [Nor] for the
pestilence [that] walketh in darkness; [nor] for the
destruction [that] wasteth at noonday. A thousand
shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right
hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee. Only with
thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the
wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my
refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; There
shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague
come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels
charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
The Bible tells us
that perfect love casts out all fear. Maintaining a
close personal love relationship and open
communication with the Father and His Son, Jesus
Christ, assure us of a continuous hedge of protection
as we serve the Lord in the days to come. He will give
His angels charge over us to protect us in all that we
do.
We will see the
recompense of the wicked, and the destruction of the
ungodly. We will walk in overt and covert spiritual
combat, yet enjoy perfect protection from any
backlash, as we do the spiritual warfare necessary to
establish Kingdom standards. The weapons of our
warfare are not carnal, the Bible tells us, but they
are indeed mighty for tearing down demonic
strongholds.
We need to cleanse
ourselves of the defilement we come against in our
warfare, and re-consecrate ourselves on a daily basis.
The best way to do this is to confess all known sin,
examine our motives and rededicate our efforts on a
continuous basis. We must strive to be perfect as
Christ is perfect, but we need not accomplish anything
in our own strength. All that we need will be given to
us in abundance to help us get the job done.
The Role Of Angels
Hebrews 1:14 “Are
they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to
minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”
The Lord gives His
angels charge over us to protect us in all our ways,
but we need to learn to issue commands to them, as
well. They are voice-activated, dispatched according
to our words that line up with the Word of God. Every
time they hear God’s Word spoken they respond
immediately to ensure that it is enforced. If we are
speaking the words and will of God, our angels will
respond to our every request.
We may not always
have the luxury of working as a team; we may be called
out as individuals to perform some necessary tasks. It
is critical that we send our angels before us to pave
the way for our success. They will be our vanguard and
our rear guard as we serve the Lord in the days ahead.
They will respond to our every need as we issue orders
to them. They are ministering servants to all of
mankind and grossly underutilized by men.
Psalm 103:20
“Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in
strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto
the voice of his word.”
Angels have many
roles in our lives. They deliver messages; they
provide protection; they avenge wrong; and they
minister comfort and assistance of all types. We need
to become more skillful in using angels to both defend
us and minister to our needs. We should also employ
them for the benefit of others who may need protection
or comfort.
We ought to seek the
Lord’s wisdom to use our angels more effectively in
all that we do. He will reveal His mysteries to us in
progressive fashion so that we have all the vital
information that we require to usher in His Kingdom
quickly and efficiently.
The Risk Of
Disqualification
Matthew 7:21 “Not
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will
of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me
in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy
name done many wonderful works? And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me,
ye that work iniquity.”
The Lord has highly
selective criteria for membership in the Body of
Christ. Our hearts must be pure and our motives free
from worldly contamination as the days progress. We
cannot be proud or arrogant; we need to remember that
our role is to stay humble and serve. No servant is
above his master. Christ calls the shots, now more
than ever.
If we would be found
useful to the Lord’s plan of redemption, we must
continuously cleanse ourselves, consecrate all our
efforts – natural and spiritual – and perfect our
obedience. We must be responsive to His every command.
And we should always remember to walk in love with our
brothers and sisters in Christ.
We cannot afford to
make the smallest slip; ushering in the Kingdom will
require a unified thrust forward in all areas. When
the command to advance is given, we cannot hesitate or
fall short. We must be constantly vigilant and ready
for action. We must look to our Commander In Chief before we do
anything, and we should never move in our own
strength.
While Moses
faithfully served the Lord to the best of his ability
in escorting the chosen people out of Egypt into the
Promised Land. He was himself disqualified from
entering into his reward because of disobedience to
the Lord. It would be a tremendous disappointment if
we are selected to serve in the Body of Christ, and
having done all that we did, failed at it.
Our deliberate
disobedience might jeopardize our entering into the
Kingdom ourselves for all eternity. Not everyone will
automatically enter into the Kingdom of God and dwell
in all of its blessings. Christ will be the righteous
judge of all men to determine their suitability for
Kingdom life. Only those who walk in love and do the
will of the Father will enter in for all eternity.
Mark 10:27 “And
Jesus looking upon them saith, With men [it is]
impossible, but not with God: for with God all things
are possible.”
We cannot accomplish
anything in and of ourselves. The Lord will delegate
His power and authority to us to do all that we will
be required of us in the days ahead. Our role is to
simply have faith, be obedient and willing to serve
Him in fulfilling His eternal redemption plan for
mankind. He will be our supernatural empowerment and
give us clear-cut instruction. There is no possibility
that we can fail, unless we step out of bounds and go
it alone.
Through Christ’s
anointing power, we will heal the sick and raise the
dead routinely. We will preach the Gospel of the
Kingdom to multitudes. We will help prepare the church
as a Bride to meet Christ. We will help restore all of
creation to its original beauty. We will help subdue
Satan and send him to the bottomless pit for all
eternity. We will put all enemies under Christ’s feet,
including death, so that He can return in full glory,
and deliver the Kingdom to His Father.
Topics For Discussion
1. The Lord’s Eternal Redemption Plan
1. Discuss Christ’s Role With The Body
2. Requirements For The Body Of Christ
3. Sanctification And Dedication
4. No Opposition
5. The Role Of Angels
6. The Risk Of Disqualification
Chapter 7 – Ruling And Reigning
Romans 14:17 “For
the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
While there will be
provisions made for all of our temporal needs in
Christ’s everlasting Kingdom, it will be characterized
primarily by the spiritual peace and the joy that it
brings to those who dwell there. All the inhabitants
of the earth who are found worthy to enter into the
Kingdom will enjoy continuous peace, joy, prosperity,
health and longevity free from all defilement and
iniquity.
The Body of Christ
will enjoy all the benefits of the Kingdom, plus our
inherited rewards. We will judge both men and angels.
We will be kings and priests, just rulers and able
teachers; we will have the heathen for our
inheritance. We will restore all of creation. Christ
will take vengeance on all our enemies, and boast of
us to all men. We will rule and reign with Jesus and
the Bride of Christ, and share in His glory for all
eternity.
Luke 1:33 “And he
shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of
his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Christ reigns from
His throne in heaven, and He will head up the Kingdom
of God on the earth, as well. His will be an
everlasting Kingdom, and it will be comprised of the
Jewish people who believe on Him, the church and
believers from all nations. All believers will be
members of the household of God and Christ will be
their King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Our Savior will
judge righteously and govern fairly; He will make
certain that no evil enters in to contaminate the
safety and security that the Kingdom will bring. He
will instruct us in the fair and equitable principles
of Kingdom government, so that we will be just rulers
and able teachers of all men that He appoints us to
govern.
Suffering To Enter In
2Timothy 2:12 “If we
suffer, we shall also reign with [him]: if we deny
[him], he also will deny us:”
There is a certain
amount of suffering that we must accomplish in our
souls and our flesh before we will be deemed worthy to
rule and reign with Jesus Christ in His Kingdom. We
must ask the Lord to purge us of all evil and sanctify
us for His use. We cannot have our own personal
agendas, if we will be trusted with all divine power
and authority in government. We must put the needs of
our people first, and be humble servants to them in
all that we do.
We must believe that
Christ is indeed the Son of God and the Savior of the
world, and boast of Him in all our evangelization
efforts. We should baptize new believers in His Name
and acquaint them with His character and
accomplishments on our behalf. He is worthy of all
praise and honor, and we should testify of His
greatness to all men as we usher in His Kingdom and
bring in the end-time harvest of souls.
We must be vessels
of honor, consecrated for the Lord’s use at any time
and in any way He deems worthwhile. We have to hear
from Him and obey Him completely in order to decree
His righteous judgments. We will restructure and
reorganize earthly governments according to Kingdom
standards. We will be just rulers and able teachers of
all men. We will help Christ enforce Kingdom
principles so that people can dwell in peace and
safety for all eternity.
Righteous Rule
Isaiah 32:1 “Behold,
a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall
rule in judgment.”
The Lord has
promised that there would always be a righteous king
over His people. His eternal plan of salvation not
only allowed for Christ to become that King, but
established our positions as rulers with Him in
the Kingdom of God on the earth. We also will be kings
and priests unto our God. The heathen are our
inheritance; we will help govern the nations for all
eternity.
We will learn to see
things as Christ does, and judge with righteousness
and equity for all Kingdom citizens. We will enforce
Kingdom standards. No evil and nothing defiling will
be permitted to dwell there. We will intercede for our
people’s needs with almighty God. There will be peace,
love and joy for all Kingdom residents, as we dwell in
the presence of the Lord forever.
Revelation 3:21 “To
him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with
my Father in his throne.”
Christ has shown
Himself strong on our behalf. He has been our Savior
and our High Priest with the Father. We owe Him the
same degree of dedication that He has shown us.
Devotion and loyalty to the Lord’s purpose are the
primary job qualifications for the Body of Christ as
we enter the Kingdom of God on this earth. Obedience
is not optional; it is of the essence.
Whatever we lack in
natural abilities, the Lord will supply through His
divine empowerment. We will enjoy His anointing
without measure. It will not come and go, or fade in
the using; we will have unlimited power available to
us continuously. We will be able to accomplish great
feats for the Lord and positively impact men’s lives
for all eternity.
The Body of Christ
will be well compensated for its efforts in the days
to come. As we overcome the world, our flesh and all
demonic strongholds as Christ did when He walked the
earth, we will be elevated to positions of royal
authority with Him. We will be overseers, judges and
benefactors to the people that God has called to
reside in His Kingdom.
We will govern,
teach Kingdom principles for righteous living, and
judge both angels and men. We will make certain that
nothing defiling will enter into the Kingdom to
contaminate its peace, safety or security. We will
rule and reign with Jesus Christ for all eternity, as
we overcome our natural limitations and walk in the
full power and glory that the Lord has planned for us.
Kings And Priests
Revelation 5:10 “And
hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we
shall reign on the earth.”
Christ’s obedience
unto death and victory on the cross, saved us from our
sins and elevated us to be joint-heirs with Him to all
the promises of God. We have the potential to be kings
and priests as we rule and reign with Christ on the
earth in His Kingdom. However with our privilege comes
a corresponding responsibility. We must have the
wisdom, compassion and the authority of Christ.
If we will rule and
reign with Him for all eternity, and minister to the
temporal and spiritual needs of all Kingdom residents,
then we must have Christ-like character. We should
judge with all fairness and equity, intervene with the
Lord on their behalf and educate them in the Kingdom
way of life. We will be extensions of Christ Himself,
so we must train ourselves to think, speak and act
exactly as He would in dealing with others.
We can begin now to
be humble servants of others. We should be sensitive
to their needs and compassionate in our dealings with
all men. We should use gentleness and persuasion in
our communications and always walk in love for one
another as Christ Himself walked on the earth. Then
our righteousness will shine so that all men will
imitate us.
Jeremiah 23:5
“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will
raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall
reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and
justice in the earth.”
Jesus Christ was
born into the Davidic line of kings. He comes from
royal human blood. He will serve as the eternal King
of Kings for all eternity. Under His rule, people will
thrive and prosper. They will know peace and joy,
instead of fear and oppression. He will be a gentle,
yet firm leader of God’s people. Christ will also rule
with a rod of iron, and see to it that Kingdom
principles are strictly obeyed so that nothing defiles
the peace and joy of God’s people.
We will function as
Kings and priests, governors and overseers under
Christ, and walk in His power and authority in the
Kingdom of God. We will participate in judgment of the
earthly kingdoms and angelic realms, restoring peace,
order and justice to the earth. We will be just rulers
and effective teachers of all men, and make certain
that their spiritual and temporal needs are all met in
Christ’s Kingdom.
Rewards For The
Righteous
Psalm 58:11 “So that
a man shall say, Verily [there is] a reward for the
righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the
earth.”
Jesus Christ is the
righteous judge of all men. We must imitate His
fairness in Kingdom rule. We can’t show favoritism or
partiality to others. We have to be compassionate,
merciful and just rulers of God’s people who will
dwell in His Kingdom. There will be multitudes that
need to be taught Kingdom principles, and we have to
be able teachers and accomplished role models.
We will be humble
servants to all, just as Christ was when He walked the
earth. Christ Himself will judge us based on our
faithful performance. We will be generously rewarded
for our righteousness and our humility in serving
others just as He has promised us. If we fall short,
He will instruct in His way of doing things, so that
we can optimize our performance.
Romans 8:28-30 “And
we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to
[his] purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his
Son, that he might be the firstborn among many
brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he
also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified.”
The Bible says that
all things work together for good for us, and that we
go from glory to glory. We have been called,
justified, sanctified and now we will be glorified
with Christ. The Lord knew us from the foundation of
the world. He called us to our eternal destinies, and
justified us by the Blood of His Son. Now He will
glorify us with the coming of His Kingdom.
As we continue to
purge and sanctify ourselves, we will grow into the
full stature of Jesus Christ, as the Father has
planned from the beginning of time. We will be like
Him in every way. The Bible tells us that He is the
first-born of many sons and daughters. God’s people
have been criticized and hated for thousands of years,
but we will be elevated to the position of joint-heirs
to Christ’s Kingdom on the earth.
We are already
seated at His right hand in heavenly places, and we
share in His power and authority over the earth now.
But we will enjoy an even more intimate relationship
with Him, as we rule and reign for all eternity in His
shared glory. No longer ostracized, we will be honored
and respected; Christ Himself will boast of us to all
of creation and shower us with His glory.
Vengeance On Our
Enemies
Psalm 54:5 “He shall
reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy
truth.”
God is good and
loving, but He is also just and fair, and He will take
vengeance on all our enemies in the days ahead. We
will be vindicated by the Lord Himself, as all men are
fairly and equitably judged. We need not even give a
thought to the retribution He has planned for our
opponents.
It is a fearsome
thing to fall under the wrath of God. He is all
powerful, and has the ability to both create and
destroy. The Bible says that Christ will destroy all
evil in the wrath of His coming, and bind Satan and
his minions in the bottomless pit for all eternity.
Nothing evil or defiling will ever contaminate life in
God’s Kingdom on the earth.
The Heathen For Our
Inheritance
Psalm 2:8 “Ask of
me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen [for] thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth
[for] thy possession.”
We should have a
deep abiding love for all men. If we do, we will be
given the multitudes for our inheritance. We will
assist in bringing all nations of the world into the
Kingdom. A large part of our eternal reward will be
concentrated in the people who have not known the Lord
prior to this time. We will rule and reign over them
for all eternity. That means that we must be just
rulers and capable teachers, humble and sincere
servants to those whom the Lord gives us.
Our goal should be
to think and act just like Christ would in His
dealings with others. We must employ godly standards
for Kingdom government. We should be fair and
impartial, yet loving and accommodating to their needs.
Men, women and children will all come to know the
power and the glory of the Lord through us. We will
oversee them and protect them, so that they can enjoy
peace and prosperity for all eternity.
Deuteronomy 15:6
“For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised
thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou
shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many
nations, but they shall not reign over thee.”
The Lord’s hand is
not shortened in keeping His promises. He will restore
all the original authority and dominion that Adam lost
on the earth through sin, back to the Body of Christ.
We will inherit nations to govern, but they will not
rule us. Our power and authority will be conferred on
us by Christ Himself, and be immutable and eternal in
scope.
We will supply all
their needs and not rely on them to supply ours. We
will be kind benefactors and overseers. We will judge
with all godly fairness and equity for the people that
the Lord gives us, and teach them Kingdom principles
for righteous living. We will love them and protect
them, just as Christ has taught us by His own example.
Exodus 15:17 “Thou
shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of
thine inheritance, [in] the place, O LORD, [which]
thou hast made for thee to dwell in, [in] the
Sanctuary, O Lord, [which] thy hands have
established.”
The Body of Christ
will bring in the full end-time harvest of souls that
has been ordained from the beginning of the world. Men
from every tongue and nation will have the opportunity
to hear the Gospel of the Kingdom, repent and be
baptized. The Lord doesn’t care if we have been
believers for years or minutes; the same promises are
laid up for all righteous men who do His will.
The Lord created the
earth and everything in it to be a perfect home for
God and men. However, all of creation has been in
decay, subject to destruction and death for thousands
of years, due to Adam’s fall in the Garden. Satan has
wreaked havoc on the earth, and plants, animals,
oceans and rivers all cry out to the Lord for
restoration and renewal.
We will have the
distinct pleasure and privilege to assist Christ in
restoring and re-creating the earth to its original
state of beauty and balance. The plant and animal
kingdoms will flourish in harmony and men will walk in
dominion over them. The climate will be perfect and
there will be no natural catastrophes to frighten men
and destroy lives.
The Lord wants
nothing more than to walk with us in the cool of the
evening again, as once He did with Adam in the Garden
of Eden. He wants total blessings for His people that
He knew from the foundation of the world. He wants us
to enjoy peace and prosperity, health and long life,
safety and security in His Kingdom. He will supply all
our needs both temporal and spiritual, as He dwells
with us forever in paradise on the earth.
The Tabernacle Of God
With Men
Ezekiel 37:27 “My
tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be
their God, and they shall be my people.”
Heaven is coming to
the earth realm, and the Lord is coming too! It will
be His delight and distinct pleasure to dwell with us
in close, intimate fellowship. He created us to love
and communicate with Him, and nothing will ever
interfere with that again. We will be in His awesome,
glorious presence on a regular basis as His very own
family; we will dwell in peace and prosperity, joy and
security forever.
We can only
speculate how we will spend our days in the presence
of the Lord. We can be certain that we will have
reached spiritual maturity, and become holy and
perfect in the Lord’s eyes, even as He is holy and
perfect. We will walk in love and unity with one
another, and raise families that praise and worship
God for generations.
I doubt that we will
spend all of eternity playing harps and singing God’s
praises, however. We will lead healthy, prosperous
lives much the same as we did on the earth before the
Kingdom was ushered in. The only thing that will be
distinctly different for us, is that there will be no
evil or defilement of any type to oppress and hurt us.
New Heavens And New
Earth
Isaiah 65:17 “For,
behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the
former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
The Lord has great
plans for us. Life will never be the same; we will not
remember our former pain and sorrow. The entire
universe will be re-created to be idyllic and
beautiful, as He intended from the very creation. God
will dwell with man as He has planned for eons. We
will all enjoy peace and prosperity, safety and
security, health and longevity for all eternity.
We will build homes
and work with our hands. We will have dominion over
the plant and animal kingdoms. The earth will be
beautiful and bountiful, with plenty of good things to
eat and drink. The climatic conditions will be
perfect; there will be no natural disasters to
frighten or harm us. The Lord will be our source of
light; there will be no night and day, no confines of
time or space.
We will have healthy
bodies that live forever. We will raise families and
watch them grow for generation upon generation. All
men will be like-minded and dwell together as one with
the Lord. All of our relatives will walk in peace and
love, and praise God for His goodness. Our neighbors
will all be kind and generous; we will enjoy their
companionship without any strife.
There will be no
cause for pain or sorrow in God’s Kingdom; we will
have everlasting joy in His presence. We will
communicate with Him regularly and intimately. We will
no longer have to travail in prayer for hours and days
to have our requests heard. He will meet our needs
even before we ask Him. The Lord will supply
everything in abundance; we will be temporally and
spiritually blessed beyond our wildest imagination!
Topics For Discussion
1. Discuss Righteous Ruling And Reigning
2. Kings And Priests – Roles
3. Rewards For The Righteous
4. The Heathen For Our Inheritance
5. The Tabernacle of God With Men
6. New Heavens And New Earth
Epilogue
Revelation 21:1-5
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there
was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I
heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he will dwell
with them, and they shall be his people, and God
himself shall be with them, [and be] their God. And
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and
there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor
crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the
former things are passed away. And he that sat upon
the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he
said unto me, Write: for these words are true and
faithful.”
God is doing a new
thing. He is releasing His awesome power and glory
throughout the entire universe and bringing heaven to
the earth realm. Before this book even hits the press,
there will be even more revelation given to us about
the coming of the Kingdom of God to this earth.
We should not be
expecting just another revival, but rather, the
glorious consummation of all things. The Body of
Christ will put all enemies – including death
and Satan – under its feet, and usher in the
Kingdom of God even prior to Christ’s return.
The Bride of Christ,
His church, will be wholly sanctified, unified and
fully prepared to meet Jesus as He descends in the
clouds to meet us. Together with the Body of Christ,
they will bring in the full end-time harvest of souls.
The dead in Christ
will then rise at His coming, as He calls them forth
from the grave. Our bodies will be redeemed and
changed from corruptible to incorruptible,
resurrection bodies that will be healthy and live
forever.
Jesus will deliver
the Kingdom to the Father so that the Lord will take
up residence with us on earth. Christ will rule and
reign with His Body and His Bride for a thousand years
in the millennial Kingdom of God on the earth, and
then Satan will be loosed for awhile, the Bible tells
us. There will be another global shake-up at that
time, so that what cannot be shaken, remains for all
time.
The dead will all be
raised and the Great White Throne Judgment will take
place. The Body of Christ will help judge and
administer either eternal rewards or punishments. And
so we will always be with the Lord in joy, health,
peace and prosperity.
It reads like a
fairy tale, too good be true, but it is the Word of
the living God that assures us that all these things
will indeed take place!