1 - My Background
2 - Kingdom vs Church
3 - Father's Business is Kingdom Business
4 - A Kingdom Given to the Son
5 - Satan Lost Dominion - Jesus Given Dominion
6 - In Kingdom "terms" rather than "Church" terms
7 - Relationship Trumps Religion
8 - Father came into View
9 - NT Parallels OT
10- Kingdom Focus
11- Stealing, Killing & Destroying Continues
12- Stealing My Identity
13- Stealing My Inheritance
14- Stealing My Standing
15- Stealing My Spirit Government
This is little of what I have seen. May your eyes be opened to the truly wonderful vistas that exist for us in His Kingdom!
A Little of My Background
I am going to attempt to explain what has happened to me in the last few years.
A small change in perspective made a great change in my attitude. Now I see that the "Spirit of the Lord God" has been gradually re-arranging one piece after another for me. All of these gradual changes prepared me for the moment one day when I came across a man preaching the "kingdom of God" one day. It was nothing astounding or inspirational, but it just pricked my heart. I said to myself; Oh, my Goodness, What have I missed?
In leading up to this, I was an avid student of the scriptures. I had worked along side my Father in the ministry. But, to be honest, I never really understood what made him tick, so to speak, in the Lord. But now, I think I do now understand him somewhat better than before.
I evangelized while working a public job. And later left the secular job and went out several years preaching and traveling by faith. In time, I felt led to join an organized group of like-minded brethren in a formal fellowship. But after several years with them, I came to realize that something was missing for me. I continually felt in the Spirit that I was called to something else, but I knew not what. So I respectfully resigned and walked away.
Somewhere along the way the Spirit of the Lord spoke to me clearly one morning; "You are always preaching about my stuff and almost never about me".
That hurt. It caused me to further re-evaluate what I had learned over the years. In time, the Spirit of God spoke to me again : throw away all your ministry books, notes and sermons from your shelves that you have collected since the early 70's. Start over. That was harsh! But, I did it. I took 12 garbage bags of books and sermons to the county land-fill on a flat-bed trailer. I was going to start-over.
I begin to read the Bible again without my earlier doctrinal biases and prejudices. In time I began to see it all in a different light. The scripture is forever settled in heaven; but our religious notions, religious creeds, and religious ideas, are not forever settled. The basics of the gospel of Christ Jesus did not change for me; but some of my doctrinal ideas did, especially when I began to examine things a little more closely using Jesus Christ as a template of the "Father's Business".
I saw that a religious confused spirit from the tower of Babel had a firm grip on my perception of things - "let us build city or tower unto heaven (for God), let us make a name for ourselves, let's not be scattered upon the earth." Gen 11
These are the 3 basic building blocks of all religion. Build something for God. Make a Name for Ourselves. Keep everyone from scattering. Yes, both your religion and mine! There-in lies the origins of all man-made religious organizations and systems of every stripe and flavor. It matters not how much preaching we do; ..nor how sincerely it's agenda comes into being. It is still the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadduces; it's still the spirit of religion; and Jesus still says - beware!
I Saw the.. "Kingdom" & "Church" as Different Things
I had thrown away many notes and such about the "church" and the "kingdom". The Lord let me see that a great portion of my preaching was church oriented, rather than kingdom focused. I had not given it given it any thought.
Whenever I said "church" it was as though it meant "kingdom" and when I said "Kingdom" it was as though it meant "Church". I treated them as Synonyms. It didn't take much for me to see that I had spent, most of my adult life-time preaching "church" and not preaching the "kingdom". It is no wonder that I was so "churchy" and so little "kingdom" focused. By the way; "kingdom" means "the sovereign reign & rule(dominion)" where as "church" means "the called / calling out".
Soon afterward the realization came that Christ Jesus never commissioned and never exhorted his disciples to go preaching the good news of "church". But, He repeatedly spoke of preaching the good news of the "Kingdom". The preaching of the good news of the kingdom calls people out of the world into his Kingdom. Thereby spiritually coming into His church body of "called out" ones.
I began to see the Father's Business as Kingdom Business
I saw that I had not been "about the Father's Business". It became apparent that Jesus spoke of the many different aspects of the "kingdom" over 100+ times in the 4 gospels. And in contrast, He spoke of the "church"; only 3 times in two verses. He mentions "kingdom" 100 times versus mentioning "church" 3 times. You can do the math as I did. The enemy had mis-directed my focus. So I began changing my ideas to Jesus' ideas. To his way.
I saw quickly how slow of a Christ-Learner I had been. I was blown away. Much repenting came. Every day it seemed I was learning something different; than what I had previously been trying to serve-up in sermons to God's people. Much weeping came as I began perceive of what I done to others, to family, my children, friends, brothers & sisters in the faith. All with good intentions; but it was all in the pursuit of church-i-ness. Not pursuing the Kingdom of God. That failure and trespass seemed to be the worst of all the others I had experienced.
So the journey began and is now still under-way. But I now sense a better relationship in my walk with the Lord. I sense that I am less religious that I was. It doesn't mean that all of my actions were in error; but, it emphasizes that both religion, religiousness and flesh activity really profit little nothing in the long haul for God's divine purposes; no matter how genuine and sincere we are
Here is a new one for you. It was never God's intention to start a new religion. It was His intention to start a new race, a new creation of new creatures, a new family, a new generation, a new holy nation, a new Israel of God. But this time it was to be all, after the Spirit. He already had one Israel, after the flesh; He was not looking for another. His new race. His new Israel of God would be Spiritual; A Born Again Holy Ghost; Spirit-Filled People.
So as I prayed and read, I began to frame everything in "Kingdom terms", like Jesus did. I forced myself into repentance, ..to change my way of thinking; a reversing of previous decisions. That is what repent and repentance means. Preaching church-i-ness was coming to an end. Preaching relationship began.
I saw the "Kingdom" given to Jesus
So this is the Revelation Christ has given me. One of the first items to go was the concept of evangelical's dispensationalism; ...first (1) went the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are different quanities and secondly (2) that this Kingdom was Post-Poned! That Christ's throne had been post-poned.
Divorcing yourself from man's view lets you see that The Kingdom of God (Heaen) is here now, within the hearts of believers. Real though invisible. Hell doesn't want us to know that. Remember, Un-belief always presses us to focus on either yesterday or tomorrow ...almost never on ..today.
Here is a Side-Bar: Our Old Testament brothers, lived out the earthly years of their life span upon this natural earth within God's natural kingdom of Israel within the Canaan promise land inheritance. Their coming out & going in began in Moses! Since Calvary & the day of Pentecost, it is now spiritually true for all N.T. Christ believers to live out the years of their natural life span, on this earth, within the Spiritual Kingdom of Heaven/of God while walking and living within a Holy Ghost spiritual inheritance in a heavenly spiritual promise land. As it was a natural battle for the O.T. believers; it is a spiritual battle for us. Ours began in Christ Jesus, 2000 years ago! Daniel saw it. As wonderful as this is it is only the earnest of our inheritance. More comes after we are finished with this earthly life here. After we die naturally. We are just starting to live.
The experiences and circumstances of the lives of the O.T. people were all a type, a figure, and allegory for us; who live in Christ's N.T. kingdom by the regenerating new birth of water and the Spirit. This is the in-dwelling of Jesus Christ by His Holy Spirit Baptism. That is what Pentecost was all about.
Several things are necessary to see that God's Kingdom of Heaven was instituted "spiritually" upon the day of Pentecost. Jesus, at that time, set down upon the throne in heaven. Pentecost was similar to an Inauguration Day. The whole universe knew upon that Day, that Jesus was back and He was in charge, as Lord, as supreme ruler, over all powers and His invisible Holy Ghost Kingdom of Heaven/God dwells within us, his spirit-filled believers.
Satan lost Dominion - Jesus received Kingdom & Dominion
It really helped me when I saw that Jesus was given an Holy Ghost Kingdom and Dominion, 2000 years ago. There-fore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, (a Holy Ghost Kingdom) he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. (Acts 2:33) In the process of time, without warning, it became clear that the judgment Daniel saw in 7:10 was not-the-end-of-time judgment; but God's judgment that was set-up at the end of the Old Testament. In Dan 7:12 some beasts were slain and destroyed, but other beasts were not destroyed; ..but had their dominion taken away, and their lives were prolonged 7:13.. That understanding did not set well with my mind; but it was there. At the same time as - dominion was taken from the beasts (hell-darkness-the devil) - "Dominion and a Kingdom" was given to the son (7:14) and the glory of all peoples and nations would serve him.
That is easy to attach to Calvary when one knows that Jesus received all of this at Calvary and did set down in the throne. Peter spoke of it in Acts 2. Of course, It all happened in a spiritual invisible realm at that time; ..at the end of the Old Covenant. Daniel shows us one dominion is taken from the beasts-the devil, while at the same time an everlasting dominion and kingdom which shall not pass away, .. is given to the Son of Man; The Lord Jesus Christ. His Kingdom shall never be destroyed; as Hell's was destroyed at Calvary!
Jesus said after his resurrection; ..All power in heaven & earth is given to me (Mat 28:18) and that He ..is alive forevermore with the keys of hell and death (Rev 1:18) Jesus foretold of this when he said ..Now is the judgment of this world;(not the end-of-all-time judgment, but the judgment at end of the O.T., when the Prince of this World was cast out..Jo 12:31
By the way, there was a resurrection of O.T. saints that day at Calvary (Mat 27:52) All the blood from Abel down to Jesus' day was being accounted for upon that Calvary generation. O.T. Israel's house was left desolate. (Mat 23:32-38) A new Holy Spiritual nation came into being which would bring forth fruit that God had been seeking. (Mat 21:43) God instituted a new creation race of the born again.
From "Church" Terms To "Kingdom" Terms
When I suddenly saw this, I began to search for everything Jesus said about the kingdom. Now it all makes so much more sense than before. So from that point, ..I saw that Jesus framee everything in "Kingdom" terms, rather than in "church" terms.
"Kingdom" terms brought out relationship-family terms; such as, Father, son, daughter, children, birth, born again, brother, sister, husband, wife, marriage, wedding, virgins, ..etc
Personally, I noticed that "church" terms or focus had a leaning more towards a "religion" emphasis. I saw that much of our Christian experience had simply been..laying down one O.T. law and taking up another N.T. law. This created and sustained the outward O.T. forms of Religion right back into the N.T. The O.T. was to have been Moses House of Law; but, the N.T. was to be Jesus' House of Grace & Truth. Not another Law! But Grace! Not another Law, but a Person! I saw the Way, Truth & Life ...not as another Law; but as the person of Jesus Christ. I then realized that my early years made the N.T. another LAW.
So I decided for a while to frame the New Testament in Kingdom Terms; rather than Religious terms. So my study topics became :Kingdom Word, Kingdom Anchors, Kingdom School, Kingdom Heirs, Kingdom Inheritance, Kingdom Reigns, Kingdom Parallels, Kingdom Seeking, Kingdom Power, Kingdom Gospel (Good News), Kingdom Darkness, Kingdom Light, Kingdom Day, Kingdom Night. This definitely changed my focus, but, I noticed that None of it really changed; except for my focus and the way I framed it all. "Religion" really fails to work as well as "Relationship" does in the Kingdom.
When "Relationship" Trumped "Religion" - The "Father" came into View
I began to see that the character of the O.T. Jehovah God was the same N.T. character which Jesus displayed perfectly. I saw that One of Christ Jesus's purposes was to revealed our heavenly Father to us by bringing him further out of the shadows into a more perfect light, into the light of the "Son".
Truly it happened that, ..the Word was made flesh and walked among us in "fulness of expression" beyond that of any of the shadow type figures of the O.T. Jesus expressed to us the "fulness of the God-head bodily", in human form God manifested in the flesh. Jesus expressed the exact clear image of God the Father, not only as Prince of Peace, but also as Emanuel "God with Us", ..our Everlasting Father.
Jesus was revealing the Father: ..neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Mt 11:27 (Luk 10:22)
During this "kingdom" learning time, I spent so much time in the gospels that I noticed for the first time, how much Jesus spoke of the Father; which bothered me a bit. My earlier back-ground did not dwell on the Father-Son Relationship much, other than as an idea; ..but I never considered that a genuine real Father-Son Relationship existed. But once I had committed to go down this "kingdom" road and to take Jesus' word above everyone elses; (including my own) I stayed with it as it led me further into this Father aspect.
Moses ask God in Ex 33:18 to "Show me your GLORY". So God revealed himself i
n v19: "I will make all my goodness pass before you"Our Jehovah God's nature, the nature of our Everlasting Father is described in Ex 34: 6-7 And the LORD passed by before him, and (called out as in meeting a person) proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; ..
Moses was shown the back-side of God ..Moses saw his name & glory when he was shown that God is - Merciful - Compassionate & Gracious God ..Grace & Mercy renewed every morning...Slow to Anger.. God is not Touchy..Abounding in Goodness & Truth ..Lavish...His arms are open to us...Extending mercy to 1000's generations..Forgiving Iniquities & Wickedness & Trangression Rebellion Sin. And does have Punishment.. for those who hate him.
One morning in prayer during those days, "the Spirit of the Lord told me that He is my Everlasting Father and will never leave me as my earthly father had left me." In that moment I understood God as Father as never before; because my Dad had left me through death at 76 years of age. (I had placed much spiritual dependence upon him.) But my heavenly Father says He will never leave me, nor any of us. He's our Everlasting Father. He's not gonna die. He's not leaving Ever! I had never put that together before.
I came to see that Jesus is the expressed image of Almighty God whose 1st attribute mentioned to Moses was that of "Mercy : Compassion & Grace". He had previously showed me that the "theme song" of the House of God during Solomon's Temple dedication was "the Lord is Good and his mercy endures forever." Also, He reminded me that the lid of the ark of the covenant was not called by any of my favorite Religious "church" names or titles ..it was called the "Mercy Seat" where he communes and fellowships with us. Another eye-opener.
Jesus was not revealing the back-side of God to men, but Jesus was and is revealing, as the Son, the Face of God to as many as will receive Him. I began to adjust "my view" of our heavenly Father to "Jesus' view", as much as I could. I saw much of my religious-ness fade. I now know that in receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, I have received the "Spirit of the Son" into my heart, that I might call Him Abba - Father. (Gal 4:6) My perspective toward my heavenly Father was changing.
I Saw the "Parallels" between O.T. & N.T. in a New Light
While attending a church service one day, the minister was preaching using numerous common Old Testament stories. I was aware that these O.T. stories ministered spiritual life unto New Testament Believers. However, toward the latter part of his message; the Spirit stated so clearly; .."these are not stories; they are revelations of God and how His Spirit works". I immediately began to weep.
I then knew that "all of these Old Testament things happened unto them for examples, for Christ followers, and are written for us"..1Co 10:11 I knew the "law of the O.T. was a shadow of good things to come"..Heb 10:1 I knew that the natural came first and afterward the spiritual ..1Co 15:46 I also knew that the O.T. "prophets had it revealed to them that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister these things.." 1Pe 1:12
But, I just never thought of the OT. as revealings and revelations of God for us N.T. believers. At that moment, the over-whelming parallels, became more clear, between the Israel-after-the-flesh (1Co 10:18) and the Israel-after-the-Spirit (Gal 6:16), those who have Christ as their King.
The parallels between the two Kingdoms, the natural and the spiritual, show us how God designed Redemption around two creations, two Adams, two covenants, two births, two exodus's, two houses, two prophets, two temples, two warfares, two promise lands, two cities, two enemies, two weapons, two kings, ..etc.
The 1st Redemption appears in the Bible as a physical redemption with a literal exodus from a natural, physical bondage, by a relationship with a natural lamb and it's blood. Natural Israel, after the flesh, were the Old Testament natural, physical People of God, the "children of Israel" to whom was given a natural kingdom with a "LAW" relationship to God. O.T. Israel after the flesh were a type and shadow of the coming N.T. kingdom.
The 2nd Redemption appears as a spiritual redemption with a spiritual exodus from a spiritual bondage of sin. Spiritual Israel, after the Spirit, is a new covenant people who are "called out" to become the "children of God" or the "sons of God". The Israel after-the-Spirit are Fathered by a Spiritual birth under a New Testament GRACE relationship with our heavenly Father. It happens for them thru faith in the spiritual lamb and the blood of Christ Jesus, …who took away the sins of the world.
My Focus Changed from.. "Church" to "Kingdom"
In reading, I found numerous scriptures, over 20, which proved to me, with-out a doubt that God's "Kingdom of Heaven/ Kingdom of God" came and was set up, invisibly, 2000 years ago, within the hearts of believers.
I saw that the phrases "Kingdom of God" and "Kingdom of Heaven" describe identically the same kingdom. Therefore, "Dispensationalism's" teachings and interpretations were laid aside. I began to read and pray from a "Kingdom" viewpoint; rather than as a member of a Christian Religious Sect, Denomination or religious system.
I saw the mountain top parallels between the O.T. and the N.T. How both the Old & New started out in Slavery(sin & unbelief), ..both were sent a Deliverer, (Moses-Jesus), ..both escaped by an act of God's deliverance, ..both natural and the spiritual people are sealed-out by means of a watery grave (Red Sea for the former - water baptism for the latter).
Both the OT and tne NT people, go into Wilderness Experiences which work to erase their Un-belief, to teach what is acceptable and un-acceptable life-styles, and to increase their reliance Solely upon the Spirit of God as their guide and their source. Both OT and NT were promised an Inheritance. (the first is natural, the latter is spiritual). Both OT and NT experience a second baptism. The former is the Jordan River baptism which seals-them-IN to the promise land and equips them to warfare footing. The latter a Baptism of the Holy Ghost empowers to a spiritual warfare footing. For both OT & NT believers were empowered to take possession of their Inheritance which had been given freely to all who believed God's promise and His purpose for each of us.
Theirs was the Jordan River baptism unto Joshua, which placed them on the Canaan ground; while ours of the N.T. is the Holy Ghost Pentecost Baptism, the receiving the Spirit of our Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ. Both covenant people faced resistance by surrounding forces every step of the way. Both fought to get their inheritance over time and then had to fight to possess it from the enemy who keeps returning periodically to take it back and steal it from them, from us, from me, from you.
The parallels are made clear when we hear a NT minister preaching from an OT scripture and applying it's natural truth to us NT believers in a spiritual way. Therefore many of the OT passages not only applied to natural Israel, but also apply in a spiritual fashion to the NT beleievers. Even though the scripture is spoken once; it yet applies twice (most of the time) to both Israel after the flesh and Israel after the Spirit ..ie the body of Christ, .. his called out ..his church.
Stealing, Killing & Destroying Continues
Stealing ..."My Identity" - "My Inheritance" - "My Ministry" - "My Faith" - "My Peace" "My Kings Government" - "My Joy" - "My Love"
The devil is a liar and a thief from the beginning. He resisted God's plan by manipulating Adam & Eve to accept the serpent's words over God's Words. The great resister and accuser is that thief who always comes to steal, kill, and to destroy. He came literally in the Old Testament and he comes spiritually in the New Testament age.
"Stealing My Identity"
I saw that we believers have an identity, not as servants, but as children of God, as sons or daughters of God. We have been adopted and received his Spirit and his name. Darkness and evil trys to keep this from us by keeping us "religious" rather than in "relationship" standing with our Heavenly Father. Think of "religious" as being focused upon outward forms, rituals, etc. Think of "relationship" as being focused upon an inner heart experience.
Ga 4:5-7 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. 2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
N.T. believers are called the "children of God". The O.T. people were called the "children of Israel". There is a difference & it is "relationship" with our heavenly Father on a spirit level.
Stealing My Heir Position & Inheritance
When you realize that God gives to His N.T. children not less, but in fact greater, than he gave to his O.T. children of Israel, then..your Holy Ghost inheritance comes into view. They of the O.T. had a bountiful "natural" Inheritance; ..thus we of the N.T. have no less of a bountiful "spiritual" inheritance also.
The first was a natural, earthly inheritance; while the second; those in Christ, are given a spiritual, heavenly inheritance.
The latter is just as real spiritually as the former was real ..physically. Both suffer assaults from evil (theirs were physical,.. ours are spiritual), .. from the surrounding kingdoms of darkness which are always seeking to take away from us that which God has feely given us. It is a Struggle. It is a Wrestle. It is a Conflict. It is a Warfare to enter into God's blessings and allow them to reign in our life. It is all done by faith.
Stealing My Ministry Standing
In the O.T. we saw a segregated priest-hood who were the only ones who could minister in the things of God. All other members of Israel were kept out.
But in Christ, all believers are counted as equal citizens, all as members of a holy nation, all a chosen generation, all a purchased people, all a royal priesthood of all believers with only one high priest and his name is Jesus.
All believers in the N.T. have equal citizenship. We all have different callings or positions; but the Holy Ghost life flows through all of us. Because It does, all males and females, young and old can minister "priestly" to others salvation, healing and deliverance. Just as our King and Savior; the Lord Jesus Christ said to the 1st 12 : Freely we all have received - thus Freely we all are to give it away.
Man, Woman, boy, girl. All are qualified in the Spirit to represent Christ Jesus, their King. All ministries exist to more perfectly, completely equip each of us to be better workers in this ministry; in this vineyard, in this field ..all the time edifying one another. We all work for him. We all are taking directions from Christ Jesus, who is the head; which always brings harmony with one another. (Except when the flesh disrupter raises its's head)
Many ministries are mentioned 1Co 12:28. apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues ..(Ro 12:6-8) .. prophecy, ministering, teaching; exhorteth, giveth, ruleth, sheweth mercy, (Eph 4:11)..apostles; prophets; evangelists; pastors, teachers;
Eph 4:12 (All) are For the perfecting (completing) (fully equipping) of the saints, for (serving in ministry work) the work of the ministry, for the edifying (to build up) of the body of Christ: All members are for that one purpose.
All ministries are simply to help the saints more completely and more perfectly to be prepared to do the ministry work in building up the body of Christ in this earth.
Stealing My Government ..Thy God Reigns!
A new government was coming and would be upon His Shoulder whose kingdom He would order, establish and increase without end. Isa 9:6 The reigning of His kingdom would keep increasing with all peoples from all nations coming into this mountain of the Lord's House. It would not appear physically, but it would reside within man. The assembly of the 1st born. Victory is given where-ever we choose to stand in his name.
In the last days, which began at Pentecost, Jesus was already exalted to the throne over God's N.T. people; ..Mt. Zion. Head-Quarters had been moved from the physical Jerusalem to the Spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem. A Heavenly, spiritual Jerusalem, would now represent Christ's people, His Bride. Jesus was already exalted in Acts 2 and already sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. Heb 1:3, 12:2 ..with all authorities and powers being made subject to him. 1Pet 3:22 ..He is far above all principalities and powers, might and dominion, and every name, not only in this world, but in the world to come. Eph 1:20-23
In Closing
For me personally, as I opened up to this "Kingdom" Perspective, a great deliverance was wrought upon my Spiritual Life. Very little has really changed. Nothing has really moved. But now, my focus is more on Him, ..rather than on church-i-ness. When God's intentions are couched in a "religious context" we are in a weaker position to live for Him. But when it is framed in "Relationship terms" which we all understand from our own natural birth lives, learning to live with our own natural families; our faith can soar to higher heights, and we can represent Christ with less effort and interference.
In this "Present" Kingdom of God there is a reigning and ruling of the Holy Ghost which makes each of us OVERCOMERS over all the powers and assaults of the enemy as he does what he does best. ..to hinder. But, praise God, we are given the Victory over all the power of the enemy. This reigning is a Spiritual reign which only exists as each believer walks in the Spirit or the anointing.
Jesus said..Thy Kingdom Come, thy will be done in earth as in heaven. For thine is the kingdom, thine is the power, thine is the glory forever. Amen!
This is little of what I have seen. May your eyes be opened to the truly wonderful vistas that exist for us in His Kingdom!