Kingdom Awakening!! There is a happening in motion in these days and it is a large move of God. It is scheduled and it is on time and because God is in charge, and never late, it will be a suddenly to us, but not to Him, for He has destined it from before the foundation. He is never taken by surprise. Lets take a few scriptures just to get rolling. Look at Matthew 3:1-2, and then jump to Matthew 4:17; (Amp) In those days there appeared John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent, that is, think differently; change your mind, regretting your sins and changing your conduct for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Now to Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, Repent that is, change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We are going to hold fast here, to the priority spoken of by both John the Baptist and Jesus, and that is the changed mind, and that is what they both said first, and it requires a few moments to go the route. Lets turn to Romans 12:2, a most familiar verse, but we will, as usual read from Amplified Bible, and it is really a complete version of the original language; Do not be conformed to this world this age, fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs. But be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind by its new ideals and its new attitude so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. When your mind is renewed or even in the process (timing), there will be a continuing reflection of the reality of another world (kingdom). It will be the same that Jesus reflected and dazzled all with the radiance of heaven. Our way of thinking will be changed because our thought patterns will be focused on a different reality. Listen to Col. 3:1-3; 1
If then you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (see note below) And set your minds and keep them set on what is above the higher things not on the things that are on earth. For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hid with Christ in God. Note: The Holy Spirit backs this up in Ephesians 2:6-7. Only the renewed mind (our carnal mind transformed to agree with the mind of Christ within, that we received at the new birth), can even begin to flow in the dimension of kingdom life that is high on God s priority in this season of time. We are truly a new creation in an old body, with a used mind, but we are on the mend daily as we continue to seek to follow Him where He leads. In the two verses we began with, we hear John saying, regretting your sins and changing your conduct and then Jesus came just behind and said, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins. Nearly the same, except Jesus adds the word past to His call. The hebrews had feasts yearly where their sins where put away for the year, but Jesus added the word past because that is all that they could do. He knew that they, in all their feasts, could not undo the fallen sin nature, and that was to come at the resurrection, a once and for all, glorious event, where the power for our rebirth could come to be, but the one thing that we need to note, that both their statements ended with the words, the kingdom of heaven is at hand, or to make it closer, it is within reach. Repent though, was at the beginning of both statements, and before I go to the next place, I want to quote something that our friend Bill Johnson said; Most Christians repent enough to get forgiven, but not enough to see the kingdom. Without a change of mind, the kingdom will blow what mind you do have out of the park. There is a reason and we will go there now, but first, I do not want to go any further without telling you what the Lord spoke to me just last week, but first let me read you just two of verses of Luke s gospel in 17:20-21; 2
Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display. Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you (in your hearts) and among you (surrounding you). The Holy Spirit reminded me of these verses and then said, God s children have, since their rebirth, had the kingdom of God within, however they have not lived with the release of that kingdom, but in the days ahead, even now, there is an awakening of the kingdom realm within each of them, and they will come into a fresh knowing that The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit are all within, and with the resurrection power waiting, and this awakening will be the beginning of the manifestation of the sons of God that the whole of creation has been expectantly and earnestly longing for. (Romans 8:19 read verses 19 through 24 and be blessed at what is happening. I know that we are staying on this mind renewal subject, but it is critical, and it is ongoing because until we begin to change, we do not know how far the world has taken us from the kingdom dimension that God is restoring. Here is where we have been in our lives on earth. We, by the world s programming, have taken doubt and skepticism as a good cautious way to live, but what we have to come to grips with is that doubt clouds and soon eliminates our very needed unconditional belief. It is a large part of the language of double-mindedness that receives nothing from God and is never resident in the kingdom. The unrenewed mind focuses on self needs, such as self defense, self protection, and exaltation. It breeds an insecurity that desperately needs credit for deeds done. It is easily intimidated and suspicious, and Jesus addressed all of this in John 14:27, and I was not going to read this until the Holy Spirit spoke to me to expand it just a bit and cover the deep meaning of what Jesus said; Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled. 3
If you notice, all the responsibility is in your camp; not to let, not to allow, not to permit yourself to be troubled, not to be afraid, not to be agitated or disturbed or fearful. Do not allow lack, nor needs, nor problems, nor accusations, nor threats, to ever move you from the peace that is also within. Let me back this up with a word from Paul in Phil. 4:6 thru 8, and I will just paraphrase it; Do not fret or have anxiety about anything God s peace is yours it is content with its earthly lot of whatever sort it is it is peace that passes all understanding and it will guard your heart and minds in Christ whatever is worthy of thinking on think on these things and fix your minds on them Now you read those three verses and rest in the fullness of the kingdom that is alluded to therein. You will see that the renewed mind begins to take effect on the emotional man, because it begins to move in the joy and peace and patience that love initiates (the unconditional love of God that cannot fail you in any circumstance) and there will come, with growth and maturity, meekness, gentleness, self-control, kindness and faithfulness, and it is God all the while Who is at work within you, working His will and desire into your being. Understand this, we are still focusing on the renewed mind or truly, the kingdom mind. Lets just take a walk down this path for a few minutes. We will venture into several verses and you will see why we have spent so much time in the arena of the renewal of the mind. Turn to Acts 14:22 and then to Matt. 11:12; Establishing and strengthening the souls and hearts of the disciples, urging and warning and encouraging them to stand firm in the faith, and telling them that it is through many hardships and tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Now Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time the kingdom of heaven has endured the violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize] a share in the heavenly kingdom with most ardent zeal and intense exertion. I want to now read you the important footnote in the Bible on this last verse; 4
Though the Greek here is somewhat difficult to translate, the idea in this verse is that the kingdom of heaven, which Jesus set up as a powerful movement or reign among men (suffers violence), requires of them an equally strong and radical reaction. The Violent then who take it by force are people of keen enthusiasm and commitment who are willing to and propagate with abandonment the message and dynamic of God s reign (see Lu. 16:16) Let me add this to the above; force, ardent zeal, and intense exertion really means that it is also a radical faith and radical obedience that will be exhibited in the lives of those moving into this awakening movement that is now on the scene. This Kingdom was the complete focus of Jesus ministry, and it was the Gospel that He preached, with all its fullness. The kingdom within us is dominion restored. The abundant life is hidden in the kingdom realm and only faith in God s promises can make a withdrawal and O by the way, this account can never be overdrawn, it is continuously filled for use. This kingdom faith is, as we just read from the footnote, aggressive by its very nature, but its aggressiveness is based solely on confidence in God s complete faithfulness. It will take hold of the kingdom and will forcefully bring it into a collision with the natural realm. I believe that this kingdom awakening that we are speaking of now is exactly the time that Jesus was speaking of when He spoke what we read in Matthew 24:14, and when you read the verses before and after, you will see that it is prophetic of this age; And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Lets get just a little more into this before we close this out for the day. Turn to Mark 4:11 And He said to them To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn and their sins be forgotten them. (think on this for a while) It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search a matter. (Prov. 25:2) 5
By the way, the mystery of the kingdom of God, means that the kingdom of God has come in the Person of Jesus Christ, in His words and works, a kingdom which began to penetrate the human situation in a new way in and through His ministry, and which continues to do so through His born again children. It is in Jesus that we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28), and He came to reclaim the dominion and authority that was given away at the fall. It is His image that we are to be conformed too and it is ( acts 17:29)Him and His example we are to follow in our daily lives. Jesus said in John 10:10b; I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance to the full, till it overflows. We can, by [little] faith eat spiritual cheese and crackers, when our fare has purchased for us a full banquet or feast, but it for us to take our inheritance, our kingdom inheritance. I know that we have been in a lot of repent and renewal of the mind today, and it is where I was told to be because we have a great need to truly believe, with and I will say it again, a radical faith belief. It has to begin with, believe it or not, the new birth, and because of that, I want to again read you one of the dynamics in the Spirit Life Bible, and it follows John 3:3 and 5, listen attentively; THE MESSAGE OF THE KINGDOM. Upon repentance, a new order of life opens to the believer in Jesus Christ. Jesus used the figure of the new birth to dramatically indicate three things; 1) Without New Birth there is no life and no relationship with God (14:6). 2) In New Birth perspective comes as we see the kingdom of God (3:3). God s word becomes clear and the Holy Spirit s works and wonders are believed and experiencedfaith is alive. 3) Through New Birth we are introduced literally we enter (v.5) to a new realm, where God s new kingdom order can be realized (2 Cor.5:17).New Birth is more than simply being saved. It is a requalifying experience, opening up the possibilities of our whole being to the supernatural dimension of life and fitting us for a beginning in God s kingdom order. That is a marvelous bit of interpretation, but it is so true. We are truly new creations, with a new life, and a new mind, with a new potential, to enter into the supernatural, which our new life is designed to function in. We need but learn to release what is already, at new birth deposited in us. 6
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom rules over all. [Psalms 103:19] Recognize that kingdom ministry involves signs, wonders and miracles that demonstrate the power of our God, Whose kingdom it is. Humbly call for God to restore the miraculous dimension to the body of Christ. For the kingdom of God consists of and is based on not talk but power moral power and excellence of soul. [1 Cor 4:20] You kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations. [Psalms 145:13] the kingdom of God is righteousness that state which makes a person acceptable to God and heartpeace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. [Romans 14:17b] [RPJ] I think that we need to see that Jesus, when asked by the disciples to teach them to pray, gave them a pattern of prayer in which we find the words, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, and then in the same day, He told them to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the other things mentioned would be added to them He gave us the command and the authority of His word to do both, and somehow we do not always do so. We are lacking the supernatural fruit in our lives because we do not release what we have inherited. Jesus said He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Well, we know He has been building His church for over 2000 years, but somewhere in all that time believers have lost the kingdom mentality. The church has agendas and programs, but few miracles that daily accompanied the early church. Their very shadows on the street healed those whom the shadow touched. It is in the kingdom that we begin to understand our before the foundation identity and begin to function in the realm they experienced. That time is upon us as the kingdom awakening develops. Remember, we have focused on the church, but we need to remember that the kingdom was in place and functioning eons before the church was ever on the scene. It is God s desire that we move into our inheritance in the kingdom, in the now season of eternity. We are receiving, in our inheritance, a kingdom which cannot be shaken, so let us grow in the grace to stand steadfastly in the shaking and not be moved and let our lives so stand that we will be true witnesses unto Jesus in all the earth, and then we will 7
be a part of His kingdom coming, and His will being done and seen in our lives. I am fasting and praying some during the weeks now, and this is my cry; Thy kingdom come and Thy will be done in my life Now Lord!! Class! Be Abundantly Blessed!! 8