gods kingdom (precepts and concepts)
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Ogaga O. DavidGods Kingdom Advancement Initiative
www.gkai.net
(Concepts and precepts)
Ogaga David Gods Kingdom www.gkai.net
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or method of duplication, unless express written permission has been granted by the Author. Understanding the Kingdom 2009 © Ogaga O. David Ph.D ISBN -978-033-577-3 Xpress Image Media Divine Encounter Ministries Nigeria. Unless otherwise stated all scriptures are from the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible. Any emphasis in quoted scripture is mine. For more resource please visit www.gkai.net
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FORWARD
I believe that God is doing some amazing work across the nations of the world by bringing the Spirit of Truth and Accuracy back into His House. There are many voices trumpeting in the house of God, but it is important to know that there is only One Voice that accurately reveals the purposes of God for the establishment of His Kingdom in the earth. This is the Spirit of Truth. Indeed, there is no other gospel that is commanded to declare in all nations, apart from the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Much of what has been declared by the Church in the past season is inaccurate and has only given partial treatment; hence there is a lack within the message in the Body. It is with great honour that I recommend to you the writing of my friend and covenant Brother, David Ogaga, and endorse this book “The Kingdom of God”. There is a remnant within the Body of Christ that the Lord has given revelation and understanding to regarding His Kingdom. I believe Brother David Ogaga is one of them. This book is a timely insight that unveils the true heart of God for the Church. I pray that you will continue to receive this as a Word of the Kingdom and gain understanding in the mysteries, so you can be fruitful in His purpose. Israel Onoriobe World Vision Crusade Outreach Ministries Uitenhage (Port Elizabeth) - South Africa www.wvcom-international.org
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CHAPTER ONE
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not
God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the
Son. 2Jon 9. kJV.
Anyone who goes on and does not keep to the teaching of Christ has not God:
he who keeps to the teaching has the Father and the Son. BBE.
What is meant here is, he who abides not in the doctrine which Christ taught, or
the true doctrine respecting him, has not the Father and the Son. The truth
therefore must be held respecting the precepts, the character, and the work of
the Saviour
WHAT IS THE JOY OF STAYING WITH THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS?
Jon.14:15, 23. “If ye love me, keep my commandments… Jesus answered and
said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love
him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”.
Those who stay with the teachings of Christ secure the presence of both the
Father and the Son: And if you lose one, you do not have the other either.
Thus; you secure the presence of the Father and the Son by way of being their
abode, a habitation; “he dwelleth in God, and God in him”; Furthermore, this
abiding presence of both the Father and the Son in the one that keep to His
teachings produces a communal fellowship, resulting in the Elohim society in and
on the Earth, “We will come unto them, and make our abode with them”. Jesus
said’. So we can see that, staying with the very teachings of Christ, not just about
the person of Christ and His power only, will bring to pass a clear statement of
prophecy,
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Rev.21:3-4. 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.
4 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 this is actually a reversal of that which happened in Eden when man was
driven away from the presence of God. So the teachings of Christ will restore the
presence of God again on the earth, restoring the Fellowship of God and man -
Eden
Now let us observe this fact as we go on, “the tabernacle of God is with men”
should read, ‘the tabernacle of God with men ’as the is, is in italics indicating that
it was supplied by the translators.
Now, the word ‘with’ meta, really means; that which properly, is denoting
accompaniment; amid, among, in union with’ By implication, God is now in union
with man (kind).
Above all, those who stay with the teachings of the Christ have both the Father
and the Son, by way of assistance and approbation; (approval, consent, praise
and esteem of God) they have God to assist them, to accept them, and to reward
them.
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Chapter Two SO WHAT WAS THE GOSPEL OF JESUS?
By implication, what was Jesus main passion? What occupied the centre of His
message? What did He really teach and preach?
THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN PROPHECY/HISTORY.
When Jesus started His earthly ministry according to Mark’s account, we are told
“Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the
gospel of the kingdom of God,
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye,
and believe the gospel” Mk.1:14-15 (see. Da 9:25; Mt 3:2; 4:17; Gal. 4:4; Eph
1:10)
Now what ‘Time is fulfilled’ that Jesus is making reference to here? He was
simply making reference to the prophetic words of Daniel, In Dan.9:25-26. where
we are told “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the
commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince
shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built
again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks
shall Messiah be cut offqazAA, but not for himself: and the people of the prince
that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall
be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (please
see our Book ‘light in the word’ chapter one for the complete teaching on the
above prophecy).
But let us quickly move to Daniel Chapter two to see how Prophecy is fulfilled in
history.
In Dan.2:44. we read “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
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left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms,
and it shall stand for ever”.
What kingdoms was Daniel referring to here?
These were the four kingdoms, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and the Roman
Empire according to verses 33-43.of Daniel 2.
But in verse 45, we read “Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out
of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the
clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what
shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation
thereof sure”
The little stone here represents Christ and His kingdom making it the fifth.
This is the same picture painted for us as the ‘four beasts’ in Dan.7, and in verse
27, it says; “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most
High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve
and obey him”
(Lk 1:33.Rev.11:15).
What do we mean the ‘Greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven?’.
This simply means the power, which those several kingdoms had possessed,
shall all be turned over to the kingdom of Christ. And Jesus rightly told the
disciples “…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”. Math.28:18.
And when we say "Under ... heaven" shows it clearly that this is a kingdom on
earth, not in up their in the sky in a location called heaven.
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Whereas the phrase “ people of ... saints of ... Most High--" shows the people of
God, the saints are gathered out of both Jews and Gentiles, but the stock of the
Church is Jewish (Ro 9:24; 11:24); So here we are dealing with a victorious
church that no power can stop even in the ages to come.
That, it is an “everlasting kingdom”—shows it cannot be referring to a
millennial theology. For the stone that Daniel saw grew and became a mountain,
there is no stoppage or stunted growth of the stone which represents the
kingdom for a thousand years. Neither did the mustard seed that speaks of the
kingdom in Mark 4:30-32, had a stunted growth for a period, but rather grew to
become a mighty tree that the birds of the air will lodge under its shadows. “ And
he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what comparison
shall we compare it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than
all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and
becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the
fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it”.
So Daniel saw the whole time of future blessedness as one period there was no
division, but a continuous growth and the unfolding of events until the glory of the
Lord covers the earth as the waters covers the sea. Can we say Daniel was a
progressionist? Christ's kingdom is "everlasting.” not even a judgment period
can end it, it has started and it will continue to grow but men don’t know how that
this kingdom is advancing. The word of God says:
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the
throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with
judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of
hosts will perform this”. Isa.9:7.
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It is interesting to know that, among the shades of the meaning of the word
increase is ampily, and multiply. In other words, there shall be a multiplication
and an amplification of the government of Christ upon the earth that shall know
no end.
Whereas in the Heb. It is marbeh, which means, properly, increasing; as noun,
greatness, or (adverb;) greatly:--great, increase”
The prophecy about the birth of Jesus confirmed this when it is said “And,
behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his
name
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God
shall give unto him the throne of his father David And He shall reign over the
house of Jacob forever; and OF HIS KINGDOM THERE SHALL BE NO END” Lk
I:31-32.
For we do also know that He was the son of David according to the flesh even as
we can read “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the
seed of David according to the flesh
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” Rom.1:3-4.
29 “Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that
he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to
him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, HE WOULD RAISE UP
CHRIST TO SIT ON HIS THRONE;
34 for David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, the LORD
said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand
35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that
same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ”.Acts.2:29,30,34-:36.
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Therefore in Rev.3:7. Jesus the Christ is identified as “…. These things saith he
that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no
man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth”;
Fulfilling the prophecy of Prophet Isaiah, “And the key of the house of David will I
lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut,
and none shall open”.Isa.22:22.
The above scriptures prove the fact that, Jesus is now ruling as Christ on the
throne of his Father David as it were. It cannot be a tomorrow’s affairs, but now.
Christ is reigning and the kingdom is here and progressing.
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Chapter Three
THE INTERPRETATION OF DANIEL.
While Daniel was interpreting this dream to Nebuchadnezzar, in Dan.2:37. He
said “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a
kingdom, power, and strength, and glory”
Now understand this as we move on, that the title king of kings as applied to
Jesus is here applied to the king of Babylon, indicating to us that whoever the
Father gives Dominion to, in the course of time to rule the world is the ‘king of
kings’. Why is it that Christ is bearing that title now? Because all power in heaven
and earth has been given to Him by the Father. (Math.28:18). For “The kingdoms
of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall
reign for ever and ever”.(Rev.11:15).
We will need to establish this fact here that, when Daniel spoke about the king
being the king of kings, he was not by any means indicating that
Nebuchadnezzar was the first king to reign in Babylon. There were other kings
before him.
But this is in reference to the fact that, he was the Head or beginning of the
reign or Dominion of a Gentile Nation in the earth once Israel was removed or
taken into capacity. He was the first Gentile world king and power to rule over
Israel.
Let it be noted also that Nebuchadnezzar came into prominence because of his
dealings with the Israelites. In the Bible, only those or kings who had contact with
Israel, whether positive or negative are mentioned or recorded.
This is made plain from the following passages
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“Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this
land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round
about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an
hissing, and perpetual desolations”.Jer.25:8-9
What families of the North was He talking about? It is simply the Northern
kingdom of the two kingdom of Israel after the reign of Rehoboam when
Solomon’s kingdom was divided.
And so we read;
“And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of
Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in
Jerusalem”.
“And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the
pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth,
to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all
the nations whither I have driven them” Jer. 15:4, .29:18.
In the words of Adam Clark, commenting on this verse, he said ‘This seems to
have respect to the succeeding state of the Jews in their different generations;
and never was there a prophecy more literally fulfilled; and it is still a standing
monument of Divine truth. Let infidelity cast its eyes on the scattered Jews whom
it may meet with in every civilized nation of the world; and then let it deny the
truth of this prophecy, if it can. The Jews are scattered through every nation, and
yet are not a nation; nor do they form even a colony on any part of the face of the
earth. Behold the truth and the justice of God!’ end quote.
And this truth of the scattering of the Jews and being ruled over by the Gentile
world, Nebuchadnezzar being the first king in this regard, of cause can be
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verified as well from the writing of Apostle Luke when he wrote of what will befall
the Jews-Jerusalem by the hands of the Romans as prophesied by Jesus.
“And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into
all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times
of the Gentiles be fulfilled”.Lk.21:24.
History has it that those who perished in the siege are reckoned to be not less
than eleven hundred thousand. (See Mt 24:22)
While those who were taken into slavery was to the number of ninety-seven
thousand, according to Josephus, the Jewish historian.
And when we speak of the prediction of ‘Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the
Gentiles’. It has been so ever since its destruction. In the succeeding years, it
has been held by the Romans, the Parthians, the Saracens, the Crusaders and
the Turks, but never by the Jews. Judea was so completely subjugated that the
very land itself was sold by Vespasian; the Gentiles possessing it, while the Jews
were either nearly all killed or led away into captivity and scattered all around the
world.
So when we are talking about ‘the time of the Gentiles being fulfilled’. It simply
means the different nations of the earth, to whom God shall have given the
dominion over this land, will have to accomplish all that which the Lord hath
appointed them to do; until the time of their conversion to God will take place.
Even the Mohammedans it is said to had possession of the city since AD 636 in
succession to the ‘’fourth” or Roman possession. But when shall the conversion
of these people be? No one knows yet. The nations are still treading down
Jerusalem, and the end is known only to the Lord. For the times and seasons are
in his hands. Acts.1:7.
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So according to Dan.2:44.we are told “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”
‘Days of these kings’, What kings? This is reference to the successive kingdoms
of Babylon, Greece, Medo-Persia and the last being the Roman Empire. Now
what the Lord is referring to here, according to this prophecy is that, the Father
will set up a kingdom which can not be moved. Speaking to us of a 5th kingdom
or power, which is now the kingdom of God. And this took place when the fourth
kingdom was in place, the Roman kingdom and that is when Christ was born.
In Dan.7:27 this kingdom is described as “And the kingdom and dominion, and
the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the
people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him”
Jesus confirmed this prophecy of Daniel as fulfilling it when He was on trial by
Pilate who was a Roman Governor in Charge of Jerusalem as well in Jon.18:33-
37.
“Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said
unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews 34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this
thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have
delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is
not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight,
that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from
hence.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered; Thou
sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the
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world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth
heareth my voice”.
Now we have some very interesting facts here to consider
Why did Pilate ask this question; Art thou the king of the Jews? This is simply
because according to Lk. 23:2, when the Jews brought him to Pilate they began
to accuse him as a rebel, who said he was king of the Jews, and so stopping the
people to pay tribute to Caesar. So Pilate was trying to find out from Jesus if this
accusation is really true. By implication, if he is really a king of the Jews, then He
will be in pace to be collecting tributes from the people and they will no longer be
paying to the Romans. Secondarily, it is a major fear of another king arising from
among the Jews. The same fear that Herod had when the wise men from the
east said they saw the star of the new king that was born.
Part of the answer Jesus gave to the above question is that, my kingdom is not of
this world. By this He meant to say, His kingdom is not Jewish in nature, function
and character. In other word, He is not a successor neither His kingdom a
succession to any Jewish monarch. But He admitted He has a kingdom and by
that as well, He is a king. For you cannot have a kingdom without a king.
And again, when He said, my kingdom is not of this world…Now is my kingdom
not from hence.
He was simply saying, I am a king whose kingdom does not take its root from
the social, economic and the political structure of this world, neither is it an
offshoot of the previous four kingdoms that existed.
For you know that, every kingdom that is conquered, its elements of
governance, political and economical structure are most often carried over to the
present one by the new king.
For instance, the principles in God’s kingdom, which is being administered by
Christ, if you want to be great, you have to be a servant, serving others. For you
to be successful financially, you have to be a regular Tithe payer and a giver. It is
more blessed to give than to receive, the word says. You do not give or do good
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to be seen by men and praised, but in secret for only God to reward you openly
by exalting you. For you to be highly exalted you have to be humbled. In other
words, for you to go up, you must first go down. The fact is everything in this
kingdom is opposite to human understanding and operational modalities. It is an
upside down kingdom. You win by loosing. You give off two coats, when your
enemy wants one. You go two miles, if you are compelled to go one. You don’t
open your mouth in self defense when on trial and being accused unjustly. You
look like a fool to every man because you don’t seems to have a right. You gain
your life by loosing it and loose your life by retaining it. The very poor are your
friends and companion in celebrations and not the rich who can reward you or
invite you in return to their festivities. You don’t judge by what you see or hear,
but by what the spirit ministers to you, as you hear the mind of the Father. You
don’t fight wars with human instruments and philosophies, but by the word of
God which is defined as sharper than any two edged sword. It is truly a kingdom
upside down.
This is what Jesus was telling Pilate when He said my kingdom is not from this
world.
Again in response to the question as to whether Jesus is a king, He admitted so
by saying “To this end was I born”, In other words, the only major reason why I
am born is to be a king. The wise men from the East did not come looking for a
child, but for a king that was born.
The proof of their conviction is that they came with gifts meant for a king for it is
customary in major traditions of the world not to go to the king without a present,
no matter how small. The queen of Sheba who came to King Solomon with all
manner of gifts was not because Solomon was a poor man and has needs, but it
was in recognition of his kingship. It is therefore a fact here also that your calling
Jesus king, does not prove you recognized Him as such except by honouring
Him with gifts.
So Jesus was saying, I am truly a king and not just one of the kings of the Jews
that rose at a time, but rather I am a universal king. My Domain is not just Israel,
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but the whole wide world. And with that He simply told Pilate, with regards the
question Art thou a king? . He replied by saying; “Thou sayest” which is
common form of expression for, yes, it is so. I was born into the world that I might
set up and maintain a spiritual government, but this government is established in
and by truth
Furthermore, He said; “and for this cause came I into the world, that I should
bear witness unto the truth” What truth was He to bear witness to? First of all this
government is to be established in and by truth
But above all, it is to bear witness and fulfill the truth of the prophecy of Daniel.
“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.
Dan2:44
Again, we state that ‘In the days of these kings’ means in the days of these
kingdoms, that is, of the last of the four. Therefore Christianity was set up when
Rome had become mistress of Judea and the world
God of heaven will set up a kingdom; This then is the "the kingdom of heaven,"
set up by God of which Christ is the head.
Here it is said that by the setting up of this kingdom, all the empires which human
hands have established shall be destroyed; but the kingdom which God has
established "without hands" meaning efforts through warfare shall increase
continually, till the earth is filled with its glory and blessedness.
And this kingdom shall.. not be left to other people.. All the preceding empires
actually swallowed up each other successively. So we see that the Chaldees
were forced to leave their kingdom to the Medo-Persians, and these to the
Greeks, and the Greeks to the Romans
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But here is the kingdom of God which shall never be destroyed which is the
extensive and extending empire of Christ over the world that shall remain to the
end of the ages.
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Chapter Four. ‘THE KING OF KINGS..’
Before proceeding, let us take a look at the above phrase which is commonly
applied to Christ. It is used six times in the Bible, one time for Artaxerxes, twice
for Nebuchadnezzar, and three times for Christ. The question then is, does it
have any special significant? What does it connote when it is applied to a
person? This is important, because we realized that even Artaxerxes and
Nebuchadnezzar were addressed by this title, so why is it also applied to Christ?
The first place that we encounter this phrase is in Ezr 7:12 where it is said
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of
heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time”.
Now, Artaxerxes itself is not a persons name, but the title of the several kings of
Persia, eg Smerdis the Margian, Longimanus and Xerxes.
Whereas the second place is in Ezek 26:7,where it is said of “..Nebuchadrezzar
king of Babylon, a king of kings..”
Then you have it used in addressing Christ in 1 Tim.6:15, as He “ who is the
blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;” and then in
Rev.17:14, and Rev.19:16.
But the true meaning of this Title comes out when you read of what Daniel told
Nebuchadnezzar when interpreting the king’s dream to him in Da 2:37-38 “Thou,
O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom,
power, and strength, and glory. And whosesoever the children of men dwell, the
beast of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and
hath made thee ruler over them all, Thou art this head of gold”
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That tells us that, this title is given by God to whomsoever He has given absolute
authority to per time to rule in the universe as his kingly regent if you will, just like
Adam was before the fall. It is to those who have been given a kingdom, power,
strength and glory that all men under heaven and the creatures may obey him.
Math.6:13 reveals to us who owns all authority when Jesus said in reference to
God.. “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
It is this kingdom Dominion mandate that He now gives to the one He has
elected at a particular time in human history to take charge of the earth.
And so as it relate to Nebuchadnezzar, we are told, God said “Behold, I will send
and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadnezzar the
king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against
the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly
destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual
desolations… And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will
not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put
their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith
the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I
have consumed them by his hand”. Jer.25:9, 27:8.
Now, are you beginning to see the weight of this title to those who bore it? Hear
God saying that Nebuchadnezzar is His servant, because He has given him an
assignment specifically to deal with other kings in order to bring God’s kingdom
rule and ethics to bear on them. Here we observed that all other kings are to be
subject to the particular one that is to bear this title. The purpose is not just for
political expansionism on the part of the elect kings with this mandate, but that
the mind and desires of God for His creation and humanity might be fully
expressed through these instruments of His which He has chosen, that is why
they are called God’s servant. But unfortunately too, these kings being used of
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God do not know that they are only playing out the will of God and so ought to
limit themselves to the dictates of the Father and know where to draw the line.
But power often corrupts, therefore they go over board thinking it is by
themselves that they are doing and achieving those glory. So Nebuchadnezzar
will say ‘is this not the great Babylon that I have built’? All because he did not
know that he was only a servant.
CHRIST AS KING OF KINGS
So what then do we mean when we say Christ is the ‘king of kings and the Lord
of Lords’?(1 Tim.6:15).
Just like we have indicated, those whomsoever receive this title is the servant of
God to do His will; therefore God introduced Christ to us as. “Behold my servant,
whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon
him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles”.Isa.42:1
And while introducing Himself to the Disciples and commissioning them once He
has finally being given this mandate therefore qualifying for this title, He said “….
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” Math.28:18-19.
What He was actually saying here is that just like all kings and authority was to
bow to Nebuchadnezzar, this same power has being transferred from
Nebuchadnezzar to Him, such that Christ who is now in charge of God’s affairs in
the world with all kings and the realms of the heavens and earth being subject
unto Him. Therefore, the disciples should go and make this known and cause the
Nations and inhabitants therefore to be brought under obedience to the rule and
will of God-‘thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth’ using man as the
instrument to bring this to pass. This is the expression of the kingdom.
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This is what it really means to have someone Baptized, it is to bring someone
into absolute realization, believe and obedience to a ruling and higher authority
and not necessarily to be dipped in water of any river. And there is nothing wrong
with that as a religious ritual or belief, because we do know that water by itself
cannot save man, but the issue at stake about baptism is that of salvation. We
can understand this from the life and ministry of Moses as we read in 1Cor.10:1-
4. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our
fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same
spiritual meat;
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that
followed them: and that Rock was Christ”
Verse two in the Amplified says;
“And every one of them (allowed too) to be baptized into Moses in the cloud and
in the sea, ( that is, they were thus brought under obligation to the law, to Moses
and to the covenant, consecrated and set to the service of Go;”
In other words, being baptized into Moses, a person, simply means being
brought under obligation to the law and the leadership of Moses, to be able to get
them out of the wilderness into the Promised Land.
In the same vein, to be baptized into the name of the ‘Father, son and holy
Ghost’ is to be brought into alignment, and full obedience to the threefold
manifestation of the Godhead for total salvation, not three persons. Again on this
fact, talking about Christ now, just as Moses we read;
“For in Him the whole fullness of Deity ( the Godhead) ,continues to dwell in
bodily form-giving complete expression of the divine nature, And you are in Him,
made full and have come to fullness of life-in Christ you too are filled with the
Godhead; Father, son, and Holy Spirit, and reach full spiritual stature .And He is
the head of all rule and authority-..” Col.2:9-10.Ampl.
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What it is saying here is that, the Father, son and Holy Ghost which are simply
titles, is a dimension of spiritual experience and expression that every true
believer must come into which is our ultimate baptism, and this is what we are
asked to go and bring the Nations into. That by so doing they too will come into
this experience. And with that, we are establishing the kingdom of God all over
the world, for that is the desire and the purpose of Christ coming even as the
servant of God.
“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and
be very high
As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man,
and his form more than the sons of men:
So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for
that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not
heard shall they consider” .Isa.52:13-15.
Therefore in Rev.11:25 we are told;
“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying,
The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his
Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever”.
At the sounding of the seventh last trumpets, with rejoicing in the heavens
implies, there has come to an end to the series of visions, and next thing to be
introduced is the new dispensation under which the affairs of the world were to
be brought to completion. One thing is important; you can not have a proper
understanding of the Book of Revelation without the Book of Daniel and major
elements from the old Testament. For to a large degree, the Book of Revelation
opens the sealed Book of Daniel and the events thereof.
The period in question under discussion has to do with the events that pertains
to the Roman power—which is the fourth kingdom of Daniel (Daniel chapters 2-
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7)—then, should have been completed, and with the introduction of the reign of
the saints according to Daniel 7:9-14,27-28. This is also directly tied to the
finished work of Christ, leading to the overthrow of the ecclesiastical power of the
Roman Empire. So we found that with the end of the persecuting power, is the
introduction and beginning of the reign of the saints, the downfall of the Papacy,
and the emergence of the kingdom of God and its establishment on the earth.
This is the picture being painted for us here.
So the joy in heaven as it were, is because a new order of God’s reign has being
introduced with the right foundation laid.
Therefore, when we are saying “The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdom of our Lord..”. The declaration is simply that all the kingdoms of the
earth, though many, but being ruled by one spirit, the prince of the power of the
air-satanic deceptions, have now been brought under the one authority of the
Christ; as the world controlling power has now been legitimately been given to
Christ by God.
Therefore it is now ‘the kingdoms of our Lord’. The word Lord--kuriov--implies the
notion of possessor, owner, sovereign, supreme ruler—and that is God Himself.
And ‘the kingdom is of his Christ’. Of his anointed; of him who is set apart as the
Messiah, and consecrated to this high office. Even as God appointed Him to
perform the work appropriate to that office on earth, just like we indicated earlier
on that He is the servant of God in this service. The clear simple meaning here
therefore is that, the kingdom of this world had now become the kingdom of God
under Christ. That is, in other words, it is that kingdom, that is been administered
by the Son of God. Even as the word says; “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the
heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy
possession”.Ps.2:8.
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And “He shall reign for ever and ever” as opposed to the previous ‘king of kings-
Artarxexes and Nebuchadnezzar whose reign ended. This kingdom which has
commenced shall never come to an end. The point that calls for rejoicing and
why it is good news is that, the sceptre of this world has now, after so long a
time, come into the hands of the son of God never more to pass away or to be
passed to another. It may not seem it mow, but we are in the very reign of the
Almighty Father, whose kingdom shall be universal on the face of the earth,
whose laws shall be everywhere recognized as binding; for all idolatry and
human philosophy shall come to an end; and the understandings and the hearts
of men everywhere shall bow to his authority.
“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved,…” Heb.12:28a
And “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all
the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee
For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.
All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the
dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul”. Ps.22:27-29.
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Chapter Five.
THE PRESENT SPIRITUAL REALITY OF THE KINGDOM
At the very beginning of Jesus ministry in Mrk.1:14-15. we read “Now after that
John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the
kingdom of God And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at
hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Within the 31/2 years of His earthly ministry, we are told in Lk.8: 1 “And it came
to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and
shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him”
When He commissioned the Apostles in Lk.9:1-2. We read, “Then he called His
twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and
to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick”
Even to the man who gave the excuses not to follow Jesus because he wants to
bury the Father, He told him in verses 50- 60.. “And he said unto another, Follow
me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the
kingdom of God”.
To Jesus, the kingdom message is a priority above any social or paternal
obligations.
In the prophetic declaration of the signs of the Fall of Jerusalem and what we can
apply as the End of the Age, He said in Math 24: 14 “And this gospel of the
kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then
shall the end come”
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It shows that ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom’ getting to all hooks and corners is a
major sign of the end. But I wonder if the Church is aware of this, such that they
have to commit themselves to it.
In Acts 1:1-3. In what we can called the post- resurrection message of Jesus the
Christ, for forty good days while He walk on the earth with flesh and bones,
(Lk.24:39) we are told in Acts.1:1-3.“ The former treatise have I made, O
Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had
given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible
proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to
the kingdom of God:
There was nothing more central, passion driving and life consuming for Jesus
than the message of the Kingdom. It must be noted that, things like healing and
the casting out of demons were all the integral part of the message of the
kingdom. Jesus never classified them as a ministry of their own. The Lord’s
pattern in ministry reveals this “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of
sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick
people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were
possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the
palsy; and he healed them”.Math.4:23-24.
Surely enough, Jesus has left for us an example to do ministry. The emphasis is
‘teaching’ and ‘preaching’ the ‘Gospel of the knigdom’ and the rest things follow.
Don’t forget, doing what he did, preaching and believing what he preached, will
grant us access to both the Father and the son. Or else we will become orphans
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and be without God in the world, though we are still running with signs and
wonders in the world, only to be told, for
“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”.Math.7:21-23.
The word ‘iniquity’ is anomia, which means illegality, i.e. violation of law or
wickedness; transgress (-ion of) the law, unrighteousness. It means, no matter
the nature of your ministry, or the signs and wonder following, if it is done out of
the contents of the will and purposes of God and without the true communion
with him, then you have no place in His kingdom. It also means doing a thing that
is not in line with the will of the Father whether it be ministry is simply
‘unrighteousness’. The only statement awaiting us at the end is ‘Go Away’. You
better watch it!
.Acts.8:12.Philip the Evangelist message was the kingdom, “But when they
believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the
name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women”.
Paul’s Message was the kingdom of God. Acts.19:8. “And he went into the
synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and
persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God”.
Acts.20:25. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone
preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
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Acts.28:22-23. 22 “But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as
concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against. And when
they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom
he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning
Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till
evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed
not”.
Acts.28:30-31. “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and
received all that came in unto him,
Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the
Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him”
The kingdom Message was central in the Gospel of Paul.
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Chapter Six. THOSE WHO UNDERSTOOD PRESSED INTO THE KINGDOM.
Lk. 16:16. The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom
of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
The word pressed is biazo, and it means to force, i.e. (reflexively) to crowd
oneself (into), or (passively) to be seized:--press, suffer violence.
Mathew would say; “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom
of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force” Math.11:1-12.
The word pressed as used by Luke is the same thing as suffered violent ,(biazo.)
as used by Mathew.
So we can see that, the kingdom is a whole new dimension in God’s Economy,
full of force, power and dominion that is completely different from all the former
moves and economy of God put together to be made manifest at the last time.
The law and the prophets were truly the words and works of God but never the
Reign and the Rule of God. These were men in contact with God but never the
Dominion of God. They could declare the intentions of God but do not have the
power to live it. They prophesied about it but never come under the influence of
that which they spoke and wrote about
The phrase “Every man’ Many men or multitudes” was supposed to be a very
common expression just like when we say ‘everybody is engaged in a particular
piece of businesses, meaning that it occupies general attention.
Even the --Publicans and sinners ,indicating that all levels of persons, were
eagerly forcing their way into the kingdom because of what they have seen and
have come to understand . Those who were given to mere forms of religious
economy of the Law and the Prophets which was passing away could not discern
the signs of this time.
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It is such a serious issue for the very tide of the present order of God’s dealing
with man in His ultimate plan to go past you and be found a stranded monument
of blindness and religious rebellion. In this case, you require divine insight based
on prophetic understanding to move beyond the level of just being religious in
order to press into the kingdom as you begin to behold the power and the
dominion therein
EXAMPLES OF MEN WHO WERE PRESSING INTO TE KONGDOM
Math.20:20-21 “Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her
sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him, And he said unto her,
what wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the
one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom”.
The mother of the sons of Zebedee discovered something great and ahead and
was prepared to go for it. She knew that what the Lord came for, was not just a
mere religious movement, neither a repetition of the movement of old. But rather
the establishment of God’s Government and rule upon the earth, and so she
desire that her sons be partakers of that order.
In a similar vein, in Jn.6:15, we read “When Jesus therefore perceived that they
would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a
mountain himself alone”.
These groups of people could not wait for anything else or longer, they wanted
the kingdom NOW, no matter the cost.
Same with those in Lk 19:11. Who “… thought the kingdom will soon appear
because Jesus told Nicodemus that Salvation has come to his house and that he
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is a son of Abraham, then He gave a parable of a man that must go away to
receive a kingdom”
But the story of Joseph of Arimthaea marks a turning point in the haert of those
desiring the kingdom and their level of investment and commitment because of
what they know.
Mark.15:42-46. “And now when the even was come, because it was the
preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,
Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the
kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and crave the body of
Jesus .(Isa.53:9, Math.27:57. Jon.19:38)
And Pilate marveled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion,
he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and
laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the
door of the sepulcher”.
It is a clear indication from the life of Joseph that those who find excuses not to
invest in the kingdom is simply because they lack proper understanding and have
not seen it. Those who have seen it, gave their best like Joseph, for they have an
understanding of what they are investing in. They don’t need to be cajoled or
forced to do so.
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Chapter Seven. THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM.
Math.4:23-24.” And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching (to teach-) in their
synagogues, and preaching (herald- kerusso, to herald, as a public crier),
especially divine truth (the gospel):--preacher(-er), proclaim, publish).
the gospel of the kingdom, and healing –(to wait upon menialyly,to adore, to
relieve of (of disease ,cure ,heal ,worship-demonstration) all manner of sickness
and all manner of disease among the people.
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick
people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were
possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the
palsy; and he healed them”.
So what is ‘The Gospel Of The Kingdom of God’?. The Greek word for Gospel is
euaggelion, and it means; a good message, i.e. the gospel; gospel.
And Kingdom is; basileia, and it also means, properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly)
rule, or (concretely) a realm-kingdom. When put together therefore, ‘the Gospel
of the Kingdom of God’ simply means ‘the Good news of the realm of the royal
kingdom, and rule of God on the earth. Just like He taught the disciples to pray -
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven ” Math.6:9-10.
‘Thy kingdom come’--The kingdom of God can as well be described as that moral
and spiritual kingdom which the God of grace is setting up in this fallen world,
whose subjects consist of as many as have been brought into hearty subjection
to His gracious authority, and of which His Son Jesus is the glorious Head. . In
the inward reality of it, this kingdom has existed ever since there were men who
‘walked with God’ on the face of the earth.
And so the kingdom is defined in 1 Cor.4:20 as;
“For not in word is the reign of God, but in power” YLT.
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“For the kingdom of God consists of and is based on not talk, but MORAL
POWER and EXCELLENCE OF SOUL” Amp.
“God’s way is not a matter of talk; it’s an empowered life” (The Message).
“For Apostolic authority is not a thing of words, but of power”.
WNT.
In the same vein, ‘The Message’ in defining the kingdom in Math.6:10 say “Set
the world right; Do what’s best-as above, so below”.
In other words, God should set the world that has gone ‘haywire’ through the fall
of Adam, right, by reigning again in the lives of men. And this is what God is
achieving through the release of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not just a factor
for gifts manifestation, but the reconfiguration of our ‘inner man’ that is tainted
with evil so that we can finally begin to release the attributes, the mercies,
justices and the compassionate nature of God on the earth. Therefore in Ps
82:1-6. “God is in the meeting-place of God; he is judging among the gods.
How long will you go on judging falsely, having respect for the persons of evil-
doers? (Selah.)
Give ear to the cause of the poor and the children without fathers; let those who
are troubled and in need have their rights.
Be the saviour of the poor and those who have nothing: take them out of the
hand of the evil-doers.
They have no knowledge or sense; they go about in the dark: all the bases of
the earth are moved.
I said, You are gods; all of you are the sons of the Most High” BBE
This is the role that the Father is intending us to place as those who have come
into the place of maturity and aware of their position on the earth.
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And so we read in Rom.14:17-18;
“God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’
sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, put it together, and
completes it with joy. Your task is to single –mindedly serve Christ. Do that and
you’ll kill two birds with one stone:-please the God above you and proving your
worth to the people around you” (The Message).
But the Weymouth Translation says “For Apostolic authority is not a thing of
words, but of power”.
Now why is the kingdom seen as “an Apostolic Authority” It is because the
Apostle is ‘a sent one’ “Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise
men (Apostles), and scribes:(Teachers) and some of them ye shall kill and
crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute
them from city to city”: The word send is apostello; which means; set apart, i.e.
(by impl) to send out (properly, on a mission)
And because they are sent by God, they therefore carry His authority. This is why
we read that the Church is… “…built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” Eph.2:20.
And, on this issue of being sent, Jesus Himself said;
“And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father
that sent me”.Jon.8:15-16
Again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send
receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me”. Jon.13:20.
.And so for those who wanted to know what to do in other to work the works of
God, we are told;
“Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of
God?
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Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on
him whom he hath sent”. Jon.6:28-29.
By implication, His authority to do things was resting on the Father that sent
Him.
It therefore follows that the Apostle whose core message and values is and
should be the kingdom of God, that have to do with the transformation and
transitioning of the world-(Reformation?) into the reign of God, is a man of
transformed character, moral power and excellence of soul according to the
Amplified Translation.
Don’t forget that the soul of a man is made up of his Mind, Intellect, Will and
Emotions.(1 Thes.5:23). And so in demonstration of this fact, Paul would say; “
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful
for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any”-“Looking at it one way,
you could say, “Anything goes. Because of God’s immense generosity and
grace, we don’t have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it pass
muster” But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost
efforts should be to help others live well” (1 Cor.6:12, KJV. 1Cor.10:23.The
Message)
Besides, like we read of Jesus, the kingdom message carries with it the
demonstration of the power of God for signs and wonders. It is not just theoretical
but practical. Jesus said if I cast out devils with the Spirit of God, then the
kingdom of God has come unto you. So while He was preaching it, He like the
Apostles was also healing the sick.
`
Evidently then we found that, the shift from kingdom to Church is a misgiving of
theological imbalance resulting from uninformed Biblical ethics and premise.
God’s mind for His people is kingdom, because that is what can only lead to
world transformation as paradise on earth.
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*The Church therefore is raised for the Purpose of the kingdom and not the
kingdom for the church, though they both cannot be ultimately separated.
* The kingdom is the sphere of God’s rule and not just a gathering of some
people
* Those He is ruling over in this sense are they who have accepted the Lordship
of the Christ-the Image of God.
* The Church is a servant structure meant for the expression of kingdom values.
It must not be taken as the Normative or finale
* The seduction of the church occurs when its institutional values are shaped by
the prevailing cultural values rather by kingdom perspectives.
* The Church is an agent for subduing of that which is not of God in a person,
Family and Nation etc .in other to awaken in them the reality of the God’s life
within-the unlighted candle-the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, the Bible
says, not the candle of man.. Prov.20:27. He God owns the candle and it is the
centre of the king’s Authority, hence the kingdom is within you.
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Chapter Eight. SO WHAT AND WHERE IS THE KINGDOM?
Therefore in Lk 17:20-2i, in answer to the question of the Pharisees as to the
location of the kingdom, we are told;
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God
should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with
observation:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is
within you”.
Here we see that Jesus answered the where but not the when. The location, but
not the time. This shows that the kingdom has always being in existence, and it is
not to be measured by time frame.
The kingdom is within and not around or among you. This is so because the word
‘within’ is enthos= inside (adverb or noun)-within, in the Greek, which is the same
word used in Math 23:26 when Jesus said to the Pharisees “Thou blind Pharisee,
cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may
be clean also”
It is also a fact that man is capable of experiencing two kingdoms, which is
Darkness and Light, just as we can see in
Rom.7:22-23. “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
Again, in Col.1:12-13.we read: “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son”
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The first dimension of the kingdom here is the realm of the soul.
And the second dimension is the realm of the spirit, and you have both within
you. Therefore when we read in Jon,1:9, that Jesus “..was the true Light, which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world”. What He lightens is the spirit of
man which is the candle of the Lord. Even as the word tells us that God is the
Father of our spirits.
“Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the
congregation”…“Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected
us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto
the Father of spirits, and live?” . Nub.27:16, Heb.12:9
So we can see that ;
1.The kingdom of God is not a date on the calendar
2. It is God’s light.
3 It is a condition that takes place within a people
4 It is the light in our understanding that begins to dawn in our consciousness,
which elevates our awareness of God and the dimension of spirit.
5. It is the revelation of God’s Glory and Majesty. Starting from within the
individuals to be revealed outwardly at the end.
Therefore when we read in Math.12:28. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of
God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. It is really describing a
dethroning of a reign, a kingdom of darkness within, to be replaced by another
reign, the kingdom of light. Here again, it is evident that the Holy Spirit is the
carrier of the kingdom of God. This is why we read
“ Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace,
and joy in the Holy Ghost.
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For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of
men”.Rom.14:16-18.
‘But righteousness’. This word here means virtue, integrity, a faithful discharge of
all the duties which we must perform toward God or to our fellow-men.
Thus it is said, "Every one that doeth righteousness is born of God;" 1Jon 3:10.
By doing righteousness here is meant the practice of universal goodness, and a
thorough conformity to the law of God in opposition to sin, which is the
transgression of the law.
In line with the above thought, William Burkitt has commented
“That every man may come to the certain knowledge of his own condition,
whether he be a good or a bad man; By this the children of God are manifested;
that is, hereby good and bad men are really distinguished; the Scripture has laid
down real marks of difference between them.
That the love and practice of universal righteousness, and nothing short of it, will
denominate a person a child of God, and evidence to his own conscience, that
he is brought into a state of grace and favour with him: In this the children of God
are manifest, whosoever doth righteousness is of God.
This discovers a farther difference between the children of God and the children
of Satan, namely, Brotherly love; he doth not say, he that hateth his brother is a
child of the devil, but he that loveth not his brother; intimating, that not only
hatred and malice against, but want of brotherly love towards each other, is the
mark and sign not of a child of God, but of the devil. He that doth not unfeignedly
love men as men, and all Christians as Christians, is no child of God, no lover of
God; for he that loveth not God's image, loveth not God himself” .end quote.
Therefore Apostle James would say;
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“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy
to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without
hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make
peace”.Jm.3:18.
“The wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceful, courteous, not self-
willed, full of compassion and kind actions, free from favouritism and from all
insincerity.
And peace, for those who strive for peace, is the seed of which the harvest is
righteousness”.WNT.
“Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with holy and is characterized by getting
along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and
blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a
healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if
you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating other with dignity
and honour” The Message.
Here we see that the issue of Righteousness’ is not an isolated one, but that
which gendered to the building up of the entire Christian community. Therefore
you cannot claim to be a righteous man when you are living in isolation and
having nothing to do with others. And anything you do that does not work
towards developing a healthy robust community is unreasonable, wicked and
perverse. As a matter of fact, the fruit of righteousness can only be revealed and
known by your response and relationship to others. And this will demonstrate to
the world your Christ like nature. Anything short of that is termed living in an
unreasonable life. So righteousness’ is not just about what you think is in you that
will guarantee your going to heaven, but that which you do that helps to
transform the world into a better place than you met it. Don’t forget the drive of
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the Father is the Earth recreation into a paradise state that it was before the fall.
And your life style is an impute in this regard.
So Paul would say, the true life of righteousness that can only be imparted by
Christ, is worth living out;
“So that you may be men of transparent character, and may be blameless, in
preparation for the day of Christ,
Being filled with these fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ--
to the glory and praise of God”.Phil.1:10-11.WNT
.
Therefore
“ Put in the seed of righteousness, get in your grain in mercy, let your
unploughed earth be turned up: for it is time to make search for the Lord, till he
comes and sends righteousness on you like rain”. Hos.10:12.
For “The sinner gets the payment of deceit; but his reward is certain who puts in
the seed of righteousness”.Prov.11:18.
“And THE WORK OF RIGHTEOUSNESS shall be PEACE; and the effect of
righteousness quietness and assurance for ever” .Isa.32:17.
And the throne of God found in His kingdom is established by Righteousness.
Prov.16:12, Heb.1:8.
“And peace”. . The word peace here does not in itself refer to only the internal
peace and happiness which the Christian has in his own mind in the midst of
trouble, such as the one Jesus had, sleeping while with His disciples in a stormy
sea.
This kind of peace is that which is described as the “the peace of God, which
passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus”.Phil.4:7.
The word ‘Passeth’ =(huperecho), means, to hold oneself above, i.e. (fig) to
excel; superior, superiority, better, excellency, higher, pass, supreme.
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While ‘Understanding’=(nous), means; the intellect, i.e. mind (divine or human; in
thought, feeling, or will); by impl, meaning:--mind, understanding.
So here Paul was describing to us the kind of peace that is granted us in the
midst of trouble and very hard conditions. It is living and being at peace, yet there
is commotion every where around you. It will look stupid and unreasonable for
one to be sleeping as Jesus was doing in a situation where others are seeing
death right in front of them. This is why it is the peace that goes beyond and far
superior to any human reasoning and intellectual articulation of any sort, put
together either to resolve an issue or being prompted to fight back, where others
will want you to do so in there reasoning.
But above and beyond that, the kingdom peace that we are talking about is
beyond personal issue or self, this is rather the peace or agreement in opposition
to strife and contention among brethren. This is why verse 19 of Rom 14, says;
“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things
wherewith one may edify another”.
Not just your peace, but the peace of others. Why, you may ask? Because the
ultimate goal, structure and design of the kingdom of God is to produce harmony
and love, and to put an end to division, alienation and strife amongst men of all
race and gender. It is that inner strength and disposition to promote the peace of
Jerusalem-the Church of God and humanity, that is truly the kingdom peace. You
cannot be talking of kingdom peace when you are pursuing your own selfish
interest and favour. When all you are after is that which can make you happier
even when others are perishing, then you have not seen nor entered the
kingdom, neither have you received the grace for peace from the lord.
Therefore we are told “… the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace”. (Ps.37:11) because “… God is not the
author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints”(1Co.14:33).
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Therefore we should “Endeavour-(ing) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace,.. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil
speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as
God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you”(.Eph 4:3;31-32).for “Blessed are the
peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Mt 5:9)
So “…let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in
one body; and be ye thankful”.Col.3:15.
“And joy” This refers, doubtless, to the personal happiness produced in the mind
by the influence of the gospel as in Rom.5:.2-5. “By whom also we have access
by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation
worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us”.
Jesus personally gave us a clue to the nature and cause of this joy when He
spoke to the Apostles in the book of John, while speaking about His death and
Resurrection.
“Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye
enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me:
and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall
rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as
soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for
joy that a man is born into the world.
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And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall
rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” Jon.16:19-22.
The Little while that He spoke about was the period of His Death, Burial,
Resurrection, His walk with them for Forty days and finally the outpouring of the
Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. The period of sorrow was the persecution
they will face when their leader was taken from them, but He came back to them
as the Holy Spirit, fulfilling the ‘little while’ that He promised them. The man-child
is the birth of the New Church as the Holy Spirit was released. That empowered
church that was destined to rule, that really shook the Roman Empire.
Thus we found that no persecution or trial was able to shake their faith;
therefore, in the midst of all their afflictions, they had an unshaken source of joy.
The resurrection was such an assurance to them, that they should never have a
doubt concerning it and the rest of the promises He made to them; and
consequently that their joy should be great and permanent, knowing that the
atonement has been made, the victory over death and the world gained, and the
kingdom of heaven opened to such that will be humbled enough to believe.
The same faith follows all those who are in the kingdom today, with absolute
confidence in the Lord as we live out the life In the Holy Ghost. So we are talking
about the Joy as Produced by the Holy Ghost.
“For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of
men”.
What things? They are righteousness, peace, and joy.
Serving Christ in the kingdom therefore means, obeying all that He
commanded, and in doing these things, is to do honour to Christ, by receiving
Him as your Master and Teacher and thereby proclaiming the Excellency of the
Christ Faith.
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Then you will have the acceptance of God into and in this new Faith from which
religious background you have been so converted, your past not withstanding.
And finally, you have “the approved of men”. That is, men will approve of such
conduct; they will value it to be right, and to be in true conformity with the spirit of
Christianity. This is not to say there will never be criticism from or persecution
from the unconverted world, but the lifestyle of righteousness, peace and joy as
kingdom ethics will commend itself to the dying world, demonstrating how men
ought to live and lead their lives through the influence of the spirit of the Christ,
and so re –inaugurating, re-introducing and re-producing the lost paradise of
God on the Earth.
The scriptures therefore would say “Avoiding this, that no man should blame us
in this abundance which is administered by us:
Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight
of men”. 2 Cor.8:20-21.
Again,
“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak
against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold,
glorify God in the day of visitation Pet 2:12.
Therefore
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven”.Math5:16.
This is God’s kingdom in expression in the midst of a perverse world. You are not
called or lightened by the Lord to live in Isolation as a monk. Your true worth is
revealed in the midst of the unbelievers in the market places etc.
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Chapter Nine. GOD USED CHRIST SACRIFICE TO BRING US INTO THE KINGDOM.
For us to understand the kingdom of God properly, we must understand the
purpose of God in Christ and His sacrifice. Why did God become a human being
in Christ Jesus?
For we must understand that Jesus took His flesh nature from Mary to identify
with humanity, but His blood, He took from God and not Joseph (.. But while he
thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a
dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy
wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall
save his people from their sins” Math.1:18-21).
And so in Acts 20:28 we are told “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 word clearly states here that the Church is bought with God’s own blood,
and this blood was release through a man called Jesus in order to free man from
their sins that they incurred in Adam, knowing that the blood of animals cannot
redeem or pay for man’s sins, help or deliver him from corruption or death
because that is not the equivalent of the blood of a man. This is why animal
sacrifices to gods and shrines and the Jewish sacrifices cannot bring deliverance
to any body or bring Him to perfection.
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come… Neither by the
blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
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For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the
unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the
living God? Heb.9:10-14.
So, talking about the purpose of God in Christ, we are told; “For Christ also hath
once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being
put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” 1Pet.3”18.
Therefore, “… God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation” 2 Cor.5:19.
This then is the mystery of Christ death, which to me is God, who is Spirit
becoming a man in order to die for the purpose of reconciling man back to
Himself.
And so “Without controversy, the mystery of godliness is great: God was
revealed in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the
nations, Believed on in the world, And received up in glory”1 Tim.3:16. WEB.
“This Christian life is a great mystery, far exceeding our understanding, but some
things are clear to us; He (God) appeared in a human body ,was proved right by
the invisible spirit ,was seen by angels, He was proclaimed among all kinds of
peoples, believed in all over the world ,taken up into heavenly glory”. The
Message
.
Now, we can understand the role of God in Christ towards humanity and as many
as have received Him constitute a community of people-the Church, through
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whom He is now passing to reach the rest of mankind of all tribe and tongue just
like He passed through Jesus in a human form.
Meaning, for those whose eyes have being enlightened, and have come to this
awareness of the dealings of God in humanity, now constitutes God’s New Race
of humanity-a Royal priesthood, a holy Nation, (1 Pet.2:9) to Himself upon the
earth, and here is the attitude, exclamation and the appreciation to God of these
group of people;
“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son” Col.1:12-13.
“God rescued us from dead –end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the
kingdom of the Son He loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we are
in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating” The Message
So how did we receive the inheritance of the saints in light according to
verse.11?
Paul explained this when he was giving his defense before Festus on the way
of his conversion into the faith that he now professed in Acts 26, reading from
verses 13-18, which says; “
“At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of
the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me,
and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is
hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou
persecutest.
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16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this
purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou
hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send
thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me”
Now, the word inheritance kleros, is very important to us here, for it means;- a
portion (as if so secured); by extension, an acquisition (esp. a patrimony, fig.-
heritage, inheritance, lot, part.
What it is saying therefore is that, those of us who have been able to come to the
lord have, and should receive our own portion or lot in the Father’s house as
sons. This is something we ought to receive by right of birth that is why it is an
inheritance. You never worked or laboured for it. You got it because you were
born into the family and you have a father whose’s got so much wealth for every
one in the family to have a share. “For the earth is the Lords and the fullness
threreof”(Ps.24:1).
The trouble with us in the Body of Christ today, is that, though we claimed to be
born again, we do not know that we have a father and as such we ought to have
an inheritance so as to live in it. Jesus taught the disciples to pray “our father
which art in Heaven”(Math.6:9) Which really means the Father belongs to all of
us, His Father is our father too, we being joint heirs with Him and He being our
eldest brother in he Family.
Even when we have come to know this fact of God been our father, we still
religiously believe that the so called devil can rob us of our right though we are in
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the Father’s house who has released to us what rightly belonged to us. And so
we go about ‘devil chasing’. The truth is, whatever is ours, the devil can’t take
from us, unless it was not ours in the first place and it was not given to us by
God.
You might be tempted to be thinking of the ‘prodigal’ son here. Well you better
be informed that, he chose to waste it and not the devils that rob him of it. But
besides, when he came back to his mind and went back to the father’s house,
there was still more than enough for him. So what is this trouble of ‘devil chasing’
all over the place instead of giving attention to the will and mind of the father for
us?
Again, don’t be tempted to think that, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and
to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might
have it more abundantly” (Jon.10:10) has anything to do with the so called devil.
Jesus was not talking about the devil, but about the ministers of the gospel who
will not come through Him as the door in practice and principle, to minister to the
body –the sheepfold. When He said in verse 8. “All that ever came before me are
thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them”. Was He saying some
devils came before Him that the people did not listen to or it was a reference to
the religious ministers who claimed to have been sent from God even the
Pharisees who sat on Moses seat? (Math,23:1-7).
Please read your Bible very well and stop picking information from ‘the box’.
Now, what has resulted today in the strife and competitive spirit that we now
have within the body of Christ? It is because, we do not yet know what belongs to
us individually, so we end up envying the other person as to what we feel they
are enjoying that we think we do not have, all because we have left off minding
our portion and that which belongs to us, and so there is no contentment. Any
wonder then, that we are never happy with life and even the work we are doing,
or the call that we are into to which the lord has called us?
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Why then can’t we discover our portion and be satisfied? Simply, because our
eyes have still not been opened to know what belongs to us though we claimed
to be born again.
“and from the power of Satan”—Beloved, please be diligent to observe this
phrase. Can you see the connection between being "turned from darkness" and
"from the power of Satan," What do you think is the strength of satan? It is simply
keeping people in ignorance, ‘in the dark’, That is simply his whole power over
men, hence he is called "the ruler of the darkness of this world."
“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should
shine unto them.” 2Co 4:4.
“Of the saints in light”. In Jon. 3:17-19 we are told “ For God sent not his Son
into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be
saved
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved
darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil”
This is simple enough, that those who have received Christ are in the light and so
they are accurately termed ‘the saints in light’ because Christ is truly “… the true
Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world... In him was life; and
the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended it not” Jon.1:9, 1:4-5.
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So ‘the saints in the light’ are those that have presently been taken over by the
Christ of God. It is a community of people who have so received the light that the
Father sent into the world in order to redeem and transformed the world unto
Himself. This is why God Himself is called “… the Father of lights, with whom is
no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Jm.1:17.
In other words, every one of those lights in the kingdom is endowed with a
unique gifting, properly fitted to manifest an aspect of His mind in the kingdom as
released by the Father who doesn’t deny anyone neither will do so at any time as
long as you are in the kingdom and have so received the son whom He sent. You
can not claim to be in the kingdom and be envious of any mans gift, for you have
yours specially given to by the Father.
This is why John said “..A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from
heaven” (Jon.3:27) When he was told by his disciples that Jesus whom he
introduced is Baptizing and all men are coming to Him (Jon.3:27). Those who
have discovered their place in the kingdom are at peace within themselves and in
the Body of Christ.
And beyond that, Light, in the scriptures, is used to express knowledge, felicity,
purity, comfort, and joy of unimaginable kind; Just as darkness stands for
blindness, hatred, misery.
And so for those who are perverting the gospel, it is said;
“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is
because there is no light in them” (Isa.8:20).
As “They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways
thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof”.Job.24:13.
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What light are we then talking about? The scriptures talking of Christ, said
“…light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil.”(Jon.3:19).
And this state of not coming into the light is called condemnation (krisis, kree'-
sis) decision (subj. or obj., for or against); by ext., a tribunal; by impl, justice
(esp, divine law):--accusation, condemnation, damnation, judgment.
By implication, those who refused to come to the light-Christ because of what
they believe and trust in, have received to themselves divine judgment of
exclusion from the rights, privileges and the favour of sonship now, not just in the
ages to come. Judgment therefore is not just a matter of tomorrow, but even now
for refusing the light of God.
And of course we do know that, the holy and gracious persons, that walk
uprightly, certainly love the light; in other words, they delight to have their
thoughts, words, and actions, tried by the light of the word, because they
proceed from the Father ; in whose presence they dwell. They live out the
direction of the word of God, and with a single eye and with a sincere motive,
aiming at the glory of Father.
It must therefore be observed that, the word of God, the very gospel of Jesus
Christ, has all the properties of a great and true light. With such a pure and
purifying nature, that is revealing and discovering in nature. As a double edged
sword, it has the piercing capacity power, and penetrating virtue; that enters into
the darkest recesses of the soul, and detects the errors of men's judgments, as
well as discovers the abnormalities of men’s lifestyle.
So now, as we talk about the saints in the light and the power of darkness, it is
here being used to make a difference between those in the darkness of the world
of sin ruled by the power of evil as compared to Egypt-the world, and the
Children of Israel –the Church-(Zion), who had light in the midst of darkness.
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Therefore we found that, the worldly, the unredeemed, the unenlightened being,
is the ones that make satan their god (Php 3:19). He is, itruly "the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that ruleth in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:2)
So also by the phrase “ that they may receive forgiveness” ... “and inheritance
among them that are sanctified by faith that is in me” we do understand, beloved
of the Lord, that the instrument that guaranteed you, your inheritance in the
Father’s house is the power of Faith. Now the first thing that faith guarantees you
in the process of your salvation is forgiveness, and then your admission as a free
citizen into the home of the sanctified. But the faith leads you into all these, is the
one that is released to us by the glorified Redeemer to rest upon Himself, hence
this ‘FAITH’, is spoken of as that “even THAT WHICH IS IN ME”. It can’t be
drummed up, by human and religious methods of ‘seven steps to great faith’.
This is rather an impartation from the Lord Himself. And it is called the ‘goodness
and mercies of God’ “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and
forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth
thee to repentance”? (Rom.2:4).
This is why for those of us who have come to this realization, that our salvation is
not a matter of our personal choice and desire, and the inheritance thereof, that
we have come into is all from and through the Lord, all that we owe the Lord is
‘Thanksgiving’ “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” Col.1:12.
Why are we giving thanks to the Father?, it is because, of ourselves we merit
nothing, but all things have come to us by the mercies and goodwill of God the
Father who deemed it fit to get us back to Himself.
“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst
not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not
received it” 1 Cor.4:7.
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“For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart?.And even if they
did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit
for?Isn’t everything you are sheer gifts fromGod?..” The Message.
Furthermore, when read of “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,
and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son”
The word Delivered. Is the Greek word “rhoumai,”which actually means to to
rush or draw (for oneself), i.e. rescue:-deliver(-er), indicating to us that the
redemptive work of God in Christ is a rescue operation, as God in His love and
mercies snatches us from the ruling power of darkness that we were once under.
from--Greek, "out of the power," the sphere or the realm in which the power of
satan is exercised. The major manifestations of satanic power through ignorance,
is that, it is restrictive, abusive and stagnates its reluctant captives, while those in
the kingdom of light are cherished, nourished and are provided for by their
merciful and loving king as they willingly submit unto Him as His subjects.
In the light of the above understanding of where and who we are right now, we
are admonished in 1 Thes. 2:12. That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath
called you unto his kingdom and glory.
Firstly, let us observe that, it didn’t say we shall be called, but we have been
called into the kingdom already.
Now, “That ye would walk worthy of God” Simply means that, those of us in the
kingdom should, in every respect, act up to the high calling that the Father has
bestowed upon us, such that our attitude and conduct both in the house of faith
and among the gentiles would not bring a reproach to the name and God of
holiness and love, who have acknowledge us as His sons and daughters in the
world. What should constitute this worthy walk? Paul in answer to this would say
in Eph.4:1-6;-
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“In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a
prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk-better yet, run!- on
the road God called you to travel. I don’t walk any of you sitting around on your
hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And
mark you do this with humility and discipline-not in fits and starts, but steadily,
pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences
and quick at mending fences. You were all called to travel on the same road and
in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have
one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all,
work through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is
permeated with oneness”.The Message.
Apostle Peter adds his voice to this when he said;-“Friends, this world is not your
home, so don’t make yourselves cozy I it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense
of your soul. Live an examlary life among the natives so thatyour actions will
refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be worn over to God’s side and be there to
join in the celebration when he arrives”(1 Pet.2:11-12).
Albert Barnes commenting on this would say;- “A child "walks worthy of a
parent" when he lives in such way as to reflect honour on that parent for the
method in which he has trained him; when he so lives as to bring no disgrace on
him, so as not to pain his heart by misconduct, or so as to give no occasion to
any to speak reproachfully of him. This he does, when
(1.) He keeps all his commands;
(2.) When he leads a life of purity and virtue;
(3.) When he carries out the principles of the family into his own life;
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(4.) When he honours a father by evincing a profound respect for his
opinions; and
(5.) When he endeavours to provide for his comfort, and to promote his welfare.
In a manner similar to this, a true Christian honours God. He lives so as not to
bring a reproach upon him or his cause and so as to teach the world to honour
him who has bestowed such grace upon him”. end quote.
And when we read of “His Kingdom and glory”. That is another way of saying
‘His Glorious kingdom’ which actually is His Church here and now, for that is the
medium of the expression of God’s kingdom amongst men; and of course we do
know that the dispensation of grace in His church will lead to a greater glory in
the ages to come.
Evidently therefore, “the kingdom of His dear son” is the same thing as “the
kingdom of sons” because, He rules through the church, if only the church can
understand this fact the she might brace up to this divine responsibility even as
we read;-
“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you
the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: {in...: or, for the
acknowledgement}
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints,
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe,
according to the working of his mighty power, {his mighty power: Gr. the might of
his power}
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at
his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
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And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all
things to the church,
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” Eph.1:17-23.
“And he has put all things under his feet, and has made him to be head over all
things to the church,
Which is his body, the full measure of him in whom all things are made
complete”.(22-23). BBE
“God has put all things under His feet, and has appointed Him universal and
supreme Head of the Church, which is His Body,
the completeness of Him who everywhere fills the universe with Himself”. WNT.
“The Church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to
the Church. The Church is Christ body, in which He SPEAKS and ACTS, by
which He fills everything with His presence.” (The Message). Emphasis mine.
The word ‘Peripheral’ means, marginal, unimportant, side-line, minor
nonessential and secondary. In other word, the Church does not need the world,
but the world needs the Church to survive.
It simply means the dominion of Christ over the universe can not be made known
except through the Church, for He has filled the Church with Himself. Therefore
we are called to manifest the kingdom lifestyle, and the dominion of the kingdom
in and to the world.
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Chapter Eleven ‘IN THE KINGDOM OF HIS DEAR SON’?
THE DIVINE GOVERNMENT Once the word kingdom is mentioned, then we must be thinking of Governance.
For no kingdom can exist without Government-rulership, if you will.
And like we have mentioned earlier, ‘the kingdom of His dear son’ is the same
thing as “the kingdom of sons”, reason because, He is ruling through the sons-
His church.
Now, a Government can only be formed out of citizenship. You must first
become a citizen of a nation or kingdom before you become among those that
constitute the government, in this case the Divine Government of God in His
kingdom.
In Rev.20:6.we read of “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests
of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years”.
On the rulership of the priest, I recommend you study J.Preston Eby’s work on
“From The Candle Sticks To The Throne”
But the fact I want to draw out from the above passage is that, the Priesthood is
made up of the Elect, while those born again are the citizens. You can see this
clearly in man’s democratic principles and practice of governance, when those
that are elected are empowered to take on the rein of leadership and to rule the
rest of the citizens.
But in God’s Divine Government, the Priest are not Elected or voted for, but
they are rather chosen by God Himself as we can read in the case of the Levites
and even Aaron as the High Priest and that of Christ. “For every high priest taken
from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may
offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins….. And no man taketh this honour unto
himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said
unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee”.Heb.5:1-5.
Ogaga David Gods Kingdom www.gkai.net
And so in, Eph.2:10-12,19 we read in regards to our citizenship. “For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are
called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made
by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world-- Now therefore ye are no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God”;
The word fellow –citizen- sumpolites, means a native of the same town, i.e. (fig)
co-religionist (fellow-Christian):--fellow- citizen. A citizen has the right to vote,
Whereas the word –stranger- xenos, alien, a guest, and this man cannot vote
constitutionally until the citizenship has been conferred on him. Meaning tha,t
those who are born again, has constitutional right in the word and will of God
both to made demands and change things in this world using the will of God-the
Bible, which is what we called, Governmental prayer. That is exactly what Daniel
did in Babylon. Even Joseph has to manifest his kingdom right as a market place
minister in Governance in Egypt.
People make the mistake of thinking that they have to be a gospel preacher-man
of God? Before they can change things in the world. That is far from the truth, all
you need to make changes governmentally is to align yourself with the will and
mind of God for that season and in that Nation, after you have obtained your
heavenly citizenship by being born again into the kingdom.
OUR CITIZENSHIP IS HEAVENLY.
“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
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To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,
and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,” Heb
12:22-23
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the
Lord Jesus Christ” Php 3:20.
“ But ther’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven!..” The Message.
People of God, let understanding be granted us that, the citizenship of those born
again is not a tomorrow issue, but right now in a heavenly state of being. The
word comversaton as we read from Phil.3:20 is politeuma, which means
“community, citizenship” What it means therefore is that, the body of Christ to
which we belong is presently existing in a heavenly state by way of Character,
attitude and norms as opposed to earthly the Government and lifestyle of men. It
has nothing to do whatsoever with our relocating latter to a geographical location
called heaven above when we die. This has never being in the intents of God for
His people as that itself will violate his thought for creating man to not only have
Dominion over everything that He God has created, but that Man should inhabit
the earth.
Isaiah prophesied about this fact when he said, “I have made the earth, and
created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all
their host have I commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will
direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for
price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts… For thus saith the LORD that
created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath
established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the
LORD; and there is none els”. Isa.45:12,13,18.
The above scripture proved beyond doubt that the earth was not created in vain,
but it is created to be inhabited by man. The very redeemed enchrist man, for
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when he said, ‘ I have raised him up in verse 3, it was in direct reference to king
Cyrus in verse 1, whom he called His ANOINTED, because of the assignment He
has given to him to carry out in the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple wall
that were fallen down.(44:28). And Cyrus is this sense is a type of the glorified
church that shall be raised up upon the face of the earth, to which all nations
shall come bowing down and submitting their resources unto the lord through
her, for the building as it were the tabernacle of God-man, that is fallen down.
Such that God shall truly have a place of worship again on the face of the earth.
Jesus Himself confirmed this fact of man inhabiting the earth, and even went
further to add that it is not just a question of inhabiting the earth, but man
inheriting it, meaning the earth was given to man by God for an inheritance.
Listen to Him.
“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” Math.5:5.
Paul also knew this, so he said;
“For the promise, that he (Abraham) should be the heir of the world, was not to
Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith”.
Rom.4:13.
And we are Abraham seed by faith, for “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise”. Gal.3:29.
If we be heir, what are we to inherit then? But only that which is promised to our
Father and that of course is the world-earth.
So the belief of you going up into the sky later on in life, denies you your right as
a citizen right now to effect changes around you and in the world as operators of
Gods kingdom Government.
“ And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to
open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy
blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
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And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the
earth” Rev.5:9-10)
From the scripture, we reiterate the fact that the Priest are the Elect that are
formed into the Divine Government out of the citizen of a nation. The Kings are
those in rulership in the market places, in contact with the world every day, while
the priest functions within the body.
This shows that, there are some with real sphere of influence in the market
place just like even in the priesthood, there are spheres of influence, for;-
“Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of
miracles”? 1 Cor.12:29.
Beloved, the “time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is a hand: repent ye, and
BELIEVE THE GOSPEL”.
Ogaga David Gods Kingdom www.gkai.net
About the Author David Ogaga serves as an International Bible Teacher and Pastor of Divine
Encounter Ministries (www.demintl.org) a local assembly committed to present
Kingdom truth in Nigeria and Sierra Leone. He also serves as the Apostolic
Director of Gods Kingdom Advancement Initiative (www.gkai.net) a kingdom
missionary organization that seeks to take the message of the Kingdom to the
Nations of the earth. The body has offices in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Mozambique,
South Africa and Cameroon.
He has conducted kingdom advancement meetings and conferences in over 10
countries- West, East and Southern Africa, and also Europe
An author of over 80 teaching Articles on various themes in the Kingdom of God,
David has ministered (conducting Kingdom Advancement Summits, Seminars
and Pastors/Leaders Congress) in over 8 countries teaching and declaring
present truth Kingdom eschatology. His current focus is reaching leaders with
this message of the Kingdom.
He serves in the Apostolic Team of Global Kingdom Community (GKC) under the
Apostolic oversight of Dr. Robert Munien of Grace Outreach Ministries, Durban
South Africa (www.grace-outreach.net)
He currently resides in Nigeria with his family.
Contact: Ogaga David Gods Kingdom Advancement Initiative
P.O Box 3625,Warri, Delta State, Nigeria
Web: www.demintl.org / www.gkai.net
E:mail: admin@gkai.net / pstomadave@yahoo.co.uk
Phone: +2348034810869, +2348050637252
Ministry: David Ogaga is available for Kingdom ministry. To invite him to speak at your church, home group, fellowship or conference, please make a contact and a response will be sent to you as soon as possible from our office:
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