 Understanding the Kingdom
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is the centerpiece to Christian living and victorious spiritual warfare. The more you understand about the kingdom of Jesus Christ coming into your body and soul, the more you will have success in your personal holiness and spiritual defense. Also, if you understand what the coming of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ into the world means, you will see more power in your lifestyle and boldness to do spiritual warfare on the offensive, and not just on the defensive. The defining truth of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is the epic and thorough defeat of Satan, disease, sin and death by Jesus Christ through His passion and on the cross. The Holy Spirit brings this victory of life, forgiveness, holiness, and health into the lives of individual believers. He also brings this victory into the families and communities where believers live and minister. As the kingdom of Jesus Christ is established in the hearts and lives of believers, freedom, health and victory are manifested. While 100% freedom, health and victory exist in Heaven, a significantly large percentage of healing, deliverance, and holiness can be experienced here on Earth, if the believer is willing to submit to the Holy Spirit and fight for it. We are commanded to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12). The Kingdom of Jesus Christ is invisible and it is inside of every believer because every believer has been born again into citizenship in Heaven. The kingdom of Jesus Christ is inside of the control center where you and the Holy Spirit are. Together with the Holy Spirit, you begin a process of bringing the entire territory of your body and soul under the authority of King Jesus. This process is called sanctification. A major part of sanctification is taking control of your thoughts, desires and emotions. Another part of sanctification is to daily kill your flesh. Your flesh is in rebellion to King Jesus and your rule. By retraining your mind and emotions, you can also attack your flesh and deny its self-promotion. A minor but extremely important part of sanctification is evicting oppressive spirits that are sabotaging your rule in various areas of your mind, body and soul. This book will help you deal with those parasites. One of the purposes of this book is to teach you how to live a lifestyle of holiness, freedom and spiritual success. Defining the Kingdom The kingdom has a couple of names: Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God. In the gospels, the names can be used interchangeably. To understand the Kingdom of Heaven, you need to know that there are two aspects of the kingdom: There is the now and the not yet. First, the Kingdom of Heaven is here now and is replacing the Kingdom of Satan in people’s hearts and lives. The Kingdom of Heaven is not perfectly here and is not completely implemented over the entire Earth because now is a time of conflict between the two kingdoms. Second, the Kingdom of Heaven will arrive in perfection on Judgement Day. Now and Not Yet Now, we live in a time of tension because the Kingdom of Heaven is here and is also not yet perfectly here. Sometimes, the Bible refers to the Kingdom of God as the one that is here now. Sometimes, the Bible is talking about the Kingdom of God that will arrive in perfection on Judgement Day. To know which is being referred to, you must look at the context and the audience. For example, in a couple of passages in Luke’s gospel, Jesus speaks to the Jewish people and explains that the Kingdom of God isn’t arriving until Judgement Day. This is because the religious Jews believed that the Kingdom of God would arrive physically and replace the Roman oppressors. What actually happened was the Kingdom of God arrived spiritually and began replacing the kingdom of Satan. The Kingdom of God will arrive physically on Judgement Day and completely erase the kingdom of Satan. When I talk about the Kingdom of Heaven in this book, I’m referring to the present-day, spiritual Kingdom of Heaven. The one that is taking people out of Satan’s kingdom and making them citizens of Heaven. To learn more about the present-day Kingdom of Heaven, we need to study how the kingdom arrived. The Kingdom of Heaven came in power through Jesus Christ. When Jesus began his ministry, He ushered in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus’s ministry began with his baptism and being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven We’ll examine some passages from Luke to dig into some of the key passages about the Kingdom. Some significant events happened to launch Jesus’s ministry and begin the Kingdom of Heaven’s spread across the planet. First, Jesus was publicly baptized and recognized as God’s Son. Second, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. Third, Jesus climbed the mountain of temptation with Satan and experienced victory. Last, Jesus announced that He was the promised Anointed One or Messiah in His hometown. Throughout the whole arrival of King Jesus, the Holy Spirit is featured as the power source for the kingdom ministry. This is very important because the Holy Spirit continues to be the power source for kingdom ministry. Today, instead of Christ physically doing the kingdom work here on Earth, He uses His body (believers) to do the kingdom ministry. (Jesus is not limited to only using believers, as His power and authority are unlimited. However, I believe His normal mode for ministry is through His body.) Jesus modeled kingdom ministry by doing the Father’s will through the power of the Holy Spirit. This remains the same today: The Father’s will for kingdom ministry is carried out by Christ’s body (believers) through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the challenge of all believers to be in step with the Holy Spirit, so that the Father’s will for kingdom ministry can be done through them. (Read through the following passages. I’ve bolded the parts I want you to notice.) “When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.’” Luke 3:21-22. Jesus is the anointed king of the Kingdom of Heaven. When He came to Earth and was born in Bethlehem, Jesus came as the long-prophesied Messiah and King of the Jews. He came to bring in the kingdom. Jesus Christ was and is the only one qualified to be the King of the Kingdom of Heaven. When God the Father spoke out of Heaven, I believe that He personally certified Jesus Christ as His chosen one. The Father said that Jesus pleased Him. Throughout His entire life, Jesus Christ did only the will of the Father, earning righteousness for His church and exemplifying how the kingdom life is to be lived. Also, notice that during the baptism, God the Holy Spirit descended out of Heaven. The unity of God is demonstrated here as all of the Persons of the Godhead are involved in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth. In the next verses, notice that Jesus was filled with the Spirit. “Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 being tempted for forty days by the devil.” Luke 4:1-2a. In his account of what happened after the Jesus’ baptism, Mark puts an emphasis on Jesus announcing the arrival of the kingdom of God. “Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him. 14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:12-15. Looking back into Luke 4: 14-21, you can see that after the temptation of Jesus, Luke focuses in on Nazareth. Luke points out that, after Jesus experienced victory over the temptations of Satan, Jesus was ministering in Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit, and then He went to Nazareth where He announced Himself as the Messiah. “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” Luke 4:14-21. As you read through the passages from Luke and Mark, you should have seen the importance of the Holy Spirit, church, and the Scripture in Jesus’ life and ministry. Jesus was intimately familiar with the Scripture and in the habit of going to church. This, combined with His being full of the Holy Spirit, put Him right where He needed to be to do the Father’s will and launch the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth. As you seek to be successful in kingdom life and spiritual battle, you must follow Jesus’ example carefully, putting priority to being in the Word, being with the church, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Let’s look at the prophecy from Isaiah that Jesus read aloud in Luke 4:18-19. Prophesies are your weapons in spiritual warfare because they often promise coming victories. It is important that you understand which promises belong to you, as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19. Three Kingdom Mission Objectives In this Luke passage, notice that there are three main mission objectives in the coming of King Jesus:
These mission objectives remain the same today. Some try to limit these objectives to only salvation. As a result, many believers don’t believe God’s promises for deliverance and physical healing. Because of their unbelief, they become like the citizens of Nazareth (Mark 6:5) and can limit the work of the Kingdom in their lives and ministries. My observation is that believers who theologically limit God’s mission, experience those limitations in their lives and ministries. Those who read God’s Word and expect God to do what He promised, frequently experience those promises fulfilled in their lives and in their ministries. My advice is not to read limitations into Scripture and not to tell God what He will or won’t do in His Kingdom. You’ll be surprised to see all three of the mission objectives manifested in your life and ministry. Read the following passages, looking at the activities that come with the Kingdom of Heaven. Can you see the three mission objectives? Luke 10:1-9: The sending of the seventy: “After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’…17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.’” Jesus sends out the twelve: “And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease… 7And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:1 and 7-8. Luke 9:1-2, 10-11 “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick… 10 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.” (This is when Jesus miraculously feeds the 5000.) Jesus’ example in the gospels: In the gospels, you find Jesus teaching, healing, and delivering from demons. Read through the gospels and notice what characterizes the ministry of Jesus. You will see these three mission objectives throughout the gospels. Below are a few examples of what you’ll find. 16 “When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’” Matthew 8:16-17 “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” Matthew 9:35 “Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” Luke 5:17 The gospels are packed with Jesus ministering through teaching, healing and delivering. Notice in Luke 5:17 that the power of the Holy Spirit was healing. In Luke 11:20, Jesus says that He casts out demons by the finger of God and that the kingdom of God has come. “But if I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” The finger of God is synonymous with the Holy Spirit because in Matthew 12:28, Jesus says, “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.” The Apostle Peter summarizes Jesus’ ministry while talking to Cornelius’ household in Acts 10:38. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” After this summary, Peter tells of the crucifixion and resurrection. The ministry of Jesus, his passion, crucifixion, and resurrection are all a package deal that you need to understand as you take your place as an ambassador of Christ for the Kingdom of God here on Earth. Notice that Peter points out that Jesus is anointed by the Father and empowered by the Holy Spirit to do specific actions: Do good and heal all who were oppressed by Satan. A significant part of your confidence and success in victorious kingdom living depends on your understanding of the intention of King Jesus to bring the reign and mission of the Kingdom of Heaven to your world. If you limit the Holy Spirit and misunderstand your responsibility as a citizen of the Kingdom, you’ll probably be limited in your mission success. You need to understand what your King’s mission is in your life and in the community around you. Back to Eden To really understand the Kingdom of God, you must go back to the time before human rebellion. In this time, Adam and Eve spent their days living out their purpose of glorifying God, enjoying fellowship with Him, and taking dominion over the world around them. Health, fellowship with God and glorifying God through their work and relationships were normal reality for Adam and Eve. They were free to enjoy God’s goodness and live in intimacy with God. This experience of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth by Adam and Eve was shattered by their rebellion. At the same time, their reflection of God’s image was shattered and their freedom was forfeited. For about 4000 years, the planet went dark, except for small flickers of light through the patriarchs and, at times, Israel. The civilizations of the world were under the rule of Satan because every single human being (except Jesus Christ) was born spiritually dead and an automatic citizen of Satan’s dark kingdom. Jesus Christ came to bring an end to the kingdom of darkness and to introduce the Kingdom of Light. The kingdom of darkness will end permanently when Christ returns in judgement at the end of this world. In the meantime, the Kingdom of Heaven has been spreading across the planet for the past 2000 years and has forgiven, freed and healed many millions from under the dark dominion of Satan. This is the history of conquest that you’ve been born again into. You were born physically into Satan’s dominion. The Holy Spirit brought you to life through good news of the gospel, rebirthing you spiritually into Christ’s dominion. Now, it is like you get to go back to the Garden of Eden and worship, reflect, and enjoy God. Since the Kingdom of Heaven exists right in the middle of almost every part of the kingdom of Satan, we also fight. We are legally free from Satan’s rule and we fight to bring others into that freedom. And, we fight to stay free ourselves. Like I said, when our King comes back physically, He will demolish sin, Satan and darkness. At this time, Jesus is already victorious and takes from the Satan as He wills. That is the part that we’re involved in, as spiritual warriors. We help Jesus supplant the kingdom of Satan through the work of the Holy Spirit and the gospel. Jesus Bought the Kingdom With His Life, Passion, and Death For the Kingdom of God to come to this planet and into your life, several critical actions needed to be done by the Anointed One, King Jesus Christ. First, Jesus Christ had to be born outside of the inherited spiritual death of Adam’s descendants, which He was through the virgin birth and the power of the Holy Spirit. Second, Jesus had to perfectly fulfill our purpose and obligation to God: He had to glorify, worship, obey and enjoy God in every aspect of His life. He had to perfectly obey the Father’s will. This step is significant because this is what we were all created to do but have failed miserably at doing. This is called the righteousness of Christ. It is half of an important legal proclamation that God gives to all of His children. God justifies every believer in Christ by imputing or crediting the perfect obedience of Jesus to his legal status and by forgiving him of every sin. (We’ll talk about forgiveness in our discussion of the third critical action of Jesus, which is His passion and death.) Jesus’ Work Prior to His Crucifixion Part of Jesus’ work before the cross was modeling for us how every citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven is to be engaged in the work of the Kingdom of Heaven. Since Jesus already did it for us, we get to follow His example. Now, as we follow His example, it is actually a fruit or product of our identity as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. We are no longer required to earn God’s acceptance because Jesus Christ earned it for us and gave us that acceptance when we believed and trusted in Him as our Lord and Savior. Since we are accepted and children of God, we naturally begin to act out the family identity, which is to obey the Father, worship and glorify God, and enjoy fellowship with Him. Children of the King are trained by the Holy Spirit and the Bible to think like and behave like children of the King in each life situation. This process is called sanctification. Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in you. It is a process of living out your true identity as a saint. Jesus’ Work at the Cross Justification is the work of Jesus Christ for you. It is a position: Justified. Justification is a legal declaration of acquittal, which leads me to the third critical action that Jesus Christ had to take to bring His kingdom here to Earth: Jesus paid the price for His people’s sin. The Bible says that Jesus Christ was beaten beyond recognition to purchase our physical healing and our peace with God. The Bible says that Jesus Christ willingly became sin and a curse on the cross. Every person who believes in and depends on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will receive the benefits of Jesus Christ’s passion (physical, emotional, mental suffering) and death. Justification Combines Jesus’ Perfect Life and His Death Every believer immediately receives the package deal of justification, which includes a legal statement from God that he has a perfect record, is acquitted of all sin, and is forgiven for every sin past, present, and future. Jesus Christ purchased justification for every believer and is willing to give it to any nonbeliever who comes to Him for salvation. This is called the gospel or the good news: Man is born in sin, under a curse, and lives in rebellion deserving God’s holy justice and eternal sentencing to Hell and the Lake of Fire. Jesus Christ was born without sin, lived a perfect life, and died a horrific death, absorbing the justice and Hell deserved by every human being. Through true belief in Jesus Christ, which is evidenced by the fruit of repentance, a sinner becomes a saint, having all sins forgiven and being acquitted of all sin… just as if he had never sinned. Jesus’ Resurrection Proves His Success The resurrection of Jesus Christ Is key because it proves that He totally absorbed all of the wrath of God and God’s justice, as well as consumed the power of Satan. How did Jesus vanquish the power of Satan? Jesus became the Second Adam and was punished for our sins unto death. Satan’s power over us is our sin and its consequence of eternal spiritual death. Jesus broke that power. “Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” Hebrews 2:14-15 (NLT). The consequence for sin is eternal spiritual death, which is why every natural descendant of Adam and Eve has been born spiritually dead and many of them have continued that death right into Hell. But, Jesus Christ bought the right to give out eternal life and freedom from Satan’s control through His life, passion and death. Since Jesus Christ was 100% innocent, 100% God, 100% human and 100% successful, He willed Himself to become alive again through the power of the Holy Spirit. An interesting side note is that since Jesus Christ is 100% God, He has unlimited worth and deserves unlimited worthship (worship). A normal human being is worth a finite amount and could only take the place of one other human in fulfilling a legal sentence. However, Jesus Christ is God and of infinite worth, so He could take the place of unlimited amounts of believers and could satisfy infinite justice in a limited time. This is authenticated by Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. The information in this paragraph is the reason why all demons and Satan must submit to the name of Jesus Christ. He conquered them and took all of their legal rights away through His life, passion, and death. He rose to reign. And, Jesus Christ chooses to reign through His fellow-citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, as well as reign through His own works. (Re-read this section. Your understanding of what Jesus Christ bought with His blood will empower your warfare.) “For to this you were called (persecution), because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:21-25. Expect King Jesus to Take Action As a member of the royal family, you will fight the kingdom battles. You will be persecuted and attacked. You have to understand that any evangelism, prayer, discipleship, healing, or evicting of demons is an act of war because each is a direct hit into Satan’s kingdom. You follow the example of your oldest brother Jesus. You fight from the knowledge that Jesus Christ suffered and bore your sins, so that you can live a lifestyle of righteousness and health. The Greek word for healed in verse 24 means physical healing. (24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.) I believe it can also mean emotional and spiritual healing. One key part of spiritual warfare is knowing what Jesus purchased and hat the value of the cost was to Him. Don’t limit the value of the price Jesus Christ paid. Don’t limit the application of what He purchased. Expect Jesus Christ to give out what He rightfully owns and paid for with his own pain, shame, flesh, blood, and life. It is His prerogative to give it to whomever He desires, whenever He desires to. This is one of the first keys to spiritual warfare: Expect Jesus to give out the gifts that He paid for at a horrific cost to Himself. The timing and dispensing of gifts to God’s children are always in the will of the Father. Since you don’t always know the will of the Father for timing, you can depend on the character of God. God is a good Father, and He cares about all of humanity. Understanding the Power of a Name As the perfect man and Second Adam, Jesus Christ operated in the power of the Holy Spirit to do the Father’s will in every situation. Jesus knew God’s character, He understood the Scriptures, and He had a vibrant prayer life. He was also filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus was 100% successful in doing God’s will in: every healing, raising of the dead, casting out of demons, teaching the gospel, reflecting the character of God in His daily life, and declaring truth. I believe that Jesus operated under the authority or name of His Father. In John 17:11-12, Jesus says that He kept the disciples safe through the name of the Father, and He asks the Father to continue to keep them safe through His name. When Jesus conquered Satan, sin, and death on the cross and came back to life triumphantly, the Father gave Him all authority over everything in creation, including angels, demons, sickness, death, and spiritual blindness. In Acts 2, Peter preaches for people to repent and be baptized in the name (authority) of Jesus. In Acts chapter 3, Peter radically commands a man who had been paralyzed for 40 years to get up and walk. Peter does this in the name (authority) of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. After sending Peter to jail for this miracle, the Jewish leaders gather together and ask Peter “by what power, or by what name have you done this?” (Acts 4:7). Peter replies that the man was healed by Jesus and “by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who you crucified, who God raised from the dead.” (Acts 4:10) Peter takes it further and says that there is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved. (Acts 4:12) The Jewish leaders respond to the miracle of healing and Peter’s message by commanding Peter and John not to teach or speak in the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is powerful. Paul uses it to ask for unity in the Corinthian church, (1 Cor. 1:10) and tells the church to use Jesus’s name to discipline an unrepentant believer who was in open sexual sin. (1 Cor. 5:4-5) King Jesus’ name is authority for you to live powerfully and conduct Kingdom of Heaven business. Thy Kingdom Come The kingdom coming in a believer’s life should be evidenced by the power of the Holy Spirit! A believer should triumph in trials, humbly use his gifts in the church, and live a lifestyle of powerful fruit. This lifestyle is living out what he already is: a saint and a king. The kingdom-coming lifestyle is a battle to think, feel, act and live a life that accurately reflects what you already are: a righteous child of God. A healthy saint lives a holy, powerful, victorious life. Paul told the believers in the Corinthian church that when he saw them in person, he would know which were healthy believers because they would be living a powerful kingdom lifestyle. The unhealthy ones would only be talking and proud. But, the evidence that Paul was looking for would evidence the power of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 4:19-20). The Father has given all authority to Jesus. God’s will is totally in sync within the Trinity. The Kingdom of Heaven is replacing the kingdom of Satan under the authority of Jesus Christ, according to the will of the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Every believer is under the authority of Jesus Christ and carries the authority of Jesus Christ. Many believers only use that authority to teach the gospel. And, many others use that authority to pray healing, cast out demons and work miracles. The key to bringing the Kingdom of Heaven into the circumstances and people around you is to understand the authority that you already have in the name of Jesus Christ. The King is the Foundation of the Kingdom of Heaven The authority of Christ’s name is unlimited! To understand the authority, you must understand the One in authority: Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the foundation and essence of everything in the Kingdom of Heaven. As was just mentioned, in Acts 3, Peter uses the name of Jesus Christ to command a paralyzed man to be completely healed. After spending a night in jail, Peter explains what happened: “Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12 (NLT). Jesus Christ of Nazareth is so important that everything of eternal value must be built on Him and His work. There is no kingdom without King Lord Jesus. There is no salvation without Savior Christ the Lord. Jesus Christ is the Prophet, Priest and King for His people. It is only through union with the Lord Jesus Christ, that you can be saved and live an eternally meaningful life. Jesus Christ is essential to everything you are and do as a believer: worship, good works, justification, sanctification, evangelism, discipleship, prayer, preaching, teaching, singing, loving, growing. Jesus Christ is more essential than air or water. This is Chapter 3 in Victorious Living, available free in Tagalog and English on our ereader.
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 “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” Romans 12:9-10 (NLT).
Worldly relationships often are transactional, meaning that people invest in relationships expecting something in return. These expectations create a toxicity because you must use control, manipulation, anger or guilt when the other person doesn’t choose to reciprocate. The blood of Jesus redeems you from these frustrating relationships. Jesus Christ embodies agape love and you are created in His DNA, which means that you embody agape love, too. “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them… Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.” When you love others with genuine affection, you are loving from a place of appreciation. Your love is others-focused and is sourced from grace. The worldly relationship requires honor, while the godly relationship gives honor. “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT). Think about what characterized your relationships growing up. Were you raised in the context of redeemed relationships? The precious blood of Jesus Christ has ransomed you from the cycle of emptiness. You’ve been born again into a deep, affirming, accepting, loving relationship with Yahweh. It is from this identity and resulting experience that you can extend grace to others. You can love without demanding love in return. This changes the expectations and dynamics of your close relationships. Reject the toxic qualities of your ancestors and learn to reflect the grace of your divine family. “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.” Ephesians 5:15-20 (NLT). Can you apply these verses to your relationships? What is the attitude of the believer in these verses? What type of atmosphere surrounds you when you are living with intention, following God’s principles, being filled with the Being who is love, and singing songs with others. What is the attitude of your heart if you are singing songs to Jesus in your heart? “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:21 (NLT). Mutual submission within a relationship minimizes the need to look out for your own interests. If two people are trying to do what is best for the other person, then there is going to be a healthy building up of both people. This really is the key to having a successful marriage, for example. Each spouse gives to the betterment of the other, submitting to the other with a loving attitude. Mutual submission means to consider the other person’s viewpoint as valid and to give love and respect. Jesus Christ respects you and loves you, even though He is the top authority in the Universe. Don’t you respond by loving and honoring Him? Mutual submission does not negate authority and roles. Instead, mutual submission creates attitudes of honor and grace towards each other. “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 (NLT). To redeem you from the vapid life you inherited from Adam, Jesus humbled Himself and considered you worth more than His own life. His blood has set you free to live life like He did. Jesus Christ is invested in you and laid down His life for you. The love of Christ makes it possible to live in healthy others-focused relationships. True Christian relationships focus on building each other up, resulting in a natural two-way street of relational blessings. “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT). Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, You loved me when I couldn’t love You back. Thank you. You gave Your only Son Jesus so that I can be Your child. Help me to be more focused on giving and building others up than on getting my needs met. I trust you to meet my needs, as I learn how to love like You. In Jesus’s name, amen.”  “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” Romans 6:13 (NLT).
The believer’s life is about doing God’s will, rather than avoiding sin. We were created to love God, love His commands and desire His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Many believers focus on not sinning and not being worldly, which are good objectives but should not be their focus. Instead, every believer has been created as God’s masterpiece for good works (Ephesians 2:10). Honestly, the old has been crucified on the cross and buried and the new has come. You are a saint who resurrected with Jesus Christ and has been created in His image (Romans 6:6-9, 2 Corinthians 5:17). Have the perspective of Jesus about your identity and purpose. You are a saint who was created and equipped to be a reflection of God’s holiness. The blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed you from futility (1 Peter 1:18) and given you a new lifestyle. This lifestyle affects every part of you, from your emotions to your worship to your relationships and it even affects your work week. “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24 (NLT). As a steward in God’s Kingdom, you get to use your talents, gifts, physical and spiritual energy to do His work on Planet Earth. Most people think that work is something that they have to do. God’s people live in grace and know that work is something that they get to do. Our Master is with us and is approving of us, so let’s go out and do a great job for him! How do you view work? Do you see it as a necessary burden? How do you view your boss? Do you chafe under the stress of schedules and tasks? As a child birthed through God’s grace, you are made for the work that He’s given you to do. The perspective of grace is that you are right where you need to be to shine forth for Him through your work. If your work is at home, then manage and care for your home for Jesus. If your work is outdoors, then bring a sunny outlook to your day. If you job is managing others, manage them like Christ manages you. Equip and lead others, as the Holy Spirit equips and leads you. How does God use time management? Is He ever late? God is intentional in His use of time. In the first six days of Creation, God scheduled and prioritized his work by categories and for a purpose. Knowing that rest is an important part of having a balanced lifestyle, God scheduled an entire day of rest to finish off His work week. How is your time management? Do you reflect God by prioritizing and working through a task list each day? Do you have life-work balance and steward your rest time? God is always available for His family, despite the fact that He is governing the Universe and saving His people from Satan and Hell. You may work for a human boss, but you do have choices. You can choose to invest time with your family. It might be that you have to sacrifice time with your friends in order to be friends with your spouse and children. But, God says to prioritize His right ways of living and He will provide for you the work that you need to provide for your family (Matthew 6:33). Today, be encouraged in the work that God has created you to do. Whether you are in a season of feeling amazing, efficient and effective or in a time of testing, shift your mindset to view your work as something you’ve been specially formed to do for God. With this perspective, it is easier to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for making me a special creation to do work that You’ve already planned and prioritized for me to do. Guide me to serve my earthly bosses willingly and with the same heart that I serve You. Please equip me and grow me into the next season of my employment, whether that is doing what I do now or something different. In Jesus’s name amen.”  “With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12b (NKJV).
Jesus’s blood is the currency of God’s grace. His blood is the payment that redeemed you from Satan’s authority, from sin’s bondage, and from God’s eternal justice. As a believer, all legal consequences of Adam’s sin and your sins have been paid for, resulting in your redemption back from the dark world. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7 (NKJV). Not only were you redeemed from the consequences of your sins, which included being owned by Satan, you were also forgiven by God for all of your sins. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:8-10 (NKJV). The blood of Jesus Christ has purchased your justification, which means that you are legally righteous and acquitted in God’s courtroom. This is important because Jesus’s blood bought your forgiveness and your legal standing as innocent. You were God’s enemy and, because of Jesus’s blood, you are now His friend. The blood of Jesus sets you apart for God’s purposes and makes you holy. “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” Hebrews 13:12 (NKJV). His blood also has broken down all barriers and brough you into His family and worldwide church. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13 (NKJV). Through the blood of Jesus, God has purified you and made you worthy to be His child. (Hebrews 9:22-28). As you live in holiness and in closeness with Jesus and His church, the blood of Jesus cleans out the sins that are currently in your life. Not only did Jesus’s blood justify you (forgive and acquit), His blood also sanctifies you by cleansing your lifestyle. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 (NKJV). Isn’t it amazing how much the blood of Jesus avails for you? Forgiveness, holiness, sanctification, and redemption. His blood also frees you from the authority of evil spiritual rulers. Your sins held you in bondage to serve these rulers, but Jesus’s bloody death removed their rights to rule over you. “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:13-15 (NKJV). Do you realize that every time you submit to the temptations of evil spirits that you are submitting to their authority? Even in the middle of obeying them, their authority is a false authority because of Jesus’s bloody death. Stop serving the fraudulent masters and consistently live under the authority of Jesus Christ. Don’t you know that you are sitting on a throne now (Ephesians 2:6), and that you will also judge evil spirits (1 Corinthians 6:3) on Judgement Day? Respect the power of the blood of Jesus to redeem you and set you free from obeying demons. Don’t disrespect the blood of Jesus by willingly obeying the demons that His blood shamed. Soak in the effects of Jesus’s shed blood for you. By shedding His blood, Jesus paid an infinitely costly price for your spirit, soul and body. All of the blessings of the Kingdom of God flow from the blood of Jesus Christ. His blood gives life to you (John 6:54), cleanses your conscience (Hebrews 9:14), killed your sin nature, defeats Satan (Revelation 12:11) and heals your physical body, your emotions, traumas and renews your spirit. “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NKJV). Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the blood of Jesus which was shed for me. Please teach me how much you love me and accept me. Please give me the wholeness and healing that Jesus’s blood paid for. In Jesus’s name amen.”  “So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” Colossians 2:10 (NLT).
God wants you to be complete in your soul, which is the way you already are in Christ. Part of becoming complete is learning how to think Biblically about yourself and the present, which results in your making righteous choices in the present. Looking at yourself and your life through the lens of Biblical truth is the key to sanctification and becoming more like Jesus Christ. You want to have the perspective of Christ about yourself. Do you identify as a wicked sinner or as a righteous saint? Do you identify as a self-controlled, faithful child of God or as an anxious or angry person? How you identify will impact how you think and behave. You need to have Christ’s perspective about your relationships. Do you see others as a bother or do you see them as people who you can serve? Is your speech kind and forgiving, like God is kind and forgiving towards you? Also, you must have the perspective of Jesus Christ for your work, worship and daily routines. What type of attitude does Jesus have towards your job and your coworkers? Which priorities for time management and routines does Jesus have for your day? As you align your thinking with the Bible and merge your perspective to match Jesus’s, your wholeness will increase. If Jesus were to walk in your shoes, how would He steward the major parts of your life? Would it look like what you’re doing now? You probably have categories of life, including a job, a family, your relationship with God, hobbies, church, and friends. In what order would Jesus list those categories, if He listed them from most important to least important? Using Jesus’s perspective, is there a part of your life that needs to be adjusted? Do you need more family time? Do you need more church fellowship? Is your quiet time with God frequent enough? Simply, is your life a healthy balance of spiritual time, productivity, and relationships? How you live your life reflects who is the ruler in your life. The key to being complete in Christ is to reflect His authority in your daily life. “So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” Colossians 2:10 (NLT). Paul says that you are complete because of your connection with Christ and he adds that Jesus Christ is the highest authority. This is an important point because a believer has been set free to obey King Jesus. The more consistent you are in thinking and acting Biblically, the more like free you are from sin and Satanic spirits. “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world?” Colossians 2:20 (NLT). Through your union with Jesus Christ, you have been set free from the authority of the evil spiritual powers. This is good motivation to eliminate your service to the evil powers. When you have the mind of Christ, you don’t have the mind of the worldly princes. When you agree with them, you are not agreeing with Jesus Christ. You have died with Christ and He has set you free. Why do you keep obeying the rulers of the world? Evaluate your current lifestyle. Are you reflecting the priorities and perspective of Jesus Christ? Are you walking in freedom from serving the spiritual rulers? Your spirit has been made complete by Jesus Christ. Let Him make your soul and lifestyle complete by listening to Him and obeying His rule. Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, I want to be whole and complete in every area of my soul and life. Please show me where I’m obeying spiritual rulers. Help me to live my life as your child and in the image of Jesus. In Jesus’s name amen.”  “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1 (NKJV).
When you become a believer, you are given every legal right to be free. You can be free from a complicated set of rules, in order to be in an intimate relationship with God. You can be free from besetting sins that contradict your Christian testimony. You can be free from bondage to your past traumas. You can be free from the rule of evil spirits that hijack your personality or your health. All of these freedoms are available to you from the instant that you are made a new creation in Christ. The trouble is that many of these freedoms have to be realized, fought for, and maintained. This is why Paul says in Galatians 5:1 that you need to maintain your freedoms and not be trapped again in bondage. Bondage to what? In most cases, you’re trapped in bondage to an evil attacker that is targeting your freedoms. In the spirit world, there are two basic rules for bringing a believer into bondage. First, if a believer will agree with a lie about his identity, health or actions, he can be ruled in that area by the evil spirit that dealt the lie. Second, if a believer can be tricked into accepting the bondage as his own personality, he can be ruled. The result of this is that most believers willingly become entangled again with a yoke of bondage because they assume that the attack is authentic to their personality. As long as the believer assumes that the behaviors, attitudes, thoughts or sicknesses belong to him, he will remain under the control of the attacker in that specific area. “When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers.” Proverbs 28:02a (NIV). This truth applies to the human soul. Imagine that your soul is a country. In the areas of your soul where you are rebellious, you will find spiritual rulers. Examine your heart, mind, emotions and will. Are you believing the truth about yourself? Are you feeling and acting in ways that match your identity in Christ? Are you living in the liberty that Christ has given you? In the spiritual realm, your rebellion against God is considered an agreement to be ruled by spiritual authorities who rule the rebels. This is an important reason why being justified by Christ sets you free from all spiritual rulers. Once a human being is declared sinless, the spiritual realm legally loses the right to rule the believer. They become shamed imposters. In Colossians 2:13-15, Paul makes the connection between justification and the rulers’ rights being broken. “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the [i]handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Through His work of justification which culminated at the cross, Jesus Christ disarmed the evil rulers. If this is the case, why are we commanded not to be tangled up in their yoke of bondage? If you remember the two basic rules that evil spirits operate under, you’ll realize that they try to rule as imposters in areas where you agree with them and obey them. Simply, confess your sins, stop agreeing, stop obeying them. Kick them out of your life. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1 (NKJV). What is your struggle? How have you assimilated that into your personality? That is not you. You are a faithful saint who loves God and wants to submit to Him in every area of your personality. Say it out loud, “I am not a person who is a (say the symptom or sin) person. That is a false reality for me. I repent of (say the symptom or sin) and I refuse to serve the spiritual ruler of (say the symptom or sin). I will serve Christ my King and I am free from the rulership of the spirit of (say the symptom or sin). In Jesus’s mighty name, spirit of (say the symptom or sin) leave me now!” (blow out a big breath). Prayer: “Dear Father, It is for freedom that Christ has set me free. Your truth sets me free. Please illuminate the areas of darkness in my soul that do not match my identity as your holy child. I want to obey Jesus Christ because in that I find complete freedom to be the person you created me to be. Please fill my life with Your presence and make me completely free from all spiritual imposters. In Jesus’s name amen.”  “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NKJV).
All of us enter our relationship with Jesus as spiritual infants. We are spiritual babies inside of a soul and body that reflects our physical age. Through God’s grace, each believer is given a mature standing with God, and is considered a faithful, holy, godly, loving saint. However, each believer is also given many opportunities to grow in grace, resulting in increasing levels of maturity and character. This is a process called sanctification, which involves your spirit learning how to be mature in your use of your soul and body. Your spirit is immediately righteous and forgiven at when you initially trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. That is your identity in Christ. The process is growing into that identity in your mind, emotions, and use of your will. Depending on how Biblical your upbringing was, you may have areas of your personality that are immediately mature. The knowledge and training activate when you are born again and those areas are immediately mature. In other areas of your personality, you may be ignorant (like a child) or lacking spiritual discipline (like a child). Don’t be discouraged by this. Instead, focus on learning how to be mature in those areas. For example, you might be mature in your speech, using kind words and having self-control, yet you may be immature in your routines of reading the Bible daily, praying and being in fellowship with a church family. Each believer has areas of childishness and areas of maturity that coexist in his soul. So, how can you become a mature believer in all areas of your life? To get started with consistent maturing, you must be a student of God’s Word and a doer of God’s words. There are a couple of factors in how quickly you become a mature believer. The first factor is how dedicated you are to availing of the Bible’s teaching, prayer, and submitting to consistent discipleship. Your amount of participation in the means of grace will either speed up or slow down your maturity. Second, your ability to apply God’s word and experientially learn God’s truths in daily life. As you change your thought patterns from childish to mature, you are faced with the challenge of changing your childish reactions. It takes time to apply the mature thinking to your attitudes and actions. Generally, most deep learnings that produce maturity are through trials or discipline. It is very difficult to develop consistently mature Christian character without times of difficulty. “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:4 (ESV). A metallurgist stands in the heat and refines the gold or silver, heating it up and skimming off the dross. God is purifying and refining you like a precious metal. As you remain in the purifying fire, your immaturities burn off. Your soul begins to align with your spirit, as your identity in Christ becomes embedded in your thoughts, feelings and will. The truth of God proves to be true on paper and in your experiences. You can see that your faith is genuine and your character becomes steadfast. This produces what the Greek word in James 1:4 calls “certifiable perfection.” As the trial passes away, you step forward in confidence, knowing from experience that God is good and that your faith is genuine. God’s grace has produced maturity. Through the trial, your wholeness has increased. Through the testing of your faith in God’s truth and character, your truth and character have been refined. “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” Hebrews 5:8 (NLT). Jesus Christ grew in wisdom when He was an adolescent. As an adult, Jesus learned experientially how difficult it is to apply God’s wisdom in every situation. These lessons were learned especially in times of stress and suffering. It was by learning how to obey God’s will through suffering that Jesus Christ became qualified to be your High Priest. He knows from experience how to guide, encourage and empathize with you in your struggles to learn obedience for the stubborn or immature parts of your soul. Prayer: “Dear Father, You know where in my personality that I’m still a child and where I’m an adult. Please show me the areas of my life where I react as a child and help me plan my actions like an adult. Please forgive me for being stubborn and mold me to be obedient. In Jesus’s name amen.”  “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 (ESV).
All of us desire authenticity. The choice between fake and authentic is easy. Trials answer the question of whether what your faith is authentic and whether it is based in reality. Difficult circumstances test the authenticity of your faith. The Greek word for “testing” means to find out if something is genuine. In this case, you are a new creation in Christ who is experiencing the truth of God’s Word in real time. Is what you believe in real and reliable? Am I really on the right path? A trial will show you if your spirit is born of Christ or born of the world. Soak up the truths and apply them to this new time of testing. Level up your perspective and respond in trust. When your faith is proven genuine, your soul and spirit share in this experience and you know deep inside of you that God’s Word is true and you are trusting in Him. Your faith has been proven to be true and this produces maturity and confidence in your inner being. There are positive effects of experiencing the genuineness of your faith and the reliability of God, where your faith is placed. As you realize how dependable God is, you will gain stability. As you experience God’s sustaining grace, you will become better able to traverse times of trials. When your faith is tested, your ability to persevere through trials increases. You become more stable and increase in stamina. “For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:3-4 (ESV). The word for “steadfastness” in Greek means “to remain under” the trial that God has ordained for your growth. As an act of continued faith, you trust God’s provision, protection, and purpose for you in this trial. Notice that as you see your faith being proven to be genuine, you simultaneously are able to remain under the difficult challenge. Sometimes, God delivers you from the difficulty and many times He delivers you through the time of testing. His deliverance is experienced as your faith is proven to be genuine and your spirit has the power to remain under the difficult situation. In every trial, God is with you in the fire. Will you recognize Him and hold His hand? There is always the other Person in the fire with you. “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” 1 Peter 1:6-7 (NLT). Faith that is tested and proven to be genuine is more valuable than gold. Have this perspective as you traverse trials. You must endure many trials for a little while, but you can emerge rich in something very valuable: proven, authentic faith. Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, Please give me Your perspective on the trials that I am going through. Show me that my faith is genuine. Help me to experience the validity of Your truth for every situation. Give me the grace to hold up under the pressure of difficult circumstances. Let me see Your goodness and experience Your faithfulness. Please sustain me and mature me. In Jesus’s name, amen.”  “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matthew 6:24 (NLT).
Living in grace means living in freedom to serve God instead of the world. As you think about your personal life, how much time do you invest into being successful? Are you looking for the praise of people and respect for your position? Or, are you seeking God’s approval and provision instead? By His work of salvation in your spirit, the Holy Spirit has given you an inborn desire to love God and be devoted to Him. It is because of His grace that you can read Matthew 6:33 and desire that lifestyle: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (physical needs) shall be added to you.” (NKJV). To live in grace means to desire God’s righteousness and His kingship in your life. As you submit to His Kingdom priorities, you will live under His provision. God’s grace puts you on this quest, guides you step-by-step, and His grace provides for your needs. This is the reason why you can’t live both in grace and in slavery to money. If you are serving money and worldliness, you must be strong to get the provisions. If you are serving God, you can trust Him to provide. “Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.” Psalm 34:10 (NLT). There are two obstacles to seeking God for your happiness and provisions. First, you must decide that God is worth more to you than what the world is offering. As long as you value the world’s possessions or praise more than you value God, you will default to serving money. The other obstacle to trust in God’s control and power rather than in your own control and power. As long as you trust in your own ability to be secure, you will not release control to God. This is the reason why you have to decide that He is good and has the ability to handle every one of your needs. Do either of these obstacles exist in your thinking? Jesus met a man who was rich and wanted to also have eternal life. The man was a moral person who lived a religious lifestyle. But, he was unable to give up the security and pleasure that he found in his possessions. When Jesus recognized that the rich man was a moral person, He asked him to crucify his love for the world by giving away all of his many possessions. The man could not love God more than he loved his riches. He wanted to serve money and serve God, but couldn’t do both, so he chose his own wealth and security. How about you? Are you living a spiritual life of submission to God and pursuit of His righteousness? Or, are you trying to be religious and worldly at the same time, like the rich man? The choice is always yours: Will you let God control you and your future or will you control you and your future? Most people know the famous verse that says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse is speaking about Paul’s ability to depend on Christ in times of riches and in times of poverty. “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty… And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:11-13, 19 (NLT). If you choose to obey Jesus Christ’s command to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” then you will be strengthened in every situation to trust God’s provisions. When you live in grace, you learn how to be content and at peace with His provisions. Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, Teach my heart to trust You, my mind to value You and my will to obey You. Please give me the faith to give my future into Your hands. Take away my fears and my love for the world. Please give me love for you and help me to prioritize Your Kingdom. I release control to You and will be content with Your provisions. In Jesus’s name, amen.”  “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV)
Paul is writing about a common emotion in the human experience. Anger is called a secondary emotion because it usually sparks into a blazing fire from the kindling of unmet expectations, injustice, disrespect, or frustration. Anger, in itself, is not always a sin. There are two factors in anger that can qualify it as a sin. First, the cause of the anger may already be a sin or not. Second, the way that you react to that cause may be a sin or not. There are legitimate reasons to be angry and these are demonstrated in the Bible. However, most of the reasons why you are angry are probably not Biblical reasons for anger. James says, “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20 (ESV). Often people justify their anger by looking for positive results. However, using anger to control people or an outcome is manipulation and is not godly. If you’re prone to anger, think carefully about why you’re angry and how you’re acting out in anger. If either of those are sinful, you must stop yourself and use self-control. In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul says to deal with your anger immediately because anger is an emotion that creates space inside of you for the devil. The Greek word for “place” in verse 27 means a physical space like a room or a home. When you are angry for the wrong reason or in the wrong way, you create a space inside of your soul where demonic spirits can attack you. This is why Paul says that you should consider your anger and make sure that you are not sinning, especially by being angry for a long period of time. What is the root cause of your anger? Is it bitterness because of unforgiveness of a trauma in your past? Is it unmet expectations that require you to either give grace or change your expectations? Is it a feeling of inadequacy or rejection? When you feel angry, look inside of your soul to see why you’re angry. Anger creates a space and inside of that space you will find a soil full of roots. Where did those roots come from? Why are they there? To have a soul that is not infected by sinful emotions, you must work at identifying why you’re angry. Are you trying to control others? Do you have a spirit of control living inside of that space in your soul? Are you angry because you’re being disrespected? Do you have a spirit of rejection hiding inside of that small space in your soul? Are you bitter because of injustice? Are you agreeing with a spirit of bitterness or injustice? In spiritual warfare, there can be two attackers that try to gain access to you through your anger: a spirit of anger and a spirit of the root cause. This is why the writer to the Hebrews says, “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. Hebrews 12:14-15 (NKJV). Anger and bitterness spread quickly because they are spiritual in nature, providing a spiritual space for demonic oppression inside of those who agree with them. Instead of being angry and bitter, fill your soul with holiness. Work at living a holy life. Garden your emotions and dig out the sinful roots. God’s grace has already given you the good soil in your soul and your Gardener is waiting to partner with you in producing fruits of righteousness. Fill your soul with godly emotions and holiness. Work to make your soul a reflection of Christ’s thoughts, will and emotions. As you fill up your soul with worship, joy, forgiveness, trust, hope and love, you will find that living in grace leaves very little room for the devil. Prayer: “Dear Heavenly Father, Search inside of my soul to find if I have any hidden places where sin is hiding. Show me is there are any evil spirits that need to be cleaned out. I want my soul to be filled with Your presence, Your emotions, and Your holiness. In Jesus’s name, amen.” |
