But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. The kingdom of God has come. In some ways it sets the mood for the city. This may seem obvious, but too often when Christians share the faith, it turns into a heated argument. We have turned it into information and meetings, rather than a walk empowered by the Spirit.. All this even though Jesus and the Apostles warned us that we would be deceived in this way (read 2 Peter 3:14-18, Matthew 7:15-20, 1 John 3:7, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and Jude 4). Read Acts 8:12. So what words in the Bible are the most important? These guys had forsaken everything in order to follow Christ, because they believed Him when He spoke about the kingdom. 12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. This is a stronghold, or the willful sinning or practicing sin described in Hebrews 10 and 1 John 3 (discussed later). 6 Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, 7 so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Sharing your faith is a reminder of how good God has been to you. Some people who share their faith put on a character. Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! They scatter, knowing they are sinners also. Jesus destroyed the devils work (1 John 3:8). People in need are ideal discipleship candidates because there is tension in their lives, and they are usually looking for a change. Simply move on and relegate them to the pews as perpetual reserves.. It is when we continue sinning, and at the point we justify, and even defend the sin, it is a stronghold of Satan in our lives. Tallest Building in the World Pick any one of the commands of Christ or Apostolic commands. The mentor must instill in the disciple an insatiable desire to glorify God, understanding the shortness of time and the spiritual battle that wages for the allegiance of men. Until we embrace this, we will not propagate Kingdom life. But still, it does show the size and strength of that mustard plant! We are now Gods possession, no longer bound to our former slave master, Satan, and free to walk in holiness, righteousness, and obedience. I think a lot of that stems from our understanding of the process. Sometimes we look around and grow despondent because Christianity seems to be waning. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Did Jesus just speak by his own initiative or was what He said by design? These religious leaders had rejected Christ, because they saw Him as a threat. Yes, parts are restored. There is victory moment by moment. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. But please bear in mind, the mentor supports their disciples disciples from behind the scenes as well. I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Pentecostal Sermons and Bible Studiesby Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D. in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Matthew 28:18). I grew up that way. They must commit to the vision (glorifying God) and the mission (making disciples = obedient followers of Christ), and surrendering to God unconditionally (signing the blank piece of paper. In fact, this knowledge-centric practice subjects us to judgment (see James 4:17, Matthew 7:24-27, and James 1:22). I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. However, evangelical Christians invite people to heaven (or simply to church) rather than to Kingdom life. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. One: A large front line force. However, there are other passages where it does not. He is again saying, indeed, has God said? Remember that what it says is exactly what it means. Kingdom Expansion. We should expect people to take time to ask questions and to express doubts. Is your life holy, leading to eternal life? Through His leading, we walk by the Spirit, not by the flesh and simply repent when we fall short being cleansed by the blood of Christ. And do the same for your disciples. Recall the illustration of the epic custody battle between God and Satan for the hearts of men, which was presented in the first chapter. 18 He said therefore, What is the kingdom of God like? , and when they do heaven throws epic parties (. Can we love Jesus and not obey His commands? She knows she is guilty as charged and fully condemned. Lord, empower your saints and embolden them for your mission. This is your kairos moment. Confession of sins, and corporate prayer and discipline will crush Satans schemes. . Build a solid foundation using the patterns presented in this guide. God reveled in the glory given to Him through His righteous servant Job, even boasting to Satan. Barj Khalifa Read Acts 2:37-41, 8:36-38, 16:15, 16:33, and 22:16. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? Read and meditate upon the material presented in each chapter. Have them (and help them) put together a prayer team to support their growth and discipleship efforts. According to verse 7, who is the letter written to, believers or nonbelievers? Now, it is true that leaven many times in Scripture symbolizes evil. However, it is quenched by the world and all her ways. A focus on Hoshea, the last king of Israel, makes us realise what the theological problem was which lead to the demise of the Northern Kingdom - they just wanted to be like everyone else. These permeate our being and give him permission to have his way with us. The reserves will not follow us into battle until we take the flag and run headlong through the incoming fire. How does that bring Him glory? No way! Gods kingdom people are not recognized by the rest of the world. The vehicle always has something that needs sanctification. Sound like anyone you know? Read Romans Chapter 6. Thats why Jesus said that apart from Him, we can do nothing (see John 15:5). Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. He told them still another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough. Remember, humanity is caught in the middle of the epic struggle between God and His doomed foe, Satan. Our website is www.deliveranceseries.com and our vision is creating fulfilled destinies. Church Of God. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. Based on this parable, will God let us live without repentance forever or does He demand we repent? Evangelical Christians under-emphasize the significance of the Kingdom life and experience, while focusing much more attention on other matters: church organization and attendance, programs, doctrine, and (to a lesser extent), compassion ministries and evangelism. Since they are often joining for the benefits and not the vision/mission, it results in more reserves, not more soldiers. In Scripture, it is defined as every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. It is a liea direct assault on the truth. The door is wide open for the enemy to roam freely within the home. Back to top. How many years would it take to fulfill the great commission starting with just one disciple? Nothing short of a transformed and obedient life glorifies God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. If you put it on your thumb, it would look just a tiny little dot. The account of John the Baptist speaking of Jesus coming after him is recorded in all four Gospels with slight variation (John 1:33, Luke 3:16, Matthew 3:11, and Mark 1:8). This is what Christ demands from His disciples! This is equivalent to temptation and resisting temptation. 13 But those who are outside, God judges. People call me fanatical, holier than thou, self-righteous, and judgmental, among other things. We serve the poor and minister to needs in love as part of the mission, not independent of it. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. For the outcome of those things is death. Many will discount these words saying, he teaches salvation by works. Well James 2:24 says: You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone., Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Engage in the mission with your disciple. The signing the blank piece of paper exercise also challenges folks to squarely face up to their true allegiance: the world or the Kingdom. The Providence of Kingdom ExpansionThe Sovereign God Well then, it's time for our final point. Are you willing to get on the mission and make obedient followers of Christ? So where do you start? In the battle of Satan against God for the allegiance of men, the propaganda machine started all the way in the Garden of Eden: Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. Anything less than full allegiance and radical transformation falls short of glorifying God. First John 5:13 certainly speaks of eternal security; however, it is conditional on freedom from sin (1 John 3:9), freedom from worldliness (1 John 2:15), obeying His commands (1 John 1:4), and walking as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6). Try this: ask people if they would like to talk about Christianity. Are you ready to unleash the flood of laborers? You don't need to ask them if they keep theTen Commandments. Gods intent was that we would be fruitful and multiply. However, if we continue to sin, it just shows we are carnal, not abiding in Christ, grieving the Spirit. The house can indeed be cleaned and the door locked, but we allow the devil entrance. Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.. (Acts 10:38 emphasis added). There are 2.2 billion adherents of the Christian faith, nearly 1/3 of all people on the planet! What did John say Jesus would baptize with? Now you will certainly still be supporting them from behind the scenes, going through all the same things in the cycle pattern set forth in this resource. 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. At first, they send salvos and aerial bombardment to lower your defenses. But, if we are faithful, there will come a day, when a few disciples are made who are making other disciples, who make other disciples, who make other disciples, and eventually, new churches are planted that start other churches. They were expecting the kingdom to come with a lot of pomp and fanfare. Do you think if she was caught in adultery the next day, He would forgive her again? If we are kicking and screaming and clinging onto the old car as Christ tries to take it to the crusher, we will not gain our freedom. All rights reserved. Then we see some being filled with the Holy Spirit after the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Peter was filled three times after Pentecost). They learn the art of warfare alongside the visionaries. I reject these interpretations. Steve Gallagher, Founder of Pure Life Ministries, and Author of numerous books, including Standing Firm Through the Great Apostasy and Intoxicated with Babylon. Sign in Kingdom Expansion. One at first, up to a maximum of about 10. A movie will be released next month about Noah starring Russell Crowe and so lets be prepared for Your disciple must be able to receive from you. We place an extremely high value on the Word of God, so we consider the context and intent of the original author to his readers before we bring present day application. Life and death, heaven and hell, stand in the balance. The work of Gods grace through the power of the Spirit is not a completed on the cross kind of thing. He does not love the kids but just wants them to get to God. First, it was the primary theme of Jesus and the disciples preaching. In line with the teachings of Jesus, the path to freedom from sin begins with repentance and ends in holiness and righteousness. Paul says not even to associate with unrepentant sinnersnot even to eat with them. The Kingdom of God is not simply, walk in and youre in. It is a path that requires walking. Read John 1:33, Luke 3:16, Matthew 3:11, and Mark 1:8. Last week we looked at one of Jesus favorite teachings, the kingdom of God. 20 Being asked by the Main Idea: Recognizing by faith the merciful work of Christ results in overwhelming gratitude. Well, what he is saying is that anyone walking in the Light, abiding in Christ, will subject themselves to the Spirit and repent, confessing their sins to God and to each other. Matthew 13:31-33, Denomination: I know its not enough to just say, sin no more.. In Jesus name, they will cast out demons, speak in new tongues, pick up serpents, be unharmed by poison, and heal the sick! These folks are normally seekers, and eagerly digest these things. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. I know the term baptism of the Holy Spirit immediately raises red flagswhich half tempts me to use another term. If the Bible is not the objective, but rather a means to the objective, what is the objective? Start with Jesus, and you might be surprised how many people will grant that they are sinners who need a savior. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Everything that was and is and ever will be is for God and His glory. We must now look back at our NT practices and recognize the enormous reserves we have ready to be mobilized for the mission. They must be sufficiently indoctrinated with the Kingdom truth and lifestyle before they should be exposed to cultural Christian practices. . Thy Will Be Done On Earth As It Is In Heaven, Submitting To God's Authority - Lord's Prayer Week 4. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. God had granted them the blessing of knowing the mysteries of the kingdom. What are the wages of sin? Amen. So after a while, they stop pulling. This country was not just founded by Christians, it was founded on the principles of Gods Word and God truly blessed America in those early days because America, as a nation, blessed God. You and I, and this church are only one tiny piece of one leaf on that mustard plant. This will establish a good pattern of considering others needs, rather than having a prayer time that focuses on their personal needs only. Back to top, Your email address will not be published. Develop a worldwide vision for the kingdom, like yeast, to, Summary: 7 Strategies for Kingdom Building, Advancement & Expansion, Like Jesus, they preached and taught God's word, Kingdom of Heaven/Kingdom of God Bible Study Notes. A reasonable goal is to get to the next generation in two months. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Clearly, in the end many will claim Jesus as Lord, but in name only. . Our sinful life grants him full dominion. A short sermon that leaves the listener thinking I hope. However he was a pretender who constantly sought to tha short-cuts. Seek and expect the manifestation of God's power to save, heal, and deliver. We believe this lie even though Jesus said wide is the way that leads to destruction, and narrow is the way that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). Yet Jesus shows mercy, and by His grace forgives her for her sin. Leaven is what actually changes the character of the bread. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. This robs God of His glory. Also ask them to sign the blank piece of paper, surrendering all to God. Further, John 16:7 says: But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. He promised He would send the Holy Spirit! Well, werent the manifestations of power only for the Apostles? So consider wisely how many is reasonable for you. Does conversion without transformation glorify God? I pray for a resolve to chase after your ways and your truth. Prophetically, this is the time to star, Expand Your Destiny Come at 9:30 a.m.. And we should strongly discourage the practice of acquiring knowledge in the absence of obedience. Not very attractive, is it? In order to move forward, the disciple needs to fully understand their standing before God. According to Acts 1:8, what would the disciples do when they received the power of the Holy Spirit? Luke 7:28 I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.. Programs, events, structures, and a few formally trained people. It is so valuable that we are to pray regularly for the kingdom to come. Did Jesus condemn the woman? We wrongly assume we may live in a constant state of worldliness and this is acceptable. According to Luke 10:2, what did Jesus say is limiting the fulfillment of the Great Commission? The oil change It is easy to target the power manifestations (prophecy and tongues), but is anyone trying to say that knowledge has ceased as well? He spoke exactly what the Father told Him to say. Do not simply come to Him with a wish list. Baptist. Nor are we the center of the battle that continues to rage to this day. Because those unwilling to grow will waste your time and they will not carry healthy spiritual DNA to the next generation. There isa lot to learnin Christianity. They may be working, but not on the right mission. This pattern of behavior is rampant in modern Christendom, and a tough habit to break. However, the Biblical basis for this argument is suspect. He leads us and simply wants us to follow His leading. Who among us does not eagerly desire such fruit? Empower your people. Im sure youre familiar with the remainder of Galatians 5 and the fruit of the Spirit. Concerning fruitfulness, John the Baptist said: Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, We have Abraham for our father; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The good parent is very different. Acts 1:1-11. I urge you to pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit if you are not already baptized. in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution - and it was not there. Life more abundant eludes them. Meditate on such things. Romans 77; James 1; Proverbs 10; Born thy People to Deliver 8; Born to Set Thy People Free 1; Zechariah 17; Psalms of Ascent 11; Judges 34; The Gospel of John 50; The Genesis of Jesus Christ 2; The Story of Joseph 48; It does not say to invite folks for Sunday service so they can hear an altar call. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this work! Lord Almighty, grant freedom to your peoplenot just from the penalty of sin, but from its power in our lives. They chase after entertainment, drugs, sex, money, relationships, and even religion to satisfybut these cant fill the need for purpose and adventure. In all of these passages, we learn two important things about the kingdom of God. Promiscuity, failed marriages, depression, and other ills plague professing followers of Christ at nearly the same proportions as the rest of the world. But all of that bread was made by inserting just a little bit of leaven into it. His kingdom is not one of military might or political savvy; rather, it is one that extends his grace, mercy and love. Note the word impossible. Repentance is a one-way street. The Western perception of what the mission entails has set us back hundreds of years. They should be exposed to cultural Christian practices in baskets, but allow. 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