Lesson 4

Posted on 29. Jan, 2021 by in Uncategorized

KINGDOM LIVING

Throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.

Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness—righteous, holy, and true. Ephesians 4:22-24

Worship takes our minds off our problems and focuses them on God. Worship leads us from individual meditation to corporate worship. Worship causes us to consider and appreciate God’s character. Worship lifts our perspective from the earthly to the heavenly.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit to teach ME and lead ME into all truth. give ME insight and understanding about kingdom living. WHeN I finish THIS lesson, permanently seal the truths YOU haVE revealed TO ME in MY spirit and soul.

I PRAY THIS IN JESUS NAME

LIFE IN THE KINGDOM 1

Lesson 3 we talked about the Kingdom of God. And what it looks like when His Kingdom comes to Earth. The Kingdom of God is more than a place we go when we die. It’s an atmosphere…“The Kingdom of God is within you.”

One of the key concepts in lesson 3 was the two trees in the garden – the tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil and the Tree of Life. It’s so important that we understand what happened in the Garden of Eden because this is really where all of our problems began.

When Adam and Eve turned from the tree of life and ate instead from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – they essentially did was like unplugged from the source of life. It would be like taking an extension cord and plugging it into itself and hoping it would get power. They chose to become self-sufficient.

It’s not that knowledge is inherently evil- it just isn’t life. You and I cannot get enough right knowledge to get back single drop of what Adam and Eve lost that day.

The problem Jesus came to solve wasn’t about making bad people good, it was about making people who are dead and empty come alive.

The battle for your soul is not so much about Good vs. Evil as it is Life vs. Knowledge. Jesus said, I’ve come that you might have life. Not that you might behave better or follow the rules.

Sadly, we have made Christianity about moving people from the evil branch to the good branch. The problem is we’re in the wrong tree.

Our knowledge of good causes us to try and fix our emptiness without God.

And I would say the knowledge of good has caused more damage than evil. This is why Jesus always wrestled with the Pharisees.

So in terms of Freedom, the true change we’re after is changing our source. Is it knowledge that guides you or is it God’s spirit?

“Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

So in a practical sense, what does it mean to connect to the source?

  • Finished work of Jesus Christ. There’s nothing we can do to earn life. It’s a free gift given to us by grace through faith.
  • Continually connect to the source. Make time with Him a priority. We give him the best part of our day….
  • What does it look like? Bible study, prayer, worship

NOT A FORMULA

• You know how you can tell which tree you are most connected to?

Take a fruit inspection.

Galatians 5 tell us the fruits of the spirit are:

love – lack of compassion

joy – anger

peace – division and strife

patience – easily irritated

kindness – resentful, bitter

goodness – see the worst in people or situations

gentleness – critical

faithfulness – murmuring

self-control – do things in excess

When people operate out of the Tree of Knowledge it’s performance driven. And it’s never enough. When people operate out of the Tree of Life, it’s presence driven. And it’s always enough.

God doesn’t want us to do things for Him- but from Him. If we do things from a place where we are connected to the source, we bear fruit. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them will produce much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing.”

Now I want to talk about Life in the Kingdom – For those of us who choose to connect to the source… What is our response to God’s voice and His Kingdom?

I want to share 3 different aspects of Life in the Kingdom: What’s God’s part and what’s my part in Kingdom living?

One bondage we need to get free from is trying to do God’s part or trying to get God to do our part.

The good news is… His part is always the hard part. He is responsible for the impossible, miraculous, and the supernatural. Our part is simply agreement.

Much like salvation. GOD’S PART – Die on a cross —- OUR PART – Believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is the son of God.

3 ASPECTS OF LIFE IN THE KINGDOM AS THEY RELATE TO OUR FREEDOM: #1 LORDSHIP, #2 AUTHORITY, #3 SPIRITUAL WARFARE

LORDSHIP

In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Paul writes, “May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Spirit – The place where God dwells. The part of us that is born again.

Soul – Mind, will, emotions

Body – Houses the spirit and soul

Release of the Spirit – Watchman Nee calls man’s spirit the inner man. He calls man’s soul the outer man. And for the body he uses the term, the outermost man.

The Spirit is to govern the soul – The spirit through the soul would use the body to express God’s life and purpose.

The problem is our soul wants to govern our spirit. This is how Satan works – from the outside in. He wants our body and soul to keep our regenerated spirit in prison.

Until broken, the soul wants to be its own master. The independence of the soul must be broken.

After you become saved, the battleground is for your soul. Satan’s mission is for the hard core of your soul to remain intact.

Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. – John 12:24

Lordship means surrendering our will to God.

Our will is found in our soul

Our will is our mechanism for deciding.

God says, “Surrender your will” For many of us, we respond by giving him certain parts of our lives but not our will. We give him our career choice or finances but withhold our relationships.

Instead of surrendering our will, we’ve actually exercised our will and strengthened what we won’t release.

The proper use of the human will is submission. Submission is giving Jesus the steering wheel of our lives.

Surrender and submission aren’t popular words. It sounds like bondage.

Surrendering to God doesn’t make us robots. It makes us who we’re created to be. The truth is you are being controlled by something whether you realize it or not.

Remember the Biblical definition of Freedom? “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom.” We can’t experience freedom if we only let him into certain areas of our lives.

And if there’s any area not surrendered, God knows.

Let me show you an example in the Bible…Rich Young Ruler – Mark 10:17 to 22:10.

He went away sad because His source was His money. Because he wouldn’t surrender in the one area of life, Jesus couldn’t connect him to the source of life. He had lordship problem.

Lordship

OUR PART – Surrender our will (Submit every area of our lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ)

GOD’S PART – He puts His Spirit in us and guides us. (Makes us into the person we were created to be.)

It’s only when we’re ready to surrender lordship, we can truly begin life in the Kingdom.

SOURCE: Video Notes from Carissa Raderstorf, Dream City Church

CULTURE

WHAT IS CULTURE?

Culture encompasses many things. Once you understand the culture of a people, you understand the people. Everything that makes a nation a nation and a people a people is wrapped up in their culture. There are nine key components that make up the culture of a nation or kingdom. They are: Land, language, laws, symbols, constitution, moral code, shared values, customs, and social norms.

One day we discovered the Kingdom of Heaven. We were born again and became citizens of God’s Kingdom. And that’s where the challenge really began. After spending 20, 30 or 40 years in a certain medium that trained us to think a certain way, we suddenly find ourselves in a whole new culture a new growth medium with a whole lot of new things to learn and a whole lot of old things to unlearn. And therein lies the problem: How do we get rid of the old culture in our hearts and minds to live in the new one? That’s the universal challenge for every dual citizenship believer.

For you see, culture is also what lies at the very center of the great cosmic conflict between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness. And earth is the battleground. The battle for earth is the battle for culture. And culture is the manifestation of the collective thinking of a people. In other words, whatever the people as a whole think collectively their beliefs, values, ideals, etc.becomes their culture. So whoever controls the minds or people controls the culture. In fact, whoever controls the minds will create the culture.

The Bible says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (see Prov. 23:7 KJV). This means that the way we think determines who we become. In this context, the heart is the mind. And the Kingdom of God is a kingdom of the heart. Therefore, the King of Heaven is battling for the minds of the creatures He created in His own image.

MANIFESTATIONS OF CULTURE

Culture manifests itself in a number of ways.

1. Values. Shared values are a defining characteristic of a culture and a nation. What we value reveals who we are. Our values reflect our character. Basically, a value is a belief or conviction that is considered worthy in and of itself by a person or group. It is a standard or ideal that regulates conduct or policy. Values also relate to one’s personal philosophy. Our values define our attitudes, behavior, and view of the world. If we want to learn how to live in the culture of the Kingdom, we must learn the values of the Kingdom. Jesus the King articulated His value system at the very beginning of His public ministry:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3 – 10).

This particular portion of Jesus’ teaching is commonly known as the “Beatitudes,” or “blessed sayings:’ from the Latin word beatus (blessed). We could even call them the “Beattitudes” because they describe the way Kingdom citizens should “be” in character, attitude, and behavior.

Values are extremely powerful and form the foundation for behavior. They guide the people of a nation in identifying what behavior is acceptable or unacceptable. Whether explicitly stated or unspoken yet recognized, values form the foundation of nations and profoundly shape the lives and daily experiences of their citizens. Society depends on certain values in order to function, such as cooperation and honesty. Businesses also depend for their function on such values as integrity, honor, fairness, and kindness.

2. Priorities. Culture manifests itself in the things we regard as most important. In other words, whatever we prioritize in life reveals our culture. If we prioritize the sanctity of marriage, our culture will reflect it with laws, customs, and social norms that strongly discourage and even penalize divorce, adultery, and other “marriage busters:’ Prioritizing the sanctity of human life will produce a culture that protects the elderly and the unborn and refuses to sanction the harvesting of human embryos for stem cell research.

Jesus got right to the heart of priorities when He said: So do not worry, saying “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:31 – 33).

3. Behaviors. The way we behave reveals our culture; it’s that simple.

4. Standards. The standards we apply in everyday life reveal whether we have a culture that indulges and encourages mediocrity or a culture that inspires excellence. Do we take pride in the appearance of our houses and churches and businesses and cities and streets? Do we place a high premium on quality in all things? Or are we satisfied with just enough to get by? Either way, our standards reflect our culture. In fact, our culture will never rise higher than our standards.

5. Celebration. Our culture is revealed in the things we celebrate as well as in the manner that we celebrate. Are holidays and other celebrations opportunities for fun and laughter and togetherness as families, or excuses for drunkenness and other kinds of excess?

6. Morality. The level of our moral conscience and consciousness reveals the level of our culture. Do we shrug our shoulders at adultery and other forms of infidelity? Do we turn a blind eye to pedophilia and other kinds of sexual abuse? Are we willing to “normalize” perversion in our society? Or are we committed to standing for, supporting, and promoting the highest standards of moral purity in every area?

7. Relationships. Who do we relate to? How do we relate to them? How do we treat people? How do we handle the destitute, those who are hurting, and those who are abused? What is our attitude toward the poor? There’s a culture in Heaven that is revealed when poverty is around. When people are hungry, the culture of Heaven feeds them. When they are thirsty, the culture of Heaven says, “I’ve got something for you to drink:’ Our culture is revealed in how well we take care of each other.

8. Ethics. Is honesty our best policy, or is honesty our only policy? If someone overpays us, do we keep the money or do we take it back? Kingdom ethics is always proactive. Jesus said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31).This “rule” applies to every area of life.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy seven times” (Matthew 18:21 – 22).

In response to Peter’s question, Jesus pulled a number out of His hat to make His point. “Seventy seven times” is not a literal figure; it is seven times extended indefinitely. In other words, in Kingdom culture, forgiveness is ongoing. We forgive as often as necessary, just as we would hope to be forgiven as often as necessary. Again, we take our cue from our King as He has forgiven us, and keeps on forgiving us, so are we to do with others.

9. Social norms. Whatever is regarded as normal in our society reveals our culture. Is shacking up “normal”? Are out of wedlock pregnancies and births “normal”? Is cheating on taxes “normal”? Is corruption in government “normal”? Are honesty, integrity, and fidelity both at home and in the workplace “normal”? Is sexual purity “normal”?

What are the “norms” of the Kingdom of Heaven? Here are a few that Kingdom Ambassador Paul called “the fruit of the Spirit”: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).

10. Dress. Culture also manifests itself in the way the people dress. How we dress speaks volumes about our values and ideals as well as how we feel about ourselves. All of these relate to culture. Of course, since Kingdom citizenship and Kingdom citizens are invisible, there is no such thing as a Kingdom “uniform” or prescribed manner of dress. But there is such a thing as a certain demeanor that Kingdom citizens are to carry themselves with that identifies them as children of the King. Simon Peter’s instructions to female citizens of the Kingdom applies equally in principle to every citizen:

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight (1 Peter 3:34).

11. Foods. Food has always been a cultural distinctive. Certain dishes, certain ingredients, and certain seasonings are associated with certain regions of the world or certain regions within nations. Curry is a distinctive of Indian cooking. Beans and rice are staples in Mexico. Hot dogs are undeniably American. In the Bahamas, it’s peas and rice, conch chowder, and guava duff.

As Kingdom citizens on earth we need food to strengthen and nourish our bodies, but we also need heavenly food to nourish our spirits. Jesus said: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4b).

At another time, He told His inner circle of followers: My food… is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work (John 4:34).

12. Permits. We reveal our culture by what we permit. Remember, what we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and what we loose on earth is loosed in heaven. If we “loose” lewdness and immorality, those things will characterize our culture. If we “loose” corruption and dishonesty, we will have a corrupt and dishonest culture. On the other hand, if we “loose” love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and the like, our culture will reflect these traits. As Kingdom citizens, we have the authority to bind and loose for the social, moral, and spiritual good of our fellowmen. This is why it is important for us to be involved in and to engage the popular culture and challenge it with the culture of Heaven.

13. Acceptance. Our culture is defined also by what we accept. More and more people who claim to be believers and even Kingdom citizens are buying into the popular culture to such a degree that by their language and lifestyle it is impossible to tell which Kingdom they belong to the kingdom of the world or the Kingdom of heaven. The more often we hear about new cultural, social, or moral ideas, the more accepting we become until eventually it’s not new to us anymore. We have accepted it, and now it has become a cultural norm. That’s why we need to be always alert and ever careful to evaluate all the new ideas and philosophies that come down the line. Some of them may be fine. But many, perhaps most, will be contrary to the culture and values and ideals of the Kingdom of Heaven. When this is the as Kingdom citizens we have the duty and responsibility to refuse to accept them.

14. Rejections. On the other hand, our culture manifests also in what we reject. Modern popular culture has reached the point where it rejects almost nothing. An attitude of “anything goes” prevails in many circles. Political correctness rules the day with its calculated and deliberate determination to be nice to everybody, avoid hurting anyone’s feelings, and refusing to take a stand by judging anything as evil, immoral, or improper. Today’s culture rejects the very idea of absolute standards; everything is relative. Kingdom culture, on the other hand, rejects relativism in favor of the absolute standard of the unchanging Word of God. If some things are right, then other things are wrong and must be rejected. Jesus said it this way:

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters (Matthew 12:30).

We can’t have it both ways. We can’t play both ends against the middle. There is right and there is wrong, and Kingdom citizens must reject the wrong and embrace the right.

15. Distinctions. Culture manifests also in our distinctions. What distinguishes us from other cultures? What makes the Kingdom culture distinctive from the culture of the world? I’m not talking about outward things like clothing or hairstyle as much as inner qualities of character, values, and norms. Paul said: For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

16. Quality standards. And finally, culture manifests in our standards of quality. God never does anything halfway, and neither should His children. In everything we do, Kingdom citizens should always be on the cutting edge of excellence, leading the way for everyone else rather than following in the world’s wake. In Kingdom life we don’t have to be perfect in what we do because we are imperfect people, but that is no excuse to accept shabby work, half finished projects, or a just enough to get by attitude. Our King demands our best. And He deserves nothing less. For this very reason, it should be our joy to give our very best to the King… and to give it freely and willingly.

PRINCIPLES

1. Once you understand the culture of a people, you understand the people.

2. Culture is the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties by education, expert care, and training.

3. Culture is the enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training.

4. Culture is the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon man’s capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.

5. Culture is the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.

6. Culture is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize a company or corporation.

7. Culture means to grow in a prepared medium.

8. The battle for earth is the battle for culture.

SOURCE: the book “Kingdom Principles” by Myles Munroe

SPEAK GOD’S LANGUAGE OF FAITH

KINGDOM LANGUAGE

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Mark 11:22-23 NIV

The kind of prayer that moves mountains is prayer for the fruitfulness of God’s kingdom. It would seem impossible to move a mountain into the sea, so Jesus used that picture to say that God can do anything. God will answer your prayers, but not as a result of your positive mental attitude. Other conditions must be met: (1) you must be a believer; (2) you must not hold a grudge against another person; (3) you must not pray with selfish motives; (4) your request must be for the good of God’s kingdom. To pray effectively, you need faith in God, not faith in the object of your request. If you focus only on your request, you will be left with nothing if your request is refused.

(Life Application Bible Notes)

Faith A Language

The language of faith is not an attempt to create a false reality.

Sometimes those who hear “faith” spoken think this is a kind of denial of reality Faith talk does not practice the art of denial, but it does speak confidently of what God has promised to do within the reality we face.

The language of faith cannot be reduced to a matter of simply speaking positively. It speaks God’s Word, weather it is positive or negative! Faith talk employs the promises of God, not just the good intentions of man. Positive speaking has plenty of value, but the language of faith accesses the throne of God.

Even though this lesson seeks to identify the certain sound of faith, there is danger in thinking that once identified, this faith language can be practiced apart from an energizing work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of faith and of grace, not “works.” He gives living faith its dynamism. Nothing is more shallow than the appearance of faith without its Holy Spirit-given substance.

The Power of the Tongue

Before contracts were written on paper, a binding legal agreement was a matter of words. What Scriptures could you use as a contract with God? What words would you speak to enter into that contract?

Learning the language of faith includes learning what not to say. What have you heard yourself or someone else say that should not have been said?

The Power of A Faith Language

When we are faced with a great need for ourselves, or for others, we should begin by humbly seeking to know God’s will in the matter. Praying for a miracle is welcoming a gift of the Holy Spirit to manifest. When His will is to work one, He will witness this to your heart. Than you can ask Him to perform the miracle that you know He wants to bring about.

Often, we may keep asking God to act, when, in fact, He calls us to employ His authority by our action with divinely empowered speech. Then we may declare that authority in Jesus’ name: we may command needed funds to come to us, command a storm to be stilled, command a demon to come out, command any affliction to leave, command a sickness to depart.

Speaking In Tongues, Our Heavenly Language

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. Rom. 8:26-27

As a believer, you are not left to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don’t know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for you, and God answers. With God helping you pray, you don’t need to be afraid to come before him. Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you “in accordance with God’s will.” Then, when you bring your requests to God, trust that he will always do what is best.

And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Acts 2:4

These people literally spoke in other languages — a miraculous attention-getter for the international crowd gathered in town for the feast. All the nationalities represented recognized their own languages being spoken. But more than miraculous speaking drew people’s attention; they saw the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The apostles continued to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit wherever they went.

(Life Application Bible Notes)

LIFE IN THE KINGDOM 2

KINGDOM AUTHORITY

2 Peter 2:3 says, “By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.”

Ephesians 2:6 – “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” As believers, you and I are seated with God in Heavenly places.

The truth is we’ve been given much more than we know how to use.

Power is the strength or ability to affect

Authority is delegated power

LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE BY ASKING A QUESTION. DOES A MAN HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO STOP A CAR? 4 tons of cement does, but not a man. What if that man is wearing a badge? He’s still the same man but the badge represents a power greater than himself. It represents the State of Arizona and the laws that back it up.

God has power. He has given us authority. Whether we use it or not is up to us.

Matt 28:18 – Jesus said, “All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Luke 9:1-2 –“Jesus called the Twelve together, and gave them power & authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.”

NOTICE: Jesus didn’t tell them to pray & ask God to heal the sick. He told them to heal the sick!

Jesus never prayed, “Father, please heal this person!” Instead, Jesus spoke to the problem, He said things like, “…Rise, take up your mat and walk.”

The early church healed people in this same manner. In Acts 3:6, “…Peter said, Silver and gold I do not have; but what I do have I give you (delegated power): In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”

Here’s the catch with delegated power – it only works if we exercise it.

This is often where we make mistakes… Sometimes we ask God to do things that He’s given us authority to do.

We want Him to change the atmosphere of our work environment or our home. And He’s saying, “I’ve given you authority to take over…” You represent the Kingdom in that place (Remember, it’s an atmosphere). You change the atmosphere.

Be a thermostat- not a thermometer

Authority


OUR PART – Hear God & obey (Take authority based on God’s word)

GOD’S PART – Fulfill the things he declares (Be the power backing it up.)

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

I want to focus in on a specific area of warfare: plugging into the source and hearing God.

Bottom line: Satan wants to talk to you about everything that happens. The worst moments of your life, Satan wants to interpret for you… but so does God.

Principle: Spiritual forces are empowered by human agreement.

Here’s something we need to understand about our enemy. Satan imitates everything God does. He’s not an original. He’s a created being. He twists every principle of God’s kingdom and uses it in his kingdom. He counterfeits everything
God does….

The essence of spiritual warfare can be summed up in one question: Which Kingdom are you going to agree with in the midst of your situation?

So here’s where the battle is lost or won. Which voice are you going to listen to in the middle of your struggles?

• Your child is on drugs and Satan wants to interpret it for you. “His life is ruined. She’s gonna drop out of school. He’s gonna get killed. You’re a failure as a parent.” BUT GOD says, “I know what you see. Let me tell you what I see.”

• Or your spouse leaves you… Satan’s right there. “He never loved you anyway. You had this coming. If God really loved you, this would never have happened. You’re gonna be alone for the rest of your life.” BUT GOD says, “I know it hurts. Let me talk to you about it. I knew this was coming. I’ve already made a way out.”

• You get a bad diagnosis, & Satan’s right there to interpret. “You know what this means” BUT GOD says, “I know what you heard. Let me tell you what I say.”

Spiritual Warfare

OUR PART – Agree with God’s voice

GOD’S PART – Fight our battles

Here’s the best part – When it comes to spiritual warfare, we always win. We simply don’t lose. That’s because Satan cannot fight against God. I’m not saying he can’t win. I’m saying he can’t fight because God is in charge of reality. God writes the rules.

Satan will attack us but he cannot win against a believer who listens to God’s voice, agrees, and obeys.

Every day we have a choice… We either agree and obey God’s voice or we agree with the enemy. Whichever kingdom we agree with; we empower on earth.

If you want to stay in bondage? Believe lies! Depressed, anxious, bitter

Do you want to be set free? Believe truth!

Truth is God’s perspective. Truth is the way things really are. Truth is not what the world says or what Satan says. It’s not how we want or wish things to be.

Truth sets us free.

SOURCE: Video Notes from Carissa Raderstorf, Dream City Church

Authoritycontinues

The value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. God Himself is the power behind our authority!The devil and his forces are obliged to recognize our authority! The believer who thoroughly understands that the power of God is backing him can exercise his authority and face the enemy fearlessly.

First John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

“He that is in the world” is Satan, the god of this world and the head of principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world. But the power that’s in you is greater than the power that’s in the world, because the power that backs our authority is greater than that which backs our enemies. (“The Believer’s Authority” by Kenneth E. Hagin)

The Believers Authority

When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

“Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan falling from heaven as a flash of lightning! And I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. But don’t rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven.” Luke 10:17-20 NLT

The disciples had seen tremendous results as they ministered in Jesus’ name and with his authority. They were elated by the victories they had witnessed, and Jesus shared their enthusiasm. He helped them get their priorities right, however, by reminding them of their most important victory — that their names were written in heaven. This honor was more important than any of their accomplishments. As we see God’s wonders at work in and through us, we should not lose sight of the greatest wonder of all — our heavenly citizenship. (Life Application Bible Notes)

Exercising Authority

Believers have authority over the devil. They can break the power of the devil if he raises his head anywhere in their own life or the lives of their immediate family or loved ones. They have authority there. They’ll be free from the enemy because they’ve got the right to exercise their authority over him.

That doesn’t mean, however, that they’ll go down the street casting the devil out of everyone they meet. It primarily means they will exercise authority over the devil in their own lives.

You’ve got to realize that you’ve got authority over your own household that you don’t have in my household. Spiritual authority is much like natural authority. For example, you don’t have authority over my money. You can’t tell me what to do with my money unless I give you permission to. You don’t have authority over my children.

You can make the devil desist in some of his maneuvers in somebody else’s life, but you can’t always cast him out, because you don’t have authority in that “household.” That’s one place we’ve missed it. Only through intercession can you exercise spiritual authority in somebody else s family.

The next reference Jesus gave me was James 4:7: “.. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (the understood subject of this sentence is “you”).

The believer has to have authority over the devil, or the Bible wouldn’t tell him to do something about the devil. This Scripture doesn’t say that the devil will flee from Jesus; it says he’ll flee from you!

Similarly, you don’t pray that Jesus will lay hands on the sick; you do it. Notice, too, that the hands are not in the Head; the hands are in the Body: “They… shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. “When you lay hands on the sick, you are exercising authority over the devil.

That authority is yours whether you feel like you’ve got it or not. Authority has nothing to do with feelings. But you must exercise it.

After that vision, and after Jesus gave me that verse from James, my spirit told me the word “flee” was significant. I looked it up in the dictionary and found one of the shades of meanings was “to run from as if in terror. “The devil will run from you in terror! Then I knew why the demon in my vision had begun to whimper and cry – he was terrified.

Since then I have seen other demons quake and quiver in fear as I exercised my God-given authority over them. They were not afraid of me, but of Jesus, whom I represent.

In the vision Jesus gave me another Scripture that tells us to do something about the devil. This third reference was from First Peter. Peter wrote, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter5:8). Your adversary means your opponent.

This is as far as a lot of people read. They say, “Oh, the devil’s after me!” They ask for prayer so the devil won’t get them – but the devil’s already got them if they talk that way. It’s too late to pray then.

What are we going to do about him: Roll over and play dead? Hide our head in the sand and hope he’ll disappear? No, thank God, notice what it says as we go on reading. The next verse reads, “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions [tests and trials] are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” The American Standard Version says “your faith” instead of “the faith.” I like that better.

Jesus said to me in this vision, “Peter did not write this letter and tell Christians, ‘Now, word has come to me that God’s using our beloved Brother Paul in casting out devils, and he’s sending handkerchiefs or cloths, and the diseases are departing from people, and evil spirits are going out of them, so I would suggest that you write to Paul and get a handkerchief.’ “

No, instead of that, he told them to do something about the devil. Why? Because they’ve got authority over him. The Spirit of God through the Apostle Peter wouldn’t tell you to do something you couldn’t do. The reason you can do it is because every believer has the same authority Paul had in Jesus Christ. Peter didn’t tell us that only Paul could cast out devils or that Paul would resist the devil for us. (Why get Paul to do it when you can do it for yourself?)

The Weapons of Our Warfare

A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.

Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere. Eph. 6:10-18 NLT

Authority over Demon Spirits Not Human Wills

Free Will Prevails. You’ve got to walk off and leave people when they want it that way. If people want to live in sin, they can. If they want to be free, they can be free. But as long as they don’t want to be free, neither Jesus nor anybody else can set them free.

You can’t go around promiscuously exercising authority over the devil in somebody else. You’ve got authority over your own life and with your own family. But you can’t cast the devil out of everyone you meet on the street, even if they do have the devil in them, because they have authority over their own lives. When people want help, that’s another matter.

SOURCE: “The Believer’s Authority” by Kenneth E. Hagin

THE KINGDOM’S PRINCIPLES

THE LAW OF GREATNESS

All people desire to be great.

Because of human frailty, however, this can turn out badly, especially if we think in terms of comparison with others, for that usually spells pride.

But to think more deeply than that is possible. Pride is still a hazard , but one can set goals of accomplishing tasks rather than of performing better than someone else. It’s a fine line, but it exists.

Jesus, pointing to that line, spoke of the possibilities of greatness a purity of greatness, we might say. Indeed, He set forth a two-part principle that I have labeled the Law of Greatness. The world needs it desperately at this hour.

It is easy to forget that the people surrounding Jesus during His earthly ministry were just that-people. Plain, simple, ordinary people. They exhibited the frailties of all of us. For example, at one point, acting a bit like twentieth-.century kids quarreling over who’s the greatest shortstop in the American League, the disciples came to the Lord and asked, ” ‘Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ “

The answer was remarkable, flying in the face of everything we expect in our day.

And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said, “Truly I say to you , unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

At another time, they fell into a dispute over which of them was regarded as the greatest. They, like us, were very concerned about their status from time to time. But the Lord showed great patience with them.

And He said to them , “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. “

Every time the question arose, the answer was the same two pronged directive: If you want to be great, become like a child and become a servant. And that answer reverberates down through human experience to our day, yet so few of us grasp it. “Oh, that was OK for what He was doing then,” we say, “but He didn’t understand what it was going to be like in the modern world.”

Or we mumble something like, “That may be all right for church, but you’ll get killed in the real world.”

If you’re honest, you have to admit those remarks seem true as the twentieth century winds down. Knowledge has exploded all over the planet and even onto other planets; man is doing things never dreamed possible. Furthermore, we are in a life-and-death struggle for minds and bodies. Greatness will be measured by success in that explosion and struggle. A little child won’t stand a chance.

We all rationalize that way. And we are all in a mess as a result. We should look at what Jesus was showing us.

What is there about a little child that He wants us to copy? If they’re very little, they cry a lot and seem to be pretty much governed by what their stomachs tell them. If they have pain, they cry; if they’re wet, they cry. As they grow, they’re apt to be spoiled by their families. They may become extraordinarily self­ centered; they may whine a lot. In time, they may become unruly and undisciplined. All parents know the pattern. Is this what Jesus wanted us to be?

No, He had something else in mind. He spoke of three qualities that under normal circumstances predominate in little children: They are trusting. They are teachable. They are humble.

So, in short, Jesus said greatness begins with being trusting? being teachable, and being humble. The three traits go together not merely in children, but in adults as well. The trusting person puts away cynicism and skepticism, and becomes open. He doesn’t have to be right all the time. Then he is able to learn-from God, from people, from circumstances. He’ll listen; he’ll try new things. And that is the humble person.

Do you see the circle? Trust. Teachableness. Humility. They run from one to another, backward and forward. The businessman who becomes like a child in this regard will rise to greatness. So will the scientist. So will the minister.

A Difficult Concept

In the second episode we examined at the beginning of this chapter, Jesus added another criterion for greatness. Quite paradoxically, He said the secret of greatness is service. If you reflect on it, you see that it fits well with being childlike, but it begins to rub. It goes against the grain of society.

That is why we should be serious and careful on this subject. We are dealing with a law that turns everything upside down. Little children soon yearn to grow up so they can “be some­ body.” But Jesus says, “Be a child if you really want to be somebody.” Servants, meanwhile, usually hate their position, yearning to earn enough to have their own servants. But Jesus says, “No, become a servant if you wish to be truly great.”

This pushes us into a corner where we have to ask, “Do I really want this?” We should weigh it carefully, for the Lord said to count the cost of the things we set out to do.

It Is Needed Now

So a life principle emerges. Those who serve others-whether in religion , philanthrophy, education, science, art, government , or business-are the great ones. Indeed, the deeper the sacrifice or the broader the scope of service, the greater the individual becomes.

And rarely will our society award the status of greatness to those who lust for personal power and seek to exalt themselves. How often we hear applied to such persons the phrases “petty tyrant . . . little Caesar . . . self-seeking . . . ruthless . . . vain.” And though occasionally these people rise to prominence, they never touch greatness . Invariably the Law of Reciprocity brings them down.

Looking around us in the eighties, we would probably find a consensus that if ever greatness was needed in the world, it is now. We have few statesmen of international stature, for example. Instead of greatness of spirit, we find meanness. Our vision is dim.

We frankly need leadership at every level, especially in the international realm, as Armageddon looms closer with each passing day. We need men and women to lead our nation in taking on the responsibilities and the risks of serving other nations, helping them to achieve their potential, helping them with education, agriculture, and industry. We need to cast off paternalism and exploitation.

We need to dare to live the Beatitudes at this level, to be trusting, teachable, and humble, to discover perhaps for the first time in history how a man who is a servant can lead.

In addition to being spiritually and biblically sound, this course has a very practical result. The nation that does the most for others will be the one growing in greatness, the one other nation s, as customers, will turn to, the one whose products will sweep around the world. That nation will be exalted, elevated, enlarged as the Laws of Reciprocity and Use take hold.

As with nations, so with all of us.

SOURCE:” The Secret Kingdom” by Pat Robertson with Bob lSosser

THE LAW OF UNITY

From the beginning of His revelation to mankind, God has held forth a difficult principle that flows naturally into and out of the concept of serving. Men have continually stumbled over it.

I call it the Law of Unity. It is simple to understand, and devastatingly difficult to obey. But it is essential. God has been trying to explain that to us for thousands of years.

Unity is central to the way the world works. Perhaps the most powerful illustration of that is found in God Himself, in the Bible’s account of creation. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness . . . .”‘

This is the only part of the Creation where such language is used and, admittedly, we don’t know with great precision what the Lord was inspiring the writer to communicate. He probably was referring to the Godhead, the Trinity, when He spoke of “Us.” But He could have been speaking of the angelic court of God or perhaps even the multifaceted majesty of God. Regard­ less, there was some form of conversation involving more than one Person, and there was unity.

Although the passage presents many significant facts, this is the one we should see here: Within the Godhead (or the court of heaven) there was agreement and harmony. God moves in unity. Thus, the principle is first stated: Great creativity occurs where there is unity. God’s unfathomable power is released where there is harmony.

The early Genesis accounts add another piece of insight in this regard. After man had refused to obey God and live under His sovereignty, the half-truth of Satan, the liar and deceiver, came to pass: Adam and Eve became ” ‘like God.’ ” We are not able to comprehend the seriousness of that moment. It was history’s terrible tragedy. Man, the delight of God’s heart, had fallen. And we read these words: Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden.

Judgment flowed from unity. Just as the magnificent power of creation had sprung from the perfect harmony of heaven, so had the dreadful power of judgment and justice come from the awesome unity of the Almighty.

The examples are clear. God moves in unity. Harmony is central to the unleashing of God’s incredible power.

Furthermore, unity in the invisible world governs the visible world. If it works in heaven, it works on earth. ” ‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. ‘ “

This operation of the Law of Unity on earth was the point of one of the Lord’s most-quoted statements: ”Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst. “

He was calling for agreement, but not merely for agreement’s sake. He was calling for unity. Since He would be in their midst when they gathered to consider some issue, they would be expected to agree with Him. Their unity would be an external manifestation of their internal agreement. Since He was there, He would bring them to harmony if they genuinely laid aside their own preconceptions and centered on Hirn . Then, and only then , would power flow, just as at the Creation.

For unity is the fountainhead of God’s creative power.

There is a multiplication factor in that unity too. We see it in a song of Moses spoken to all of Israel as he approached the end of his life. One standing on the Rock , he said, would chase a thousand of the enemy, while two would put ten thousand to flight.6 Unity does not cause a mere doubling or tripling of power; the progression explodes.

Unity With Diversity

It is important we understand that unity springing from the truth of the kingdom of God does not insist on, or even desire, uniformity. Lessons from the Bible about the unity of the God­ head make this abundantly clear. There is diversity even with the oneness of the Trinity.

We see this point in the lives of Christ’s disciples, too. They were unified in their quest; but they were a diverse lot, thoroughly nonconformist in several instances.

Paul the apostle taught on this in a spiritual lesson that has physical applications: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all person s. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Variety is God’s way, he said, even invoking the Trinity to make the point-Spirit, Lord , God. Variety and diversity serve God’s purpose, working distinctively and pointedly to arrive at the common good. No, in families, businesses, churches, and nations, the Lord is not seeking a collection of robots. He is seeking people with varying personalities, talents, and styles who are unified in purpose and will work toward the common good.

Using His principles harmoniously, they can overcome the crises of our century.

Keenly aware of this the night before He was crucified, Jesus prayed to His Father in this manner: “I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word ; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.”

He knew that the fulfillment of the purposes of God would require unity. Without it, there would be no flow of power to save the world and to perfect the people of God.

SOURCE:” The Secret Kingdom” by Pat Robertson with Bob lSosser

SUMMARY OF KEY LESSON TRUTHS LEARNED IN LESSON 4

  1. The way we think, determines who we become.
  2. What we value, reveals who we are.
  3. Values are extremely powerful and form the foundation for behavior.
  4. Whatever we prioritize in life reveals our culture.
  5. Our culture is revealed in how well we take care of each other.
  6. We reveal our culture by what we permit.
  7. Once you understand the culture of a people, you understand the people.
  8. To pray effectively, you need faith in God, not faith in the object of your request.
  9. Praying for a miracle is welcoming a gift of the Holy Spirit to manifest. When His will is to work one, He will witness this to your heart. Than you can ask Him to perform the miracle that you know He wants to bring about.
  10. What is authority? Authority is delegated power.
  11. You’ve got to realize that you’ve got authority over your own household that you don’t have in my household.
  12. If you want to be great, become like a child and become a servant.

QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED IN LESSON 4

  1. What are nine key components that make up the culture of a nation or kingdom?
  2. What Are the nine actual components that make up our culture in the state of Arizona?
  3. What Are the nine actual components that make up our culture in the Kingdom of God?
  4. What are the four (4) conditions that should be met for God to answer our prayers. And where must your faith be to pray effectively?
  5. Praying for a miracle is welcoming a gift of the Holy Spirit to manifest. What should happen first. Can you illustrate when this happened in your life or the life of someone you know.
  6. The value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority. Please explain this statement in great detail.
  7. Do you have authority over someone else’s household or the devil in somebody else. Also explain in great detail.
  8. The disciples came to the Lord and asked, ” ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ ” Explain in your own words His answer.
  9. Explain in detail what is meant by: “God moves in unity. Harmony is central to the unleashing of God’s incredible power.”
  10. Explain in your own words what is meant by the statement: Unity with diversity.

PRAYER (speak out loud on my knees)

Father I thank you for giving me control over my thoughts. Now I can take controlof every thought and make it obedient to your ways. Thank you for giving me an understanding of the culture in your Kingdom and then changing my thoughts to agree with your ways.

Father I repent of not understanding the authority you have giving me. Now I will exercise that authority in my life everyday by speaking to any sickness and fears that try to enter my mind and body.

I pray this in Jesus name.

CONFESSION (speak out loud on my knees)

I confess that I have control over my thoughts, therefore I will capture every thought and make it obedient to you. I will also exercise the authority you have given me every day of my life by speaking to any sickness and fears that try to enter my mind and body. I have the Mind of Christ and my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

I declare this by faith in Jesus name.

THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ARE FOR YOU TO ASK GOD AND THEN MEDITATE ON: (From Carissa Raderstorf Life in the Kingdom 2 video )

  1. Is there an area of my life that you are not Lord?
  2. Is there an area of my life that I have been agreeing with the wrong voice?
  3. Lord what do you say about this area of my life?

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