KINGDOM
WAR
Popular movies, TV shows,
games, books with kingdom themes: Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings, Clash
of Titans…
We are in a war of kingdoms:
light and darkness…
Ephesians
6:10-13
(NKJV)
Finally, my brethren, be
strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of
God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do
not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against
powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts
of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Satan’s fall… prince of the
power of the air… prince of darkness… god of this world…
God created a stage where
the power of His Kingdom would be put on display and solve the solve angelic
conflict…
But Adam fell and gave away
his dominion. Jesus came to reclaim
everything He lost in Adam and restore to the church the dominion God have
mankind!
This is what John the Baptist proclaimed as he
preached in the deserts of Judaea…
Matthew
3:2
(NKJV) and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand!”
This is what Jesus proclaimed as He began His public
ministry…
Matthew
4:17
(NKJV) From that time Jesus began to preach
and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The Kingdom of God is here. It is so near that you can
experience it and be a part of it. The
transcendent God who created everything has come down, became imminent with His
people. He is the infinite personal God.
He is “God with Us”! He is there and He is not silent!
Psalms
46:1
(NKJV) God is our refuge and strength, A
very present help in trouble.
He left eternity, broke into time and space to reach
us. The God who is ’other’ than us becomes one of us.
Not only that, Jesus was declaring war on the enemy
and his kingdom of darkness!
Matthew
4:16
(NKJV) The people who sat in darkness have
seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the land of the shadow of death
Light has dawned.
John
1:4–5
(NKJV) In Him was life, and the life was
the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did
not overcome it.
John
10:10
(NKJV) The thief does not come except to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and
that they may have it more abundantly.
Jesus is establishing the Kingdom prophesied in the
Old Testament.
Daniel
2:44
(NKJV) And in the days of these kings the
God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the
kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume
all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.
The word for kingdom is Baselia, meaning ‘to rule’…
The Kingdom of God is the rule of God. It is bringing
heaven into earth. Whatever is true in heaven is true on earth!’
What
does the Kingdom look like?
Matthew
6:10
(NKJV) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it
is in heaven.
Matthew
10:7–8
(NKJV) And as you go, preach, saying, “The
kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the
dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
Matthew
12:28
(NKJV) But if I cast out demons by the
Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Luke
9:2
(NKJV) He sent them to preach the kingdom
of God and to heal the sick.
Romans
14:17
(NKJV) for the kingdom of God is not eating
and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
1
Corinthians 4:20 (NKJV) For the kingdom of God is not in
word but in power
How do we
expand the Kingdom of God?
The time has come for us to
possess the kingdom.
Luke
12:32
(NKJV) Do not fear, little flock, for it is
your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Matthew
11:12
(NKJV) And from the days of John the
Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take
it by force.
Matthew
16:19
(NKJV) And I will give you the keys of the
kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
2
Corinthians 10:3–6 (NKJV) For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our
warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments
and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing
every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish
all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
How
do you enter the Kingdom?
John
3:3
(NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God.”
Luke
23:42
(NKJV) Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,
remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
Matthew
6:33
(NKJV) But seek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew
7:21
(NKJV) Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord,
Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father
in heaven.
Ministry
Time
Where is the darkness in your life? Cry for the light to come into that darkness.
John
8:12 (NKJV)
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who
follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.”
2
Corinthians 4:6 (NKJV)
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone
in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.
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