Kingdom Status and Spiritual Warfare
by Linda Hornsby
05/03/2016
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. Matthew 11:12 NIV
Jesus began speaking to the crowd after he had addressed the question that John the Baptist sent by his disciples to him from prison. Jesus responded to John's question with his testimony of the mighty acts his Father had done through him, and then he began to speak about John.
We know from scripture that John the Baptist was the ordained prophet to announce the arrival of the Lamb of God and to prepare the way before him. Jesus confirmed this ordained will of God for John by speaking this truth that there was no one born of women greater than John the Baptist. Jesus then qualifies that statement with this, "yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John."
John was the culmination of the old and the new prophetic voice and the one chosen to announce the arrival of the Lamb of God. It was through this declaration which Jesus declared that from the days of John the Baptist until now; including the past, present and future, the kingdom of heaven was and is involved in a spiritual warfare with Satan. Here it is made clear that only forceful people who are committed to him and having been separated from the world would actually lay hold or take hold of it - and again in the words of Jesus:
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.
Jesus also gave us Warnings and Encouragements in the Gospel of LUKE:
Luke 12:1-3 NIV
12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
I believe as Jesus first warned his disciples to be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, who were the religious leaders of that day, he was exposing their hearts and the reality that they did not live by what they said. We see in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus said as he quoted the prophet Isaiah that he (Isaiah) was right; and it still continues to be a force to be reckoned with today.
Mark 7:6-8 (NIV)
6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
Let us be wise with ears to hear and hearts to obey as we are instructed not to believe every spirit but to test them:
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
"Some false teachers/prophets will enter the church as tolerance for doctrine which is not based on the Word of God increases... Christians are commanded to test all professed Christian teachers, writers, preachers and prophets, and in fact any individual who claims his or her work or message comes from the Holy Spirit.
Believers may never assume that a ministry or spiritual experience is from God merely because one claims it is." Bible Alliance Commentary
God's Word is the Standard and Jesus - the Son of God and the Son of Man is our example and model of all ministry. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit and was obedient to His God and Father in perfect harmony and agreement. As the disciples of Jesus we too must follow his teaching and example.
John 14:10
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Jesus also warns against greed: The Greek word for greed [pleonexia] means the thirst for having more. Enough is never enough....the heart is set on getting more and more. Greed is, as is lust, insatiable!
Jesus teaches us in a parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12.
Luke 12:13-14;20-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Jesus tell us, "Do Not Worry." When our eyes are fixed upon Him and our faith is released toward him then TRUST moves out and produces PEACE - his peace. Knowing we are not of this world but of another world, His Kingdom! We are then released by the truth of his word and the one who the Son sets free is free indeed. We are now free to serve him:
Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Luke 12:22-23
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
Little Faith
Luke 12:28
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!
THE KEY =
We must seek his kingdom.
We must understand with 'revelation knowledge' and believe that it is "the father's pleasure" - for our father has been pleased to give you the kingdom!"
FAITH= noun - BELIEVE VERB = ACTIVATED FAITH DRIVES OUT FEAR
GREED = THE THIRST FOR HAVING MORE
ALL KINDS OF GREED WEALTH, POWER, PRESTIEGE, APPLAUSE, ACCALODES, RECOGNITION, HONOR POSSESSIONS (ANY AND ALL OF THE TEMPORAL).
WE MUST CHOOSE!
THE ETERNAL MASTER BUILDER
1 CORINTHIANS 3:10-15
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
GRACE IS THE STANDARD = GOD'S MEASURING ROD
EXPERT BUILDER = GOD'S WISDOM
HOW WE BUILD = IS IMPORTANT AS JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION AND CORNERSTONE...PRECIOUS AND CHOSEN
1 Peter 2:6(NIV)
6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
I Peter 2:4-5
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
LIVING STONE CHOSEN BY GOD AND PRECIOUS TO HIM
DIVINE CONNECTION = REVELATION OF JESUS AND FATHER GOD RELATIONSHIP
CONNECTED BY THE MASTER BUILDER = JESUS AND HOLY APIRIT
A SPIRITUAL HOUSE = HOLY PRIESTHOOD TO OFFER UP SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES ACCEPTABLE TO AND THROUGH JESUS.'' (ETERNAL TABERNACLE OF DAVID!)
1 Peter 2:9 New International Version (NIV)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
CHOSEN - ROYAL PRIESTHOOD - HOLY NATION= A PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD TO DECLARE HIS PRAISE AND TESTIMONY.
1 Corinthians 2:7-10 New International Version (NIV)
7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”--
the things God has prepared for those who love him--
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
ARMY OF THE LAMB FOLLOWS THE LAMB WHEREVER HE GOES: SOLD OUT TO GOD - AND JESUS IS LORD!
SPEAK SPIRITUAL TRUTH IN SPIRITUAL WORDS
RECEIVE REVELATION KNOWLEDGE YET TO BE REVEALED
REVELATION THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT OF SCRIPTURES
SEARCHING ALL THINGS BY HOLY SPIRIT =
EVEN THE DEEP THING OF GOD
MATTHEW 16:17-19 = KEYS TO KINGDOM
REVELATION FROM THE FATHER OF WHO JESUS IS
REVELATION AUTHORITY OF JESUS
REVELATION AGREEMENT WTH JESUS
REVELATION ASSIGNMENT/COMMISSION FROM AND OF JESUS
REVELATION OF RELATIONSHIP OF FATHER AND SON
REVELATION THROUGH ADMINISTRATION OF HOLY SPIRIT
REVELATION OF LOVE AND OBEDIENCE
TO GOVERN FOR AND THROUGH CHRIST IN THE HEAVENS (NOT WHERE GOD'S THRONE IS), BUT THE SPIRITUAL REALM ABOUT US.
KEYS = TO GOVERN THROUGH CHRIST AND FOR CHRIST IN THE INVISIBLE REALM AROUND US OF THE SPIRIT WITH DELEGTED AUTHORITY.
NOTE: HADES = INVISIBLE, UNSEEN, SATAN'S KINGDOM/ SATAN'S COUNCILS
KINGDOM = SUSTAINED BY GOD'S SOVEREIGN GRACE, WISDOM AND POWER
REMNANT =
FAITHFUL TO WORD
LORDSHIP OF CHRIST
POWER OF HOLY SPIRIT
DEMONSTRATE KINGDOM POWER
RICH TOWARD GOD =
"WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS,
THERE YOUR HEART WILL ALSO BE."
Jesus began speaking to the crowd after he had addressed the question that John the Baptist sent by his disciples to him from prison. Jesus responded to John's question with his testimony of the mighty acts his Father had done through him, and then he began to speak about John.
We know from scripture that John the Baptist was the ordained prophet to announce the arrival of the Lamb of God and to prepare the way before him. Jesus confirmed this ordained will of God for John by speaking this truth that there was no one born of women greater than John the Baptist. Jesus then qualifies that statement with this, "yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John."
John was the culmination of the old and the new prophetic voice and the one chosen to announce the arrival of the Lamb of God. It was through this declaration which Jesus declared that from the days of John the Baptist until now; including the past, present and future, the kingdom of heaven was and is involved in a spiritual warfare with Satan. Here it is made clear that only forceful people who are committed to him and having been separated from the world would actually lay hold or take hold of it - and again in the words of Jesus:
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.
Jesus also gave us Warnings and Encouragements in the Gospel of LUKE:
Luke 12:1-3 NIV
12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
I believe as Jesus first warned his disciples to be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, who were the religious leaders of that day, he was exposing their hearts and the reality that they did not live by what they said. We see in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus said as he quoted the prophet Isaiah that he (Isaiah) was right; and it still continues to be a force to be reckoned with today.
Mark 7:6-8 (NIV)
6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’
8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
Let us be wise with ears to hear and hearts to obey as we are instructed not to believe every spirit but to test them:
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
"Some false teachers/prophets will enter the church as tolerance for doctrine which is not based on the Word of God increases... Christians are commanded to test all professed Christian teachers, writers, preachers and prophets, and in fact any individual who claims his or her work or message comes from the Holy Spirit.
Believers may never assume that a ministry or spiritual experience is from God merely because one claims it is." Bible Alliance Commentary
God's Word is the Standard and Jesus - the Son of God and the Son of Man is our example and model of all ministry. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit and was obedient to His God and Father in perfect harmony and agreement. As the disciples of Jesus we too must follow his teaching and example.
John 14:10
Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Jesus also warns against greed: The Greek word for greed [pleonexia] means the thirst for having more. Enough is never enough....the heart is set on getting more and more. Greed is, as is lust, insatiable!
Jesus teaches us in a parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12.
Luke 12:13-14;20-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Jesus tell us, "Do Not Worry." When our eyes are fixed upon Him and our faith is released toward him then TRUST moves out and produces PEACE - his peace. Knowing we are not of this world but of another world, His Kingdom! We are then released by the truth of his word and the one who the Son sets free is free indeed. We are now free to serve him:
Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Luke 12:22-23
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
Little Faith
Luke 12:28
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!
THE KEY =
We must seek his kingdom.
We must understand with 'revelation knowledge' and believe that it is "the father's pleasure" - for our father has been pleased to give you the kingdom!"
FAITH= noun - BELIEVE VERB = ACTIVATED FAITH DRIVES OUT FEAR
GREED = THE THIRST FOR HAVING MORE
ALL KINDS OF GREED WEALTH, POWER, PRESTIEGE, APPLAUSE, ACCALODES, RECOGNITION, HONOR POSSESSIONS (ANY AND ALL OF THE TEMPORAL).
WE MUST CHOOSE!
THE ETERNAL MASTER BUILDER
1 CORINTHIANS 3:10-15
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
GRACE IS THE STANDARD = GOD'S MEASURING ROD
EXPERT BUILDER = GOD'S WISDOM
HOW WE BUILD = IS IMPORTANT AS JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION AND CORNERSTONE...PRECIOUS AND CHOSEN
1 Peter 2:6(NIV)
6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
I Peter 2:4-5
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
LIVING STONE CHOSEN BY GOD AND PRECIOUS TO HIM
DIVINE CONNECTION = REVELATION OF JESUS AND FATHER GOD RELATIONSHIP
CONNECTED BY THE MASTER BUILDER = JESUS AND HOLY APIRIT
A SPIRITUAL HOUSE = HOLY PRIESTHOOD TO OFFER UP SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES ACCEPTABLE TO AND THROUGH JESUS.'' (ETERNAL TABERNACLE OF DAVID!)
1 Peter 2:9 New International Version (NIV)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
CHOSEN - ROYAL PRIESTHOOD - HOLY NATION= A PEOPLE BELONGING TO GOD TO DECLARE HIS PRAISE AND TESTIMONY.
1 Corinthians 2:7-10 New International Version (NIV)
7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”--
the things God has prepared for those who love him--
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.
ARMY OF THE LAMB FOLLOWS THE LAMB WHEREVER HE GOES: SOLD OUT TO GOD - AND JESUS IS LORD!
SPEAK SPIRITUAL TRUTH IN SPIRITUAL WORDS
RECEIVE REVELATION KNOWLEDGE YET TO BE REVEALED
REVELATION THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT OF SCRIPTURES
SEARCHING ALL THINGS BY HOLY SPIRIT =
EVEN THE DEEP THING OF GOD
MATTHEW 16:17-19 = KEYS TO KINGDOM
REVELATION FROM THE FATHER OF WHO JESUS IS
REVELATION AUTHORITY OF JESUS
REVELATION AGREEMENT WTH JESUS
REVELATION ASSIGNMENT/COMMISSION FROM AND OF JESUS
REVELATION OF RELATIONSHIP OF FATHER AND SON
REVELATION THROUGH ADMINISTRATION OF HOLY SPIRIT
REVELATION OF LOVE AND OBEDIENCE
TO GOVERN FOR AND THROUGH CHRIST IN THE HEAVENS (NOT WHERE GOD'S THRONE IS), BUT THE SPIRITUAL REALM ABOUT US.
KEYS = TO GOVERN THROUGH CHRIST AND FOR CHRIST IN THE INVISIBLE REALM AROUND US OF THE SPIRIT WITH DELEGTED AUTHORITY.
NOTE: HADES = INVISIBLE, UNSEEN, SATAN'S KINGDOM/ SATAN'S COUNCILS
KINGDOM = SUSTAINED BY GOD'S SOVEREIGN GRACE, WISDOM AND POWER
REMNANT =
FAITHFUL TO WORD
LORDSHIP OF CHRIST
POWER OF HOLY SPIRIT
DEMONSTRATE KINGDOM POWER
RICH TOWARD GOD =
"WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS,
THERE YOUR HEART WILL ALSO BE."