“Let this MIND be in you,
which was also in Christ Jesus…
we have the MIND OF CHRIST!”
(Philippians 2:5, 1 Corinthians 2:16).
1. Why were Jesus Christ, Born HUMAN?
"For you know that God PAID A RANSOM to
SAVE YOU from the empty life [DEAD]
you inherited from your ancestors...
He paid for you with the precious LIFEBLOOD of Christ,
the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
God CHOSE HIM [Christ Jesus] for this
PURPOSE long BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN...
He [Christ Jesus] was sent to the earth
FOR ALL TO SEE. And He did this FOR YOU."
1 Peter 1:18-20(NLT)
The Bible tells us that the Lamb, Jesus Christ, was SLAIN before the FOUNDATION of the world. Why? Please read your own Bible in Revelations 13:8. Jesus Christ was SLAIN even before the creation of the world. In other words, God expected that HUMANITY will FALL! This makes CLEAR that God knew us in ADVANCE. He knew us even before God created the world. EVERYTHING was MADE and was PREPARED before the FOUNDATION of the world. Satan didn’t know this SUPERB WISDOM of God!
God ALLOWED Satan to DECEIVE Eve because the REMEDY and SOLUTION was already PREPARED! In other word, it is the “ANTI DOTE” of God. Nothing but the BLOOD of Jesus! Then once you receive this “ANTI DOTE” you will be IMMUNED so the ACCUSER has no more POWER at all. This is the BRILLIANT WISDOM of the ALL-Knowing God that Satan did not COMPREHEND. This is the PERFECT PLAN or “Blueprint” of God.
The MYSTERY was REVEALED unto us by the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. It was made CLEAR in these Last Days! Jesus Christ has already PAID a RANSOM to SAVE us with His PRECIOUS LIFE BLOOD even, BEFORE the WORLD BEGAN. Please read 1 Peter 1:18-20 again in your own Bible. IT IS FINISHED! This is THE MIND OF CHRIST! Please understand that “Hell Fire” is not our issue! Jesus Christ was born HUMAN to be SLAIN PHYSICALLY, so the world will SEE and UNDERSTAND. So the world might at least COMPREHEND the MYSTERY of God’s PURPOSE and PLAN from the FOUNDATION of the world. Jesus Christ was MADE FLESH to SHOW the MARVELOUS LOVE of God for you!
Just what do you think, SAVE? SAVED from what? From the “Hell Fire”? Did you ever find a passage that tells about Jesus Christ who DIED on the CROSS to SAVE us SINNERS from the “Hell Fire”? What does “HELL” really means? Just what Jesus Christ mean, “HELL”? Just what do you think, “Hell Fire”? What about PERISH? What did Jesus mean when He said, “WEEPING and GNASHING of TEETH”? What about, “TORMENT or UNQUENCHEABLE FIRE?” These questions were REVEALED and were made CLEAR by the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. This REVELATION of God’s Word is really ASTONISHING and MARVELOUS! It will surely TRIGGER you into a HIGHER LEVEL of your RELATIONSHIP with God our Father!
The Lord says, "It was My Will that He should SUFFER;
His DEATH was a sacrifice to BRING FORGIVENESS.
And so He will see his descendants;
He will live a LONGLIFE [After the Resurrection],
and THROUGH HIM [During the 2nd Coming],
MY PURPOSE [The Promised, Eternal Kingdom]
WILL SUCCEED.” (Isaiah 53:10. GNT)
The Lord, Himself, has spoken through the Prophet Isaiah saying, “MY PURPOSE WILL SUCCEED”. Nothing can hinder the PURPOSE and PLAN of God for MANKIND. His Will in the END shall come to PASS! God is WAITING for someone who will TRUST and OBEY His PERFECT PLAN that was REVEALED in this “Last Days”. The KINGDOM of God was already PREPARED from the FOUNDATION of the world. It’s just a matter of who will HOOK UP with His PLAN, to His “BLUEPRINT”!
How come that the DEATH of Jesus, a HUMAN, took the PUNISHMENT for our sins? Some Bible scholars, TODAY, say that Jesus was crucified because He broke the law of the Roman government. They claim that His case against the government was a blasphemy, and the punishment is crucifixion. Well, no wonder, the Prophet Isaiah wrote,
“He was DESPISED and REJECTED –
a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief.
We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way when He went by.
He was DESPISED, and we did not care.
Yet it was our weaknesses He carried….
And WE THOUGHT His troubles were a PUNISHMENT from God for His OWN SINS!” (Isaiah 53:3-4, NLT).
Jesus, took the PUNISHMENT for your sins! IT IS FINISHED!
I remember my teacher in Religious Education, said, “Jesus was punished for breaking the law of their government.” during my 1st year in college (2003). Because of this, I was DECEIVED and started to DOUBT about Jesus. Often times, I asked myself, “How did Jesus died for my sin?” So on October 27, 2010, God showed Himself with the RADIANCE of His GLORY and POWER! He reminded His UNFAILING and ENDURING LOVE for me. I WANDERED for 7 years! WANDER means, to live without PURPOSE or MISSION. I was so ashamed of REJECTING Jesus who SUFFERED for my WEAKNESSES and even POURED out an OVERFLOWING, ABUNDANT, EXCEEDING and SUFFICIENT GRACE that I don’t DESERVE! I started to cry like a child. I was born and grew up in a Christian family. Many times, I REJECTED, QUESTIONED and DOUBT Jesus before.
The Bible makes CLEAR that Jesus never broke the LAW of God and any law of the Roman government at all. Jesus was PERFECT in all His WAYS during His earthly life! Please read your own Bible and BELIEVE what it says! Jesus never committed SIN! “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the LAW: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4). Sin is the TRANSGRESSION of the LAW!
Is Jesus Christ, God? But Jesus Christ was born HUMAN, grew up as a NORMAL child, He SUFFERED like a mere HUMAN until He breathed His LAST BREATH on the CROSS.
Do you believe that Christ Jesus, Himself, created the entire LIMITLESS UNIVERSE? Who declared, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” The Bible CLEARLY states that, it is God! Did you know that Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, was the one SPEAKING during the “CREATION WEEK” (Genesis, chapter 1)? Until now, Jesus Christ is still SPEAKING to us, REVEALING the MYSTERY of His PLAN from the FOUNDATION of the world!
In Colossians 1:15-17, 20 (NLT), look,
Christ is the VISIBLE IMAGE of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over ALL CREATION. Christ is the one through whom God created EVERYTHING in Heaven and earth… EVERYTHING has been created THROUGH HIM and for Him [The Good Pleasure of our Creator]. He existed before EVERYTHING else began and He holds all creation together… and by Him God RECONCILED EVERYTHING TO HIMSELF. He made PEACE with EVERYTHING in Heaven and on earth by means of His BLOOD on the CROSS.
Christ existed before EVERYTHING in Heaven and on earth existed. EVERYTHING was created by Christ, Himself. Please, read Colossians 1:15-17, 20 again in your own Bible! Notice, if God is the creator of EVERYTHING and it says that Christ created EVERYTHING, then, Christ is God! Since Christ is the CREATOR of the entire LIMITLESS UNIVERSE. “ALL THINGS WERE MADE BY HIM; & without Him was not anything made that was made.” (John 1:3)
There is no DISAGREEMENT here, whether you are a “Trinitarian” or you belong to the “Oneness”. It was Christ who declared, “Let there be LIGHT” during the “CREATION WEEK”. This is an AMAZING REVELATION of God’s Word, and more to be REVEALED!
God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Note in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the WORD...” The name, “the WORD,” is translated from the original Greek text which literally means, “SPOKESMAN”. Notice, that the one SPEAKING during the CREATION WEEK was Jesus Christ, Himself! Jesus Christ REVEALED this when He was MADE FLESH, “WHATEVER I SAY is just what the Father has TOLD ME TO SAY (John 12:50, NIV).” It means that Jesus SPOKE ONLY as the Father directed.
Now, let’s go back to the CREATION of HUMAN. Jesus Christ was saying, “Let us make HUMAN in our IMAGE, to be LIKE OURSELVES.” Wow, what a WONDERFUL REVELATION! We, HUMAN, were CREATED in the IMAGE of our Lord Jesus Christ to become LIKE Him! Therefore we can have THE MIND OF CHRIST! Remember, He was PLEASED when He saw that His CREATION is INCREASING! This is the GOOD PLEASURE of God! THE MIND OF CHRIST is that we should MULTIPLY and to INCREASE in number, by making Disciples! Teaching them what the WORD, Jesus Christ, taught us! Don’t rely on the MAN-MADE DOCTRINES and FORMULAS that causes CONFUSION.
Being made in the IMAGE of God, in other words, we HUMAN, have the ABILITY to KNOW THINGS, to make DESCISIONS according to the Will of God (conscience), and to DISCERN the PURPOSE and PLAN of God. So that we can have THE MIND OF CHRIST!
“Christ is the VISIBLE IMAGE of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15) Does God make Himself CLEAR? Christ Jesus, the Son of God, was born a Human so that at least we can understand the UNFAILING and ENDURING Love of God. Because the MARVELOUS Love of God SURPASSES UNDERSTANDING, none can FATHOM! In John 1:14(NLT), “And the WORD became HUMAN & lived here on earth among us, He was FULL OF UNFAILING LOVE and FAITHFULNESS.” Furthermore, Christ Jesus became HUMAN to REVEAL the MYSTERY, the Hidden TREASURE, of God!
“Long ago God spoke many times and
in many ways to our ancestors through the Prophets.
But now in these FINAL DAYS,
He has SPOKEN to us through His Son.
God PROMISED EVERYTHING to the Son as an inheritance,
and through the Son He made the UNIVERSE and everything in it.
The Son REFLECTS God's own glory, and
EVERYTHING about Him represents God EXACTLY.
He sustains the universe
by the mighty power of HIS COMMAND.
After He DIED to CLEANSE us from the STAIN of SIN,
He sat down in the place of honor
at the RIGHT HAND of the MAJESTIC God of HEAVEN.
(Hebrews 1:1-3, NLT).
In the beginning was the WORD. The WORD was Christ ! He became HUMAN so that He, Himself, will FULFILL His own PURPOSE. “Because God’s children are HUMAN beings (made of FLESH and BLOOD), Jesus also BECAME FLESH & BLOOD by being BORN IN HUMAN FORM. For ONLY as a human being could HE DIE, & ONLY BY DYING could HE BREAK the POWER of the DEVIL, who had the POWER of DEATH.” (Hebrews 2:14). Jesus Christ came to disarm the Devil and gave us COMPLETE AUTHORITY and POWER from on high. Then after Jesus Christ ASCENDED to Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to give us POWER to RESIST the devil!
On the other hand, Jesus Christ came to SAVE us from the DOMINION of Satan! To REDEEM us from the CAPTIVITY and SLAVERY of Satan. We were once a CAPTIVE in the kingdom of darkness. We were once a SLAVE of SIN and follow the ways of this evil world. So Jesus Christ came to set us FREE from the POWER OF SIN.
In Romans 6:6, 10,12, 17-18, 22 (NLT), look!
Our OLD SINFUL selves were CRUCIFIED with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer SLAVE to SIN. He died once to DEFEAT SIN, and now he lives for the glory of God. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. Thank God! Once you were SLAVES of SIN, but now you have OBEYED with ALL YOUR HEART the NEW TEACHING God has given you. Now you are FREE from SIN, your old master, and you have become slaves to your NEW MASTER, RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now you are FREE from the POWER of SIN and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that LEAD to HOLINESS and result in ETERNAL LIFE.”
Sin LOST its POWER! But Satan is not yet OVER, he keeps trying to DECEIVE us so we can’t EXERCISE the AUTHORITY and POWER from Heaven. RESIST the devil, you have the Word of God as your SWORD against him. If we fail to RULE OVER sin, sin will RULE OVER us. “But if you REFUSE to respond correctly, then WATCH OUT! Sin is WAITING to ATTACK and DESTROY you, and YOU MUST SUBDUE IT.” (Genesis 4:7, NLT) This is what God wants us to be, to SUBDUE this evil world.
Cain, in the Book of Genesis, chapter 4 refused to RESPOND to the Word of God. Because of PRIDE and JEALOUSY, Cain became a SLAVE of sin and Abel’s OFFERING made him RIGHTEOUS in God’s EYES. Cain, being a farmer, offered to God some fruit from the product of his farm. Instead of obtaining the product from his brother’s flock for the SACRIFICIAL OFFERING for sin, with is also called ATONEMENT, Cain wanted to keep everything WITHIN HIS CONTROL. He did things that he THOUGHT was RIGHT in his OWN EYES but it wasn’t RIGHT in the EYES of God.
He knew God, but the problem was he never took the time to cultivate his relationship with our heavenly Father. He never diligently desired to have THE MIND OF CHRIST and never tried to find out what GOD WANTS HIM TO DO. We can all fall into this TRAP of Satan if we do not SPEND TIME to get to know the WILL OF GOD. Every time we fail to listen to the VOICE of God and obey GOD’S WILL, we are opening the door to SIN. Yes! If we fail to RULE OVER sin, sin will RULE OVER us.
In effect, Evil has taken root in his HEART and he RESENTED his brother, thinking Abel was the cause to all his problems & frustrations. Cain was easily offended & HATED his younger brother, Abel. Cain forgot to EXAMINE HIMSELF; it was his FAULT after all. God tried to correct Cain, but instead of responding to the Word of God, Cain was offended. Sometimes, as in Cain’s case, people get angry when they are being REBUKED. Instead of turning back, they keep on going because they are OFFENDED by the CORRECTIVE WORDS. People, like Cain, BLAME others when they are being REBUKED or CORRECTED.
When God asked, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” He was waiting for Cain to REPENT and CONFESS his sin, He didn’t REPENT, he was REBELLIOUS! He was DOMINATED by Satan. He was RULED by sin. Cain ran away from his CALLING.
Even then, God still PRESERVED Cain’s life and PROTECTED him, in the hope that the PROPHETIC message of the blood of Abel would ONE DAY AWAKEN HIM. “Then the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him.” (Genesis 4:15, NLT). It was a sad story, but there is still HOPE. I call this story as “The Cain Syndrome”. Beware of this syndrome! Cain became WANDERER of this world. WANDERER means, living without PURPOSE or MISSION. As for you, you GREAT PURPOSE and SUPERNATURAL MISSION here on earth!
Now, Abel’s BLOOD was spilled on the ground. His BLOOD CRIES for every one of us! “LIVE A HOLY LIFE!” The BLOOD of Jesus FULFILLED the CRY of the blood of Abel. Because of sin, our HEARTS became HARD as STONE and even refused to REPENT. Now, Jesus is knocking at the DOOR of every man’s HEART. Jesus is telling us to YIELD our HEART towards God and LIVE A HOLY LIFE (Hebrews 11:4). God is still WAITING for you!
“Jesus PROMISED to COME BACK… But you must not forget, dear friends, that a DAY is like 1000 yrs to the Lord, & 1000 yrs. is like A DAY. The Lord isn't really being slow about His PROMISE to RETURN, as some people think. No, He is being PATIENT for YOUR SAKE. HE DOES NOT ONE ANYONE TO PERISH, so he is GIVING MORE TIME for everyone to REPENT. (2 Peter 3:4, 8-9, NLT)
God is WAITING for you. He is WAITING for EVERYONE. He wants EVERYONE to HEAR this Gospel of the KINGDOM of God! He is WAITING for someone who will take COURAGE and DECLARE to the world that HUMANITY was SAVED! That HUMANITY was already FORGIVEN. He’s not MAD at us! He LOVED us from the FOUNDATION of the world.
He knew us before we were BORN. We are PREDESTINED to RULE OVER Satan and POSITION him UNDER OUR FEET for ALL ETERNITY. Don’t be DECEIVED by Satan saying, “If you fail, you will not go to Heaven and experience ‘ETERNAL PUNISHMENT’”. This is a TRAP of Satan so you will think that you need to WORK OUT so you might go to Heaven. So you might not CONCENTRATE in exercising your AUTHORITY against Him!
In the BEGINNING, God knew you in ADVANCE, from the CREATION of the world, even before you were BORN! I repeat, we are PREDESTINED to RULE OVER Satan and POSITION him UNDER OUR FEET for ALL ETERNITY. Let’s go! I remember the hymn, “ONWARD Christian SOLDIERS, Marching as to WAR… Christ, the royal Master, leads against the foe” I love this song when I was a little boy. Now I UNDERSTAND the REAL MEANING of this hymn. Yess! Let’s go, ATTACK the kingdom of darkness! Let’s PROCLAIM this Gospel of the KINGDOM of God everywhere and to the NATIONS. For this is the POWER of God against Satan. The Word of God that comes from your mouth will EXPOSE the works of the devil!
Since, the ETERNAL God is ALL-Powerful, ALL-Knowing with INFINITE WISDOM; He fills the entire LIMITLESS UNIVERSE and is PRESENT everywhere at once. These attributes of God can never grasp by a LIMITED HUMAN MIND. So the ETERNAL God REVEALED Himself through His WORD. And the WORD was made flesh, born HUMAN! He then, is Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is still SPEAKING to us, TEACHING us the TRUTH and His WAYS so that we might have LIFE. Through the WORD of God, He REVEALS the MYSTERY of His PURPOSE and PLAN so that we might have THE MIND OF CHRIST!
2. Just What do You Think, SAVIOR? Is Jesus Christ, the “MESSIAH”?
“And He said unto them,
These are the words which I spake unto you…
that ALL THINGS must be FULFILLED ,
which were written in the Law of Moses,
and in the Prophets,
and in the Psalms, concerning me.
Then opened He their understanding, that they
MIGHT UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES,
And said unto them, Thus it is written , and thus it behoved
Christ to SUFFER, and
to RISE from the DEAD the third day:
And that REPENTANCE and
REMISSIONS of sins should be PREACHED
in HIS NAME among ALL NATIONS…
(Luke 24:44-47).
Please UNDERSTAND that the TRADITIONAL “gospel” of Heaven and hell is not THE MIND OF CHRIST. Having THE MIND OF CHRIST, we should PREACH the REMISSION and FORGIVENESS of SINS, the “Gospel of PEACE”, in ALL NATIONS! That Jesus DIED for our SINS and ROSE from the DEAD, that He is ALIVE (Seated at the Right Hand of God), and is COMING SOON!
This was the MAGNIFICENT PURPOSE why Jesus Christ, the MESSIAH, was born HUMAN. To FULFILL ALL THINGS which were written in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms. Begin to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to OPEN your UNDERSTANDING so you might UNDERSTAND ALL that it is WRITTEN in the Bible! Once your UNDERSTANDING was OPENED, you will begin to LEARN the WAYS of God. Soon, you will have THE MIND OF CHRIST. Notice, Jesus OPENED the UNDERSTANDING of His disciples. So they might have THE MIND OF CHRIST!
Just what do you think when Jesus performed MIRACLES such as, HEALING, RAISING the DEAD to LIFE, etc… The MESSIAH came to bring GOOD NEWS to the BROKEN HEARTED, to ENCOURAGE the OPPRESSED and those that are PERSECUTED, to INSPIRE the HOPELESS, to lift up the UNQUALIFIED and LOWLY, to bring us out of DARKNESS!
Let’s take a glance to what is written in the Law of Moses about QUALIFYING a PRIEST. In Leviticus 21:18-21, 23 (NLT), the Lord says,
“No one who has a defect may come near to Me, whether he is BLIND or LAME, STUNTED or DEFORMED, or has a BROKEN [Crippled, NIV] FOOT or HAND, or has a HUMPED BAK or is a DWARF, or has a DEFECTIVE EYE, or has oozing SORES or SCABS on his skin, or has DAMAGED TESTICLES. Even though he is a descendant of Aaron, his PHYSICAL DEFECT DISQUALIFY HIM from presenting offerings to the LORD by fire. Since he has a BLEMISH, he may not offer food to his God. Bec. of his physical defect, he must NEVER GO BEYOND the INNER CURTAIN… I am the LORD [Jesus Christ] who makes them HOLY.”
In other words, the PRIESTS must be GOOD LOOKING, TALL, HANDSOME, STRONG, HEALTHY, CLEAN, etc…
In the Law of Moses, only those QUALIFIED PRIESTS can OFFER SACRIFICES to God and can enter the INNER CURTAIN, “the Holy of Holies” “But ye are a CHOSEN GENERATION, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD… that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath CALLED you out of DARKENSS into His MARVELOUS LIGHT… to OFFER up Spiritual SACRIFICE, ACCEPTABLE to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:9, 5). Notice, the word “STUNTED” in Leviticus 21:18, was translated as “FLAT NOSE” in ESV. It makes me laugh at heart, thinking of myself with a flat nose! Most Filipinos are flat nosed. Nevertheless, we are a CHOSEN GENERATION to PREPARE the WAY for the 2nd Coming of Christ , the MESSIAH!
Jesus Christ, the MESSIAH, came to FULFILL this Law, so that everyone will be QUALIFIED to OFFER SACRIFICES to the HOLY God and BOLDLY ENTER the “Holy of Holies” with CONFIDENCE. “Yet because of his physical defect, he must NEVER GO BEYOND THE INNER CURTAIN… I am the LORD [Jesus Christ] Who makes them HOLY.” (Leviticus 21: 23). Only Jesus Christ can make us HOLY! So through FAITH in the BLOOD of Jesus, we are QUALIFIED as a HOLY, ROYAL PRIEST.
Just after Jesus died, the “INNER CURTAIN” was torn (Matthew 27:51; John 15:38). “Having therefore, brethren, BOLDNESS to ENTER into the HOLIEST [Heaven's Most Holy Place, NLT] by the BLOOD of Jesus, By a NEW and LIVING WAY, which he hath CONSECRATED for us, through the VEIL, that is to say, His FLESH; And having an HIGH PRIEST over the house of God; Let us draw near with a TRUE HEART in FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH…” (Hebrews 10:19-22). With a TRUE, PURE and CLEAN HEART with FULL ASSURANCE of your FAITH, you can ENTER Heaven’s Most Holy Place! Not just Heaven, but Heaven’s Most Holy Place! I repeat, MOST HOLY PLACE!
Yes, you can ENTER the MOST HOLY PLACE. Where is this place? Remember, Heaven is INFINITE, LIMITLESS and ENDLESS, even far GREATER than the Universe. Then, where is the Heaven’s Most Holy Place? That’s the KINGDOM of God. Oh, I SEE, the KINGDOM of God! It requires BOLDNESS and CONFIDENCE to ENTER the KINGDOM of God with FULL ASSURANCE of FAITH that you are CONSECRATED by the BLOOD of Jesus. Everybody is QUALIFIED to ENTER the KINGDOM of God but ONLY those who BELIEVE who can ENTER! This is the GOOD NEWS, the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God!
For example, Malacaňang Palace, everybody is welcome to ENTER. But only those who are CONFIDENT can ENTER the Palace! They are CONFIDENT because they knew their IDENTITY, their RIGHTS and AUTHORITY!
The same manner, only those who have COURAGE, BOLDNESS and CONFIDENCE can ENTER the KINGDOM of God. It was PROMISED, by the MESSIAH, the KING of kings, Jesus Christ, Himself! “You are a CHOSEN people. You are a KINGDOM of Priests, God's HOLY NATION, His VERY OWN POSSESSION.” (1 Peter 2:9, NLT). This is our RIGHTS and IDENTITY. This GOOD NEWS was SUPPRESSED by Satan, the “Father of Lies” for centuries! But Praise God for REVEALING this GOOD NEWS, the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God, in these Last Days. Always be CONFIDENT because you have THE MIND OF CHRIST!
You are even GREATER than John the Baptist, for you will do GREATER THINGS than Jesus Christ did during His earthly Ministry (John 14:12). "I assure you, of all who have ever lived, NONE is GREATER THAN John the Baptist. Yet even the most INSIGNIFICANT person in the KINGDOM of Heaven is GREATER THAN he [John the Baptist] is!” (Matthew 11:11).
When John the Baptist was in prison, he sent his disciples to Jesus if He is really the Messiah. John the Baptist heard the MIRACLES of Jesus yet he still DOUBT! John the Baptist was a GREAT Prophet who PREPARED the way before the Lord Jesus Christ REVEALED Himself, 2000 years ago (Isaiah 40:3, Luke 3:4, Matthew 3:3)
“Are you really the MESSIAH we’ve been waiting for,
or should we keep looking for someone else?”
Jesus told them,
“Go back to John and tell him about
what you have HEARD and SEEN [Witness] –
the BLIND see, the LAME walk, the LEPERS are cured,
the DEAF hear, the DEAD are RAISED to LIFE, and the
GOOD NEWS is being PREACHED to the POOR.
And tell him: ‘God blesses those who are
not offended by me. ‘” (Matthew 11:3-5, NLT).
This GOOD NEWS gave HOPE to the SUFFERING, PERSECUTED and OPPRESSED John the Baptist! What is this GOOD NEWS? That you are SAVED from the “Hell Fire” when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior? That you are going to Heaven after death?
What did Jesus Christ means when he said, “The BLIND see, the LAME walk, the LEPERS are cured, the DEAF hear, the DEAD are RAISED to LIFE, and the GOOD NEWS is being PREACHED to the POOR.” (Matthew 11:5). Just what do you think about this MIRACLES performed by the MESSIAH Himself? “Only an evil, FAITHLESS GENERATION would ASK for a MIRACULOUS SIGN.” (Matthew 12:39; Matthew 16:4). “But you are not like that, for you are a CHOSEN people. You are a KINGDOM of Priests, God's HOLY NATION, HIS VERY OWN POSSESSION.” (1 Peter 2:9, NLT). The Lord Jesus Christ added, “HARDEN THE HEARTS of these people. CLOSE their EARS, and SHUT their EYES. That way, THEY WILL NOT SEE with their EYES, HEAR with their EARS, UNDERSTAND with their HEARTS, and TURN TO ME FOR HEALING.” (Isaiah 6:10, NLT). The KINGDOM of God is at hand! This is the time to REPENT and TURN to God, OBEY His LAW and FOLLOW His WAYS!
On the other hand, just what do you think HEALING? “By His [Jesus] stripes [wounds] we are HEALED.” (Isaiah 53:5). I remember the song, “Light of the world, stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes let me SEE.” Just what do you think SEE? Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot SEE the KINGDOM of God.” (John 3:3). And the Lord, Jesus Christ said, “You will HEAR MY WORDS, but you will NOT UNDERSTAND. You will SEE what I do, but you will NOT PERCEIVE ITS MEANING.” (Isaiah 6:9, NLT). The PROMISED, ETERNAL KINGDOM of God was never UNDERSTOOD so, it was never PROCLAIMED!
The PROMISED, MILLENNIAL KINGDOM of God is mistakenly interpreted as Heaven, a place where we go after death. The HOPE of the RESURRECTION was gone because of the TRADITIONAL “gospel” of Heaven and hell. I remember the Apostle Paul, pleading his case to the High Council. In Acts 23:6-10, look.
Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees & some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were all my ancestors! And I am on trial because my HOPE is in the RESURRECTION of the dead!” This divided the council -- the Pharisees against the Sadducees -- for the Sadducees say there is NO RESURRECTION or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees BELIEVE in all of these. So a great clamor arose… Pharisees jumped up to ARGUE that Paul was all right. "We see nothing wrong w/ him," they shouted. "Perhaps a spirit or an Angel spoke to him." The shouting grew louder & louder, & the men were tugging at Paul from both sides…
When the Apostle Paul said, “My HOPE is in the RESURRECTION of the dead!”, the high council was DIVIDED. During their time, there are DISAGREEMENT and DIVISION. Until now, there are many OPPOSING DOCTRINES the DIVIDES the Body of Christ! Truly, this ETERNAL KINGDOM is really a MYSTERY that was kept SECRET from the FOUNDATION of the world.
The Gospel of the KINGDOM of God is the most NEGLECTED yet, the MOST IMPORTANT Gospel for the SALVATION of the Jews first, then, to ALL NATIONS! It is the MESSAGE of the WHOLE Bible! The KINGDOM of God is the PURPOSE and PLAN of the Creator of the entire LIMITLESS UNIVERSE for MANKIND! This KINGDOM was PREPARED even before the world began. Nevertheless, the Lord Jesus Christ REVEALED this ETERNAL KINGDOM in these Last Days.
In the Book of Mark, chapter 8, verses 22-24, there was a BLIND man brought to Jesus, asking him to HEAL him. Jesus laid His hand on Him, then He asked the BLIND if He can SEE anything. Yes he can SEE! But it was not CLEAR it was a BLURRED VISION. “Then Jesus placed His hands over the man's EYES AGAIN. As the man stared intently, his SIGHT was COMPLETELY RESTORED, and he could SEE EVERYTHING CLEARLY.” (Mark 8:25, NLT). Whether we like it or not, some of us still have UNCLEAR VISION of the KINGDOM of God. Some of us thought we already UNDERSTOOD the KINGDOM of God. Some can’t even SEE the KINGDOM of God. Like the BLIND MAN in the story, we really need a RETOUCH from the Lord. It takes HUMILITY to ACCEPT that we didn’t UNDERSTOOD the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God. Yes, PROUD people are STUCK to where they are and will never GROW in the KNOWLEDGE of Christ. They can’t even RECEIVE THE MIND OF CHRIST.
Many of us, thought, they have already UNDERSTOOD the MESSAGE of the Bible. But Jesus said, “I have come to judge the world. I have come TO GIVE SIGHT to the BLIND and to SHOW THOSE WHO THINK THEY SEE that THEY ARE BLIND.” (John 9:39, NLT). Jesus continued, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said, ‘These people HONOR ME with their LIPS, but their HEARTS ARE FAR AWAY. Their worship is a FARCE, for they REPLACE God's COMMANDS [Law] with their OWN MAN-MADE TEACHINGS [Doctrine of Man].’” (Mark 7:6-7, NLT).
Now, RECEIVE your SIGHT! You might ask, “But how can I SEE the KINGDOM of God?” Best way to make this CLEAR is the CONSECRATION and CLEANSING of Isaiah, look!
“In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a throne, HIGH & LIFTED, & his train filled the temple. Then said I, ‘Woe is me! For I am undone; bec. I am a MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS, & I DWELL IN THE MIDST of a PEOPLE OF UNCLEAN LIPS: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, w/c he had taken w/ the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, & said , ‘Lo, this hath touched thy lips; & thine INIQUITY IS TAKEN AWAY, & thy SIN PURGED.’ Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, & who will go for us?’ Then said I, ‘Here am I; send me.’” (Isaiah 6:1,5-8)
Notice in Isaiah 6:1, “In the year that king Uzziah died I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a THRONE.” When king Uzziah died, Isaiah began to SEE the GLORY of the RISEN KING of kings, Jesus Christ.
Who was king Uzziah then? Open your own Bible to 2 Chronicles 26:1-23, please. He was a king in the Kingdom of Judah. During his early reign he did what was PLEASING in the Lord’s sight. He FEARED, OBEYED God’s LAW and followed the WAYS of God. For this reason, the Lord gave Him GREAT SUCCEESS and VICTORY over his enemies. He became FAMOUS and VERY POWERFUL. It was the Lord who helped him WONDERFULLY and MAGNIFICENTLY.
So what’s the CONNECTION with Isaiah? The king Uzziah became so PROUD! Thinking, it was by his OWN MIGHT and STRENGTH that gave him GREAT, SUCCESS and VICTORY. He became HARD HEADED and REFUSED to OBEY the Law of Moses. This was, probably, the reason why Isaiah was INTIMIDATED. The Lord STRUCK king Uzziah with LEPROSY (a SKIN DISEASE)! Then he lived in ISOLATION away from the Lord’s Temple. He REFUSED to REPENT, so he had LEPROSY until he died.
Notice, LEPROSY is the MOST SHAMEFUL disease in the Old Testament. This disease is commonly for those who REFUSE to RESPOND and OBEY the Word of God. In the Law of Moses, those who have SKIN DISEASE cannot ENTER the Most Holy Place, they shall SURELY DIE! In the first place, before king Uzziah was struck by LEPROSY, was because of REBELLION against the LAW of God. He became so PROUD and SELFISH, he even REFUSED to follow the WAYS of God. King Uzziah probably thought, “The SUCCESS and VICTORY of our nation was ALL BECAUSE OF ME.” The Priest REBUKED him. He even REFUSED to REPENT.
The same manner, if we refuse to follow the WAY of HOLINESS, God’s LAW and respond to the Word of God, we can never ENTER the KINGDOM of God or Heaven’s MOST HOLY PLACE. How can we ENTER the KINGDOM of God? Jesus answered, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be BORN of WATER and of the SIRIT, he cannot ENTER into the KINGDOM of God.” John 3:5. Just what Jesus mean, Born of Water and of Spirit? This is CLEARED as you continue to PURSUE THE MIND OF CHRIST.
So when king Uzziah died, Isaiah SAW the Lord seated on the RIGHT HAND of God. He SAW the ETERNAL KINGDOM of God! “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot SEE the KINGDOM of God.” (John 3:3). You need to be BORN AGAIN! Just what do you think BORN AGAIN? We’re very NEAR to that ISSUE!
The very reason why we didn’t UNDERSTOOD and cannot SEE the KINGDOM of God was because of our NEGATIVE emotions, NEGATIVE feelings, NEGATIVE thoughts, NEGATIVE attitudes, NEGATIVE words and NEGATIVE desires or SELFISH ambition. Even when you SEE the KINGDOM of God, you cannot ENTER, unless, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be BORN of WATER and of the SIRIT, he cannot ENTER into the KINGDOM of God.” (John 3:5).
It requires REPENTANCE! If you REPENT, acknowledge your FAULT. ‘Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS, and I DWELL IN THE MIDST of a PEOPLE OF UNCLEAN LIPS…” (Isaiah 6:5).
Remember Saul of Tarsus? The Christian killer. After he RECEIVED his SIGHT, Ananias told him, “The God of our fathers hath CHOSEN THEE, that thou shouldest KNOW HIS WILL, and see that Just One, and shouldest HEAR THE VOICE OF HIS MOUTH. For thou shalt be HIS WITNESS UNTO ALL MEN of what thou hast SEEN and HEARD. And now why tarriest thou? ARISE, and BE BAPTIZED, and WASH AWAY THY SINS, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:14-16).
3. Jesus SAVED You. Then What?
“You belong to God, my dear children.
You HAVE ALREADY WON your FIGHT
with these false prophets, because the
SPIRIT WHO LIVES in you is GREATER
than the spirit who lives in the world.”
(1 John 4:4, NLT)
Who are we, but a DIRTY WORM from the dust of the ground? “I am a MAN OF UNCLEAN LIPS, and I DWELL IN THE MIDST of a PEOPLE OF UNCLEAN LIPS…” (Isaiah 6:5). We don’t deserve to ENTER the KINGDOM of God, Heaven’s Most Holy Place. ‘Lo, this hath touched thy LIPS; and thine INIQUITY IS TAKEN AWAY [Guilt is Removed, NLT], and thy SIN PURGED [Atoned, NIV].’ This was FULFILLED by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the GRACE of God! UNMERITED FAVOR of the LOVING God.
The word "PURGE", literally means, "to WIPE OUT," "to ERASE”. It is often translated "to make ATONEMENT," "FORGIVE," "PARDON," and "RECONCILE." Through Christ’s DEATH on the CROSS, our SIN was PURGED. “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation THROUGH FAITH in His BLOOD, to declare His righteousness for the REMISSIONS of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” (Romans 3:25).
Jesus “Was WOUNDED for our TRANSGRESSIONS [Disobedience], He was BRUISED for our INIQUITIES: the CHASTISEMENT of our PEACE was upon Him.” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus served as ATONEMENT for our SINS. This was to FULFILL the Law of Moses. “For the LIFE of the FLESH is in the BLOOD: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an ATONEMENT for your SOULS: for it is the BLOOD that maketh an ATONEMENT for the SOUL.” (Leviticus 17:1). IT IS FINISHED.
Jesus’ came to SAVE HUMANITY! Our SOUL was SAVED from the “ENDLESS PUNISHMENT”. While we were still REBELLIOUS, SINNERS and an ENEMY of God, Jesus Christ came just the RIGHT TIME when we were UNABLE to SAVE ourselves (Romans 5:6-9)! “For if, when WE WERE ENEMIES, we WERE RECONCILED to God by the DEATH of His Son, much more [DELIVERED from ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, NLT], being RECONCILED , we SHALL BE SAVED by His life. (Romans 5:10). I repeat, IT IS FINISHED!
TRUE REPENTANCE:
By the GRACE of God, you are MADE RIGHT, JUSTIFIED, declared NOT GUILTY of your sins THROUGH FAITH in the BLOOD of Jesus. By FAITH in the BLOOD of Jesus, you are made HOLY in the EYES of God. Now that your sins are FORGIVEN, then what? REPENT and TURN from your sinful ways.
REPENTANCE is when you have the DESIRE to TURN from SINFUL WAYS and TURN to God. It is when you are WILLING to LOVE, OBEY and TRUST God with all your HEART. It is when you HUMBLE yourself and ACCEPT that you are a SINNER and God is HOLY. That you are WEAK and God is STRONG. “PROVE by the WAY YOU LIVE that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. (Luke 3:8,NLT). How? John answered, “I indeed BAPTIZE you with WATER; but ONE MIGHTIER than I cometh… He shall BAPTIZE you with the Holy Ghost and with FIRE.” (Luke 3:16). Baptism of Water is a PUBLIC DECLARATION of showing REPENTANCE. It is the SIMPLEST form of SHOWING OBEDIENCE to God! Now, look!
“This is He that came by WATER and BLOOD, even Jesus Christ; NOT BY WATER ONLY, but by WATER and BLOOD. It is the SPIRIT that beareth WITNESS, because the SPIRIT IS TRUTH. For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear WITNESS in earth, the SPIRIT, and the WATER, and the BLOOD: and these THREE AGREE IN ONE. If we receive the WITNESS of men, the WITNESS of God is GREATER: for this is the WITNESS of God which he hath TESTIFIED of His Son. (1 John 5:6-9)
So when we say, BORN AGAIN, it includes the BLOOD of Jesus [By FAITH], Baptism of WATER [Repentance], Baptism of HOLY SPIRIT [Conviction]. These three will OPEN your EYES so you can SEE the KINGDOM of God. “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot SEE the KINGDOM of God.” Remember, KINGDOM of God, not Heaven after death. Now that you SEE the KINGDOM of God, you are now a TRUE WITNESS of the KINGDOM of God.
After Baptism of Water, then what? John the Baptist was sent by the Lord Jesus Christ to PREPARE the WAY before Him. After John the Baptist preached REPENTANCE and FORGIVENESS of sins, then what?
RESPOND to the Word of God, follow His WAY of HOLINESS and obey His LAW. From this you can determine yourself if you are TRULY BORN AGAIN! “Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of INCORRUPTIBLE, by the WORD of God, w/c liveth & abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1:23).
On the other hand, what did Jesus mean when He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be BORN of Water [John’s Example] and of the Spirit he cannot ENTER into the KINGDOM of God.” (John 3:5)? Yes, ENTER the KINGDOM of God, not Heaven after death. We maybe die TODAY, but we have the HOPE of RESSURECTION! This was made CLEAR in the following chapter.
What did John the Baptist mean when he said, “He shall BAPTIZE you with the Holy Ghost and with FIRE. (Luke 3:16). Yes! With Fire, In Malachi’s Prophesy, look!
“I will send MY MESSENGER, and He shall PREPARE the WAY BEFORE ME: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall SUDDENLY COME… But who may abide the DAY OF HIS COMING?... who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is LIKE a Refiner’s FIRE and like fullers’ SOAP & He shall sit as a REFINER & PURIFIER of silver… that they may OFFER unto the LORD an OFFERING of RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Malachi 3:1-3).
What’s next after REPENTANCE? The answer is RIGHTEOUSNESS and HOLINESS. For the Lord shall be like RIFINER’S FIRE and SOAP for CLEANSING, PURIFICATION, REFINEMENT, SANCTIFICATION, CONSECRATION, etc… So that we may OFFER to the LORD and OFFERING of RIGHTEOUSNESS and HOLINESS! This shall FULFILL Isaiah’s Prophesy,
“For, behold, the LORD will COME with FIRE,
and with His chariots like a WHIRLWIND [Quick],
to render His ANGER with FURY, and
His REBUKE with flames of FIRE.
For BY FIRE and BY HIS SWORD will
the LORD plead with ALL FLESH:
and the slain of the LORD shall be many.
(Isaiah 66:15-16).
Notice the Bible tells us that the Word of God like a FIRE (Jeremiah 23:29). Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) against Evil rulers and authorities of this world, against those powers of DARKNESS and against WICKED spirits. “For the WORD of God is QUICK, and POWERFULL, and SHARPER than any TWO EDGED SWORD, PEIRCING even to the dividing asunder of SOUL and SPIRIT… and is a DISCERNER of the THOUGHT & INTENTS of the HEART. (Hebrews 4:12). The WORD was LIGHT, so our dark THOUGHTS and INTENTIONS are EXPOSED.
The Word of God shall REBUKE UNCLEAN spirits, NEGATIVE thoughts, NEGATIVE feelings, NEGATIVE emotions, NEGATIVE attitudes and NEGATIVE words, LUSTFUL desires and SELFISH ambition that causes fear, pride, jealousy, greed, anger, self-pity, resentment, etc… These are IMPURITIES of the FLESH that will PASS through the “RIFENER’S FIRE” and be CLEANSED with “SOAP”. This makes CLEAR about the Baptism of Holy Spirit and with Fire.
TRUE WITNESS:
Being BORN AGAIN makes us a TRUE WITNESS of the KINGDOM of God. The Apostles UNDERSTOOD the KINGDOM of God, yet they didn’t have COURAGE to Preach the GOSPEL of the KINGDOM of God. In Acts 1:8, the Lord Jesus Christ ASSURED the Apostles saying, “But ye shall RECEIVE POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, you will be WITNESSES unto Me…”
So during the PENTECOST, Acts 2:2, “SUDDENLY there came… a RUSHING MIGHTY WIND… And there appeared unto them cloven TONGUES like as of FIRE…” They were Baptized with FIRE, and so, they were led by the Holy Spirit and gave them the ABILITY to SPEAK in other TONGUES! Then EVERYONE who heard them WONDERED with AMAZEMENT. The Holy Spirit shall give us ABILITIES and POWER so that we might become EFFECTIVE, POWERFUL and CREDIBLE WITNESS of the KINGDOM of God. The Holy Spirit will LEAD and URGE us to PROCLAIM the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God.
Finally, the Apostle Peter took COURAGE and preached REPENTANCE and FORGIVENESS of sins in front of the CROWD. The Apostle Peter, who WITNESSED the Resurrection of Jesus, TESTIFIED that the Lord Jesus Christ, the MESSIAH, is RISEN, and is NOW EXALTED. The Lord said, “Sit in HONOR at my RIGHT HAND until I HUMBLE your ENEMIES making them a footstool UNDER your FEET”. (Acts 2:34, NLT; Psalm110:1). Just like the Prophet Isaiah WITNESSED, “I SAW also the Lord sitting upon a throne, HIGH and LIFTED UP….” Isaiah 6:1. Even his EAR was OPENED, so he HEARD the Lord and VOLUNTEERED, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then said I, ‘HERE AM I; SEND ME.’”
Now, If you are TRULY Baptized with the Holy Spirit and with Fire, you should not be afraid to PREACH the Word of God. But COURAGEOUS SOLDIER of God to ADVANCE against the kingdom of darkness.
“God hath not given us the spirit of FEAR [Timidity]; but of POWER, & of LOVE, & of a SOUND MIND. Be not thou therefore ASHAMED of the TESTIMONY of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the GOSPEL according to the POWER of God; Who hath SAVED us, & called us w/ an HOLY CALLING, not according to our works, but according to His OWN PURPOSE & GRACE, w/c was given us in Christ Jesus BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN. (2 Timothy 1:7-9).
God has given us the Spirit of LOVE! NO CONDEMNATION. Meaning, the Gospel we should preach should not PRESSURE or THREATENS people. SALVATION of man is God’s work. The Apostle Paul says, “It was not I, But God…” (1 Corinthians 15:10). We are commanded to PREACH the Gospel MESSAGE of Christ, then God will do His work. Not by our OWN UNDERSTANDING, WISDOM, IDEA, OPINIONS, FORMULAS or PROGRAMS. Not by DOCTRINES created by some EARLY Christians. But by the Holy Spirit ALONE through the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God. The Holy Spirit is GENTLE. For the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God is the “Gospel of Peace”.
Remove the MENTALITY of “I should preach the Gospel so that they will be SAVED from an ENDLESS PUNISHMENT in a “Hell Fire”. Then when they don’t LISTEN to you, you will CONDEMN them. Never CONDEMN people! CONDEMNATION belongs to Satan, not man at all! Satan is the ENEMY!
Remove also in your THINKING that someone is on their way to the “Hell Fire”. You should UNDERSTAND that HUMANITY was SAVED from the PUNISHMENT of sins! IT IS FINISHED! The TRADITIONAL “gospel” of Heaven and hell doesn’t testify the UNFAILING and ENDURING LOVE of God.
They may accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior for the SAKE of not going to the “Hell Fire” then go to Heaven after death. That when TRIALS come, they are easily SHAKEN and LOSE their FAITH. They don’t even UNDERSTAND the IMPORTANCE of SERVING in the MINISTRY. Why? Because they have no STRONG FOUNDATION (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:46-49). “Because of God's special favor to me, I have laid the FOUNDATION like an expert builder. (1 Corinthians 3:10, NLT). This FOUNDATION is the GOOD NEWS or Gospel MESSAGE of Jesus Christ. This Gospel is the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God. But when a NEW BELIEVER UNDERSTOOD the HOPE of his CALLING, the “BLESSED HOPE”, which is in the PROMISED, MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, he will PERSEVERE towards that CALLING.
As a NEW BELIEVER (4 mos. after Conversion), God led me to study the KINGDOM of God. So I UNDERSTOOD that when I serve the Lord, I will RECEIVE REWARDS and CROWNS and REIGN with Jesus Christ when COMES BACK and establish His KINGDOM in Jerusalem. This GOOD NEWS gave me HOPE in times of TRIALS that comes on my way. “HOPE is when it seems that there is NO OTHER WAY, yet you still BELIEVE that you can REACH your GOAL. You BELIEVE because you have FAITH that God had already PREPARED a way.”
About the Baptism. If you BELIEVE that Gift of TONGUES is the EVIDENCE that you are Baptized with the Holy Spirit, you should TESTIFY and be a WITNESS of the KINGDOM of God. In other words, you should be a WITNESS of Christ’s RESURECTION. “And we Apostles would all be lying about God, for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave… If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has NOT BEEN RAISED, then YOUR FAITH is USELESS, & you are still under CONDEMNATION of your SIN.” (1 Corinthians 15:15-17).
TRUE CONVERSION:
Someone asked me with skepticism, if I REALLY WITNESSED Christ’s RESURRECTION. I answered, “If I didn't WITNESSED HIS RESURRECTION, I would still be a Captive of Satan, I mean, "SLAVE of Sin", now I'm FREE and I want to help those still LIVING in DARKNESS by Preaching the Gospel…” So is it CLEAR now that our issue is not SAVING other’s from the “Hell Fire”? But to SAVE them from being a “SLAVE of Sin”. So that they will also have ETERNAL LIFE and experience the GOOD THINGS of HEAVEN! I mean, PROPEROUS, ABUNDANT and VICTORIOUS LIFE.
“We became Christians & were BAPTIZED to become one w/ Christ Jesus… For we died and were BURIED w/ Christ by BAPTISM [of Water]… Our OLD SINFUL SELVES were CRUCIFIED w/ Christ so that SIN MIGHT LOSE its POWER in our lives. We are NO LONGER slaves to sin. For when we died w/ Christ WE WERE SET FREE from the POWER of sin… We are sure of this because Christ ROSE from the DEAD… Death no longer has any power over Him. He died once to DEFEAT SIN... So you should consider yourselves DEAD TO SIN and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its LUSTFUL desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. (Romans 6:3-4, 6-7, 9-13, NLT).
Jesus Christ died ONCE to DEFEAT sin, “For the WAGES of sin is DEATH.” (Romans 6:23). But we, who already RECEIVED an ETERNAL LIFE, our earthly BODY will die and decay but our BODIES will be different after RESURRECTION, and will NEVER die.
A TRUE CONVERT should have the desire to FULLY TURN from his OLD sinful acts and follow God’s LAW and WAYS of HOLINESS. “If we say that we have fellowship w/ him, & WALK in DARKNESS, we LIE, & do not the TRUTH: But if we walk in the LIGHT, as He is in the LIGHT, we have fellowship one w/ another , & the BLOOD of Jesus Christ His Son CLEANSETH US FROM ALL SIN. (Romans 1:6-8). The WORD is LIGHT. Jesus Christ is the WORD. If you say you’re a Christian, you should STOP from doing your OLD sinful acts. You might say, “But I have the GRACE.” Well, the Gospel of GRACE was MISINTERPRETED and it was used by Satan to DECEIVE us and make it a “License to Sin”. This was made CLEAR in the following chapter.
Now, if you are a WITNESS of Christ’s RESURRECTION, you should be BOLD to PROCLAIM that Jesus Christ is now SEATED at the RIGHT HAND of God, that He will COME AGAIN to SEAT at the VERY THRONE of the ETERNAL God. Remember, the Lord Jesus Christ is still SEATED at the RIGHT HAND of God until NOW! He will COME AGAIN to RESTORE the ETERNAL THRONE that was PROMISED to King David. The Lord said, “I will ESTABLISH the THRONE of his KINGDOM FOREVER… Your dynasty and YOUR KINGDOM WILL CONTINUE for all time before Me, and YOUR THRONE WILL BE SECURED FOREVER.'" (2 Samuel 7:13, 16, NLT).
The Lord confirmed this in the PROPHETIC PSALM, “I will establish your DESCENDANTS as kings FOREVER; they will sit on your throne from now UNTIL ETERNITY.” (Psalm 89:4, NLT). Notice, the THRONE was ceased during the time of king Zedekiah. What did the Lord mean I will establish your DESCENDANTS as kings FOREVER? Until ETERNITY? It was not yet FULFILLED! God is not a LIAR. He is FAITHFUL to His PROMISES. Yes the Lord Jesus Christ is COMING to FULFILL this PROMISE. THIS CANNOT BE DENIED!
If you say, “Well, the PROMISE is Spiritual. But I agree that Jesus Christ is COMING AGAIN then, He will USHER us to Heaven immediately.” If this be TRUE, then you are telling that the Prophets and the Apostles who PREACHED that the Lord Jesus Christ is SEATED at the RIGHT HAND of God, are LIAR! I repeat, He is not yet SEATED at the VERY THRONE of the ETERNAL God. Remember Joseph, “the Dreamer”? I hope his story would help. If you don’t mind, please go back to “The MYSTERY of God’s PLAN, REVEALED!”
Stephen is one of the MOST COURAGEOUS Apostle during there time. Even at the point of his death, he was not INTIMIDATED to PREACH the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God. Why? Because he SAW the KINGDOM of God and RECEIVED this BLESSED HOPE. And even the HOPE of RESURRECTION. Stephen was stoned to death. The dying man SAW the Lord Jesus Christ, “Behold, I see the Heavens opened, & the Son of man standing on the RIGHT HAND of God.” (Acts 7:56). This Gospel of the KINGDOM of God was indeed, the POWER of God to TRANSFORM a man named Saul of Tarsus, a Christian killer, into a GREAT Apostle Paul. Stephen was at the point of his last breath when he WITNESSED and TESTIFIED the Lord Jesus Christ positioned at the RIGHT HAND of God.
The Apostle Paul also a WITNESS of Christ’s RESURRECTION. He said, “I SAW Him too! Long after the OTHERS, as though I had been BORN at the WRONG TIME. For I am the LEAST of the Apostles, & I am not WORTHY to be called an Apostle after the way I PERSECUTED the Church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:8-9, NLT).Now, who will GO FOR US? Now if you TRULY a WITNESS of the Lord, claiming Acts 1:8, you should be like Isaiah who WITNESSED the Lord “I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up….” Isaiah 6:1. Even his EAR was OPENED, so he HEARD the Lord and VOLUNTEERED, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then said I, ‘Here am I; SEND me”
4. What is the GOOD NEWS, Jesus and the Apostles PREACHED?
Then He [Jesus] CALLED
His TWELVE DISCIPLES [Apostles] together,
and gave them POWER and AUTHORITY OVER ALL
devils, and to cure DISEASES.
And He SENT them to PREACH the KINGDOM of God,
and to HEAL the sick. (Luke 9:1-2)
There are so many “gospels” are being PREACHED today! Many PROGRAMS, STRATEGIES, FORMULAS and MAN-MADE DOCTRINES that tries to make the Gospel PRESENTABLE to the audience are being INVENTED today. These DOCTRINES of MAN is for man! I mean, PLEASING man. These DOCTRINES caused the DIVISION of the Body of Christ. In the first place, the Gospel MESSAGE of Christ is the POWER of God to TRANSFORM a life. “For it is the POWER of God unto SALVATION to everyone that BELIEVETH; to the Jew FIRST, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16). What is this Gospel? It is the Gospel for the SALVATION, ORIGINALLY for the Jews!
Just what do you think GOSPEL?
“As we said before, so say I now again, If any man PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL unto you than that ye have received , let him be accursed. For do I now PERSUADE MEN, or God? Or do I seek to PLEASE MEN? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the SERVANT of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the GOSPEL W/C WAS PREACHED OF ME WAS NOT AFTER MAN. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but BY the REVELATION of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:9-12). It is not we to PERSUADE men to BELIEVE the Gospel. Not by our OWN MIGHT and UNDERSTANDING, but by the CONVICTION of the Holy Spirit. This Gospel is a Spirit Led PREACHING, not from man, but a REVELATION DIRECTLY from Jesus Christ, Himself, through the Word of God! And now, the MYSTERY that was KEPT SECRET from the FOUNDATION of the world was REVEALED.
The Old Testament Prophets and the Apostles DESIRED to SEE this MYSTERY of God’s PLAN for MANKIND. But you are CHOSEN to know this MYSTERY. God have been WAITING for you! We are the CHOSEN GENERATION! We are the “End-Time” Prophets to PREACH the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God in ALL the NATIONS of the world.
John the Baptist was sent by the Lord Jesus Christ to PREPARE the WAY before Him. John was sent ahead to PREACH REPENTANCE and FORGIVENESS of sins. Now, in these “Last Days”, the Lord Jesus Christ needs more PREACHERS with the “PROPHETIC ANOINTING” to PREPARE the WAY for His 2nd COMING. Yes, the Lord needs you! The Lord is COMING BACK for the WHOLE world as KING of kings. ALL EYES shall SEE Him. That’s why He needs a COMPANY of PREACHERS to PREPARE the WAY for His 2nd COMING. The WHOLE world and ALL men must get READY for His RETURN! You are so much PRIVILEGED because out of MILLIONS, God CHOSE you for this SUPERNATURAL MISSION.
God have been WAITING for you to UNDERSTAND the MYSTERY of His PLAN BEFORE the CREATION of the world. Myriads of BOOKS were published, and KNOWLEDGE have INCREASED, yet, the MYSTERY was not REVEALED. The MYSTERY was SEALED and it was RESERVED for you. “Keep this Prophecy a SECRET; SEAL up the book until the time of the END. Many will rush here and there, and KNOWLEDGE will INCREASE.” (Daniel 12:4). The SEAL was BROKEN! It’s up to you to SEARCH the SECRETS in the SCRIPTURES. The ANSWERS for the MYSTERY is all WRITTEN in the BIBLE!
The GOOD NEWS that John the Baptist PREACHED
When Jesus Christ came the FIRST time, He came for a SINGLE NATION as a POOR baby. So He needed ONLY ONE to PREPARE the WAY! But in these “Last Days”, ALL NATIONS will SEE Him. He needs YOU and ME! That’s why God caused this BOOK to be PUBLISHED for you to know your CALLING and PURPOSE why Jesus Christ SAVED you by His DEATH on the CROSS! God CHOSE you for these GREAT and SUPERNATURAL MISSION. To PREACH the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God. Yes, the PROMISED, MILLENNIAL KINGDOM is at hand! “REPENT ye: for the KINGDOM of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2). This was the GOOD NEWS that John the Baptist PREACHED! THE PROMISED, MILLENNIAL KINGDOM IS AT HAND! This is the GOOD NEWS we should PREACH
Did you know why Jesus said that John the Baptist was the GREATEST of ALL the Prophets? What made John the Baptist the GREATEST of all the Prophets? In fact, John did not perform any MIRACLES, unlike the Old Testaments Prophets. He did not SPOKE many Prophecies! But what did Jesus mean when He said, “I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. (Matthew 11:11, NLT). Many Prophets Prophesied about the COMING MESSIAH. They Prophesied that the MESSIAH would SUFFER. It was because John the Baptist SAW the MESSIAH by his OWN EYES and DECLARED, “Behold the Lamb of God, which TAKETH AWAY the sin of the world.” (John 1:29). John the Baptist CONFIRMED his Prophesy, Himself. He CONFIRMED what he what he have SPOKEN by his OWN EYES. “Someone is COMING SOON who is FAR GREATER than I am -- so much greater that I AM NOT EVEN WORTHY TO BE HIS SLAVE. (Mark 1:7, NLT). Also read Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16.
What’s interesting is the STATEMENT, “I am not even worthy to be his slave.” The Bible tells us the Lord LIFTS UP and SHOWS FAVOR to the HUMBLE. This is THE MIND OF CHRIST! There is a SITUATION like in the PARABLE of the “Prodigal Son”. The Father in the story showed FAVOR to his REPENTANT son. The Father GAVE BACK MORE than what the son had lost. The same manner, when we HUMBLE ourselves and REPENT from all our sins, God will LIFT us UP and POUR OUT His OVERFLOWING GRACE. God will GIVE BACK and even MULTIPLY what we lost because of our sins.
Did you know that we are far Greater than John the Baptist? Why? Because we are CHOSEN to PREPARE the WAY for the COMING of the GLORIFIED KING of kings and LORD of lords. And He is COMING for ALL the NATIONS to SEE. What did Jesus mean when He said, “The TRUTH is, anyone who BELIEVES in Me will do the SAME WORKS I have done, and EVEN GREATER WORKS.” (John 14:12, NLT). Yes you can do GREATER THINGS than what Jesus did during His earthly ministry. You are a WORLDWIDE Prophet! You need to ask the Lord to POUR OUT the “PROPHETIC ANOINTING” to you. When you have this Anointing, the RADIANCE of God’s Glory will SHINE on you. That anyone who will SEE you will be enR-I-C-H-E-D! REBUKED-INSPIRED-COMFORTED-HEALED-ENCOURAGED-DELIVERED.
The GOOD NEWS that Jesus PREACHED
Later on, after John was arrested by Herod Antipas, Jesus went to Galilee to PREACH GOD’S NEWS. And saying, “The time is FULFILLED, and the KINGDOM of God is at hand: REPENT ye, and BELIEVE the GOSPEL. (Mark 1:14-15). BELIEVE the GOSPEL! What Gospel? It is the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God. “Jesus traveled throughout Galilee TEACHING in the synagogues, PREACHING EVERYWHERE the GOOD NEWS about the KINGDOM. And He healed people who had every kind of sickness and disease.” (Matthew 4:23, NLT). There was a situation when the people BEGGED Jesus not to LEAVE, ut he replied, "I must PREACH the GOOD NEWS of the KINGDOM of God in other places, too, because that is why I was sent." (Luke 4:43, NLT). Now that the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God was made CLEAR, we also need to PREACH the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God to other PLACES EVERWHERE and to ALL NATIONS!
Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath ANOINTED me to PREACH the GOSPEL to the POOR; He hath WENT ME to HEAL the BROKENHEARTED, to PREACH DELIVERANCE to the CAPTIVES, & RECOVERING of SIGHT to the BLIND, to set at LIBERTY them that are BRUISED, To PREACH the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19). This shall FULFILL what it is WRITTEN by the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 61:1-2. Yes, Jesus Christ came to bring GOOD NEWS to the BROKEN HEARTED, to ENCOURAGE the OPPRESSED and those that are PERSECUTED, to INSPIRE the HOPELESS, to lift up the UNQUALIFIED and LOWLY, to bring us out of DARKNESS! Jesus did not came to PREACH that if they BELIEVE in Him, they will go to Heaven after death. “From that time Jesus began to PREACH, and to say, “Repent: for the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND!” (Matthew 4:17).
Jesus ENCOURAGED His DISCIPLES by teaching them the “BEATITUDES.” In Matthew 5:3-12, look!
BLESSED are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the KINGDOM of Heaven. BLESSED are they that MOURN: for they shall be COMFORTED. BLESSED are the MEEK: for they shall INHERIT the earth. BLESSED are they which do HUNGER and THIRST after RIGHTEOUSNESS: for they shall be FILLED. BLESSED are the MERCIFUL: for they shall obtain MERCY. BLESSED are the PURE in HEART: for they shall SEE God. BLESSED are the PEACEMAKERS: for they shall be called the children of God. BLESSED are they which are RIGHTEOUSNESS' sake: for theirs is the KINGDOM of Heaven. BLESSED are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. REJOICE, and be exceeding GLAD: for GREAT IS YOUR REWARD in Heaven: For so PERSECUTED they the PROPHETS which were before you.”
The Lord added, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have PEACE. In the world ye shall have TRIBULATION [Trials and Sorrows]: but be of GOOD CHEER; I have OVERCOME the world. (John 16:33, NLT). Always remember our BLESSED HOPE. “God CHOSEN the POOR in this world to be RICH in FAITH? Aren't they the ones who will INHERIT the KINGDOM He PROMISED to those who LOVE Him?” (James 2:5, NLT). We are an HEIR of the PROMISED, ETERNAL KINGDOM of God.
We are an HEIR not yet a POSSESSOR, we need to POSSESS it! THE GATE IS NARROW! Therefore, “STRIVE to ENTER in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:24). Only the OVERCOMERS can ENTER the KINGDOM of God. “To him that OVERCOMETH will I GRANT to SIT with Me in My THRONE, even as I also OVERCAME…” (Revelations 3:21). Many are CALLED by few are CHOSEN (Matthew 22:14)! “And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall SIT DOWN in the KINGDOM of God. And, behold, there are LAST which shall be FIRST, and there are FIRST which shall be LAST. (Luke 13:29-30). In other words, those who are DESPISED and REJECTED today shall be HONORED in the PROMISED, ETERNAL KINGDOM.
This is to relate with the “KENOSIS THEORY”, Philippians 2:7. Let us read it from verses 2 up to 11 in the same chapter.
Let this MIND be in you, w/c was ALSO in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the FORM of God, thought it not robbery to be EQUAL w/ God: But MADE HIMSELF OF NO REPUTATION, TOOK upon Him the FORM of a SERVANT, & was made in the LIKENESS of men ... He HUMBLED HIMSELF, & became OBEDIENT unto DEATH, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath HIGHLY EXALTED, & given Him a NAME w/c is ABOVE EVERY OTHER NAME: That at the NAME of Jesus EVERY KNEE should BOW, of things in Heaven, & things in earth, & things under the earth; & that EVERY TONGUE should CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.
God EXALTS and LIFTS up the HUMBLE! The passage, “EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of things in Heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that EVERY TONGUE should CONFESS that Jesus Christ is Lord”, is not yet FULFILLED! This shall be FULFILLED when the Lord Jesus Christ COMES BACK and establish the PROMISED ETERNAL KINGDOM. And you should not be INTIMIDATED to PROCLAIM that Jesus Christ is Lord and is now SEATED at the RIGHT HAND of God. Remember Stephen?
In the first place, Jesus came to SEEK the LOST TEN TRIBE of Israel. Jesus said, “I am not sent but unto the LOST SHEEP of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24). This will be discussed later. Jesus said to His Disciples and commanded them, saying, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, & into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But GO RATHER to the LOST SHEEP of the HOUSE of ISRAEL. & as ye go, PREACH, saying, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND! (Matthew 10:5-7). This GOOD NEWS is ORIGINALLY for the LOST TEN TRIBE of ISRAEL. These ten Tribe is the NORTHERN KINGDOM or the KINGDOM of Israel. They were SCATTERED during the Assyrian INVASION. This shall make CLEAR that the REAL GOSPEL is about the RESTORATION of the KINGDOM of Israel, not Heaven after death and “ENDLESS PUNISHMENT” in the “Hell Fire”.
When Israel, Jacob, BLESSED the two children (Ephraim and Mannasseh) of Joseph, he DECLARED PROPHETIC BLESSING to them. And there is a DECLARATION that is very SIGNIFICANT to make the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God CLEARER. In Genesis 48:16, KJV, Israel said, “BLESS the Lads, let my NAME be NAMED on THEM”. The name, Israel, be named to Ephraim and Manasseh. The tribe of these two brothers were part of the KINGDOM of Israel or the NORTHERN KINGDOM. Now, you should UNDERSTAND that Jewish people are descendants of Judah. The SOUTHERN KINGDOM, or the KINGDOM of Judah, is composed of 3 Tribes (Judah, Levi and Benjamin). Ezekiel was Prophesying that the SCATTERED Children of Israel be GATHERED again. In Ezekiel 37:21-22, NLT, God said, “I will GATHER the people of Israel from AMONG THE NATIONS. I will BRING THEM HOME to their OWN LAND from the places where they have been SCATTERED. I will UNIFY them into ONE NATION [Kingdom of God] in the land. ONE KING [Jesus Christ] WILL RULE OVER THEM ALL. NO LONGER will they be DIVIDED INTO TWO NATIONS.” This is not yet FULFILLED! This is to be FULFILLED when the Lord Jesus Christ RETURNS.
In Acts 1:6, the Apostles were asking Jesus if He will FULFILL this Prophesy, “Lord, wilt thou at this TIME RESTORE again the KINGDOM to Israel?” But Jesus replied, “The Father sets those dates,” He replied, “and they are not for you to know.” (Acts 1:7, NLT). See, Jesus Christ didn’t even know. Because it is ONLY our Father in Heaven knows when the MESSIAH COMES BACK AGAIN to RESTORE the PROMISED, ETERNAL KINGDOM. The RETURN of Jesus Christ is not for us to know, so don’t BELIEVE anyone who DECLARES that Christ is already here. What’s important is that we should CONCENTRATE in PROCLAIMING the COMING KINGDOM of God.
The DISCIPLES was COMMISSIONED to PREACH the GOOD NEWS
Are we PREACHING the GOOD NEWS that Jesus wants us to PREACH? In the beginning was the WORD! We always need to go back to the Bible. God have already SPOKEN His Will, His PURPOSE and PLAN for MANKIND. It is ALL WRITTEN in the Bible.
Now, Jesus COMMISSIONED His Disciples to PREACH the GOOD NEWS. What is this GOOD NEWS? “Then He called his twelve disciples together, & gave them POWER & AUTHORITY over all devils, & to cure diseases. And HE SENT them to PREACH the KINGDOM of God, & to heal the sick.” (Luke 9:1-2). Jesus gave them the POWER and AUTHORITY over all devils then He COMMISSIONED them to PREACH the KINGDOM of God. Oh I see! This GOOD NEWS is the COMING KINGDOM of God! It was made CLEAR earlier that we also RECEIVED the AUTHORITY and POWER against evil spirits. In addition, this Gospel is the POWER of God to TRANSFORM a LIFE. Jesus continued, “And heal the sick that are therein, & say unto them, The KINGDOM of God is COME nigh unto you.” (Luke 10:9). Yes, this Gospel is the TRANSFORMING POWER of God to raise up a RIGHTEOUS GENERATION and a HOLY NATION.
Then here comes the GREAT COMMISSION! “Go ye therefore, & TEACH ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father, & of the Son, & of the Holy Ghost: TEACHING them to observe ALL THINGS whatsoever I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20). Notice, ALL THINGS! We should TEACH them ALL THINGS about what is written in the Bible. One time, I attended a Discipleship Class, I observed that the Pastor is ONE SIDED and CRITICIZING others DOCTRINE. So I waited for a perfect moment to CORRECT him. I told him that the DOCTRINE he was CRITICIZING is BIBLICAL. It just happened that the Pastor doesn’t agree to that DOCTRINE. Please, STOP CRITICIZING or DEBATING others DOCTRINE. Every PARTS of the Body of Christ has it’s OWN FUNCTION. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don't need you.” The head can't say to the feet, “I don't need you.” In fact, some of the parts that seem WEAKEST and LEAST important are really the MOST NECESSARY. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. (1 Corinthians 12:21-23, NLT). The Gospel of the KINGDOM of God was DESPISED for centuries and FEW bothered to have a STUDY about it. We forgot that this COMING KINGDOM of God is the GOOD NEWS, Jesus wants us to PREACH.
Now, let’s go back to the GREAT COMMISSION please. I like how it is written in the Good News Translation, “Go, then, to ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE and make them MY DISCIPLES...” Keep in MIND, let us TEACH them to become DISCIPLE of Jesus Christ. Never make your OWN Disciple and build your OWN DYNASTY! I mean, Don’t BUILD your OWN “Little KINGDOM”. Jesus COMMANDED us to GO in ALL NATIONS to PREACH the Gospel of the KINGDOM of God. “This GOSPEL of the KINGDOM shall be PREACHED in all the WORLD for a WITNESS unto ALL NATIONS; and then shall the END COME.” (Matthew 24:14)
The Disciples knew about the KINGDOM but they didn't UNDERSTAND what it meant, until the RESURRECTION of Jesus. During the RESURRECTION, Jesus “Shewed Himself ALIVE after His passion by many infallible [Reliable] PROOFS, being SEEN of them 40 days, and SPEAKINGS of the THINGS to the KINGDOM of God.” (Acts 1:3). Jesus Christ EXPLAINED it to them and it became CRYSTAL CLEAR. Yet they needed the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT before they PREACHED about the PROMISED, ETERNAL KINGDOM of God.
