THE KINGDOM AND HIS WILL
The Lords prayer is simple in its instruction: Luke 11
‘Thy Kingdom come”
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!”
John the Baptist said “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand”
Jesus said “The Kingdom of God is here”
Our job “Extend the kingdom!”
The purpose of the Kingdom to see Gods will done on earth as in heaven.
The Kingdom of God is an expression of Power!
1 Cor 4:19-21
I will come—and soon—if the Lord will let me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people are just big talkers or whether they really have God’s power. 20 For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God’s power. 21 Which do you choose?
Mark 9:1
Jesus went on to say, “I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see the Kingdom of God arrive in great power!”
There is so much more to experience folks! Every time I read the book of Acts I realise that.
Angels working with the saints to see the job done. transportation and transformation. As we begin to see into the Spiritual we suddenly see a whole lot of wonders going on in front of us. Also we notice that there are a whole lot of other eagles as well. When eagles gather things happen!
The following story will help us see the Kingdom is not just about church, but about establishing an eternal Kingdom!
An eagle chick got thrown out of its nest as a very young eaglet. A farmer found the chick and decided to give it to a mother Turkey on his farm who raised it.
As the young Eagle grew it behaved just like all the other Turkeys. It ate grain, it lived in a small enclosure and it didn’t fly, because Turkeys don’t fly well.
As time went by the young Eagle began to flap his wings a lot, much to the consternation of the others in the compound! Then one day a strong wind blew just as the Eagle spread his wings. The wind caught the young eagle’s wings and lifted him out of the compound into the open spaces. Well the uproar from the compound was very loud, causing the Farmer to come running. The farmer said, Ï wondered how long it would be before you discovered the truth. After all you are an eagle! You are designed to soar high in the sky!
He took the young eagle to a high ridge and as the wind blew the eagle again spread his wings. Soon he was flying and he went higher and higher into the heavens where he belonged. He had discovered his true home.
As Christians we are designed to live in the supernatural realm. To soar in the spirit and to fellowship in the heavens. But often we just live in the turkey pen.
We can’t see beyond our experience in the natural. If it hasn’t happened in the Turkey pen then it just doesn’t happen. If anyone tries to tell me different I just won’t believe him. After all this is how its been in the Turkey pen for generations.
We eat till we can’t eat any more. Good wholesome grains, we feed ourselves most mornings. Sometimes in the evening we go to other pens and get more grain, On Sundays we go to the big pen with all the others, and we get extra helpings of good grain. Wow we are so full we can hardly walk now! But that’s how it’s meant to be. Lots and lots of good wholesome grain.
Suddenly we feel the gentle breeze on our shoulders or in our face and we love the experience. Sometimes it just feels like we could take off and fly into the heavens. But then we remember we are just Turkeys. Most of the time the others in the pen remind us who we are. Earth bound, grain eating, fat big flightless birds.
The Farmer wants to take us out to the ridge! It’s not so comfortable out there so not many go out. But when they do they seem to be transformed forever!
Power and Glory is the main expression of the Kingdom! Because this Kingdom is replacing an old Kingdom, or a false Kingdom ruled by Satan and his allies!
When the Apostle Thomas entered India he came upon a group of Brahman priests in a lake throwing water in the air as an offering to their god. Thomas said to them “It appears to me that your god is not hearing you, or is not interested in your offering, because if he was a true god he would receive your offering, it would not come down again” Angry they said, “Well if your God is able to receive this same offering then we will believe your God is the true God. So Thomas entered the water and threw water in the air, the water remained in the air like a pillar and immediately the Brahmans believed and were baptised. These 18 families were the start of the Church in India. They went from Turkey pen to heavenly realm in a few minutes.
The impact of this eagle like Christianity is far reaching; when I go to India I meet people whose families have been Christian for nearly 1950 years. In Sydney recently I met an Indian man from Kerala who with his wife are returning to the Land as missionaries. His family have been in the Lord for nearly 48 generations. Don’t tell me that getting out of the pen is not a good idea!
The thing about living in a dusty pen is that grit gets in our eyes and we fail to see beyond our experience.
Remember Jesus only did what the Father asked him to do. He only went where the Father asked him to go. And he only said what the Father asked him to say. The only way he could get this clarity of direction was to soar in his relationship up to where the Father dwelt. You can’t hear in a pen full of noisy Turkeys.
Jesus doesn’t expect any more from you! He just wants us to do what the Father instructs. And the only way to get that instruction is out on the ridge where the wind of the Spirit can lift you into heavenly places.
Most of us at some time spend all our energy trying to hear or see or gain some understanding running around the turkey pen looking for answers.
Go out to the ridge!
The Kingdom of God is about growth
Isa 9:6-7
6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor,*Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this!
Mark 4:30-32
30 Jesus asked, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? 31 It is like a tiny mustard seed. Though this is one of the smallest of seeds, 32 it grows to become one of the largest of plants, with long branches where birds can come and find shelter.”
In the Book of Acts the demonstrations of Power, Glory and the Kingdom always resulted in an expansion of the Kingdom. There was a regional impact!
For instance in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit fell in fire and signs and wonders. There were 3000 souls saved and the Kingdom was extended. Did a local Church grow by 3000? No but the Kingdom did!
When Paul or any of the other Apostles arrived in town the Kingdom was always extended.
It is the same when we proclaim the Kingdom in a city. We displace another Kingdom! Every thing you do in the Name of the King extends the Kingdom!
The Kingdom of God is eternal
Daniel 2:44
44 “During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed; no one will ever conquer it. It will shatter all these kingdoms into nothingness, but it will stand forever. 45
Luke 1:28-22-33
Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel*forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
The Things of earth will pass away, but the Kingdom of God will remain forever!
In the book The Life & Letters of St Francis Xavier by Henry Coleridge (1874) Francis was on several occasions offered very prestigious positions in Europe. But his heart was to see the Kingdom of God expanded through the Gospel by demonstrations of Love and power.
On one occasion Francis came within 10 miles of his family home, but the urgency of getting to the mission field overcame his desire to spend some time at home. The Lord rewarded his obedience with hundreds of recorded miracles, including many raised from the dead and healed from incurable disease and many thousands of souls won in India, Malacca and Japan. He never did see his family in this life again! But he knew that they belonged to Jesus, he would see them in eternity! Therefore his heart was for expansion of the Kingdom!
There is a world to win for Jesus! And without the Father taking us to the ridge so that the wind (Holy Spirit) can lift us to heights to truly see Jesus in all his
Glory seated in heavenly places, we will struggle as big fat turkeys fit only for the table!
My call today is be lifted up into the Glory of Heaven where you belong. See things as Jesus sees things it takes so much of the struggle and striving out of your walk.
Thy Kingdom come! Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven!
IAN JOHNSON www.papelim.org.nz
