The Kingdom Language!! 2011/25 11/20/11
The last time together we talked some about the coming storms, which will be the conflict between the two kingdoms, the kingdom of God, the Judeo/Christian nation [positive], and the world systems nation [negative], which we are in but not of. We see it coming quickly and as the anointing increases in the Christian kingdom, the opposition will increase against the things of God in every dimension. We, His body, are headed for His kingdom, at a rapid pace, but lets read a verse from Acts 14: 21-22;
“When they had preached the good news (Gospel) to that town and made disciples of many of the people, they went back to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch,
Establishing and strengthening the souls and the hearts of the disciples, urging and warning and encouraging them to stand firm in the faith, and [telling them] that it is through many hardships and tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Before we go on today, let me preface this time together by saying that the way the lesson will be presented may be slightly different from what we may consider normal and I believe you will note that difference later in the outline. Take notes on the references because it may be that I will give the scripture but may not read all the text as usual, so we will just have to see how it goes.
It seems to me that we will just need to begin with Paul and his second letter to Timothy, Chapter 4, vss 7 & 8 AD67;
He told Timothy that he had fought the good, worthy, honorable and noble fight (of faith), I have finished the race, I have kept (firmly held) the faith. Now we understand, that he had also written a letter to the Ephesians in AD63, and in that letter he mentioned putting on the whole armor of God, needed in the fight, and that is where we must begin.
What we gain from this, is that he knew that the fight was not against flesh and blood. He described the opponent this way; despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. [all these make up the world systems kingdom that we have already spoken of.] (neg)
He also knew that the weapons were not carnal, but mighty through God (whom he served) to the pulling down of strongholds, and taking captive every thought and imagination to the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor 10:4 & 5 - AD57. The fight was against those thoughts and imaginations (originated by the enemy) that exalted against the knowledge of God [His ways and His Word].
Note: “The obedience of Christ.” One thing that we can start being obedient is doing what He directed in Matt. 6:31, “Take no thought [or imagination] by saying it.” One you give it a voice, you release the creative power of the seed that it is. Speak God’s promise, not the problem.
I have added the dates of Paul’s letters because it is interesting to know that Paul met the Lord on the Damascus road in AD37, some 30 years before his death, and 14 of those were in training with the Lord Jesus, and how much the Holy Spirit had taught him. In the fight of faith, he learned the weapons, and he, in Ephesians encouraged us to put on the whole armor of God, and to use it with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Listen to the articles of armor;
Our loins gird about with Truth, wearing our breastplate of Righteousness, and having our feet shod with the Gospel of Peace, holding up over all the shield of Faith, and wielding the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, pray at all times (on every occasion) in the Spirit, with all manner of prayer and entreaty.
Note: The above is all being clothed with Jesus Christ, for He is every portion of the armor.
I did all this to show that Paul, in his fight, used the same weapons we have to use to fight and win the fight of faith, and finish the race, because, at the end, there is a crown of righteousness awaiting us, all of us who have loved and yearned for and welcomed His appearing (His return). Note that all the weapons but one were defensive, and that one is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and that is what this lesson is all about today.
The Word of God is the language of the Kingdom of God, and it becomes very actively powerful when we use God’s Word to speak to an adversity, even as Jesus did in the wilderness, “It is written…” and so is to be used by His children when in battle. Now, we are not really into the lesson yet, but this is just the prelude, and my reason is that we need to see how Paul won and finished the race. He stood with the Defensive Armor, and used the Offensive Weapon, and spoke God’s Word into every attack and problem, and I tell you that with a firm belief, that is exactly what he did, and we will go on from there I will give several illustrations of this truth about words, negative and positive, remembering there is a positive kingdom and one that is negative.
Genesis 11:1-9, Babel; (negative)
“And the whole earth was of one language and of one accent and mode of expression. (vs 1)
“They said…” (vs 3) “let us make…” and “They said…” (vs 4) “let us build….”
“And the Lord came down to the see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them.
Come, let Us go down and there confound (mix up, confuse) their language, that they may no understand one another’s speech.
So the Lord scattered them… they gave up building the city.(vs 8)
Note: The Lord did not confuse or eliminate their thoughts or imaginations, but He confused and mixed up their words, because that is what gave the power to their thoughts and imaginations. I want you to really get hold of the power of your words. Prov. 18 declares that the power of life and death are in the tongue. By the way, this may be an indication of what God thinks about a one world government, and this is something to think about at this time in history.
Now let us go to Numbers 13 & 14 and camp there for a while, but you will have to do some reading for yourselves on this one, because I want you to read all of both chapters, rather than just listening to me, and that is for instruction and the heart of God. Understand, that in Ex. 3:8, God declared that He was giving them a land flowing with milk and honey, and all they had to do was to go in, take it, and possess it, for it was His gift to them, but they did not believe that even God could overcome the giants that they saw there. I am going to just talk about it and give you yet another foundation of what we are after in this lesson. Be sure to note 14:22 through 31.
And after the Numbers discourse we go to Daniel’s prayer and repentance in 9 & 10 (the angel Gabriel and Michael came in response to Daniel’s words that were orchestrated by God.) Read the prayer, and I am sure that Daniel had been meditating on the word in 2 Chron 7:14, and he was following that plan and example of prayer, and in Daniel 9:3 through 20 we hear the heart of the prophet crying out to God for mercy, and in vs 21, Gabriel, an ark angel appeared and gave instruction, and prophetic time info to Daniel, for skill and wisdom, and told him that at the beginning of his prayers, the word went forth, and then the angel continued with prophesy and instruction, and then in Chapter 10, Daniel had a warning word revealed and he went into mourning for the land, and there appeared a vision, and it was Michael, the ark angel, and he told Daniel that all his prayers had been heard, and heaven has responded with the interpretation, for from the moment your words were heard, I was dispatched, but I was delayed for twenty one days in battle, and I have come in consequence of [and response] to your words.
I want to read you Psalm 103:20;
“Bless (affectionately, gratefully praise) the Lord, you His angels, you mighty ones who do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word.” (Daniel was giving voice to His word)
We surely know that the Bible is the Word of God. But you can hold a Bible right up to your ear and you won’t hear a thing but the rustling of paper. In written form it makes no sound, for it has no voice by itself. It is God’s precious Word, but we are the ones that are give it voice, and God and angels respond to that sound.
We can go a long way with these testimonies, but maybe we need to bring these into the New Testament in order to illustrate, that even though they are in the Old Testament, God, had Paul bring it forward first in 1 Cor 10:11, and listen;
“Now all these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action (proper response to adversity) by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period.”
Note: Its time to concentrate on finishing the race.
It “says all these things”, all what things? It is speaking of those in Numbers 14 who grumbled, complained, murmured and did not believe God and His promise and had to perish in the wilderness. It is brought up again in Hebrews in Chapters 3 and 4, and says that they could not enter into His rest, even after His full deliverance from the Egyptian bondage of 400 years, because they did not mix the word they heard with faith, and what they said in His hearing, he allowed to happen to them. (their complaints were all problem focused and never a word about the promise – of the land)
Note: In Numbers 14:9b, Joshua and Caleb said, “neither fear the people [giants] of the land, for they are bread for us…the Lord is with us.”
It cannot get much plainer than this. Do you remember John’s father Zechariah? He was struck dumb, because he spoke doubt about the angel’s announcement of John the Baptist’s birth, and listen to the angel’s response to him;
“And the Angel replied to him, I am Gabriel. I stand in the (very) presence of God, and I have been sent to talk to you and to bring you this good news.
Now behold, you will be and will continue to be silent and not able to speak till the day when these things take place, because you have not believed what I told you; but my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time.”
What does all this say to us today? How does this apply to us in today’s world? Well, put it this way, we have a Bible completely full of the word of God and His promises, and the word written in this book is as much His word as the word they received and did not believe. Jesus, in John 17:17 said, “Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth, Your Word is Truth.” (Jesus is The Truth)
If we have the word of Truth and are attacked in any way, there is a word that will work to cancel our problem and we have but to speak it into the problem, and with faith and patience receive the promise of His word. (Truth Wins)
Let me make one thing clear, we do not have to have conversations that only contain His word, we can talk about all the daily activities and our jobs, or anything else and God loves it, and I am sure that Jesus and His disciples had many discussions daily that may not have seemed to be ‘word centered’ or even spiritual, but we are speaking about speaking kingdom language when we are attacked in any way, either by the world’s system’s oppressive opposition, or by the attacks against our bodies or our welfare in any way, and we can speak God’s Word into that problem and watch it dissolve. This is what the love of God has provided for us to rest in. Take advantage of all that we are heirs to with Jesus.
I want to finish this up for the time being, but I want to leave you with this word and just a slight commentary, 2 Tim 2:15;
“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of truth.”
This is a call from the heart of God, and it is for our good here in the earth, not to get us to heaven for we are saved and will go there, but we are to be witnesses here in the earth and that is the way we are to do it, and display God’s presence in our lives right here where we are, showing His glory in the earth and displaying the power of His kingdom in the earth.
We may, the next time I am up here in front, may get into several portions of His word that I believe will speak to our hearts in ways that we may not have seen before, but until then is His
keep the faith, find the word that fits the need and speak it, and the High Priest of our confession [of His Word,] will be present with His angels to bring it about. Then press on toward the prize daily that awaits all who love the hope of His appearing. He is coming soon and we are being prepared.
Happy Thanksgiving! And, Class, Be Blessed Abundantly, especially in these precious Holidays,
I only read this to establish some of what we were talking about last week, that is, if the Lord tarries, we could be faced with some trying trials, and what we have just read, was being spoken to Spirit filled people, and with that said, lets go on.
I want to return to one thing we spoke of last week and this is a word for word repeat of that;