BUILDING A KINGDOM

 BUILDING A KINGDOM - AUDIO

Last week I spoke about the foundation layers of the Kingdom of God, the Apostles and Prophets, with the focus on the prophets and the making of prophets.  This time Father has led me to focus on Priests and Kings.  One may call them wall and gate builders.  We find a description of them in Revelation 21 and Revelation 1.

Revelation 21: 12 - 14

¹² And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

¹³ On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

¹⁴ And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Revelation 1: 5 - 6

⁵ And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

⁶ And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Moses was the first to receive the heavenly instructions to build a tabernacle for the Lord.  He was to follow this heavenly blueprint meticulously in building this dwelling place for God.  After this, Solomon fulfilled his father’s desire to build a house for God as well.  And what a house that was!  Everything was overlaid with gold and precious stones, no expenses held back for this majestic endeavor.  And God answered with His glory.  However, the destruction of the house of God followed because the requirement of the Lord for the keeping of this house and Him dwelling with them, was that they obey His commandments.  As we know, they could not uphold the commandments of the Lord.  The house of God was burned down and everything within it destroyed.  Jesus, the one greater than Solomon, said that foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.  Indeed He came to dwell among us and yet, no place to lay His head. 

However, for this purpose, the greater than Solomon, has been assigned by His Father to build a house, and we know that He will build a house, a temple in Jerusalem, from where He will reign as the Son of David over all the earth.  At the same time, we know that we are also the house of God.

                                              Hebrews 3: 1 - 6

3 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

² Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

³ For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house.

⁴ For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

⁵ And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

⁶ But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

However, we are not just any house, but the temple of the Holy Spirit.  We are living stones built up in Him as our corner stone.  And as His temple, He prepares in us a place to rule and reign.  This rest is not that of being tired, because that would imply that God has a weakness.  But rather going from a standing to a seating position is a declaration of ruling and reigning, because the work is finished.  Not because you are tired.  A King’s throne is his seat of authority from where He reigns. 

Ours is a tale of two Kingdoms.  The enemy is known as the prince of the air, but also has been given dominion over the earth.  Here he rules and reigns whilst jerking and manipulating nations and men for his ends and purposes.  When Jesus came to sit foot on this earth, it was quite a declaration to the forces of the air, as he prophetically as the Son of Nun, Joshua, came to take every place that His feet was on (Joshua 1).  They did not like this one bit that He dared to sit His feet on their territory.  He not only came to set the captives free, but to also make a declaration of war.  The very war we find ourselves in that is bound to escalate as the age ends. 

The principalities and powers of the air was given authority that they were to use for good, but being fallen they have taught men the art of war, how to do magic, allure with make-up and work with herbs and astrology.  Man, lusting for power and being easy targets for the pride of life, was willing through the ages to strike a bargain, their souls for the kingdom of this world.   Man forfeited their position of authority and willingly gave it over to the powers of the air.  So much so that over every continent, nation, city and town, a principality rules.  They are seated in places of authority, which is at the gates of the city.  In ancient times the decisions were made by the elders at the gates of the city.  These gates, or places of authority is the government, military, medicinal, educational and every other possible form of authority that we now see in this life.  There they rule and reign through their willing agents and manipulate and jerk society to not only do as they say, but to be molded and formed into their value system, to uphold the wisdom of this world.  So much so that anybody who stands up against these constitutions and society are either seen as conspiracy theorists or “nut jobs”.  Seen not only as apposed, but hostile to society’s value system, which they have fully adopted as their own.  And so the Church is tolerated, just as long as she does not start to mingle in the things that matters that coincides with their agenda.  Very much like Ahab asking Elijah, “Art thou the one who troubleth Israel?” 1 Kings 18: 17

The problem lies when we as Christians do not consider the principalities and powers, the kingdom of the air and this world that drives the agenda to their ultimate end.  When we look to man and do not take into consideration that our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers and wickedness in the air, we stand to do our battles in the earthly realm only.  What I mean by that is that we want to do whatever it takes to change regulations and laws and to stand up against these things, however without addressing that which is first and foremost a spiritual battle.  The one comes before the other.  Often it is said that all it takes is for good men to do nothing.  This may be true, but what we do, how we do it and when we do it, has to have the Kingdom of God as first consideration.  And to this I ask, “how much of our spiritual warfare are done in the flesh, no matter how many dragons we think we have slain?” 

Each kingdom has with it its own wisdom.  The wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God.  They operate by these wisdoms and so we need to understand this.  We know that the powers of the air has been defeated at the cross, but the world does not know that.  There are two value systems, that of darkness and that of light.  The only church that can confront the powers of the air, is the church that does not reflect in their walk the wisdom of this world and their values in their personal lives.  A church that is without fear and that cannot be made anxious by the lack of finances when the stock market crashes and holds not their life dear to themselves.  The enemy sees through pretenses, and knows whether we live by faith or merely subscribing to the doctrine.  The demons saying to those men who tried to cast them out in the book of Acts, “Jesus we know, and Paul we know, but who are you?”  And yet they were invoking the Name of Jesus.  What made these men different from Paul?  Is it possible that they watch us?  Is it possible that they know the difference between those who are authentic and those who are not?  We cannot expect to overcome the things of the air, unless we have fought the things of the ground.  On horizontal level.  That is to say seeking the Kingdom of God first in our lives.  Has the territory been won in the ground of your heart and all subject to Him?  Unless He is Lord of all, is He then Lord at all in your heart?  This does not mean we ignore the things happening in the political and social arena, but we have to know that the buck stops at your own heart first.  Authority is not just a matter of delegation, but a matter of delegation given to those who deals with the privilege of it, with authenticity and responsibly. 

The wisdom of this world is contrary to the wisdom of God. 

1 Corinthians 3: 18 - 20

¹⁸ Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

²⁰ And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

1 Corinthians 1: 26 - 31

²⁶ For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

²⁷ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

²⁸ And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

²⁹ That no flesh should glory in his presence.

³⁰ But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

³¹ That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Can we expect authenticity in a world of deception and appearances?  The church is the ground and the pillar of truth.  Because if we are not authentically living in the truth, why should the powers of the air take us seriously, when we do not take the issues of the Kingdom of God seriously? 

Ephesians 1: 8 - 11

⁸ Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

⁹ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

¹⁰ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

¹¹ According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

James 3: 17

¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

This wisdom is nothing other than that which was demonstrated by Jesus at the cross.  The wisdom of the Lamb of God that suffers, not defending his interests, does not respond in kind and that prays for their enemy, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.  At the cross these two wisdoms met, the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the powers of darkness.  Meekness upended and assaulted by violence and pure hatred.  The very same violence that are presently persecuting Christians and will again come with great force and intent in the time to come.  The wisdom of God is foolishness to those who profess to be wise.  It does not make sense and in the process that which God prizes as sacred and valuable, which is meekness, is seen as vile and weakness.  It is through the cross that the wisdom of God is made known to the principalities of the air and that they recognize that they are defeated, when you live in authenticity.  When you do not respond in kind, but pray.  When you serve those who persecute you and spitefully use you.  Unless the church herself has been resisted and attacked individually and have demonstrated how man can live free from the powers, her resistance to the power of the air is futile.  She must be able to say to the prince of this world, “satan has nothing in me.”  How can we call their bluff when standing face to face with them, they call our bluff?

At this point you may think that I have veered from the topic at hand, which is Kings, Priests and building a Kingdom.  In Revelation 1 we read that they give Him glory for He has made them priests and kings.  Priestliness is a prerequisite for being a King.  For we are priests after the Order of Melchizedek.  Melchizedek meaning King of Righteousness.  And being a High Priest He rules as King.  In the preparation and the building of a house for the King to come and rule, those who abide in the secret, the servants of the Lord, are to be priests, holy and separated unto Him.  It is in our hearts, the Holy of Holies that we serve our King as priests.  For being greater than Solomon, not only because Solomon was human and therefore limited, but He has determined and purposed that through His temple, which we are, He will rule and reign over all the world through us, as His Priests and Kings.  For unto those, who has been made into priests and kings, He will appoint kingdoms to rule over.  In order that He will not only rule and reign from the physical temple of Jerusalem, but in the spiritual temples, which we are as His agents.  And unless we are Kingdom minded, we will not understand that it is to us the spoil is given.  The spoil which is the governmental authority, the gates, where the powers of the air are presently controlling this world for their end.  We are to replace and dethrone the kings of the earth and establish righteousness on the earth.  His purpose for preparing a temple, is that He is as the Son of Man, can enter into His rest, which is be seated on the throne of our hearts, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  The forces of darkness stand to lose their only footing and ground left once satan has been thrown down to earth and the pit have been opened.  Earth will be the last battle, the last ground they will defend.  The battle of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of this world will be fought on this very earth.  And we all know who will win.  But the question remains, “Are we truly seeking His Kingdom first?   Even though the Kingdom and His righteousness starts within, it is manifested without.  Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that HE IS LORD!  Do you have a Kingdom view?  Are you looking at those very things that are happening to you as circumstantial and normative, or do you see with a Kingdom perspective the provision made in order to procure the wisdom of God, which is in stark contrast to the wisdom of this world. 

Jesus as our example and forerunner has not only gone to prepare a place for us, but He is also preparing a place for Him, in us.  He tells His disciples in John 15 that even though they are His servants, He no longer calls them servants but friends.  And as friends, they know what He wants.  And He lays His life down for His friends.  In Luke 22 we read an interesting account of where the disciples dare to ask the Lord who would be the greatest in heaven.  This is what He says.

Luke 22: 25 - 28

²⁵ And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.

²⁶ But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

²⁷ For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

²⁸ Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

Jesus, although the Son of God, left heaven to come and dwell amongst us.  He will once again come again to finally establish His Kingdom reign on earth.  I have to ask.  Will you be sitting in heaven, or serving on earth?  If He had to ask you today, “Will you stay?” Will you? This is not an easy question to answer for who has not been at the place, especially now, that we cannot wait to leave? At this point you may ask me, “Surely it is better to go to heaven than to stay on earth?” Exactly!  Therein lies the laying down of your life even as He laid down His and came to earth.  Unfortunately the church has lost her Kingdom mandate and purpose.  She is desiring to go to heaven and experience the joys and bliss of what it provides, but unto the Church a mandate has been given, which is to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth.  And so I have to ask at this juncture, are you truly seeking His Kingdom first when you have no intention or desire to be a priest or King? 

He has promised a new heaven and a new earth.  All things will have passed away. 

A Kingdom consciousness has to be restored to the Church where she is in anticipation, jealousy or expectation for the glory of God.  His glory filled the temple once Solomon finished the work, and could enter into his rest.  Our own personal kingdoms has to be laid down in its entirety and His Kingdom firmly established in us, for us to rule and reign as Priests and Kings.  There are no shortcuts.  Friends lay their lives down and for some reason we think this pertains only to earth.   But what of the heavenly?  Jesus did not only lay His life down, but He left heaven.  He will establish His Kingdom on earth and it is an eternal Kingdom.  The Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force.  Jesus is the Suffering Servant, serving in the Kingdom of God, to be crowned as the prince of Kings and Priests.  And those Kings and Priests who will reign on this earth will follow Him in exactly the same way, being suffering servants, serving the least of the Kingdom of God.  Suffering reveals ultimately, and ultimate suffering reveals ultimately.  How you suffer, reveals who you are.  Because if we are willing and jealous for the glory of God, we will enter with Him into His suffering that He as the Suffering Servant may be crowned in our hearts as the King of Kings.  For if we are willing to share in His suffering, we shall also share in His glory.

Revelation 19: 16 - 18

¹⁶ And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

¹⁸ That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

His Kingdom will be over all the earth and the priests will again teach all of mankind the difference between the sacred and profane.  An eternal Kingdom on earth established so that He may abide and dwell in us, to tabernacle in the midst of us.  And He shall be called, “Immanuel, God with us”. 

Revelation 4: 10 - 11

¹⁰ The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

¹¹ Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.