Our Two-Sided Commission: Family and Kingdom

     I have not been shy about expressing my frustration over not being able to rightly convey the Gospel of the Kingdom to my fellow Christians. And here's the thing ... once the Holy Spirit opens your spiritual eyes to "see" it, and you know how to "enter" it, you wonder how you missed it all those years during your walk with the Lord. And you wonder why others can't see it as easily as you do! But I believe that the Enemy throws every tactic of confusion and misconception into the arena of our communication, and we Believers end up misunderstanding each other.
     I recently listened to an excellent YouTube video by Dutch Sheets, the Executive Director of Christ for the Nations. The title of the video was The Power of Ecclesia, and it captured every emotion and frustration and disappointment Mark and I have encountered in trying to communicate with other Believers about the importance of understanding the Gospel of the Kingdom, and why it is important that we DO it. But the video showed me so much more. It caused me to humble myself before the Lord and realize that the problem is not just that people won't accept it, or try to understand it, or walk in it -- but that our message has been misinterpreted by the Church. Everything we have said about the Kingdom has been true to Scripture, but how we delivered the message was wrongly perceived by them, and we played a part in that delivery. Let me see if I can lay it out a little plainer....

     Jesus has given us a two-sided commission. The Body of Christ is to act as both an OIKOS, or House of God [think Family] and as an EKKLESIA [think judge and justice]. These two sides of our Commission are to act and work together to accomplish the Father's will "on earth as it is in Heaven". The problem is, the Body of Christ has been grossly out of balance, weighing heavily toward the Family side. We have largely represented Jesus as the Good Shepherd, the Groom, and our High Priest (this is the Family side of the scales}. And we have ignored His identity as King, Master, and Commander-in-Chief (the Kingdom side of the scales). Consider these few points in the equation (there are many more):

     • In the Family, we are part of Jesus's flock. In the Kingdom, we are Jesus's army
     • In the Family, we are sheep, and in the Kingdom, we are soldiers.
     • In the Family, our mission is to grow the family of God [Believers] until He comes. In the Kingdom, our mission is to grow and extend the Kingdom and its culture until He comes.
      • In the Family, we pray and petition. In the Kingdom, we war, decree, bind and loose.
      • In the Family, Jesus is our Friend. In the Kingdom, Jesus is our Commander-in-Chief.
      • In the Family, Jesus is Protector and Provider. In the Kingdom, He is our Victor and Sender.
      • In the Family, we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In the Kingdom, we need the keys of the Kingdom.
      • In the Family, we need the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the Kingdom, we need the weapons of our warfare.
      • In the Family, we worship. In the Kingdom, we govern.
      • In the Family, we are healers. In the Kingdom, we are Destroyers; tearing down strongholds
      • In the Family, Jesus is the Son of Man. In the Kingdom, He is the Son of God.
      • In the Family, we need intimacy with God. In the Kingdom, we need knowledge of God and His ways.
      • In the Family, we need love and compassion. In the Kingdom, we need power and authority.
      • Family is the completion of the Genesis Mandate: to reproduce the family of God. Kingdom is the completion of God's restoration of His Kingdom on earth.

     By now, you should be getting the idea. It isn't either/or, and it's not one versus the other. It's not denying one in favor of the other. We are to reflect both Family and Kingdom. And to be honest, sometimes we lump it all under one category called Religion/Church. And for the most part, the Body of Christ has gotten real good at being the sheep, growing congregations, praying, seeing Jesus as our Friend, asking Him for protection and provision, seeking the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and worshiping Him. We've accomplished that assignment. But we haven't accepted our roles as soldiers in His army; or expanding His Kingdom; or warring/binding/loosing; seeing Him as our Commander-in-Chief, our Victor, or our Sender; asking for the keys of the Kingdom or the weapons of our warfare. And we most certainly have not learned how to govern upon the earth. 
     But here is the important point I want you to get. In our zeal to explain the importance of the Gospel of the Kingdom, and the need to expand it and extend it not only among the Church, but among the nations, we are not saying or asking that the Family side of our Commission is wrong or that it is to be abandoned. But that is how some of the people in the Church interpret the message! No! We do not abandon the Grace or Mercy or Worship or Salvation messages. Those are all important and the correct message about our Lord. What we are saying is that this is not the complete picture of who we are to be as Followers of Christ. Along with Grace, we need to be walking in Truth ... along with Mercy, we need Justice, and when necessary, Judgment ... along with Worship, we are to Govern ... and by receiving Salvation, we are to Rule and Reign. It is a two-sided commission.
     I want my fellow Believers to understand that when we promote Kingdom, we are not denying any of the components of Family. But if all we concentrate on is Family and a household, called the Church, then someone else will write the laws we live by. And we're seeing that in today's society! We can worship and praise Jesus all we want, but someone else will write the laws that govern us and the lack of Kingdom will be reflected in our culture.
     We have to know when it's time to love one another and worship and teach and equip -- and we have to know when it's time to govern and go to war. We hear lots of talk about the Seven Mountains of Influence: Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment, and Business. We cannot influence those mountains from the Family side of our commission. That doesn't make the Family side wrong or bad! We just need to recognize that we have to do Family AND Kingdom in order to achieve real transformation in all peoples, nations, and tongues. It's not enough to act like His sheep; we must also act like His soldiers.
     The bottom line is this: I have prayed to the Lord about why it's so difficult to be of "one mind" like the Church in the Book of Acts. I clearly heard that He cannot build His Ekklesia until we are of one mind about His Kingdom.  And He reveals His Kingdom in His Word, so the Book of Matthew is where to start in understanding Kingdom as Jesus taught it. I pray and war in the spirit that the Body will grasp their full identity as both Family and Kingdom Citizens. So I plead with you to diligently study Matthew and try to discern the difference between [and acceptance of both] the Biblical concepts of Family and Kingdom, and then ask yourselves if you are out of balance; where do you stand on your understanding of the Family of God and the Kingdom of God? We must come to a mutual understanding that both Family and Kingdom are essential to bringing Heaven's Kingdom to earth. Until then, the Body of Christ will be divided in their commission, in understanding His whole counsel, and in knowing their complete identity. Let's be all we are supposed to be!

2 Chronicles 30:12   Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them one heart to do that which the king and the officials had commanded by the word of the Lord.

 

Walkin' The Line Between Faith and Fear

        
     This title of this blog is a line from a song that suddenly appeared in my mind this morning, and I think it best expresses what I have been reflecting on for the past few days. There are mornings when my husband and I sit down to pray together and my conversation with God is full of joy and thankfulness for all I see Him doing in the lives of people with whom He is working. Then there are the mornings that we find ourselves discouraged and asking for His wisdom and love to persist in reaching those who are blinded or lazy or disinterested in pursuing Him. Those conversations with the Father are always centered around the assignment He has given us while we are on this earth, and His message we are appointed to deliver.
     Please do not mistake my thoughts for arrogance or pride; we are well aware that we are not the authority or judge of anyone else's walk with the Lord. But when you, yourself, are persistent in seeking that intimate, relational knowledge of Jesus through both experience and the Word, you want everyone to have that same encounter and come to Him in truth and spirit. But there are just times when it is clear that there is a spirit of deception or confusion, and yes, I'm going to say it ... a spirit of religion that is blocking true revelation. Their faith is evident, but so is their fear.
     And I don't use that word fear in the sense of "awe" or "reverence". I mean that they hesitate to consider any new idea or revelation of God's Word because it makes them uncomfortable; it threatens the security of their soul (mind, free will, and emotions). They live in fear of failure (What if I don't get it right, or what if God doesn't work through me?); fear of deception (this is different from what I've been taught. What if it's wrong?); and fear of man (This is stepping away from my religious tribe. Will I be isolated or ostracized? Will I be excluded from the community of organized believers?).
     But Jesus gave us two parables in Luke 18 that shatter these fears. The first is the Parable of the Persistent Widow. He tells of a widow who kept coming before an unrighteous judge, asking for justice against her adversary/oppressor. The worldly judge simply got tired of her repeated requests. He finally granted her petition for justice -- not out of a religious or moral compulsion -- but because "she keeps annoying me, demanding her rights, and I’m tired of listening to her." The point of the parable is soon made clear by Jesus, who says, Did you hear what the ungodly judge said—that he would answer her persistent request? When the Son of Man comes back, will He find this kind of persistent faithfulness in His people? The widow's relentless faith overcame any fear of failure or what the judge thought of her. She was single-minded in continuing to ask for what she needed and desired. Her faith did not depend on social norms or what was expected of her.
     The other parable follows right after the Persistent Widow. It's the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  Here we have a self-righteous religious leader who confidently stands before God, pointing out all the things he does right to please the Lord, while unjustly condemning the tax-collector, an outsider. On the other hand, the tax-collector, who would have been ostracized for daring to appear before the altar of the Lord at the same time as a Pharisee, practices his faith by humbly asking God to forgive him of his sins, showing not only his reverential faith, but the risk he was willing to take to express it [by daring to remain in the Temple in the presence of such an important religious leader].
     I believe these parables display two of the Keys of the Kingdom that Jesus speaks about in Matthew 16:19.  PERSISTENCE and RISK will propel a Believer into new realms of faith; beyond their comfort zone and scope of routine religion.  Persistent faith ... constant, unending, tireless, determined people who never stop seeking more of Christ and revelation of His Word! They don't fear failure or deception because they hear their Shepherd's voice and are familiar with the Holy Spirit's presence, and are confident of His counsel. They never tire of asking for more and are persistent in their obedience to what He reveals, whether they fail or succeed in their mission. They are willing to take the risk of exclusion or rejection by others in order to receive more of Him. They are willing to run the risk of failure because they know the results are God's, not theirs.
     Because they are persistent in asking for more -- and actually receive more -- they are willing to trust Jesus to take them to new heights of intimacy and authority and power. They don't get discouraged; they keep on knocking, knowing that they are called to endure and persevere. They have lost their fear of man [and what the religious community might say] a long time ago, because the riches of the Lord's revelations have led them to heights never imagined or experienced before they took the risk to trust Him. Walking alone doesn't deter their faith or their obedience. The Word of God is their guide and their foundation.
     And I'm afraid that's where so many Christians fall short. I am amazed as we talk and counsel with people throughout our daily lives, just how many Christians do not read -- let alone experience, comprehend, or take hold of -- their Bibles. How can we profess to walk in faith [standing on a foundation of hope for the divine promises] if we don't even seek the One [who is the foundation] through His Word [which is His revelation of Himself]?  No wonder Jesus said in Matthew 7, Everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man [a far-sighted, practical, and sensible man] who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them, will be like a foolish (stupid) man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods and torrents came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great and complete was its fall.”
     The Scriptures were not written in the day He spoke those ominous words. The teachings were given orally, and one had to be conscientious to hear. Today, we have the benefit of the written Word -- the Word that we can read again and again and again, persistently asking for revelation as to how we are to "act on them" or "do them". There is no excuse for the Body of Christ not to know or do what He says. Are we just spiritually lazy? Or in our fears of becoming deceived, do we cling to what others say about what the will of God is? Remember that Jesus began this conversation in Matthew 7 by saying, Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness."
     That word "lawlessness" is many times translated "iniquity" which is a perverse rebellion against God and His will. These people thought they were doing God's will, with acts that mimicked righteousness. But as the following verses showed us, Jesus wants to be the [good and solid] foundation behind our actions, because we intimately know His heart through the revelation we have received from His Word. He wants authentic followers who know him through experiencing Him, not pretenders of a faith that will not stand against the storm that is coming.
     I will tell you that this kind of deep introspection with Jesus in His Word can leave you walking a narrow and lonely road. But take heart! I am seeing more of His remnant coming out of hiding and out of religion into His Truth and Spirit. The numbers may not be large, but the conviction and the resiliency is steadfast and devoted. The remnant is aligning together and speaking His Biblical Truth, causing lives to be dramatically changed as they walk and talk boldly of the power and majesty and authority of the Lord Jesus to transform the earth for His glory. I pray that the line between Faith and Fear dissolves as He equips those He calls; those whose faith will overcome fear, blindness, laziness, the restraints of religion, and the lies of the Enemy in order to see His Kingdom, His power, and His glory reign forever. Amen!

Ephesians 1:17   I pray that the Father of glory, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, would impart to you the riches of the Spirit of wisdom and the Spirit of revelation [discovery] to know Him through your deepening intimacy with Him [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight into the true knowledge of Him].
    
    
     
    

It's Time For Prayers That Shake Heaven and Earth

     Before reading this article, I suggest that you re-read my post from a few weeks ago entitled The Ekklesia and The Kingdom: A Fuller Understanding. Before we can understand the importance of assertive prayer within the ekklesia, we must comprehend the purpose and mission of what Jesus said He would build: I will build my ekklesia and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. We must grasp the fullness of what Jesus proposed and how we are to administrate the ekklesia's responsibility and function through prayer. Our prayers must shake the very foundations of Heaven and Earth with their power.

 

     Dan Duval has written a very significant book titled just that ... Prayers That Shake Heaven and Earth. It has been a tremendously important tool in our Inner Healing Ministry. The language of these prayers is crafted directly from Scripture, with mighty and powerful consequences [when spoken] to thwart the tactics of the Enemy to destroy lives.
     And it has become so apparent to me from all my study of the etymology of the word Ekklesia, that prayer is a dynamic part of our duties as the "legislative authority of God's government on earth". I would like to give you a quote from Dan Briggs's important and revelatory book, Ekklesia Rising...
     "God was very specific with names all throughout Scripture, both for Himself and others. Names have meaning. Words have meaning. He even changed people's names to signify a change in their nature. [Think Abram to Abraham; Sarai to Sarah; Jacob to Israel]. Think of it this way: what if the Marines were called ballerinas, and vice-versa? Instead of Semper Fidelis -- a motto reflecting the faithfulness, courage and sacrifice of men who are "first to fight" -- what if their motto was Motu Camena, which is "poetry in motion"? Does it matter that a bear is a bear, and a lamb is a lamb?
      These are not cheeky, semantic questions. Massive consequences hinge on the meaning and intent of this word [ekklesia]. Jesus promised to build something. What is it? Do we know? Is it okay if our replacement word [church] is "close enough"? My friends, I appeal to you, do not stiffen your necks in pride or act like this doesn't matter. Tradition and inculcation [instilling by persistent instruction] have bred a deeply passive familiarity, yet Jesus used a specific word with specific connotations... Can we afford to be casual about this? Do we value our cherished, traditional, substitute word above His word? For generations, the answer has been yes. Our negligence has created a false identity and misguided mission, and we don't even know it".
     Wow! That stings, doesn't it? Yet, it is so true. We accept what we have been taught without questioning it. And it deeply saddens me to realize that not many Christians actually read their Bibles, let alone study it in depth. There is a richness to the Word when you study the history behind it and understand the Hebrew meanings of words that give new revelation to our English mis-translations. And far too many Christians are busy seeking out the "feel good" passages -- often out of context -- and are content to stay entrenched in that spot, rather than read the "hard" passages and try to obtain the whole counsel of God.
     Our responsibilities as an ekklesia have to do with many things, but as Dean Briggs writes, "... perhaps most of all, [it has to do with] authority in prayer. The people of God must begin to pray. Not small, little polite prayers. Not even ten minutes of prayer. Do you read the headlines? The earth is groaning, society is tottering, darkness is exalting itself like never before. Who among the people of God will rise in the Spirit to challenge the rising tide? Supplication, adoration, confession and thanksgiving are regular parts of a prayer diet, but contending prayer must dramatically increase! Day and night, prayer must shake the earth. When we realize we are the ekklesia, a "Prayerdigm Shift" is inevitable because the word itself properly aligns our identity with government and prayer as Jesus intended. There is power in this word ekklesia to correct our function on earth".
     He is correct! On the big scale of things, our prayers have not been effective! And I am not afraid to say that most people don't know how to pray to get the results they seek! They don't speak to God with any power. Oh, I've heard many give fine, eloquent, and long prayers full of doctrinal truths, but they aren't shaking heaven and earth to change attitudes or actions, let alone paradigms.
     What Jesus intended to build was supposed to look different from the world; it was to be an "authority figure", so to speak -- an entity that governed according to God's Word and in compliance with His Nature and Character. What He intended was that those who believed in Him and "saw" and "entered" the Kingdom would create a culture that the rest of the world yearned to imitate. Do you see that happening? Instead, the devil has turned it upside down, and the Church is looking more and more like the culture of the world! How does it govern -- with God's perspective or the world's?
     The Church is in covenantal agreement with the world government system and the god of this world (Satan) through its 501(c)3 tax exempt status. This, in essence, finds the Church serving two masters: Jehovah and Mammon. It allows the world government system to override God's government system [the Kingdom] and has resulted in a powerless Church that won't speak or act [out of fear] on many of the practices that offend and grieve God: abortion; same-sex marriage; the erosion of marriage; children born out of wedlock; ungodly legislation; homosexual priests; and leaders involved in adultery, pornography and various addictions. What was once despised by God is now accepted and tolerated.
     Please, let me be very clear about something ... I do not want the Body of Christ to become legalistic, and unable to extend God's love, grace, and mercy to those who miss the mark! The Bible gives us plenty of examples of Jesus meeting those who had sin in their lives right where they were, and loving them. But then He always told them "to go and sin no more". Are we really following His example if we show the sinner the love and mercy of Christ [which we must!], yet we don't give them His command to acknowledge the sin and change the way they are living?
     Do we pray a comfortable prayer that they will see the error of their ways, or that Jesus will set them free from their sin -- or do we storm Heaven with our prayers of authority and power to break off the ungodly attachments and return them to a discipline of righteousness? Isn't that our real function on earth -- to love as He loved; to show show grace and mercy as He did; and to pray effective and earthly-kingdom shattering prayers, just as He did?
     Our Lord shattered the religious system of the Sanhedrin and the Roman kingdom's government system. And He did it by consistent, persistent, and intentional time with the Father in both prayer and fasting. Isn't it time we got serious about taking a real hard look at what that means for us? Jesus Christ changed the world 2,000 years ago and asked us to continue His work. He brought the Kingdom government of Heaven and He deliberately challenged the kingdom governments of the earth. Where can we wage that same challenge? Let's start with assertive prayer over any areas of our own lives that are submissive to the world system. Once we are aligned with Heaven's system, then we can affect our families, our communities, our nation, and the world. Let's shake Heaven and Earth with prayers that make a difference!

Acts 16:25-26    Paul and Silas, undaunted, prayed in the middle of the night and sang songs of praise to God, while all the other prisoners listened to their worship. Suddenly, a great earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. All at once every prison door flung open and the chains of all the prisoners came loose.

Overcoming Leads To These Promises

    

     In yesterday's post, we took a look at God's desire to give us eternal rewards for doing the good works that result from our salvation; our desire to reflect God's character, nature, and goodness to the world through our actions. That's why we were created in the first place. But Sin entered the Garden and corrupted our original design of perfection. But because our Father in Heaven is Holy and Righteous, He has designed a plan to restore us to the harmony we had with Him when we were created. It is a reflection of the harmony in Heaven.
     But for that to happen we must say "Yes" to Him, and "No" to sin. We must hate sin as much as our Father hates it, and resist its temptation. We must be Overcomers. Just as God counseled Cain [in Genesis 4:7], if we do well [believing God and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Him], we will be accepted and our works found worthy of reward.  And if we do not do well [and ignore His instruction], sin crouches at our door; its desire is [to overpower us], but we must master it. That's called overcoming; conquering sin, prevailing against it; and gaining victory over it.
     Each person who conquers sin in his life is guaranteed rich rewards in Heaven. And there are promises which apply to all who overcome. Jesus, Himself, makes these promises in the Book of Revelation to all the ekklesias [His ruling body in the Kingdom of God on earth] who overcome. Let's consider these 7 promises:

1. We have access to the Tree of Life.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7).
     We all know the story of the Garden of Eden. God placed many trees in the Garden, but there were two of special importance to Him -- the Tree of [Eternal] Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil -- telling Adam and Eve they could eat of any of the trees except the Tree of Knowledge. They disobeyed that one simple rule. This resulted in them having knowledge of both good and evil, which allowed evil [sin] to enter the Garden and ultimately, the world.
     Have you ever thought about the fact that if God had allowed them to then eat from the Tree of Life, that sin would have entered into Eternity? But God, in His Wisdom, cut off access to that eternal life and drove Adam and Eve from the Garden, placing His Heavenly guards at the eastern entrance to the Garden to safeguard the way to the tree. They lost their opportunity to eternal life.
    But we have been given a new opportunity to "eat of the tree of life", just as Scripture says. Every time you resist sin, and overcome its temptation, you can take a bite of the fruit of the Tree of Life. You are storing up for eternal life in the Kingdom that Jesus will restore to the earth upon His return.


2. We will not be hurt by the Second Death. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” (Revelation 2:11).
     We all face the first death of our physical body with certainty. We will all die in the flesh and to this world one day. But there will come a chance to be condemned to a second death when we stand before God upon His throne. He promises to make everything "new and fresh" (Revelation 21:5) and promises that those who conquer will receive gifts from Him -- He will continue to be their God, and they will continue to be His children. We will not be hurt by His Righteous Judgment. But then He makes another promise to those who have not overcome sin ... the faithless, the despicable, the murderers, the perverts, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all deceivers -- they will be thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur, which is understandably, a second death.
     The Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom is that for those of us who used our opportunities here on earth to resist sin, and won, we will not be harmed by this judgment.

3. We will be given hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows except him who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17).
     The hidden manna refers to the Bread of Life and the Living Water that you receive from the Lord in those hidden places where only you and He reside. It is the nourishment, sustenance and power we receive when we pray for help to overcome the temptation of sin in our lives. It is given to everyone who asks for it as they fight to overcome sin.
     In the context of the time the Book of Revelation was written, a stone was given to one on trial. A white stone meant you were acquitted or innocent; a black stone meant you were declared guilty. To receive a white stone means that you are free from condemnation. You have been tried and have been found worthy. This white stone symbolizes your faithfulness and purity before the Lord. We know that here on earth our faith is tested. In eternity, it will have been proved; we have withstood [and overcome] the testing.
     The new name is harder to identify. My own personal opinion is that it will be the name that is bestowed upon us by the Lord; a name that reflects the battles we have encountered and the sufferings we have endured. It will be a name that illustrates your new identity due to your faithfulness and the Father's grace. It will be a name that demonstrates your victory and transformation, and it will be a name unique to you and more precious than gold because it was given to you by your Savior.

4. We will receive Power over the Nations, a Rod of Iron, and the Morning Star. And he who overcomes and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations – ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’ –  as I also have received from my Father; and I will give him the morning star.” (Revelation 2:26-28).
     Those who overcome the tremendous sin that is threatening to envelop this world, and who embrace the works that Jesus did -- confronting injustice, standing up to the religious institutions, healing the sick, casting out demons, etc. -- will be given a special place alongside Him in the Millennial Kingdom [upon His return]. These will be people who will be given the authority to "rule and reign" with the King because they ruled and reigned over sin in their lives and in the world. They will have to "break some vessels" and then "rule with a rod of iron" to re-establish the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth during the Millennial Kingdom. In other words, the King of kings will need people to begin setting things straight according to the Father's will. Those who have learned to rule their own lives with a rod of iron [against sin] will be qualified to do the same in the new Kingdom.
     The morning star is the prophetic revelatory word you hear from the Holy Spirit that shines into the dark areas of your life, exposing the sin. If you are humble and willing to recognize the sin, then the morning star begins rising in your heart, and the light replaces the darkness. As that morning star rises and begins exposing more areas of your life to its light, you shine brighter and brighter until you are the full reflection of the bright morning star of Revelation 22 (Jesus).

5. We will receive White Garments and the Book of Life. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Revelation 3:5).
     As the Bride of Christ, we are told in Ephesians 5:27 that we will be presented to our Bridegroom without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but … holy and without blemish. But there is another aspect to the garments we will wear. Revelation 19:8 tells us She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean—for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints. So we can see that our garments will be spotless and wrinkle-free; free from the sin we have overcome, and they will represent our faithfulness to do good works which have been produced as the fruit of our salvation. We will appear in clothing that matches the purity and righteousness of Jesus.
     I want to state that everyone's name is written in the Book of Life. But as established by the Lord in the Book of Exodus, if we become rebellious and do not overcome sin in our life, that sin can cause our name to be blotted out. Exodus 32:32-33 recounts a conversation between Moses and God. Moses says, Yet now, if You will, [please] forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of Your book which You have written (kill me)!” But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book [not you]. 
     It's pretty simple. If you want to remain in the Book of Life, you must overcome sin. Jesus said in John 10:27-28, My own sheep will hear my voice and I know each one, and they will follow me. I give to them the gift of eternal life and they will never be lost and no one has the power to snatch them out of my hands.  That verse doesn't say that they can't reject His gift and remove themselves from His hand [by continuing in their rebellion and sin]. The Book of Life is not a guaranteed promise except to those who are willing to follow their Good Shepherd.

6. We will become a Pillar in the Temple of God. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” (Revelation 3:12). 
     Pillars are a support system to the Temple; they bear weight and are immovable, designed to never give way to pressure. If we are overcomers, we will be made into pillars, standing strong against the trials and temptations of this life. We will be able to bear anything that the Enemy throws at us.
     But becoming a pillar is a process. One victory over sin doesn't qualify. You must be a consistent overcomer that becomes shaped into a pillar worthy of being a support system to the Kingdom of God. A pillar is useful to the Lord to sustain His Kingdom.
     The New Jerusalem becomes the Bride of Christ. By writing the name of this holy city, the name of God, and Jesus's own new Name on us, He is laying claim to us. We will belong to Him! When we have overcome this sinful world and our own sinful nature, then we are worthy to belong to our Father and His Son!

7. We will sit with our Lord on His Throne. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (Revelation 3:21). 
     To reign with Christ will take supernatural wisdom. Who among us can claim that our human nature gives us enough experience to rule with our King? It is only through living an overcoming life that we can hope to have that kind of experiential knowledge. 
     And believe it or not, our wisdom is measurable according to how well you have overcome. Each opportunity to overcome sin is a chance to grow in your faith and become more valuable as a Laborer in the Lord's harvest of souls. I don't know about you, but I want to know that the Lord is counting on me to rule and reign with Him; that He already has a place in His ruling government for me. What a  way to enter into the final stage of my sanctification  -- to be greeted by King Yeshua and taking my place next to Him on His throne -- to know that He is pleased with what I've done for His Kingdom and with my calling.

     These are the extraordinary promises of reward for living a faithful life! God loves us. He has loved us before He created us. But we are born with a sinful nature, and He loves to see us overcome it, and to resemble His Son. There will be more to overcome in this life for some than others. But each of us can receive these glorious promises when we dedicate our lives to Jesus and surrender the sinful desires that the Enemy sends against us. To be an Overcomer is a tremendous privilege that leads to the assurance of eternal rewards. May we all be declared worthy of this title!

James 1:12    Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.  
     

Understanding Our Eternal Rewards

    

     This is a topic that can become controversial within Christian circles. I have been amazed at how often this subject is either ignored from the pulpit or even discounted as Biblical truth. When I have tried to express that Scripture tells us God desires to reward us for a life well-lived in faith and obedience, I have been met with resistance and told that we are saved by faith, not by works. I agree! But that is not what I am talking about at all.
     I am saying that as a result of recognizing the grace by which we have been saved, we have a "heart change" and desire to reflect God's character, nature, and goodness to the world. We become more like Jesus and continue His work in the world. We will do good works, thereby producing fruit [in our lives] for the Kingdom. That's why Ephesians 2:10 says, We have become His poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny He has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it!
     You see our good works define our destiny, and result in our rewards. You can't state this much plainer than Revelation 22:12, in which Christ says, Behold, I (Jesus) am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to the merit of his deeds (earthly works, faithfulness). So, I don't know about you, but I'm hoping that my righteous works and faith will deem me worthy of rewards. It has nothing to do with earning my salvation; my works are a result of my gratitude for my salvation and my desire to to be obedient to what God has called me. And the prospect of rewards from my Lord is an ever-present reminder to stay focused on Him and set His will before my own. To further expand the understanding of our eternal rewards, I would like to pose a series of questions regarding them that I discovered on the website, Verse By Verse Ministry.
     Are eternal rewards Biblical? I hope I have established that I believe our salvation is only by faith alone [in Christ alone] and never by our works. Salvation is not a reward. But God does enjoy rewarding His children, both now and in the eternal life. He even encourages us to seek after rewards: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21). 
     There again, is the reference to the condition of our heart; indicating that a heart surrendered to Christ will produce good works which store up treasure [rewards] in heaven. And Jesus presents it as a command ... "Store up".
     What are our eternal rewards based on? We know they are based on our good works, which is anything we do in service to the Lord which is from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Scripture reveals this in 1 Corinthians 3:8, Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
     Enduring persecution for the sake of the Lord's Name will also render heavenly rewards: Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.... (Matthew 5:11-12). 
     But there are standards to be met for receiving rewards. We must not do good works to benefit ourselves or for show: But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great... (Luke 9:35). And one can lose rewards if he is not repentant: Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what you have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward (2 John 8).
     How are our rewards conditional? Our rewards must be earned by being committed to the foundation of our faith, Jesus. Paul tells us that there are works truly valuable to Jesus (like silver and gold); while other works, if done in the flesh and for selfish gain, have no value to Him. They were like wood or straw that would burn in the "fires of testing". Paul makes sure we understand that these kinds of works result in a loss to the believer because it's a missed opportunity to be rewarded. But I want to again stress that it does not affect a person's salvation. If you have accepted Christ as your Savior and not denied Him, yet produced no good works in service to Him, you will find yourself standing before His judgment seat, where He will evaluate your works in order to assign your individual reward. If no works, then no rewards. But you will still reside in Heaven. I purposely think this is one reason there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" in heaven; the realization of worthless deeds done in the flesh and missed opportunities will be agony for a believer.
     What will our eternal rewards look like?  It appears that we are awarded crowns as tokens of our inheritance and responsibility, as a result of our good works. These crowns will be like badges of honor reflecting the glory of God in our lives; how He worked through us to achieve the good works which He predestined we would do. The beauty of it all is that we will acknowledge His sovereignty by casting our crowns at His feet, showing that He is worthy to receive them. The crowns which we have the opportunity to earn are the Crown of Life, the Crown of Rejoicing, the Crown of Victory, the Crown of Righteousness, and the Crown of Glory.
     And perhaps the reward that intrigues me the most is the opportunity to rule with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom. Scripture says in Matthew 25:21, His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’ And what a joy it will be! No sorrow, no pain, no poverty, no disease, no evil... What a joy to be rewarded for being obedient in the here and now, by being rewarded with more ruling responsibility in the Kingdom on earth!
     And here are some of my final thoughts on the subject of our eternal rewards... Every believer is called to serve the Lord faithfully in some capacity until He returns. In fact, the Parable of the Talents reveals that we will be rewarded for our devotion to completing the assignment given to us, regardless of the magnitude of our achievement. If we perform our duties faithfully, according to our abilities, our works will be honored and they will be commensurate with the rewards of others who faithfully served the Lord. The bottom line is that all believers are expected to demonstrate faithfulness so as to receive an equal inheritance. Ultimately, our inheritance in the Kingdom of God will be determined by what we do for Christ in this life. I have no problem imagining standing before my Lord and King and hearing Him ask, "What did you do for my Kingdom?"  What a privilege it will be to lay down whatever crowns I have received at His feet. 

Next Blog post: There are more than rewards for living a faithful life -- there are extraordinary promises!

Matthew 5:16    In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
      

 

 
    

An Open Letter To Todd White

     Todd White is a very well-well respected man of God, who dynamically preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom, and has a heart on fire with the Holy Spirit. Todd was a drug addict and atheist for 22 years—when in 2004—he was radically set free! Todd believes that redemption and righteousness are the foundational keys for living life as a new creation in Christ. Todd says on his Lifestyle Christianity website that his true joy is being able to reproduce a 24/7 kingdom lifestyle in every believer. His heart is to activate people in the simplicity of who they really are and confront the barriers that hold them back from being who God created them to be. But recently Todd has publically stated that Inner Healing is unnecessary and he is going to "talk about it and annihilate it". This is my response to what I have heard him say.

Dear Todd,

     After watching your recent videos stating your position on Inner Healing, I would like to respectfully respond. First of all, I want to say that I am a fan of your ministry and see great value in what you preach. You have great credibility with me, and I love your boldness. You have a right to your opinion on the Ministry of Inner Healing, but as someone whom the Lord brought this type of ministry to, I must answer some of the allegations you have made.
     To begin, I would like to apologize for whoever offended you. It is apparent from what you have recounted, that you felt your freedom in Christ questioned. I have heard your testimony and it is obvious that God performed a radical transformation in you. From a drug addict and atheist to a radical disciple of Christ is evidence of the power of God to save. And I have known others like you; people who walked in such depravity that when God touched them, they experienced such a comprehensive and profound transformation that they never looked back and their metamorphosis was thorough and complete. They were a new creation with no residue from their past.
     But Todd, not everyone has such a radical transformation. For others it is a process, and while they truly love the Lord and are seeking His righteousness, reading their Bible, and purposely working toward a relationship with God and the Holy Spirit, they are simultaneously battling attacks from the Enemy and are not experiencing the peace and joy they so desperately desire. Your advice to just focus on the finished work of the Cross to maintain your freedom [and overcome the Enemy in all things] simply does not work for everyone. I wish it did! Then every Christian who has confessed Jesus Christ as the Son of God and their personal Savior would not be in torment. I wish everyone could have your experience, but I have been witness to far too many Believers who can't get to where you are and God has provided another way, and it is through Inner Healing.
     If you don't mind, I'd like to quote some of your statements and then respond from a different perspective. You said, "I will not focus on your problem. I will focus on the Truth ... Jesus said "You are a new creation, the old things passed away and all things become new'. If all things became new, who are you to go back and visit things that are not there? All the stuff from your parents is in you, but when you get born again, you have a brand new Dad and its different. Jesus didn't come up with a formula [to do this or that ministry]. He shed His blood! We have to focus on the finished work of the Cross!"
     It has been my experience that there are many people who have confessed their faith in Jesus and know the redeeming work of the Cross. They intellectually know they are a born again creation. But they are not free. The Enemy is still whispering the lies. He doesn't just stop because you are born again. In fact, he may up his game! Being born again doesn't mean that everyone has had the traumatic, radical encounter with Jesus that you were fortunate to experience. For some those lies of the Enemy stay buried in the background of their soul and leak toxins, and the Christian is unaware they are listening [and believing] the lies and can't understand why they don't have the peace and joy in Christ that the Bible speaks about. Telling them to stay focused on the Cross is not going to assure an encounter with Jesus that frees them.
     But when I am able to invite the Holy Spirit and Jesus to be present and They show the Beloved  where the lie started and shatter its power, presenting Their Truth, it is an encounter in the spirit that shines the Light into the darkness. And I tell them to never entertain the lie again; to never go back, and to declare the Truth of the Word [from Scripture] and go forward in a fuller freedom. I can't explain why not everyone is able to obtain [and maintain] their freedom in Christ the way you do. I think some people need someone to walk with them to have that personal encounter with Jesus that dispels the lies.
     You say, "Taking every thought captive is the key". I agree! But many Christians don't know how to do that or aren't taught in Church! In our Inner Healing Ministry, we give them tools and show them how to do that so that those thoughts are never a problem again... recognize the tactics of the Enemy (because that's been his pattern in the past) and the lie when it comes, and do what Jesus did in the wilderness... "As it is written ..." and fight back with the power of the Word. You rightly say that "lies will always come in, but they will not be crushed by rebuking them. They are crushed by taking them captive". And that sir, is exactly what we teach in our Inner Healing ministry.
     You say, "Jesus declared, 'It is finished!' and our lack of faith in believing [the sins of our past] are finished is the problem." And you say, "Intimacy with Jesus and knowing the truth is what keeps us free. The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Jesus is what is implemented in our spirits and makes it real". I totally agree with everything you said! But not everyone walks in the strength and level of faith that you do, Todd. Some are still being tormented because they don't believe Jesus's truth that He took it all. Just telling them to have more faith and take every thought captive doesn't help them if they don't know how. If a person cannot grasp what the Spirit is trying to reveal on their own and press into the intimacy with Jesus, they may need someone to walk through it with them and introduce them to a personal encounter with Jesus. Then His Truth becomes real to them!
     I loved it when you said, "It's the intensification of identity and the intensification of the Word that results in the lie having nowhere to go... God wants to take what He thinks about you and what has defiled you and make it completely clean.. Identity, Righteousness, and Power should be our identity". Todd, you have perfectly described what happens in an Inner Healing session with someone who comes for ministry. They leave with their divinely-appointed identity; encouraged to walk in righteousness; and knowing their power and authority to walk in freedom -- never to look backwards again.
     Before I end my letter, I want to address a misconception that I feel you stated. You said, "We have placed Inner Healing as a formula upon Christians to say they can't be free without it.... Inner Healing is psychological programming and only puts a band-aid on your brain". These are points upon which I must disagree. Not everyone needs deep Inner Healing, and I would never force it upon anyone, nor suggest that it is mandatory for everyone. Only you can determine if you are walking in freedom in Christ. You know whether or not you are experiencing the peace, righteousness and joy that comes from being a citizen of the Kingdom. Maybe you have had the radical experience that Todd has encountered, or maybe you have been able to recognize the lies of the Enemy on your own and successfully defeated them. But for those who don't have that level of discernment or are mired in unforgiveness and/or disbelief, God has provided a ministry to help propel them towards the freedom He desires for them.
     I respectfully refute the accusation that Inner Healing ministers are creating psychological co-dependents instead of teaching people to maintain their freedom. When we minister to someone, it is our heartfelt prayer that they never succumb to the lies again and we provide them with biblical principles and tools to keep the freedom they just received. I just ask that you consider the fact that our God is so big that He has ordained different ministries to meet different needs and different people in their different stages of sanctification. I urge you not to condemn a whole ministry because one man offended you. It grieves me when different ministers decide that they can be the arbiters of what God's will is for all of His people. I know you have suffered grave criticism for your ministry habits and style and substance, so I would hope that you could extend the same grace to those of us who are seeing much healing and joy and peace and freedom through being obedient to the Inner Healing ministry that God has called us to. Surely you don't condemn your friend and fellow minister, Bill Johnson and Bethel, for training SOZO ministers to, as they describe it "walk you through a process of freedom and wholeness through a unique inner healing and deliverance ministry aimed to get to the root of things hindering your personal connection with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. With a healed connection, you can walk in the destiny to which you have been called." Amen!
     I can see the hurt you received at the time of your offense and I will sincerely pray that you can find forgiveness for that pastor. And I pray that you will soften your rhetoric about "hating" Inner Healing ministries. We do a lot of good for the Kingdom of God here on earth. We need to encourage and support each other's ministries. We are all walking towards the same goal ... freedom in Christ.

Galatians 5:1    "Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past."

What In The "World" Did He Mean?

     Forgive me, but today I have my hermeneutical hat on and I'm digging for treasure. In this day of "political correctness" and watching what we say so that we're not misinterpreted, I am often perplexed by our English language. This becomes an issue when reading our Bibles and trying to understand what Scripture is actually saying; especially when there are multiple Hebrew or Greek words used for our one English expression. For example, even the word "Word" has more than one meaning in the Bible, and the distinction is substantial. There is the rhema word; an inspired thought or creative idea from God, conceived in your spirit, but birthed into your natural understanding by divine illumination. You just know that your understanding has been revealed by the Holy Spirit! The logos word is the revealing and understanding that Jesus Christ is God; having been both presented to man and known by man.
      But the word I'm interested in today is the word "world" as it was used by Jesus. If you asked any person on the street in America, whether a Believer or not, what that word means, you would probably get a simple one word definition: earth. But in the four Gospels, Jesus uttered "world" 91 times, and there were three meanings attached to the one English word "world". According to Strong's Concordance, He used the Greek word kosmos 78 times, the Greek word aion 12 times, and the Greek word oikoumene only once.
     I want to make it clear that I believe and understand that all the words in the Bible are God-inspired and important, and I am not attempting to divide the word according to black or red letters. But in this day and age when our physical world is shrinking, and our words seem to have a greater consequence than ever, I wanted to examine some of the most important words spoken to us by Jesus and see if how He used the word "world" might impact us.

     I will begin by telling you that in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament the word used almost exclusively for "world" was tebel, meaning "the earth, (as moist and therefore inhabited)", but also having the connotation of "the solid material on which man dwells, and that was formed, founded, established, and disposed by God to inhabitants", as in "the land". That is probably the meaning we are most familiar with. Yet, Jesus didn't use that word.
     So with that Old Testament reference in mind, let's look at what Jesus said when He talked about the world and the implications for us. Since Jesus made it clear that the Parable of the Sower is the foundation for understanding all the other parables as well as the Kingdom of God, it is interesting to consider Matthew 13, verses 38 and 39. Here is how our most common English translations read, The field is the world [kosmos]; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world [aion]; and the reapers are the angels. 
     The first usage of the word "world" is the one He used the most -- the Greek word kosmos, and it means "the present condition of human affairs; mankind in opposition to God; and specifically not associated with the Ekklesia". The second usage is the Greek word aion, from which we get our English word eon, which means "age; an era; a period marked by spiritual or moral characteristics". 
     Can you see how applying the correct word [and its meaning] affects our understanding of the passage? Jesus is saying that as the Sower, He is spreading the seed of the Gospel of the Kingdom to mankind and it will affect the "condition of human affairs". The harvest is the period that is marked by the spiritual characteristics of those who "produced grain [from the good news of the Gospel of the kingdom], some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty". We must be able to "see" beyond the language barrier and understand that He's not talking about the physical earth or about the end of the world, but rather about mankind's need of a better government system.
     That's why He also uses kosmos in Mark 16:15, when after His resurrection He appears to the disciples in the Upper Room and tells them, As you go into all the world [kosmos], preach openly the wonderful news of the gospel [of the kingdom] to the entire human race! In other words, as you go into the present governing system of authority and control, and its powers of influence [which affect the condition of human affairs], tell them the wonderful news that there's a new government that has arrived! It is time to go back to the original government that God established in the Garden -- where there was endless provision [instead of man having to meet his needs by the sweat of his brow]; where man received instruction directly from God as he walked and talked with Him in the cool of the day [instead of being self-educated or deceived by the lies of the Enemy]; and where the rules of God were perfect for the welfare of man all his days [instead of man deciding for himself that he can be his own god and eat from today's defiled tree of knowledge of good and evil]. 
     The fall of man was the end of his rulership of the inhabited earth, which is the meaning [in Matthew 24:14] of the only time Jesus used the Greek word oikoumene in regards to "world": And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Here "world" does mean the inhabited earth. And Jesus makes the Father's goal in sending Him very clear: Jesus came to bring a government, and His assignment was to re-introduce God's ruling authority to the KOSMOS, those institutions in Satan's kingdom on earth who had governing authority, systems of control [in place], and which displayed powerful influence. 
     I'm sure you can think of ways that man needs a new form of government that effects our physical and spiritual well-being. Just consider the forms of government that man has devised on his own [with the help of the Enemy] ... the welfare system; the military/industrial complex; underfunded education systems; the Federal Reserve and the IRS. All that constitutes the devil's kingdom realm on earth. 
     When we receive Christ as our Savior, He tells us we are "born again". Then Jesus says that unless we are born again [saved], "we cannot see [perceive] the kingdom of God". Salvation is the first step to entering the kingdom of God. Once we take that first step, we are a citizen of Heaven [seated with Jesus in the heavenly realm] and we submit to that government. If something comes against us, our government in Heaven is activated! 
     You see, Jesus didn't come to fulfill the Abrahamic covenant in an attempt to get Israel back in possession of tebel [the Hebrew word for "the land"]. He came to restore the Adamic covenant, because the KOSMOS [government of human affairs] belongs to Jesus! He came to give us a new government from a divine Kingdom. Right now, we are citizens of two different kingdoms -- Heaven and Earth. He told us how to pray ... to make the kingdom here on earth resemble the one in Heaven. We are to be fighting against Satan's kingdom with YHWH's kingdom. We need to act as citizens of God's kingdom by living our lives as His ruling authority on earth, thereby effecting the human condition in all spheres of existence. We are not just citizens of this planet. We have a higher identity. We are citizens of the KOSMOS! When we practice living by the principles of the Kosmos, we live in the power of the Kingdom. We must stay positioned in that role if we are going to see our families, communities, and nation transformed!

John 3:17   God did not send His Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it [so that they should live by His hand of power]! 

     
 

"Stuck In The Middle With You"

     If you are of a certain age, you will recognize the title of this song by Stealers Wheel. As the Holy Spirit was speaking to me about this blog post, I suddenly found myself singing some of the lyrics: Well, I don't know why I came here tonight, I got the feeling that something ain't right ... And I'm wondering what it is I should do ... Trying to make some sense of it all, but I can see that it makes no sense at all. Yes, I'm stuck in the middle with you.
     I'm wondering if that's how Nicodemus might have felt when he sought out Jesus under the cloak of night. He knew that Jesus had some kind of connection to God because those kinds of miracles could only be accomplished by someone who walked with YHWH. The spirit in Nicodemus was stirred; there was something here to cling to. But what did it mean and what was he supposed to do with it? And trying to make sense of it all with his carnal mind was getting him nowhere.

     How many in the Body of Christ -- the Church -- are struggling with that same mindset? You see, I don't think we're really all that different from those in the First Century who struggled to make sense of the new message of the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus was bringing. They were stuck in the middle between their religious traditions and a new way to view their relationship with God. Furthermore, they couldn't see that there was a very real connection between the Law and the Prophets and the Kingdom of God.
     Can we agree that everything taught in the Law and the Prophets [which is the Old Testament] point to the advent of the Messiah, the Christ? And what are laws all about anyway? Whether applied to the Bible or your own community, a law is a system of rules by which one is governed. Laws are part of government; you can't have a government without laws. The Kingdom of God didn't do away with laws; it just instituted them in a new way.
      Then there is the matter of the Prophets. If there is a common theme among the Major and Minor prophets of the Old Testament, it is this: the Holy and Sovereign God called His chosen people to turn away from their old ways of sin and return to Him. But what did the people of the Old Testament do? They ignored God and continued to worship the idols they made. And that includes the religious leaders at the time of the transition from the Old to the New Testament. The Pharisees had made idols of their Laws and refused to recognize the Messiah in their midst.
     Yeshua, the Messiah, was the conduit from the Old to the New. He was the instigator of an evolution of understanding; FROM the old government system of the Law and the warning of the Prophets to repent [physically turn away from sinful actions] TO the new government system of the Kingdom of God on earth and the new form of repentance that required one to turn from their old way of thinking to a new mindset, [the mind of Christ, Himself].
     Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 5:17-20, Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
      What did He mean by that? Could it be possible that He expected all the laws that are explained throughout the Torah to be in existence today? If you've ever considered all the instruction given in the Bible regarding government, it is hard to think that's what He meant. There are laws regarding citizenship under the Theocracy of God pertaining to slavery; taxation, military laws [age of soldiers, cleanliness in camp, regulations in battle, plunder, etc]; criminal laws; laws pertaining to domestic relations; real estate laws; contract laws; religious laws; laws pertaining to legal procedures such as judgments, appeals, damages, and much, much more. Yet, He said, I didn't come to abolish the laws but to fulfill them.
     That was a stumbling block for many of those who heard Him around 33 AD. And it's a stumbling block still today. But here's what I think He meant... Both the established laws in the Old Testament and the words of the Prophets originated with God. From Moses, to the Judges, to the Major and Minor Prophets, we see God as the Authoritative Ruler of His people. In the Old Testament, God is laying the groundwork -- a foundation, if you will -- for a change in direction of how He will govern when He sends His Son, Jesus Christ.
     Jesus announces this transition when He proclaims, The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.  Jesus is marking the end of one government system and announcing the commencement of a new government administration -- one that must force the old religious framework of government aside. As author Ed Silvoso writes in his excellent book, Ekklesia: Rediscovering God's Instrument for Global Transformation, "It is not possible to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom using the old paradigms, because the Law and the Prophets announced in the past, that something was going to happen in the future, whereas the Gospel of the Kingdom focuses on the present -- the here and now."
     Jesus said, Repent [renew your mind], for the Kingdom of God is at hand [is present; has arrived].  I will grant you that the complete fullness of the Kingdom of God will not permeate the earth until He returns in His Glory, but Jesus said that "it was in their midst". It was present then, and it is present today. But the religious people of Jesus's day were stuck in the old paradigm and could not make the transition to a new form of government and a new mindset. And I see the same problem of being "stuck in the middle" among many of my fellow Christians.
     Please read my following words knowing that it is not my desire to offend or wound ... but I worry that too many Christians are focused on what God accomplished for us in the past (Christ's death on the Cross) -- as glorious and triumphant and beneficial to us as it was -- and what He will do in the future (return in His majesty to defeat evil and establish justice and peace on the earth). But that leaves far too many stuck in the middle, trying to make sense [in the present] of the relevancy of the Gospel of the Kingdom in their lives. 
     That leaves Believers either concentrating on their worship in the building and their traditions and rituals [looking backward to the Cross]; or focused in expectation, waiting on what they think will only happen in the future. Either way, they remain at a spiritual standstill, unable to realize that what has been prophesied in the past, and what Jesus declared, is here in our midst; it is a present reality. The consequences of being stuck in the middle is that we are not doing what Jesus came to inaugurate... we are not taking back our dominion of the earth and advancing God's kingdom on earth. 
     Instead, we may find ourselves part of a large group of inactive Believers, locked into a dormant religious system, waiting for Jesus to appear in the clouds and take us "home". And I get it ... this idea of my role in the Kingdom of God has me asking many questions of God. What is Your purpose, Father, for our little Home Church? If we try to make the transition and become a legitimate ekklesia, which is what Jesus said He was building, what does that look like? Even a small Home Church/Ekklesia can be stuck in the middle! And, I will tell you that even John the Baptist struggled with the transition. He sent messengers to ask if Jesus was the one to come, or should they be expecting someone else? But at least John was not willing to stay stuck. He wanted answers! And Jesus sent back His answer: Tell John what you see and hear ... the blind are receiving sight, the lame are walking, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, and the dead are raised, and the poor [in spirit] have the gospel [of the good news of God's kingdom government on earth] preached to them. What you've been preaching about and looking for, John, is here now, and in the present!

     We must be willing to receive the reality and fullness of that same answer. We know the living Christ, the Messiah, is in our midst now. But we must "get unstuck" and do what He told us to do. We must seek the Kingdom, understanding that we have a role to play in God's government here on earth. Then we must become the Ekklesia (ruling, legislative body) that He said He would build. We must fast for spiritual strength and wisdom, and then contend with prayer that is powerful enough to accomplish what He declared to be His will.... that we would confront and prevail against the Gates of Hades now, in the present, until there is a transformation on the earth among all peoples and nations. 
     Jesus didn't just come so that we would build our faith upon religion that tells us what He did in the past and promises what He will do in the future. He came to show us what He was building as His provisional government -- that kingdom government that would occupy the earth between the Law and the Prophets and His Return. He told us to share the good news that Heaven's form of government was now the world's, and He showed us how to validate that message with signs and wonders, and He said He would always be with us as we transform this earth, storming the gates of oppression and torment erected to stop the advancement of the kingdom. None of that sounds like we're to be stuck in the middle! Does it to you? As the Body of Christ, we must find a way to push past our passive mindset and static position to become a Body, not only capable of storming the gates of Hell, but convincing the Enemy's hordes that we are more powerful than his opposing forces. We can no longer be stuck in the middle!

Isaiah 9:7     There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace, [He shall rule] on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from that time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.