1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,200 Welcome to NECF sermons. 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:11,120 Each message here is designed to uplift and strengthen you in your walk with God. 3 00:00:11,120 --> 00:00:17,000 Don't miss out, stay with us until the end for our rewarding experience. 4 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:18,720 Let's dive right in. 5 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:21,720 In Jesus name we pray. 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:28,000 Yeah, please if you are here, you are in a good place. 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,000 I love seeing people while I'm speaking. 8 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,000 It goes a long way in helping you know the contact and then seeing people. 9 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,000 It's very important. 10 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,000 I want to you know and then nobody is there and then you're just speaking to yourself. 11 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:44,000 You know so just do as a favor. 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:57,000 Whenever we're here and then you're in a conducive environment, it is much more helpful for the person speaking and for all of us to see you, to see faces 13 00:00:57,000 --> 00:00:59,000 and then be able to speak and communicate. 14 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:03,000 You know it's part of communication and it's very essential. 15 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,000 So I greatly appreciate that. I greatly appreciate it. Amen. 16 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:14,000 So this year we have been considering the topic manifesting the kingdom of God. 17 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:26,000 I really want to appreciate the pastors for their labor of love, for their investment, the priest's single mind, the hours, the minutes, the sacrifices. 18 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:32,000 That they put in place to ensure that we are properly fit in the Word of God. 19 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:39,000 And it is my prayer. It is also our prayer as a pastor to see that we keep growing. 20 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:44,000 You know in the knowledge of God that we keep growing and we keep increasing your knowledge of God. 21 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:53,000 So we've been considering the theme manifesting the kingdom of God and our text, our text has been Luke, a key text. 22 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:58,000 We have two texts that have helped us in giving a direction. 23 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:04,000 Luke chapter 17. Come with me to Luke chapter 17. 24 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:14,000 I don't know whether I'm loud enough. Please if my voice is not loud enough you can notify me via text. 25 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:22,000 If I'm audible enough you can just type one in the chat box. One. One. If I'm not audible you can type two. 26 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:28,000 If I'm not audible you can type two. Okay one. Okay I can see two people. Alright. 27 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:33,000 It means I'm audible. Three. Four. Alright. Alright. Alright. Alright. 28 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:44,000 Luke chapter 17. Luke chapter 17 from verse 20. Luke 17 from verse 20. 29 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:55,000 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom, I'm reading from the ESV, being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God will come. 30 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:02,000 He answered them, the kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed. 31 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:15,000 Nor will they say, look here it is, or there, for the kingdom, behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. 32 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:20,000 The kingdom of God is within you in some translations. 33 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:29,000 And we also have a different edition Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12 verse 28. 34 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:38,000 Matthew chapter 12 verse 28. Matthew chapter 12 verse 28. 35 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:46,000 I read, and if Satan cast out Satan, I'm reading from verse 26. 36 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:55,000 Or I'm reading from verse 25. Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, every kingdom divided against itself, 37 00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:02,000 every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 38 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:09,000 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 39 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:16,000 Verse 27. And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? 40 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:21,000 Therefore, they will be your judges. Verse 28. Which is the verse we focus on. 41 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:31,000 He says, but if it is by the Spirit of God, cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 42 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:38,000 And by the grace of God today, I will just be giving us a charge on manifesting the kingdom of God. 43 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:42,000 Just a charge to charge us up, to stir us up. 44 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:49,000 And we have been in our different teachings that we've had in the previous week so far. 45 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:55,000 We are in February right now. We've established in our previous teachings what the kingdom of God is. 46 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:01,000 If you've been attending the ceremony, there's a lot of teachings that have been coming to us concerning what the kingdom is. 47 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:10,000 And as a reminder, for us to remember or to be reminded, it's very important that we keep reminding ourselves of the basics. 48 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:15,000 Because the basics is necessary for us to move forward. 49 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:29,000 We said the word kingdom is from the Greek word Basilia, which refers to dominion or rulership. 50 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:34,000 And we said that the kingdom of God is not something that is physical. 51 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:37,000 I believe these are some things that we've been emphasizing. 52 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,000 Emphasis is very, very essential. 53 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:48,000 Virtually every pastor that I've come to teach from January to now, I remember they must have said this in one way or the other, trying to emphasize these facts. 54 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:54,000 And when something is repeated, it's simply because it's very important. 55 00:05:54,000 --> 00:06:07,000 As Paul would say in Philippians 3, Philippians 3 verse 1, briefly, let's just look at Philippians 3 verse 1 about the essence of empathy. 56 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:15,000 Philippians of the three was one Paul was writing to the Philippines and he's making a reference to, you know, them. 57 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,000 Him writing to them again and again. 58 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,000 And. 59 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:24,000 All right, let me read from the amplified. 60 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:37,000 It says, for the rest, my brethren, delight yourself in the Lord and continue to rejoice that you are in him to keep writing to you over and over of the same things is not axon to me. 61 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:41,000 That is, it's not a trouble to me to keep on writing the same thing to you. 62 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,000 And it is a precaution for your safety. 63 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:52,000 So oftentimes when there is an empathy of something, you know, it's not because we don't have many things to say. 64 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:55,000 We don't have new revelation to see. 65 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:58,000 But the reason is safety. 66 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:04,000 Emphasis is essential for us to grab really, you know, the idea of the kingdom of God. 67 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:18,000 So for us to keep repeating the same thing, for us to keep on teaching the same thing, emphasizing the same thing, it is our desire that we will have a better foundation, a better knowledge and understanding of what the kingdom of God is. 68 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:35,000 So we said previously, the kingdom of God, the word kingdom is from the Greek word, Pasifika, I think the second week in January, he gave us a word, Basilia, which refers to dominion or rulership. 69 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:46,000 And we also said that the kingdom of God is not a physical kingdom, which means that it is not a location that is physical. 70 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:53,000 And we can see in chapter 17, you know, he made that emphasis very, very clear. 71 00:07:53,000 --> 00:08:08,000 Look, chapter 17 that we read previously that the kingdom of God is not, you know, what people will say it is, it is there or it is not in the visible what people will see with their physical eyes. 72 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:12,000 It is not what people can point to with their physical eyes and say it is there. 73 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,000 Look here or look there, you know. 74 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:23,000 But the kingdom of God is indeed a spiritual reality. 75 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:35,000 We can see also in Acts chapter 1 verse 6 where the apostles also when he was addressing them, Acts chapter 1 verse 6, he asked him a question. 76 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:57,000 He said when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel, which means that these men upon all that Jesus has discussed, he has taught them after the resurrection upon all, you know, the teachings that he has done and all the things that he has exposed them to. 77 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:02,000 They were still having this expectation of a physical kingdom. 78 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:06,000 You know, they were still having this expectation of something that is that is in the natural. 79 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,000 They were still expecting something in the natural, you know. 80 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:23,000 So he said to them, it is not for you to know times nor seasons that the father has fixed by his own authority, you know, but you receive power, verse 8. 81 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:32,000 When the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 82 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:40,000 So we see Jesus here shifting their attention from what they were perceiving to be a natural phenomena. 83 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:45,000 Something that involves, you know, physical or human kingdom. 84 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:55,000 Of course, they may have an idea from their experiences in the civilization that they were looking at the oppression they were facing under the Roman Empire. 85 00:09:55,000 --> 00:10:05,000 So they may have been looking forward to a kingdom, you know, that will, you know, give them independence from the Roman, you know, colonial government. 86 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:13,000 But we see here Jesus Christ shifting their attention away from what is earthly to what is spiritual. 87 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:25,000 So we see him directing them on what or where the kingdom is, not something that they see with their physical eyes, not something that they know the physical location where they can go to. 88 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:35,000 You know, so this kingdom of God is a spiritual reality and being a spiritual reality, the accession of this kingdom. 89 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:47,000 We also saw that it is in the demonstration and the workings of the spirit of God. How we can access this kingdom, right, is through the spirit of God. 90 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:54,000 And this we can see Jesus's conversion with John, with Nicodemus in John chapter three. 91 00:10:54,000 --> 00:11:00,000 You know, when Nicodemus came to him and was was asking a very, very important question. 92 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:09,000 Let's turn to John chapter three. John chapter three. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 93 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:22,000 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no man can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. 94 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:31,000 So by virtue of the activities that we see that they see, Jesus manifested, probably he might have seen Jesus Christ having power over demons. 95 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:38,000 Probably made of seeing Jesus Christ having authority over debt. Probably made of seeing Jesus having authority over sicknesses. 96 00:11:38,000 --> 00:11:49,000 Probably mercy. Jesus Christ performing miracles, signs and wonders and exerting authority, exerting dominion, exerting rulership over the power of Satan. 97 00:11:49,000 --> 00:12:01,000 And he had come to conclusion because he says we. You see, said this man came to Jesus Christ by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that this not only him, you know, 98 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:12,000 there's a possibility that in his carcass, they might have discussed Jesus and they might have come to this conclusion that, ah, this man really is a man that is not earthly. 99 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:22,000 This man is a man that has something that has not been seen before. This man must be a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs. 100 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:35,000 So the signs that Jesus was performing, the activities that they see manifested through the life of Jesus Christ was actually the demonstration of the dominion, the rulership of the kingdom of God. 101 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:44,000 So Nicodemus acknowledged this reality for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. 102 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:55,000 In verse three, Jesus answered to him, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 103 00:12:55,000 --> 00:13:09,000 So Jesus Christ brings him to a reality. How this kingdom, this experience is you've seen how you know you can be a partaker of this is when you are born again, when you are born from above, 104 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:19,000 when there's a regeneration that happens to you as a man, you must be born from that source before you can have access to the things that you see me manifest. 105 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:28,000 Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. But Nicodemus has a misconception or he has a misunderstanding. 106 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:40,000 He asked in verse four, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born? 107 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:48,000 You see, not only that the apostles, the disciples of where Jesus Christ had a misconception about the kingdom, 108 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:59,000 but even the ruler of a Jew, a teacher, a Pharisee, who is a scholar, who has read the Old Testament, probably memorized the entire, you know, Old Testament scriptures, 109 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:08,000 because I believe this is what makes you a Pharisee. You must be an expert in the law, especially the law of Moses in the old books from Genesis to Malachi. 110 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:18,000 But yet he had no understanding, you know, of the kingdom, which means that you can have a knowledge of the scriptures, right? 111 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:25,000 And if you don't put your faith in Jesus Christ, you know, you cannot have access, you know, into the kingdom of heaven. 112 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:33,000 So Nicodemus said to him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born again? 113 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:46,000 Be born, Jesus answered in verse five, truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born of water, which is a spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 114 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:54,000 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. So Jesus here is distinguishing what is natural from what is spiritual. 115 00:14:54,000 --> 00:15:04,000 Unless the man is born of water, which is the fairing to the spirit, unless there is a regeneration that happens in the man, which is a spiritual activity, 116 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:12,000 this man cannot have access to the spiritual realities because this kingdom is a spiritual reality. 117 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:22,000 So for a man to come into this experience, for a man to come into this reality of the kingdom, there must be a spiritual activity that happens in his life, 118 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:26,000 which means that he must be born again, he must be born from that realm. 119 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:32,000 For what that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit, spirit, do not be marveled. 120 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:37,000 I said to you, you must be born again. You must be born again. 121 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:43,000 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear it sounds, but you do not know where it comes or where it goes. 122 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:50,000 So it is everyone who is born of the spirit, Nicodemus said to him, how can these things be? 123 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:58,000 Jesus answered him. Jesus answered him. Are you the teacher of Israel and yet do not understand these things? 124 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,000 Are you yet a teacher and do not understand these things? 125 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:11,000 Truly, truly I say to you, we speak of what we know and bear witness to what to what we have seen. 126 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:14,000 But you do not receive our testimony. 127 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:21,000 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 128 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:28,000 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the son of man. 129 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:38,000 And as Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 130 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:45,000 And on and on we see just further on going to chapter 16 to say for God so loved the world that he gave his only son, 131 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:49,000 that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have this eternal life. 132 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:55,000 This eternal life refers to the kingdom of God, refers to, you know, having this experience of the kingdom. 133 00:16:55,000 --> 00:17:01,000 So Jesus now explained to him how he can access this life, this rebirth, this new birth. 134 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:05,000 And it's only through what believing in Jesus Christ. 135 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:13,000 We see him make a reference to Moses as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. 136 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:18,000 I believe that Nicodemus here must be familiar with the story of Moses. 137 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:24,000 He must be an expert in what Moses has done. 138 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:29,000 He must have taught what Moses, the significance of what Moses did. 139 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:41,000 And Jesus Christ is referencing this to him, that through Jesus Christ, through him, through him who God has sent into the world, 140 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:47,000 this life, this kingdom can be accessed. This kingdom can be accessed. 141 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:55,000 So it is essential that we establish this clearly that this kingdom of God is a spiritual reality. 142 00:17:55,000 --> 00:18:01,000 And we'll keep on emphasizing that the access to this kingdom is not by five steps. 143 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:06,000 It's not by principles from, you know, secular books. 144 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:15,000 But it's through the faith in Christ Jesus. It's through faith in Christ Jesus that we access this kingdom. 145 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:25,000 And we also establish that every believer, all right, every believer has access to this kingdom. 146 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:33,000 Every believer has received this kingdom. Every believer is in this kingdom. 147 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:44,000 Everyone who has put his trust in Jesus Christ is a beneficiary of all the resources that is in this kingdom. 148 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:48,000 So all of us are candidates and citizens of the kingdom of God. 149 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:57,000 The believer is not looking forward to the kingdom of God, but he has already access and is in the kingdom of God. 150 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:06,000 Colossians 1 verse 3 was one of the texts we saw that emphasizes this truth to us. Colossians 1 verse 13. 151 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:10,000 Colossians 1 verse 13. 152 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:18,000 He says he has delivered us from the domain of darkness. 153 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:24,000 The domain of darkness, referring to the dominion of darkness. He has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness. 154 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:31,000 He has delivered us from the the the rulership of darkness. 155 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:36,000 And then he transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son. 156 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:41,000 So this is what has happened in the believer. It's not what will happen. 157 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:51,000 But the believer has been delivered from the domain of darkness and has been transferred to the kingdom of his beloved son. 158 00:19:51,000 --> 00:20:00,000 So this verse establish this fact that we are what are, you know, are in the kingdom. 159 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,000 We already have the kingdom. 160 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:07,000 Philippians 3 verse 20 also emphasizes this reality that we have. 161 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:13,000 Philippians 3 verse 20 says, but we are citizens. 162 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:21,000 We are citizens of the state. I'm reading from the Amplified. Of the state that is the Commonwealth, the homeland, which is heaven. 163 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:31,000 You and I that have believed our word are citizens of heaven. 164 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:42,000 We ask of heaven now and from it also we earnestly and patiently await the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, our Savior. 165 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:47,000 So we are what we are citizens. And in this kingdom, there is a Commonwealth. 166 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:51,000 There is a Commonwealth in the in the in the in the cell units. 167 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:55,000 You know, we've been teaching about the realities that are in heaven. 168 00:20:55,000 --> 00:21:09,000 We also teach this coming Friday, we see that there are realities in the in heaven, you know, and all the riches of heaven are ours because we are citizens of this kingdom. 169 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:17,000 We read Ephesians chapter one, we see all the realities that is ours, that is immaterial, that is ours. 170 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:22,000 Because we are citizens of the kingdom, we belong to the kingdom. 171 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:30,000 So we are expected to do what to enjoy the privileges to manifest, you know, the kingdom. 172 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:36,000 So it's not only for us to enjoy, but it's for us to take responsibility to also manifest the kingdom. 173 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:45,000 So the charge for us today is on the important thing that we must do in order to manifest the kingdom. 174 00:21:45,000 --> 00:22:03,000 The essence of the charge today is for us to realize how we can manifest the kingdom, what is necessary, what kind of mindset do we have to possess in order for us to what to manifest the kingdom is not just OK for us to say, OK, we have the kingdom. 175 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:08,000 Then what is not see being a believer, right? 176 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:18,000 It's not enough. Don't get me out of context. Just being in the kingdom does not mean that automatically you manifest the kingdom. 177 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:24,000 There must be a deliberateness from us and we're going to see it in a short time. 178 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:32,000 It doesn't matter, you know, your status, whether you are a leader in a cell unit, whether you are a pastor in any safe. 179 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:38,000 It doesn't matter your calling doesn't matter the kind of exploits that you've done before or you're looking for to do. 180 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:43,000 It doesn't matter, you know, the passion and the desire you have. 181 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:58,000 Or your gift is it doesn't matter how long you've been in the faith because some people, you know, some of us, we we equate been in the faith for a long time, you know, to actually growth. 182 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:04,000 Now, without the requisite attitude, we're focusing on the kind of attitude we need without the requisite attitude. 183 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:13,000 It becomes impossible for you. It becomes impossible for me to manifest the kingdom of God here on Earth effectively. 184 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:17,000 It becomes impossible for us. It becomes impossible for us believers. 185 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:27,000 So if we must manifest the kingdom of God as God is expecting us, it's not just OK for us to just say, OK, we are citizens of the kingdom. 186 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:32,000 You know, we'll keep on, you know, saying this as a cliche. 187 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:36,000 Oh, we are members of the kingdom of God. We are part of the family of God. 188 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:40,000 We are in the we are part of the or care of God. 189 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:46,000 We are part of the family of God. We are part of, you know, the the the commonwealth of God. 190 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:54,000 We are we are in union as far as Emmanuel would start us about our union, you know, with God. 191 00:23:54,000 --> 00:24:05,000 It's not just enough for us to have this knowledge, but we must possess the right attitude because this knowledge can only can only be manifested through an attitude. 192 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:10,000 Manifesting the kingdom is not just about words. 193 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:19,000 It's not about what the Bible says. The kingdom of God is not only in what first Corinthians for 20 said that first Corinthians, the four was 20. 194 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:32,000 When Paul was making, you know, an explanation of of the ministry of the apostles, and then he was trying to speak about those who are doing some things that is not is not in a right. 195 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,000 You know, let me read to give his contest from verse 14. 196 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:46,000 Then we'll read down to 20 says, I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children, for though you have countless rights, 197 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:52,000 you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 198 00:24:52,000 --> 00:25:05,000 You can imitate us of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to my ways in Christ as I teach them every way in every church. 199 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,000 Some are some are arrogant. Yeah. 200 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:14,000 Some are arrogant. And, you know, it's quite unfortunate that in the house of God, 201 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:22,000 there are people that are arrogant. You know, this is not the kind of attitude that is necessary in manifesting the kingdom. 202 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,000 Arrogance is not one of the attitudes in manifesting the kingdom. 203 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:33,000 Vasity says some are arrogant, as though I were not coming to you, but I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out. 204 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:40,000 I'll find and we'll find out not the talk of these arrogant people, but their power. 205 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:47,000 Because you see, this kingdom is not in words. It's not in, oh, you know, I'm the I'm the cell leader. 206 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:52,000 I'm the I'm the pastor of this church. You know, I'm the leader of this team. 207 00:25:52,000 --> 00:26:02,000 I'm the do you know how long I've been the faith? You know, it's not it's not it's not just about talk, but it's about the life that is manifested. 208 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:10,000 It says for the kingdom of God, verse 20 does not consist in talk, but in power. 209 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:17,000 The kingdom of God is in a powered Christian life. This power referring to the power that is exerted from a Christian life. 210 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:23,000 The kingdom of God does not consist just in talk. Talk is cheap, as we always say. 211 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:29,000 Talk is cheap, but we want to see the manifestation is in power. 212 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:33,000 And the power begins from a life that has been affected by this kingdom. 213 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:42,000 We must see our life are aligning with the reality of who and where we say we belong to. 214 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:48,000 Romans of the four verse 17. Romans of the four verse 17. 215 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:58,000 The kingdom of God is not just about talk or is not in words, but is in demonstration of the spirit is in the activity is an activity is demonstrated 216 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:03,000 in manifested through activities, not just in words. Romans chapter. 217 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:08,000 Chapter four, verse 17. Am I seeing the right place? 218 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:18,000 I think I got this scripture wrongly. OK, so we see here is not just in in in talk, but is in what is an in power. 219 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:25,000 So if we must manifest the kingdom, right, we must not just stop in talk. 220 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:29,000 It's chapter 14 rather than chapter four. Chapter 14, verse 17. 221 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:34,000 It says for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking. 222 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:41,000 It's not just in canal things, right? It's not just in physical activities, just some things. 223 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:47,000 It says but of righteousness. Righteousness has to do with, you know, living right. 224 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:56,000 And peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. And joy in the Holy Spirit. 225 00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:03,000 And join the Holy Spirit. So let's see how the Bible describes the kingdom of God for us to have the attitude that is requisite for demonstrating the kingdom of God. 226 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:10,000 Let's look at what the Bible, you know, how the Bible when Jesus Christ was teaching, how did he describe, you know, the kingdom? 227 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:16,000 First of all, let's go to Matthew, some of the parables, especially Matthew 13. 228 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:21,000 Matthew 13, verse 44. Matthew 13. 229 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:29,000 Let me read from verse 44 to 46. This is Jesus, you know, teaching. 230 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:34,000 He says the kingdom of heaven. You know, Matthew always will say the kingdom of heaven. 231 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:40,000 We've told you before, I will teach you in the cell, you know, the difference between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. 232 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:48,000 Or if there's a difference, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure. 233 00:28:48,000 --> 00:29:03,000 In a field, hidden in a field, when a man found it, he hid it again and then in joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 234 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:08,000 Let me read it again. It says the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. 235 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:13,000 When a man found it, he hid it again and then in his joy. 236 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:18,000 What does it do? We saw earlier on Romans chapter 14, verse 17. 237 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:25,000 What comprises a kingdom is joy, is righteousness, is joy in the Holy Ghost. 238 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:30,000 His power demonstrating, you know, that is what describes a kingdom. 239 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:37,000 And we see here in the parable, he says, and then in his joy, he went and sold all the things. 240 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:42,000 He went and sold all that he had and bought that field. 241 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:51,000 So in this parable here, Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to a treasure. 242 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:59,000 Something precious, something valuable, something that is of great value. 243 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:04,000 And this thing that is of great value is hidden. 244 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:13,000 So you see a man finding this treasure, you know, and then he hid it again. 245 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:22,000 He hid the treasure, which means that he values it, which means that he placed a high value to what he found. 246 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:28,000 He has found a treasure. He placed a great value on it. 247 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:38,000 He is full of joy. He sold all that he had, not some things that he had, not some few things. 248 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:46,000 But he sold out everything that he has, all his possession, not some of his possession. 249 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:52,000 And he bought the entire land that has this treasure. 250 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:59,000 This is the worth and the value he places on this treasure that he has found. 251 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:04,000 He was willing to let go of everything that he has accumulated throughout his life. 252 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:08,000 Probably, you know, he owned businesses. 253 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:15,000 Probably he owned degrees. Probably he has established himself in many, many industries. 254 00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:20,000 Probably he has built a very big ministry. 255 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:29,000 He came across something of great pleasure, of great value, and he is willing to let go of everything that he had. 256 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:39,000 He was able to trade, which means that he placed this treasure more than whatever that he has accumulated in his life. 257 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:47,000 If you don't place maximum value on that which God in Christ has achieved for you, you can't enjoy. 258 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:52,000 Listen to this. You can't enjoy. Talk more of manifesting the kingdom. 259 00:31:52,000 --> 00:32:00,000 There must be a great degree of value. You must be able, you must trust God to see. 260 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:10,000 Because oftentimes, as does as the disciples and the apostles, we often easily correlate with what is physical and what is spiritual. 261 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:23,000 So we must trust God, right? We must trust God that our eyes is open to the value of what Christ, you know, in this in 1 Peter, 262 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:35,000 he is writing about the preciousness, the preciousness of the blood, the life of Christ, the life that he has given us. 263 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:43,000 So if we cannot see value in the Kingdom of God, if we cannot see value in the Kingdom of God, 264 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:51,000 if we cannot place value in the Kingdom of God, if you and I cannot prioritize the Kingdom that we have, 265 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:58,000 if you and I cannot prioritize the dominion, if you and I cannot prioritize the... 266 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:03,000 ...the kingdom that God has given us in Christ, 267 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:08,940 The citizenship that we have, then we cannot even enjoy it. 268 00:33:08,940 --> 00:33:13,860 Because we will have something, listen, we have something as valuable as this, but we 269 00:33:13,860 --> 00:33:20,220 are busy crying and hungry and dying, you know, and pursuing things that are not of 270 00:33:20,220 --> 00:33:21,220 value. 271 00:33:21,220 --> 00:33:28,320 A man that realizes what Christ has done, and he plays the utmost value in what Christ 272 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:29,320 has done. 273 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,460 He understands the value of what Christ has done. 274 00:33:32,460 --> 00:33:36,680 That is the beginning of him living a fulfilled life. 275 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:41,760 That is the beginning of that man living a life full of joy. 276 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:46,060 You must place maximum value. 277 00:33:46,060 --> 00:33:48,480 This comes by revelation. 278 00:33:48,480 --> 00:33:55,360 You must see the greatness, the preciousness of what Christ has done for us. 279 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:58,280 Verse 45, verse 45 of Matthew 13. 280 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:04,000 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 281 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:10,840 Similarly, when he found one of great value, he went away, he sold everything. 282 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:15,620 You see, similar to the man that found, you know, the hidden treasure. 283 00:34:15,620 --> 00:34:18,280 He sold everything he had bought. 284 00:34:18,280 --> 00:34:21,040 He sold everything he had accumulated. 285 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:22,840 And what did he do? 286 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:27,240 And bought that fine pearls. 287 00:34:27,240 --> 00:34:34,000 So we see again, the kingdom is described in the activity of the merchant. 288 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:39,240 In the activity of the merchant looking for fine pearls, something of great value for 289 00:34:39,240 --> 00:34:41,480 him. 290 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:48,520 So the same attitude we see in the merchant, he traded everything he had for this one important 291 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,200 thing of great value. 292 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:55,960 So my brother, those things. 293 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:56,960 Thank you. 294 00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:03,600 And those things that we are holding so dear to our hearts, as limiting us from seeing 295 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:10,240 the preciousness of what Christ has given us. 296 00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:17,440 I mean, we have to search our own hearts and see what are those things? 297 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:22,160 What will you, what should you take the way to hold fast to the kingdom that you have 298 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:23,160 received? 299 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:26,320 What are you holding to? 300 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:33,440 Which value do you, you know, put in comparison to the kingdom of God? 301 00:35:33,440 --> 00:35:35,160 What is that thing that you are valuing? 302 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:45,080 They are putting on the same equal, in equal standard or in equal status to the kingdom 303 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:46,680 that you have received. 304 00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:52,320 What are you placing in equal value to what God in Christ has given to you? 305 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:53,320 You know. 306 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:57,360 Some of us, if we get what we are looking for, we will forget about our realities in 307 00:35:57,360 --> 00:35:59,440 Christ. 308 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:04,040 In other words, what we are saying is, what are you prioritizing? 309 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:05,640 What are you prioritizing? 310 00:36:05,640 --> 00:36:11,480 What is your priority in life generally? 311 00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:15,800 The kingdom or other things you hold so dear to you. 312 00:36:15,800 --> 00:36:19,120 What are the things that you're holding as important to you? 313 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:23,880 What are those things that you are raising the value equal to the realities that are 314 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:26,080 spiritual that you've received in Christ Jesus? 315 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:34,720 We will see, you know, sometimes, you know, these things are legitimate things. 316 00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:40,240 It could be that the affairs of this world have taken away, you know, taken us away from 317 00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:43,840 the most important, the most important thing. 318 00:36:43,840 --> 00:36:47,000 Sometimes these things seem so legitimate. 319 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:54,440 Matthew chapter 6 verse 25, we'll see Jesus Christ speaking about anxiousness because 320 00:36:54,440 --> 00:37:03,040 sometimes the things that seems to take us away from our focus is realities of life. 321 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:08,840 Verse 25, Matthew 6, 25 says, Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life. 322 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:15,160 What you will eat or what you will drink, know about your body, what you put on is not 323 00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:19,400 life more than food and the body more than clothing. 324 00:37:19,400 --> 00:37:23,480 This is talking about things that are physical. 325 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:27,560 And these essentially are legitimate needs. 326 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:31,760 These are not necessarily, you know, illegitimate things. 327 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:38,280 Verse 26, it says, Look at the birds of the air, they need not so nor rear their back 328 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:44,640 into birth, and yet your heavenly Father feel not of more value than they. 329 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:50,880 And which of you be in a single of his? 330 00:37:50,880 --> 00:37:51,880 Why? 331 00:37:51,880 --> 00:37:58,400 I am really how they grow. 332 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,080 They need a toil. 333 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:03,080 They need a toil. 334 00:38:03,080 --> 00:38:08,760 Verse 27, and which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 335 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:11,280 And why are you anxious about clothing? 336 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:13,640 Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. 337 00:38:13,640 --> 00:38:15,760 They need a toil nor spin. 338 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:21,600 Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 339 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:27,360 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown 340 00:38:27,360 --> 00:38:33,560 into the oven, will he not know much more of little faith? 341 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:37,800 Therefore now, not be anxious, saying, what shall we drink or what shall we wear? 342 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:41,640 For the Gentiles seek after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need 343 00:38:41,640 --> 00:38:42,640 them all. 344 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:48,560 And for some of us, our concerns, right, especially for us young people, our concern is about 345 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:49,560 our life. 346 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:54,120 Oh, my life, oh, my career, oh, my, my, my business. 347 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:59,480 Oh, you know, I need to, I need to make a meaning in life. 348 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:02,840 All these things are good things, but these are the same thing that the Gentiles, those 349 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:06,000 who are not in the kingdom are concerned about. 350 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:09,320 And the Bible says that God knows that we are in need of these things. 351 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:13,460 He knows that these things are our needs. 352 00:39:13,460 --> 00:39:18,800 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, all these physical things, the Gentiles seek 353 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:23,840 after them and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 354 00:39:23,840 --> 00:39:30,880 What is he saying in verse 33, but seek first the kingdom of God, seeking first the kingdom, 355 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:36,800 putting the kingdom of God at the topmost of our priority and his righteousness. 356 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:40,280 And all these things will be added to you. 357 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:45,280 Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself, sufficient 358 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:46,280 for the day. 359 00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:48,760 It is untroubled. 360 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:57,640 So right now, what really is holding you to, you know, really, really prioritizing the 361 00:39:57,640 --> 00:40:03,200 things which we have in Christ, those who are fit, who are fit for the for manifesting 362 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:08,520 the kingdom are men who have one focus in life. 363 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:15,600 If you and I must truly manifest effectively the kingdom of God here on earth, you must 364 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:17,320 be men and women of one focus. 365 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:20,440 We must be men and women of one priority. 366 00:40:20,440 --> 00:40:23,680 And that priority must be the kingdom. 367 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:32,240 If our priority is our career, if our priority is placed on our job, if our priority is placed 368 00:40:32,240 --> 00:40:41,360 on even ministry itself, then it becomes impossible for us to truly manifest the kingdom. 369 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:46,360 Because those who are fit for the kingdom are men and women who have one focus. 370 00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:56,840 Luke chapter 9 verse 57, Luke chapter 9 verse 57, Luke 9.57. 371 00:40:56,840 --> 00:40:59,640 We'll see where Jesus is speaking. 372 00:40:59,640 --> 00:41:03,760 Luke chapter 9 verse 57, I'm reading from the Amplified. 373 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:07,760 Luke 9 verse 57. 374 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:09,760 Yes. 375 00:41:09,760 --> 00:41:16,040 And it occurred that they were going along the road. 376 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:20,760 A man said to him, Lord, I will follow you wherever you go. 377 00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:25,640 And some of us when we became born again, oh, this has been our song. 378 00:41:25,640 --> 00:41:28,000 I will go with Jesus anyway. 379 00:41:28,000 --> 00:41:37,840 No matter the roughness of the road, no matter the dangers we face, no matter the temptation. 380 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:43,520 You know, Peter was one of these, you know, I was teaching us on Sunday and I was seeing 381 00:41:43,520 --> 00:41:48,120 the arrogance and the ruthlessness of Peter. 382 00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:57,360 So that if everybody will betray you, if everybody will forsake you, I will not forsake you because 383 00:41:57,360 --> 00:41:59,960 he was trusting in himself. 384 00:41:59,960 --> 00:42:03,080 And immediately, you know, he faced temptation, he faced trials. 385 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:12,640 He was, he was willing to, you know, not only deny Jesus Christ, but invoke courses on himself. 386 00:42:12,640 --> 00:42:16,160 Denying in totality that he has never seen or even heard of Jesus Christ. 387 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:26,720 And we see here, Jesus, you know, in verse 57, as they were going along. 388 00:42:26,720 --> 00:42:30,640 And in the court that as they were going along the road, a man said to him, Lord, I will 389 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:32,320 follow you wherever you go. 390 00:42:32,320 --> 00:42:39,120 And Jesus told him, foxes have locking holes and the birds of the air have roots nest, 391 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:41,720 but the son of man has no place to lay his head. 392 00:42:41,720 --> 00:42:49,040 Jesus did not come to the world to accumulate houses because oftentimes the kingdom is wrongly 393 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:57,160 interpreted to acquiring, you know, financial, you know, wealth, houses, estate on earth. 394 00:42:57,160 --> 00:42:59,360 Oh, you know, this man is enjoying the kingdom. 395 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:02,920 No, no, that's not the manifestation of the kingdom because Jesus Christ never had, never 396 00:43:02,920 --> 00:43:03,920 had a house. 397 00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:07,040 He said he does not have a house to lay his head. 398 00:43:07,040 --> 00:43:14,200 And verse 59, and he said to another, become my disciple, side with my party and accompany 399 00:43:14,200 --> 00:43:15,200 me. 400 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:20,280 And he replied, Lord, permit me first to go and bury, I'll wait the death of my father. 401 00:43:20,280 --> 00:43:26,080 See, sometimes we see, we used to think that this man is saying, let me go home, right? 402 00:43:26,080 --> 00:43:27,480 Maybe his father have died. 403 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:28,480 Okay. 404 00:43:28,480 --> 00:43:30,760 So he will now go home and then do the better. 405 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:31,760 He's not a defied. 406 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:32,760 I've died. 407 00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:36,960 He wants to go and wait for his father to grow old and died. 408 00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:42,560 Let him enjoy, you know, his father's, uh, is his father first. 409 00:43:42,560 --> 00:43:45,440 Let him go and enjoy his family first. 410 00:43:45,440 --> 00:43:51,160 Then he can now come and follow Jesus because he knows that in following Jesus, he has to 411 00:43:51,160 --> 00:43:52,160 depart his comfort. 412 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:55,600 He has to depart the comfort of his family. 413 00:43:55,600 --> 00:44:02,480 So as to follow Jesus Christ, he has to depart, you know, the luxury of being in his comfort. 414 00:44:02,480 --> 00:44:06,400 But Jesus replied, the man replied rather, permit me first to go and bury. 415 00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:07,920 I'll wait the death of my father. 416 00:44:07,920 --> 00:44:14,080 But 60, but Jesus said to him, allow the debt, bury your own debt. 417 00:44:14,080 --> 00:44:20,320 But as for you go and publish abroad throughout all regions, the kingdom of God, as for you 418 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:23,240 go and preach about the kingdom. 419 00:44:23,240 --> 00:44:29,720 So if you're attached even to family, see you're not fit to manifest. 420 00:44:29,720 --> 00:44:34,240 If you're attached to your comfort, you're not fit to manifest. 421 00:44:34,240 --> 00:44:42,960 If you're attached to anything that you find comfort for, then you are not fit to manifest. 422 00:44:42,960 --> 00:44:43,960 Verse 61. 423 00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:49,440 And also he said, he said, I will, another said, I will follow you Lord and become your 424 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:52,440 disciple and say it with your, and sign with your party. 425 00:44:52,440 --> 00:44:55,720 But let me first say goodbye to those at my home. 426 00:44:55,720 --> 00:44:59,840 Look at what Jesus replied in verse 62 consistently. 427 00:44:59,840 --> 00:45:07,440 Verses, so Jesus said to him, no one who puts his hand to the plow looks back. 428 00:45:07,440 --> 00:45:12,800 Now in bracket, the amplified in bracket explains something that is very, very important. 429 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:20,240 He says to the things behind, Jesus said to him, no one who puts his hand to the plow 430 00:45:20,240 --> 00:45:28,220 and looks back to the things behind is fit for the kingdom of God. 431 00:45:28,220 --> 00:45:35,720 That is to say no one who has, who has, who has embraced the kingdom and they're holding 432 00:45:35,720 --> 00:45:43,200 onto things which are behind is fit in order to do what? 433 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:47,200 To manifest, in order to do the work of the kingdom, in order to, to, to, to manifest 434 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:50,160 the kingdom. 435 00:45:50,160 --> 00:45:51,800 You must be a man of one focus. 436 00:45:51,800 --> 00:45:54,000 I must be a man of one priority. 437 00:45:54,000 --> 00:45:56,680 And my priority is what? 438 00:45:56,680 --> 00:45:59,080 Is the kingdom. 439 00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:04,640 Those who must manifest the kingdom are those who must lay aside everything. 440 00:46:04,640 --> 00:46:06,920 Everything simply means everything. 441 00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:12,200 We must cease affection from everything, everything that is physical, everything that is natural, 442 00:46:12,200 --> 00:46:15,680 everything that is, is to our own comfort and advantage. 443 00:46:15,680 --> 00:46:22,400 Matthew chapter 16, Matthew 16 verse 21 to 25. 444 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:27,840 Matthew 16, 21, 25, yes. 445 00:46:27,840 --> 00:46:33,160 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many 446 00:46:33,160 --> 00:46:38,400 things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes and be killed on the third day, 447 00:46:38,400 --> 00:46:39,400 be raised. 448 00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:44,040 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying, far be it from you Lord, this 449 00:46:44,040 --> 00:46:51,560 shall never happen to you because Peter in the flesh was not seeing what Jesus was seeing, 450 00:46:51,560 --> 00:46:59,120 was not willing to, to, to, to, to see that Jesus will actually die. 451 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:02,320 You know, that Jesus should die. 452 00:47:02,320 --> 00:47:07,480 Verse 23, but he turned and said to Peter, get behind me Satan, you are a hindrance to 453 00:47:07,480 --> 00:47:14,160 me for you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. 454 00:47:14,160 --> 00:47:19,240 So the eyes of Peter was fixed on carnal things, on physical things, on things that are of 455 00:47:19,240 --> 00:47:26,000 his realm, but not on the spiritual because his eyes have not been aligned to the spiritual. 456 00:47:26,000 --> 00:47:32,880 Verse 24, then Jesus told his disciples, if anyone will come after me, that is in context 457 00:47:32,880 --> 00:47:36,680 of what Peter have just done right now. 458 00:47:36,680 --> 00:47:45,000 If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me for 459 00:47:45,000 --> 00:47:51,480 whoever will save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find 460 00:47:51,480 --> 00:47:52,480 it. 461 00:47:52,480 --> 00:47:59,960 Very essentially, very essentially for whoever would save his life will lose it. 462 00:47:59,960 --> 00:48:04,160 Whoever loses life for my sake will find it. 463 00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:10,880 Anyone who must come after me, let him first of all, what lose sight of himself, that is 464 00:48:10,880 --> 00:48:16,600 let him deny himself, let him take up, let him deny himself of any, of any, of any, let 465 00:48:16,600 --> 00:48:17,600 him put himself secondary. 466 00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:20,240 Let him put himself secondary. 467 00:48:20,240 --> 00:48:29,600 We see also in Luke chapter 14 verse 26, Luke chapter 14 verse 26 as we round up, Luke 14 468 00:48:29,600 --> 00:48:34,640 26, Luke chapter 14 verse 26. 469 00:48:34,640 --> 00:48:41,080 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father, previously we see Jesus Christ 470 00:48:41,080 --> 00:48:43,720 making reference to denying himself. 471 00:48:43,720 --> 00:48:46,320 So now he's bringing the father and the mother, the family. 472 00:48:46,320 --> 00:48:52,400 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and his wife and children 473 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:59,160 and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life cannot be my disciple. 474 00:48:59,160 --> 00:49:05,920 Very, very clear and very, very, you know, unambiguous. 475 00:49:05,920 --> 00:49:11,680 Hating here we've taught before that has to do with putting God at the topmost priority 476 00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:18,080 to anything that matters, including our own lives, including our own lives. 477 00:49:18,080 --> 00:49:23,980 This is the attitude that we must have in order for us to actually manifest this kingdom. 478 00:49:23,980 --> 00:49:30,160 We must see things of God of utmost priority. 479 00:49:30,160 --> 00:49:32,320 We must prioritize our lives. 480 00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:34,440 We must put the kingdom first. 481 00:49:34,440 --> 00:49:37,160 We must put the kingdom as, as the most important. 482 00:49:37,160 --> 00:49:42,960 Let's look at an example as we close of Paul in Philippians of the third, Philippians of 483 00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:43,960 the third. 484 00:49:43,960 --> 00:49:49,160 We're going to look at some examples from the Old Testament, you know, to pattern our 485 00:49:49,160 --> 00:49:50,160 lives. 486 00:49:50,160 --> 00:49:57,000 And Philippians of the three from verse two, you know, from the amplifiers, look out for 487 00:49:57,000 --> 00:50:04,320 the dogs, for the judicers, legalists, look out for those mischief makers, look out for 488 00:50:04,320 --> 00:50:06,240 those who mutilate the flesh. 489 00:50:06,240 --> 00:50:12,720 Now the context is, is writing about those who were emphasizing what we're emphasizing, 490 00:50:12,720 --> 00:50:20,480 you know, fiscal rituals as essential for, for, for, for, for, for, for, for having a 491 00:50:20,480 --> 00:50:21,480 relationship with God. 492 00:50:21,480 --> 00:50:27,720 For some of the rights they have as Israelites, busting of their, of their, what we call it, 493 00:50:27,720 --> 00:50:29,440 their natural privileges. 494 00:50:29,440 --> 00:50:37,640 Verse three, for we Christians are the true circumcision who worship God in spirit and 495 00:50:37,640 --> 00:50:44,160 by the spirit of God and exalt and glory and pride ourself in Jesus Christ and put no confidence 496 00:50:44,160 --> 00:50:47,920 or no dependence on what we are in the flesh. 497 00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:53,520 So we believers, we don't put our confidence and our, you know, our dependence on who we 498 00:50:53,520 --> 00:50:59,920 are, our status, what we accumulate, what we are, we are trying to acquire in the physical, 499 00:50:59,920 --> 00:51:05,560 in the flesh and on our outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances. 500 00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:12,080 Verse four, though for myself, speaking about himself, I have at least grounds to rely on 501 00:51:12,080 --> 00:51:13,080 the flesh. 502 00:51:13,080 --> 00:51:19,600 If anyone has to have reason to rely on the flesh and his physical and outward advantages, 503 00:51:19,600 --> 00:51:21,240 I have still more. 504 00:51:21,240 --> 00:51:22,520 Why verse five? 505 00:51:22,520 --> 00:51:27,360 Now you enlist the things that he has ground to bust about. 506 00:51:27,360 --> 00:51:31,480 Circumcise when I was eight days because they were emphasizing on circumcision of the race 507 00:51:31,480 --> 00:51:37,160 of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew and the son of Hebrews, that is his father 508 00:51:37,160 --> 00:51:39,000 and mother are both Hebrews. 509 00:51:39,000 --> 00:51:42,680 So he was not a mixed breed, right? 510 00:51:42,680 --> 00:51:45,680 He was a Hebrew of Hebrews. 511 00:51:45,680 --> 00:51:49,760 As to the observance of the law, I was of the party of the Pharisees, which means that 512 00:51:49,760 --> 00:51:53,840 he knows the law and then he had practiced the law to this end. 513 00:51:53,840 --> 00:52:01,280 And to my zeal, I was a persecutor of the church and by the law standard of righteousness 514 00:52:01,280 --> 00:52:07,560 supports justice, uprightness and right standing with God, I was proven to be blameless and 515 00:52:07,560 --> 00:52:11,680 no fault was found with me. 516 00:52:11,680 --> 00:52:20,520 But whatever former things, remembering whatever former things I had, right? 517 00:52:20,520 --> 00:52:26,640 Whoever put his son on the floor and look back to things that are in the past, whatever former 518 00:52:26,640 --> 00:52:31,520 things I had, whatever the former things they face to everything we have in the physical 519 00:52:31,520 --> 00:52:37,320 refers to any inclination we have to anything physical we have, we have attachment to whatever 520 00:52:37,320 --> 00:52:43,520 former things that I had, what that might have been gained to me, I've come to consider 521 00:52:43,520 --> 00:52:46,400 as one combined loss for Christ's sake. 522 00:52:46,400 --> 00:52:51,900 The moment he come to, you know, encounter the reality of the kingdom of God, he considers 523 00:52:51,900 --> 00:52:58,000 every status, every experience, every privileges, every identity that he had in the past as 524 00:52:58,000 --> 00:53:04,160 a loss for one thing of priority for the sake of the kingdom, for the sake of Christ. 525 00:53:04,160 --> 00:53:11,440 Yes, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege. 526 00:53:11,440 --> 00:53:16,600 He considered being in the kingdom as a priceless privilege, the overwhelming preciousness, 527 00:53:16,600 --> 00:53:20,400 the surpassing worth and supreme advantage of what? 528 00:53:20,400 --> 00:53:27,280 Because the kingdom, all right, is about knowing Christ Jesus as my Lord and of progressively 529 00:53:27,280 --> 00:53:33,180 becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with him, of perceiving and recognizing and 530 00:53:33,180 --> 00:53:37,180 understanding him more fully and clearly. 531 00:53:37,180 --> 00:53:40,080 For his sake, I have lost what? 532 00:53:40,080 --> 00:53:46,920 Everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish, to be refuse in order that I may 533 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:49,400 win Christ the anointed. 534 00:53:49,400 --> 00:53:50,400 Hallelujah. 535 00:53:50,400 --> 00:53:58,880 That he may win Christ, that he may have Christ, that he may come to this, to this, to this, 536 00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:05,720 to this, you know, enjoying this reality that he has in Christ. 537 00:54:05,720 --> 00:54:09,400 And then verse 20, he went on to talk about, you know, our citizenship and what we have 538 00:54:09,400 --> 00:54:10,400 in Christ. 539 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:15,560 So, brethren, is it essential that we prioritize the kingdom? 540 00:54:15,560 --> 00:54:22,080 And prioritizing the kingdom simply means that we must organize our life in such a way 541 00:54:22,080 --> 00:54:27,640 that allows us to focus on the kingdom, that allows us to focus on the kingdom. 542 00:54:27,640 --> 00:54:33,720 Now, when Paul became a believer, he never ceased from being Paul the tentmaker. 543 00:54:33,720 --> 00:54:35,720 Don't get it wrong. 544 00:54:35,720 --> 00:54:37,480 He never ceased from doing things. 545 00:54:37,480 --> 00:54:42,680 We read further in scriptures about his life in the physical, in the natural. 546 00:54:42,680 --> 00:54:43,880 But he had one focus. 547 00:54:43,880 --> 00:54:46,120 Something is of great priority to him. 548 00:54:46,120 --> 00:54:50,600 His pursuit was not the things of the world, but he had only one determination. 549 00:54:50,600 --> 00:54:53,720 And his determination is what? 550 00:54:53,720 --> 00:54:58,120 In some part of scriptures, he would say, for me to leave is Christ and to die is again. 551 00:54:58,120 --> 00:55:04,640 When it comes to the realization of who he is and what he is, for the surpassing knowledge, 552 00:55:04,640 --> 00:55:10,320 the knowledge of the fellowship, the experiences they should have and enjoy, and the work that 553 00:55:10,320 --> 00:55:15,840 he has, the privilege and the responsibility that he has in the kingdom, he count everything 554 00:55:15,840 --> 00:55:17,440 that he has as lost. 555 00:55:17,440 --> 00:55:23,440 So my brothers and sisters, if truly we must manifest the kingdom in this season, then 556 00:55:23,440 --> 00:55:28,640 you and I must remain and remain of one focus. 557 00:55:28,640 --> 00:55:30,640 We must be consumed. 558 00:55:30,640 --> 00:55:37,080 Our passion, our life must be organized in such a way that our priorities in life is 559 00:55:37,080 --> 00:55:43,280 nothing but the kingdom, which means that, you know what, we invest our time in knowing 560 00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:45,560 God, which means that we do what? 561 00:55:45,560 --> 00:55:48,320 We invest our time in church. 562 00:55:48,320 --> 00:55:50,240 We invest our time in what? 563 00:55:50,240 --> 00:55:51,980 In the things that we are learning. 564 00:55:51,980 --> 00:55:53,560 We invest our time in what? 565 00:55:53,560 --> 00:55:59,200 In our communion with God, which means that we value things that are spiritual more than 566 00:55:59,200 --> 00:56:00,200 any other things. 567 00:56:00,200 --> 00:56:04,520 So I just want us to just pray, begin to pray at this moment. 568 00:56:04,520 --> 00:56:05,680 There's a lot we can say. 569 00:56:05,680 --> 00:56:10,120 There's a lot of examples that we will see in scriptures, but I just want us to just 570 00:56:10,120 --> 00:56:17,640 at this moment with this church, just allow the spirit of God to search our hearts and 571 00:56:17,640 --> 00:56:21,360 see where our heart is. 572 00:56:21,360 --> 00:56:24,120 You know, the kingdom of God is not in words, right? 573 00:56:24,120 --> 00:56:30,120 It's not in just what we say, but our hearts must be aligned. 574 00:56:30,120 --> 00:56:37,480 When I mean our hearts, our passion must be aligned with our realities. 575 00:56:37,480 --> 00:56:42,200 I just want us to pray as Jesus will say that the passion for the kingdom of God has consumed 576 00:56:42,200 --> 00:56:43,200 me. 577 00:56:43,200 --> 00:56:51,080 I want you to say, Lord, let my desire, let my passion, let my priority be to know you, 578 00:56:51,080 --> 00:56:55,600 let my priority be to exercise, to know, to come. 579 00:56:55,600 --> 00:57:03,840 See, for us to manifest, we must have knowledge because we cannot manifest what we don't know. 580 00:57:03,840 --> 00:57:06,540 We cannot manifest what we don't know. 581 00:57:06,540 --> 00:57:08,200 We must have knowledge. 582 00:57:08,200 --> 00:57:09,880 We must seek knowledge. 583 00:57:09,880 --> 00:57:12,680 And God has arranged system around us to know. 584 00:57:12,680 --> 00:57:19,760 The church is God's provision for our growth, is God's provision for our effectiveness, 585 00:57:19,760 --> 00:57:27,760 is God's provision for our equipping to manifest the kingdom that I am committed, that I am 586 00:57:27,760 --> 00:57:34,320 faithful, that I am committed, that I don't look back, that I don't prioritize things 587 00:57:34,320 --> 00:57:39,800 that are fiscal, that I seek not the things of the world, but I seek first the kingdom 588 00:57:39,800 --> 00:57:40,800 of God. 589 00:57:40,800 --> 00:57:48,440 That my focus, my ambition, my desire, my priority, my passion is for the things of 590 00:57:48,440 --> 00:57:50,400 the spirit. 591 00:57:50,400 --> 00:57:55,320 As a citizen, as a member of the family of God, that I'm all about my father's kingdom, 592 00:57:55,320 --> 00:57:57,280 that I'm all about my father's business. 593 00:57:57,280 --> 00:58:02,040 Not all the passion for my father's house has consumed me. 594 00:58:02,040 --> 00:58:07,120 That as I sleep, as I wake up, as even as I sit in my classroom, what is consuming my 595 00:58:07,120 --> 00:58:12,280 thoughts is about the kingdom business. 596 00:58:12,280 --> 00:58:14,000 What influences my decision? 597 00:58:14,000 --> 00:58:16,800 What influences the way I spend my money? 598 00:58:16,800 --> 00:58:22,840 What influences the way, you know, what influences my decision of where to live, how to live, 599 00:58:22,840 --> 00:58:27,480 how I organize my life, how I arrange my activities for the day? 600 00:58:27,480 --> 00:58:31,880 It must be inspired by my passion for the things of God. 601 00:58:31,880 --> 00:58:40,120 Only through this attitude shall we truly manifest the kingdom of God. 602 00:58:40,120 --> 00:58:48,440 Only through this attitude of prioritizing, we must prioritize the spiritual things, then 603 00:58:48,440 --> 00:58:50,480 shall we be able to manifest. 604 00:58:50,480 --> 00:58:54,080 Father, we bless you. 605 00:58:54,080 --> 00:58:59,520 We thank you so much because we know that there's a yearning and realignment in our 606 00:58:59,520 --> 00:59:05,280 passion in the hearts of the pastors of this church, in the hearts of the leaders of this 607 00:59:05,280 --> 00:59:10,560 church, in the hearts of each and every one of us, our heart is yearning more and more 608 00:59:10,560 --> 00:59:18,200 that we see more reason to dedicate ourselves in knowing you, in having an intimate relationship 609 00:59:18,200 --> 00:59:24,080 with you, in building our relationship with you, in knowing you, in enjoying fellowship 610 00:59:24,080 --> 00:59:28,980 with you, and also committing ourselves to service as well. 611 00:59:28,980 --> 00:59:33,280 Thank you so much Lord that we grow in knowledge, we grow in wisdom, we grow in understanding 612 00:59:33,280 --> 00:59:37,760 and our passion is telling much more and more. 613 00:59:37,760 --> 00:59:43,000 In this season, we are not like those who put our hands on the plow and are distracted 614 00:59:43,000 --> 00:59:45,240 by activities that happen around us. 615 00:59:45,240 --> 00:59:48,200 They were distracted by the things that are in the past. 616 00:59:48,200 --> 00:59:51,040 They were distracted by the things that are in the natural. 617 00:59:51,040 --> 00:59:58,360 But our focus is just like that man who found this treasure and is willing to sell everything 618 00:59:58,360 --> 01:00:04,320 that he has, that he will focus on this one thing that he has gained, which is a kingdom. 619 01:00:04,320 --> 01:00:09,960 Father we exalt you, we glorify you because this is our reality in this house. 620 01:00:09,960 --> 01:00:12,480 In Jesus' gracious name we pray. 621 01:00:12,480 --> 01:00:13,480 Amen. 622 01:00:13,480 --> 01:00:18,000 We appreciate you being here today. 623 01:00:18,000 --> 01:00:21,000 We hope you carry this word with you throughout your week. 624 01:00:21,000 --> 01:00:24,880 Don't forget to check the show notes for additional insights. 625 01:00:24,880 --> 01:00:30,000 Stay connected with us through our website or follow us on social media. 626 01:00:30,000 --> 01:00:34,240 If you were encouraged, share this message with someone you care about. 627 01:00:34,240 --> 01:00:55,280 Until next time, stay blessed.