Releasing the Kingdom

Living Inside Out (3)

We can only give what we have.

One time the apostles Peter and John went up to the temple at Jerusalem and on their way met a lame man at the gate who begged for money. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6, NKJV) The lame man was healed on the spot, strength coming into him. Leaping up, he stood on his feet and walked.

What Peter had done was simply to give away the Kingdom. It’s not that there was no silver or gold in God’s Kingdom, but Peter understood that there’s health and wholeness in the Kingdom - that’s what the lame man needed.

Just as Peter could release the Kingdom into the world around him, so could all born again believers. God’s Kingdom is within us (Luke 17:21) – this is an amazing truth. It doesn’t matter what are the needs we face or others around us face, we have the solution. Every time the Kingdom comes into collision with the reality of this world the Kingdom always wins, and the reality of the Kingdom would take over. There is life, peace, health and abundant prosperity in the Kingdom, but there’s no lack in anything.

Jesus asked His disciples to pray that the Kingdom come (Matt 6:10). The Kingdom can come upon the believer as well as being released from the believer. If you think about it, this is similar to the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples before His ascension that they shall receive power when the Spirit has come upon them (Acts 1:8). But before that He also said that the Spirit would flow from their hearts like rivers of living water (John 7:38-39). Although we can’t say that the Spirit and the Kingdom are one, we do know that the Kingdom is in the Spirit (Rom 14: 17). Therefore, like the Spirit, the Kingdom can be released from the believer.

Now, this is the make-up of the believer: he hosts and releases the Kingdom. But like Jesus’ disciples facing the storm, many of us have not learned to live this way. Perhaps it is simply because we are not aware of what we carry inside.

Rise up and calm the storm! You can give what you have.


Photo Credit: Evgeni Dinev on FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Scripture Link: BibleGateway.com

Hunger after His Kingdom

Hunger after His Kingdom (7)

If, after reading my last post, you are still not convinced of God’s will concerning your health, consider the following incident recorded in Matthew 8 right after the Sermon on the Mount.

When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matt 8:1-3, NKJV)

This passage again expressed God’s will regarding the matter. Most have no problem recognizing that God has the power to heal, but too many have doubt as to His willingness to heal. The above passage should settle the case once for all. In telling the leper that He was willing to heal him, Jesus is telling all who would come before Him that He is willing to heal them, or else He wouldn’t be the Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). Today, to say “If you are willing” in prayer may sound pious, but it is actually blatant unbelief. Make up your mind and believe what Jesus says: “I am willing; be healed.”

Having satisfied ourselves, let us look at the passage from another point of view. The incident happened immediately after Jesus preached the Sermon. In fact, Jesus was demonstrating what He preached. According to the Apostle Paul, the best preaching is not one with eloquence of speech or human wisdom, but with the demonstration of power and of the Spirit (1 Cor 2:4-5). Paul must have learned from the Lord Jesus Himself. In the Sermon, Jesus stroked the fire in His audience; He wanted them to hunger and thirst for God’s Kingdom. He told them that all their desires and needs shall be fulfilled when the Kingdom had come on them. And here came the leper, perhaps himself had his desire and hunger aroused, so much so that he risked the exasperation of many coming through the crowd to where Jesus was. Lepers were not allowed in a crowd. They had to go about shouting “unclean”. But he became the perfect subject for Jesus demonstrating the Kingdom. Jesus laid His hand on him; He touched him. His Kingdom came on the leper. There is no leprosy in His Kingdom. The reality of the Kingdom was made manifest.

What Jesus did and what He preached cannot be separated. That is why we can say His actions before and after the Sermon (that is, His actions in Matt 4 and Matt 8) gives us the context for the Sermon. His actions addressed the needs and desires of the people, so His Sermon must addressed the same. I don’t know about you, but I find this approach easiest to understand Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7). It is clear this is what Jesus wanted to tell His audience, and to tell us:

Hunger after His Kingdom, and all that you hunger after shall be filled.    

Scripture Link: BibleGateway.com

Your Desire for Health & God's Will

Hunger after His Kingdom (6)

There cannot be a more basic need or desire than this – good health. And surely, there cannot be a greater blessing this side of eternity. For one simple reason: without good health we cannot enjoy any other blessing, no matter how much we are blessed. What good is it to have all the money in the world if you cannot eat what you like because of ill health? Or you need to lie on the sick bed perpetually? You simply cannot live life, not to say enjoy it. Sickness brings pain and suffering. It drains resources and eliminates peace from our lives. Most times, it is not only the sick who suffer, their loved ones also suffer along with them. Do you think it is God’s will for us to be sick?

Your answer to the above question is crucial; it determines whether you would be a candidate to experience divine healing and divine health. It may even be a life and death matter. Not long ago I heard of a testimony. Jane (not her real name) found herself given the death sentence by the doctor. Jane had cancer. The stomach was bloated as if she was pregnant. The doctor said there’s nothing more he could do. You can go home, he said. But she could not accept it. This cannot be my destiny, she said. Jane believed Jesus would not let her die like that; it’s His will that she be healed. So she refused to accept the report of the doctor and sought the Lord, and the Lord alone. Jane prayed, and she asked others to pray for her. She didn’t go for any further treatment. In a few months she was completely healed, completely well. Free of cancer. It has been more than a year now that Jane has lived in this divine health. What would happen if she had thought that it could be God’s will that she be sick? Many are defeated right at this point. Not Jane. You see, what we believe is truly important.

There are too many out there who are not sure of God’s will regarding this matter. Even church ministers. But Scripture is very clear about it. In the Sermon of the Mount, Jesus taught us how to pray. He has this to say praying about God’s Kingdom:

Your Kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven. (Matt 6:10, NKJV)

Jesus had been telling the crowd that they must seek God’s Kingdom, because in it they would find their needs met and their desires fulfilled. Pray earnestly “Your Kingdom Come”, He said. It is obvious that in His Kingdom He rules. God has full dominion – that is to say His will takes precedence. How does His will look like? Jesus gives us a specific answer: on earth as it is in heaven. In heaven, everything is in the most perfect state possible, full of God’s glory and beauty. There can be nothing broken and nothing lacking. Perfect peace and joy permeate all. When the Kingdom comes on us, only what’s allowed in heaven is allowed here; what’s not allowed in heaven is not allowed here. That is God’s will as spelt out by Jesus. Now, do you think sickness can be allowed in heaven?  

Therefore, you need have no doubt as to what is God’s will for you in this matter. It is just as you’ve desired.