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Manifesting the Kingdom of God pt. 9 · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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Smile. Your brother in the Lord is not responsible
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in the house of God, be full of joy. Hallelujah.
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Be full of joy. It's an opportunity for us to
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enjoy the word of God. Amen. And I trust that
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Matthew 16. Matthew chapter 16. I'm reading from
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verse 17. Matthew 16, from verse 17. 17 down
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to 19. And Jesus answered and said unto him,
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Bless thou, Simon Bar -Jonah, for flesh and blood
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hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father
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which is in heaven. And I say also unto you,
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unto thee, that thou art Peter. And upon this
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rock I will build my church, and the gates of
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hell shall not prevail against it. And I will
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give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
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And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall
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be bound in heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt...
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bound shall lose on earth shall be loose in heaven.
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Give me verse 17 again. Look at verse 17. In
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verse 17 he said that for flesh and blood hath
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not revealed it unto you but my Father which
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in heaven. My Father who is where? Who is in
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heaven. And what he is saying in essence is that
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God lives in heaven. Or rather, God dwells in
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heaven. Hallelujah. So God, who is spirit, John
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chapter 4, verse 24. God, who is spirit, John
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chapter 4, verse 24. It says, God is a spirit,
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and they that worship him must worship him in
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spirit, which is what? Which is truth. So God
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is spirit, meaning that the physical eyes cannot
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see him. We can't see God with the physical eye.
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John 1, verse 18. John 1, 18 talks about, you
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know, no one had seen God. No one had seen God.
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He says, no man had seen God at any time. The
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only begotten son, which is in the... Okay, no
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one has seen God at any time. The only begotten
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son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared
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him unto us. So, the vehicle by which we have
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an understanding of who God is, is through the
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son. And the son obviously is talking about Jesus
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Christ. So how we come to know the father is
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through the son. And this God who is spiritual
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or who is spirit rather, this God who is spirit
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exists or lives in the heaven. Hallelujah. And
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then we said heaven means the invisible, right?
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We said heaven means what the unseen, which means
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he dwells in the unseen. He dwells in the immaterial.
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God dwells in the immaterial. It means the realm
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of the spirit. You know, it means for us to have
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access to God, we must have a relationship with
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the immaterial world to have access to God. So,
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there are different beings or there are different
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characters, we can call characters, beings or
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realities in the unseen or in heaven. We've talked
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this in the seven meetings about, you know, the
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realities of heaven. What is the composition
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of heaven? We said heaven is unseen, right? The
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unseen realm, meaning that it cannot be accessed
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with the physical eyes, but then it is real,
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it is true, it exists. And then there are different
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components, there are different realities in
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this unseen realm. And one of the things that
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we saw in the course of our studies is that the
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rulers of darkness dwells in heaven. Hallelujah.
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We saw that the rulers of darkness, rulers of
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darkness, one of the realities we saw in heaven
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is that the ruler of darkness lives in heaven.
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This is what we call the kingdom of darkness.
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Okay, Ephesians chapter 6, verse 12. Ephesians
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chapter 6, verse 12. The rulers of darkness lives
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in the heavenly, in the unseen. Ephesians chapter
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6, verse 12. It says, for we do not wrestle against
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flesh and blood, but against who? Principalities
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against powers, against the rulers of darkness.
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Those who rule darkness of this age against spiritual
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hosts of wickedness. Where? Where are they? They
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are in the heavenly. That place is not in the
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original. They are in the heavenly. Hallelujah.
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So it means that the workers of darkness also
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live in heaven. Amen? They live where? They live
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in heaven. Ephesians 3 verse 10, the same Ephesians
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3 verse 10, we'll see also, and other scriptures
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we can see, giving us a hint of some of the characters
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we have in heaven. To the intent that now the
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manifold wisdom of God may be made known by the
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church. To who? To the principalities and powers
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where? In the heavenly. So these principalities
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and powers, same as we saw in chapter 6 verse
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12, they dwell where? They dwell in the heaven,
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heavenly, in heaven. So if you ask you, what
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are the realities of heaven? What are the characters
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or what are the composition of heaven? The rulers
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of darkness, right? Wickedness, wicked spirit,
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they live where? They live in the unseen because
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we can't see them with our physical eyes. Amen?
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So the realm at which they operate is where?
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It's in the heavenly realm. Hallelujah. And also,
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The kingdom of God, that is the household of
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God, or the family of God, made up of Christ.
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Of course, Christ is the head of this family.
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And believers, you and I, who are born again,
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and even those who are asleep, we also make up
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heaven. Are we together? So we have those evil
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spirit, wickedness in the heavenly realm. We
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also have the kingdom of God also where in this
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same heaven. In the unseen. 1 Peter 3, verse
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21. 1 Peter 3, 21 and 22. 1 Peter, yes. It says
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there is also, yes, there is also an antitype
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which now saves us. Baptism. Not the rumour of
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the field of the flesh, but the answers of good
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conscience towards God through the resurrection
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of Jesus Christ. Verse 22. Who has gone into
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heaven? Jesus Christ has gone where? Into heaven
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at the right hand of God. Angels and authorities
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and powers haven't been made subject to him.
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Jesus has gone into where? Into heaven. Hallelujah.
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Jesus has gone into heaven. Colossians 3 verse
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1 to 2. Colossians 3 verse 1 to 2. If then you
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were raised with Christ. Talking about who? Talking
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about the believer. The believer has been raised
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with Christ. Seek those things which were what?
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Which were above. Where Christ is. Christ is
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where? Christ is in heaven. Alright? Sitting
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at the right hand of God. Right hand does not
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mean that there is a left hand. We've always
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taught this. It means a place of authority. A
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place of authority in God. Alright? Verse 2.
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Set your mind on things above, not on things
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on earth. Set your mind on things above. Are
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not things on earth. Ephesians 1 verse 20. Ephesians
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1 verse 20. So we are seeing that Christ is in
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heaven. Alright. 1 verse 20. Verse 19. Give me
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verse 19 then verse 20. It says, And what is
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the exceeding greatness of his power towards
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us who believe according to the working of his
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mighty power, which he worked in Christ when
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he raised him from the dead and seated him at
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the right hand in the heavenly. So Jesus is where?
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is in the heavenly. Alright? Ephesians 2, verse
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5 to 6. Ephesians 2, verse 5 to 6. Ephesians
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2, 5 to 6. Everywhere we were dead in trespasses
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made us alive together with Christ. So Christ,
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where is Christ? Christ is in heaven, isn't it?
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And we are what? Have been made, even when we
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were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together
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with Christ. So we are alive together with Christ.
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By grace you've been, yes, verse 6 says, and
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he raised us up together and made us sit together
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in the heavenly. So the believer is where? The
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believer is in Christ, but where? In the heavenly.
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Hallelujah. Ephesians 3, verse 14 and 16. Ephesians
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3, 14 and 16. For this reason, I bow my knees
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to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The father
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of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole
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family, which family are we talking about? The
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kingdom of God, the family of God. Everyone that
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believes in Jesus Christ, from whom the whole
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family in where? Whole family in where? In heaven
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and earth is named. Who are those that are made
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of the family of God? Believers. Hallelujah.
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Who have gone to sleep? Oh, say they have died.
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All right. And we that are still alive, where
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are we? We are. In Christ. And he will grant
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you the according to riches of glory to be strengthened.
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Yes. And then we see, yes, verse 15. Hebrews
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12, verse 23. Hebrews 12, verse 23. Hebrews 12,
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verse 23. To the dear assembly. Okay. What is
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the dear assembly? It is a church of God. The
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firstborn who are registered in heaven to God,
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a judge registered way in heaven. That is the
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residence of the church. That is the residence
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of a family of God. You are born. Where are you
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born? You are born into heaven. Hallelujah. Your
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place of birth is heaven. Amen. You are not trying
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to go to heaven, but you are born in heaven.
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That is what happened at salvation. You became
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born from heaven. When you believe the salvation
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message, you are born in heaven. Hallelujah.
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Amen. So, rulers of darkness and heaven, there
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are other things that we've looked at that are
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the realities of heaven. So, we've seen that
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the heavenly realm is the unseen realm. Okay?
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But then, there is what we call the kingdom of
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God. The kingdom of God. Alright? The kingdom
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of God in heaven. So, we are not in the same
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family with demons and satans and all the wicked
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spirits. Are we together? What distings us is
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that we are where? We are in the family of God.
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So there's a distinction between the kingdom
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of darkness, which is in the unseen, and the
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kingdom of God, which is still in heavenly. Are
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we together? So we define that kingdom, that
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we define kingdom as meaning dominion. Okay?
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So we are under the word, the dominion of God.
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in the heavenly realm. We are under the royal
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power of God. We are under the rule, the rulership
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of God in the heavenly. Therefore, the kingdom
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of God in heaven refers to the sphere of God's
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dominion. Are we together? The sphere where God
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has dominion, where God has power and exercises
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rule and his dominion over. God's dominion, God's
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royalty, God's power, God's authority indicating
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that in this sphere of of heaven, God is king,
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is supreme. And all of us that are part of this
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family are part of God's word, God's rule, God's
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kingdom, God's family, God's household, which
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is spiritual. But we have been delivered from
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where? Where have we been delivered from? Colossians
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1 verse 13 says that we've been delivered from
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the kingdom of darkness. Where were we before?
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We're in the kingdom of darkness, alright? And
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we've been delivered from the power of darkness
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and conveyed us into where? into the kingdom
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of the son in his love, which means that salvation
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happens where? Where does it happen? It happens
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in the unseen. Hallelujah. That is why today,
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if you are born again, very short, like me, if
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you are born again, you will not change your
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height because salvation did not happen in the
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physical. It happens where? It happens in the
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spiritual. How are we together? So, it's a translation.
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From the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom
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of light, we become part and parcel of God's
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kingdom, of God's family. How did we have access
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to the kingdom of heaven? Meaning the kingdom
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of God. How did we have access to the kingdom
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of God, which is in heaven? How did we have access
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to the kingdom of God? Or what we call, yes,
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the household of God, the family of God. Matthew
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16, 19. Matthew 16, 19 says, and I will give
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you the keys of the kingdom. Matthew 16, 19 talks
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about what? It talks about keys. And I will give
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you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever
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you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. And
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whatever you lose on the earth will be lost where?
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In heaven. And we saw that Jesus has these keys.
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These keys is what we call, we call it the access,
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isn't it? Jesus is the one that has this access
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to this kingdom. It is through Jesus that we
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have access to the kingdom of God, to the family
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of God. And to us is given this access. And we
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establish that this key or this access is given
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when? At the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Amen?
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When he died and he rose again, he gave us access
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through Jesus. the kingdom. He gave us access
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to the kingdom, the kingdom of God. And we say
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that this access is what? It's the spirit of
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God in us. Hallelujah. So categorically, we concluded
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that these keys, this access to the kingdom or
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access, you know, to the unseen rather, is the
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spirit indwelling man. Every man has the spirit
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of God in him when he's born again. That gives
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him the ability to have access. to the kingdom
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of God, to become part of God's family. John
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chapter 3, verse 1 to 9, we see Jesus explaining
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this concept to Nicodemus. John chapter 3, from
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verse 1 to 9. There was a man of the Pharisees
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named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man
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came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi,
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we know that you are a teacher, come from God,
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for no one can do these signs that you do. unless
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God is with him. Which means that the teacher
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have seen Jesus did signs, okay? Signs that is
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pointing to something that is eternal. Something
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that is spiritual. And he concluded that God
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is with him. For no one can do this thing except
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God is with him. Now look at the response of
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Jesus. You said to him, most assuredly I say
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to you, unless one is what? Unless one is born
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again, he cannot have access. The kingdom of
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God. Unless one is born again, he cannot have
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access to the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said
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to him, how can a man be born when he is old?
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His focus was on something physical. His attention
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was on something natural. Can he enter a second
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time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus
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answered, most assuredly I say to you. Now he
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explained to him what that born again means.
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All right? Which is the activity of the spirit
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of God. when the Spirit of the world comes into
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man. This is the explanation of it. It says,
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unless one is born of water, we've explained
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that this water refers to what? It's an explanation
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of the Spirit because in the Old Testament Scriptures,
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the activity of the Spirit is explained with
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a symbol of water. And it's expected that a man,
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as Nicodemus should understand by the book, that
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when we speak of water, we are talking of the
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Spirit. Okay? So Jesus answered and said to him,
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Most surely I say to you, unless one is born
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of water, this and means what? Which is the spirit.
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Which is what the spirit does. He cannot have
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access to the kingdom of God. Which means to
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be in God's kingdom, there must be what? The
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activity of the spirit of God in a man. When
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the spirit of God comes into a man, that is when
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he has access to what? To the kingdom of God.
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Verse 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh.
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And that which is born of the Spirit, Spirit.
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Do not marvel that I say to you, unless that
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you must be born again. The wind blows where
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it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but
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cannot tell where it comes from and where it
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goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.
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Verse 9. Nicodemus answered and said to him,
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How can these things be? And when we read further,
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we'll see Jesus continuing the explanation, explaining
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to him how a man... can be part of God's family
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by the activity of the Spirit, what we call the
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new birth. Amen? And in chapter 3, verse 16,
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you see, he presents to him the message, okay?
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For God so loved the world, right? And he gave
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his only begotten Son, that whosoever believed
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in him would not perish, but have everlasting
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life. Which means that when you put your trust
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in what Christ has done, The spirit, the spiritual
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birth occurs in a man. So Jesus explains that
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the only way to have access to the kingdom is
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by what? Help me, by what? By the spirit. Hallelujah.
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So the believer is born. Where is the believer
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born when he believes the gospel? He is born
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in the kingdom of God. He becomes alive in the
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kingdom of God. He is. In the kingdom of heaven,
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in Christ. The kingdom of heaven where? In Christ.
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Hallelujah. He becomes born in the kingdom of
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heaven, in Christ. The believer, through the
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one spirit, has access to the Father who is in
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heaven by what Christ has done. Okay? The believer,
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through one spirit, Okay, not another spirit.
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All of us through one spirit. Ephesians 2 verse
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18 talks about that one spirit. The spirit by
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which you access God is essentially by which
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I access God. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 18. For
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through him, who is that? The spirit. Through
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him, we both have access. Through him, we both
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have access. This him is talking about Christ
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by the spirit. Okay, through him. We both have
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access to one Spirit. To where? To the Father.
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So where is the Father? We began by saying the
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Father is in heaven. Okay? How do we access the
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Father? By the Spirit. By the Spirit. Through
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what Christ has done. Then the Spirit comes into
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us and we have access to the family of God. We
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have access to God. So how did we have access
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to the kingdom of heaven? By the Spirit of God.
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through believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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How can we bring others into the kingdom of God?
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By preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to them.
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The same way with which you receive the spirit
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of God and become part of God's family. Equally,
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it is the same way. Okay? You didn't become a
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believer by hearing fairy tales. Alright? You
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didn't become a believer by hearing the story
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of my life. You didn't become born again by hearing
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the story of your pastor's life. But you become
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a believer, a member of God's family, by putting
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your trust in the gospel preached to you. So
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also for us to bring others equally into God's
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family, we must also preach the gospel of Jesus
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Christ. So Jesus says in Matthew 16, verse 19,
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And whatever you bind on earth, well, Lord, will
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be bound in heaven and whatever you lose on earth
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will be loosed in heaven. Having the keys will
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enable the believer to bind and what? And loose.
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Okay? Having the keys, what is the keys? The
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spirit will enable the believer to act on behalf
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of God. This access grants the believer the authority.
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Alright? Having the spirit of God in you grants
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you the authority. It gives you The ability,
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authority, that key is authority. Amen? That
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key in you, the spirit in you is authority. It
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gives you the authority to represent the kingdom
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of God. Where? Where are you representing the
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kingdom of God? On earth. Hallelujah. So by the
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spirit in you, you become a representative of
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God on the earth. So you have the ability now
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to do what? to preach the gospel and bring others
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into the kingdom. Acts chapter 1 verse 4 to 8,
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you see, Jesus Christ will tell them to wait.
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Acts chapter 4 verse 8, Acts 1 verse 4 to 8.
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Acts chapter 4, chapter 1 rather, Acts 1 verse
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4, yes. And being assembled together with them,
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he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem.
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But wait for what? Wait for the promise. Without
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the promise, they cannot represent him. Amen?
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Without a promise. What is a promise? And I'll
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give you the keys. Right? Of the kingdom. And
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I'll give you the keys of the kingdom. So without
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this promise, and this is what has been promised
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from the ancient times. Without this key, without
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this promise, we cannot represent God. So he
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told them, he says, but wait for the promise
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of the father, which said, you have had from
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me. Verse five. For John truly baptized with
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water, but you shall be baptized. ties with the
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Holy Spirit not many days from now. Therefore,
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when they had come together, they asked him,
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saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the
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kingdom of Israel? Because their mind is focused
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on what? On an earthly kingdom. Okay? Their mind
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is focused on an earthly kingdom, but Jesus is
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talking about a spiritual kingdom. They're thinking
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maybe God will take away the Romans and then
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give them the kingdom on earth. Because they
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were under Roman occupation. They were under
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Roman colonial rule. They asked Jesus, will you
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at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Look
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at what Jesus told them. He said to them, it
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is not for you to know times or seasons which
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the father has put in his own authority. Which
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means that, forget about this issue of earthly
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kingdom. But you shall receive, what will you
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receive? You will receive power. So it's a key
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power. Is the Spirit power? Yes. Is it authority?
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Yes. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit
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has what? Has come upon you and you shall be
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what? Shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and
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in all Judea. You know, Samaria, is it a Jewish
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place? Hmm? I think it's for the Gentiles, right?
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The Samaritan. The good Samaritan is a Gentile.
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meaning that it includes other nations that are
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not Israel. So the apostles will be what? Will
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be witnesses where? From Jerusalem, okay? Judea,
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which is a Jewish nation. Then Samaria, which
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is the Gentile nation, including everyone. And
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where? And to the ends of the earth. Hallelujah.
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So the gospel, please pay attention, don't be
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distracted. Pay attention. So the gospel we preach
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in Jerusalem, in Judea, And we're in Samaria
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and to the ends of the earth when the spirit
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come to them. Hallelujah. So the binding and
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loosing is related to what we said is related
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to the forgiveness and reconciliation of men.
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Isn't it? We saw it last on Sunday that is related
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to the forgiveness of sins. In verse 21 or in
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John, let's go to John 20 verse 19. John 20 verse.
26:14
19 to 23. Then the same day at evening, being
26:22
the first day of the week, when the doors were
26:24
shut, where the disciples were assembled for
26:29
faith of the Jews. This was after the resurrection.
26:32
Jesus came and stood in their midst and said
26:35
to them, Peace be with you. Verse 20. When he
26:39
had said this, he showed them his hands and his
26:41
side. when the disciples were, then the disciples
26:45
were glad. This glad day is they rejoiced. Hallelujah.
26:49
When they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them,
26:53
peace to you as the Father has sent me, as the
26:56
Father has what? Has sent me. As the Father has
26:59
what? Has sent me. So also I do what? I sent
27:03
you. The Father has sent him. Then he do what?
27:06
And he sent you and I. In our own context. All
27:11
right. Then how did he do it? Verse 22. And when
27:16
he had said this, he breathed on them and said
27:19
to them, receive the Holy Spirit. Now we've done
27:22
a teaching here. And then we said that this spirit
27:25
will receive a Pentecost. Are we together? So
27:27
if you haven't received the spirit, when the
27:30
spirit has come and they have received the spirit,
27:33
if you forgive the sins of any, what will happen?
27:36
They are forgiving them. All right? But how can
27:40
they do this? Because they have received what?
27:42
The Spirit in them. It's a function of the indwelling
27:45
of the Spirit that you can forgive the sins of
27:47
others and they are forgiven. If you retain the
27:50
sins of any, they are what? They are retained.
27:53
And how do we explain giving of forgiveness and
27:57
retaining of forgiveness? We say that it's what?
27:59
It's in preaching. Are we together? Don't say
28:03
that if I offend you and you refuse to forgive
28:05
me, God will not forgive me. God has forgiven
28:06
me. Okay? So forgiving me is for your own good.
28:12
We will fellowship together. This is talking
28:14
about the preaching of the gospel. Are we together?
28:17
The preaching of the gospel. Because we have
28:20
a spirit in us, we can preach and people will
28:23
receive forgiveness. In verse 21, he gave authority
28:27
to men to act as representative of the kingdom
28:32
of God. Of the kingdom of God. The agency by
28:36
which we have access to the kingdom of God. is
28:39
the Holy Spirit within us. That is the access
28:42
we have. That is the authority we have. That
28:44
is what makes us able to represent God on earth.
28:47
That is what qualifies you to represent God on
28:50
your campus. That is what qualifies you to preach
28:54
the gospel. Listen, what qualifies you to preach
28:56
the gospel is not because your conduct has been
28:58
good. Okay? It's not because your life has been
29:02
good all along. No. It's because God has saved
29:06
you. And he has put his spirit in you. So that
29:09
automatically qualifies you to talk about what
29:12
Christ has done. So you are with no excuse. When
29:15
you say, I cannot talk. My words are, I don't
29:18
know how to. No. Because there is an ability
29:20
in you. You can speak. You can talk about the
29:23
gospel. You can speak about what Jesus has done.
29:26
Hallelujah. You can speak about what Jesus has
29:28
done to others. Amen. So we see God sharing with
29:33
us the access by which men. will come into his
29:38
house, into the family. God has given us, he
29:42
has shared with us the access by which we can
29:45
bring others into the family. Verse 23 means
29:49
that the believer says, if you forgive the sins
29:52
of any, they are forgiven. It means that the
29:55
believer is the determinant by which men are
29:59
saved or not. Okay? It means that you are the
30:04
determinant. by which men are saved or not. If
30:07
you close your mouth from preaching, what you
30:10
are saying is, men will not be forgiven. What
30:13
you are saying is, the gospel will not reach
30:15
men. Okay? You can pray, we prayed here, that
30:20
let the word of God prevail in this land of Cyprus.
30:23
But the gospel will not prevail if men don't
30:25
go out to preach. So as you are praying that
30:28
the gospel should prevail, what you are saying
30:30
is, Lord, I am going to preach, and as I preach,
30:32
the gospel is prevailing. Because if you don't
30:35
preach, that prayer will not work. God is not
30:38
going to send angels from heaven to come and
30:40
preach. You are the angel that God has sent to
30:43
preach. Angel means what? A messenger. Are we
30:46
together? You are the messenger that God has
30:49
sent to preach the gospel. So the answer to the
30:52
prayer we prayed earlier on, when they led us,
30:54
all of them, they were praying the same thing.
30:56
You are the answer to that prayer. Are we together?
31:00
God has counted you worthy. of being part of
31:04
this plan, of being part of this assignment.
31:07
You're not too young for it. You're not too old
31:10
for it. Are we together? All of us are partakers
31:14
in this assignment because we have the ability
31:17
in us. The Spirit of God lives in us. Therefore,
31:20
we can represent God on our campuses, in our
31:23
homes, in our families, wherever we are. We must
31:27
preach the gospel because that is our identity.
31:31
In fact, I call it a family trade. That is a
31:35
family business. That is a family business. We
31:39
preach the gospel. We tell people about the family
31:41
of God. And we tell people how they can be part
31:43
of this family by showing to them what Christ
31:46
has done, that Christ has forgiven sins. Are
31:49
we together? So let's go to Mark, Mark chapter
31:51
16. Let's see something very important with the
31:55
time we have. Mark chapter 16, verse 15. Mark
32:02
16, 15 and 16. And he said to them, go into all
32:10
the world and preach what? Preach what? The gospel,
32:16
right? To who? To every creature. This every
32:19
creature means men. Okay? You don't preach the
32:23
gospel to your cat. You don't preach the gospel
32:27
to your dog. Because your dog. cannot receive
32:32
salvation. Every creature here means men, male
32:37
and female, of all nations, of all nationalities.
32:41
Alright? He who believes and is baptized, this
32:45
baptized simply means that he who believes is,
32:48
what is the word baptized here? Eh? To be immersed
32:53
in this truth, right? He who believes, this belief
32:57
is what we call baptized. will be saved. Okay?
33:04
But he who does not believe will be what? Will
33:07
be condemned. So when you don't preach, later
33:10
on we see in Romans, it says that if men are
33:14
not sent, how will they hear? Alright? But we
33:18
have a calling upon our lives and our calling
33:21
is to do what? Is to preach the gospel. Is to
33:24
preach the gospel. So what is the gospel? What
33:29
is the gospel? What is the gospel? Someone should
33:33
call us for it. What is the gospel? Huh? We don't
33:40
know the gospel? Okay. It's a dead and burial
33:48
of Jesus Christ and his resurrection, right?
33:50
Do we call it good news? Is it something sweet
33:55
to hear? Right? Oftentimes, you know, the word
34:01
gospel is referred to as good news, typically
34:05
associated with something sweet and pleasant.
34:09
Okay? However, however, we're going to study
34:12
this right now. However, in its original context,
34:15
the word gospel is associated with warfare. Okay?
34:23
It's associated with what? With warfare. A king,
34:28
war and claiming territories. The word gospel
34:34
in its original context, that word gospel is
34:38
associated with warfare. A king waging a war
34:42
and then claiming a territory. And when he claims
34:47
a territory, that territory becomes his territory.
34:53
Hallelujah. So that is a context, original context
34:57
of that word. The word gospel is translated from
35:02
a Greek word. The Greek word, let me spell it
35:06
for us. E -U -A -N -G -E -L -I -O -N. Let me
35:13
spell it again. E -U -A -N -G -E -L -I -O -N.
35:22
Euangelion. Or Galeon. Yes, it's Galeon. Which
35:26
means good tidings. It means good tidings in
35:29
the Greek. Alright? Now, the first time this
35:34
word is used in the Bible is actually in the
35:37
book of Samuel. 2 Samuel. It's used in the book
35:43
of 2 Samuel 1 verse 20. 2 Samuel 1 verse 20.
35:49
2 Samuel 1 verse 20. We are seeing the origin
35:52
of that word, okay? 2 Samuel 1, verse 20. He
35:57
said, tell it not in Gath. Proclaim it not in
36:01
the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of
36:04
the Philistine rejoice, lest the daughters of
36:06
the uncircumcised triumph. Now, the word proclaim
36:09
here is the word gospel or good tidings. It's
36:18
a Hebrew word, basah. Okay? B -A -S -A -R. The
36:24
Hebrew word basar as seen in 2 Samuel, which
36:29
means to bear news, to carry news. All right?
36:35
Move to 2 Samuel 4, verse 10. Let's see another
36:38
place where it's used. 2 Samuel 4, verse 10.
36:41
2 Samuel 4, verse 10. When someone told me, say,
36:47
look, Saul is dead. Who is Saul? Huh? Saul was
36:53
a king, right? Saul is dead. Thinking to have
36:56
brought good news. Thinking to have brought what?
36:59
A bazaar. Okay? Who is talking here? David is
37:04
the one talking here. David is also what? He's
37:06
also a king. Alright? I arrested him and executed
37:11
him and executed Ezekiel. The one who thought
37:14
I will give him a reward for his news. Because
37:17
he was thinking that the death of Saul was a
37:19
good news to David. Right? Good news. Good tidings.
37:26
2 Samuel 18, verse 19. 2 Samuel 18, verse 19
37:32
to 20. Yes. Then Ahimaz, the son of Zadok, said,
37:38
let me run now and take the word. This news is
37:42
what is the gospel. This news is the word Basar.
37:46
To the king, you see, any way you see the word
37:48
basar, you will see a king is involved in the
37:52
conversation. A kingdom is involved in the conversation.
37:56
Are we together? Oftentimes you see this word
37:58
basar, you see that a kingdom is involved. A
38:01
king is involved in the conversation. Let me
38:04
run now and take the news to the king, how the
38:08
Lord has avenged him of his enemies. Verse 20.
38:14
And Joab said to him, You shall not take the
38:16
news this day, for you shall take the news another
38:19
day. The news day is the word basar, which is
38:22
referring to what? The good news, what we call
38:26
the good tidings. But today you shall take no
38:28
news because the king's son is dead. It was an
38:32
announcement of the death of Absalom. Absalom
38:34
was a man that rose in opposition to King David.
38:38
All right? So, The word good news here is associated
38:43
to the kingship of David. Turn to verse 31. You
38:47
see verse 31? Verse 31. Verse 31. Yes. Just then
38:56
the Cushite came and the Cushite said, There
38:59
is good news, my lord the king, for the Lord
39:01
has avenged you this day of all those who rose
39:05
against you. Similarly, he's talking about David.
39:08
Alright? David and his rulership of his case
39:11
ship. So the word is always used in the context
39:14
of war reports. We've said this before. The word
39:18
is associated to what? With war. Case ship. Rulership.
39:23
The throne. And oftentimes with death of someone.
39:29
So it is always used in the context of war reports
39:34
or royal news. You know what the royal news is?
39:37
News that has to do with a kingship. Okay? Sometimes
39:41
the news could be good, which means victory.
39:45
Sometimes bad. For example, now we saw the death
39:49
of Saul was a good news. Why is it a good news?
39:52
It's supposed to be a good news to David because
39:55
Saul is dead. And when Saul is dead, who becomes
39:58
a king? David is legitimized as king, right?
40:01
So it is supposed to be a good news. And the
40:04
person bringing the news, was seeing himself
40:07
bringing a good tithing to David. Saul is dead.
40:10
But in the end, David translated it as a bad
40:14
news because he was celebrating. We'll look at
40:17
the story where we discover that he killed the
40:21
what? God's servant. Hallelujah. So he was executed
40:26
for that. Amen. So sometimes it's bad news. Death
40:32
of Saul, for example, and Absalom as we see.
40:35
But a verb itself means to announce news, okay?
40:40
It means tidings, to announce news or good tidings.
40:45
So how does the word relate to the kingdom and
40:48
kingship? How does this word really relate to
40:52
kingdom and kingship? Let's go further. Now,
40:55
in the ancient Near East world, in this region,
40:58
we're talking about this region, okay? When we
41:00
talk about the ancient Eastern region, We're
41:03
talking about where we are to the Middle East,
41:05
right? News. The verb is bizarre. B -I -S -S
41:13
-E -R. The verb is bizarre. Was often tied to
41:16
the faith of the king and the kingdom. Okay?
41:21
It was often tied to the faith of the king and
41:25
the kingdom. A kingdom affairs. So when Saul
41:29
died in 2 Samuel 1 verse 20, which we read, David
41:31
said, tell it not in gath, publish it not. This
41:35
word publish, the word proclaim or publish is
41:37
what it means to proclaim this news. Why? Because
41:42
the death of a king was news, all right, that
41:46
affects the honor and the security of the kingdom.
41:50
Are we together? So when David received this
41:53
news about Saul, The messenger thought the king
41:56
would reward him for this news. Unfortunately,
42:00
he was executed. So in that culture, in the near
42:04
eastern world, in that culture, reporting news
42:09
about a king's reign or victory or death was
42:14
the highest form of titans. And where it come
42:18
from? You know, they used to say a word, which
42:21
now I begin to relate to me. They said that it's
42:23
not in the mouth of a slave that you will hear
42:26
the announcement of the passing away of a king.
42:31
I just translated, I don't know whether it's,
42:33
Pastor Victor, did I just say that word? It's
42:36
a saying that is not in the mouth of a slave,
42:39
all right, okay, that you hear the announcement
42:41
of the death of a king, which means that it is
42:45
an important news that not everybody, can dispel
42:49
that news. Okay? When Queen Elizabeth died in
42:53
the UK, you didn't see it on a block. Was it
42:59
like a leaked news in the block that the queen
43:02
died? No. Okay? It was announced by what? By
43:08
the palace. What did you call it? The palace
43:12
has to announce the passing away of the queen
43:14
because this is a news that can only come from
43:17
what? from an official channel communicating
43:20
the affairs of the kingdom. The queen has passed
43:24
away. Are we together? So, Bisa or Basa, as we
43:32
call it, is not just general news. It's not gossip
43:36
on gossip news or on Sahara news or I don't know,
43:41
whatever blogs you have. It's not just any kind
43:43
of news, but specifically royal. political news
43:48
about the king's life. Okay? It's about the king's
43:52
life, about his enemies. And the stability of
43:58
the kingdom is around the king and their affairs
44:02
of the kingdom, about his life, and about whatever
44:04
revolves around the royal house. In 2 Samuel
44:10
18 -19, we saw Ahima wanted to run and bring
44:14
good tidings. that the Lord has avenged the king.
44:18
That is, his enemy has died. Here, the title
44:23
confirms what this Ahima was to bring, right?
44:28
Brought, rather. Confirms, what does it confirm?
44:31
It confirms that David's kingship is divinely
44:36
backed by God. Okay? That God has given him victory
44:42
over Absalom's rebellion because Absalom was
44:45
rebelling against King David. Alright? So, in
44:51
this sense, the gospel in Samuel is what? Is
44:55
a news of the king's triumph. Is the news of
45:01
the king's triumph. The king has triumphed. Showing
45:05
that his rule is secure and legitimate. Are we
45:11
together? So it shows the legitimacy of the king's
45:14
rulership. He has no longer anyone fighting for
45:18
the throne with him. His rulership is legitimized
45:22
and then he stands as the king, the only king.
45:26
There are no other kings. Okay? So this is the
45:30
context of the use of the word basa in the altar
45:33
setting. Then later on we will see the prophets.
45:36
They employ the usage of this word with the context
45:38
we have concerning rulership, concerning royalty,
45:41
concerning political news that revolves around
45:44
the kingship. Later on, we see prophets use the
45:48
word as proclaiming good news of God's reign.
45:52
Alright? Prophets later on will utilize this
45:57
word as proclaiming good news of God's reign.
46:05
Isaiah 40, verse 9. Let's look at how they utilize
46:08
it. Isaiah 40, verse 9. Isaiah 40, verse 9. Isaiah
46:15
40, verse 9. Okay. O Zion, who bring good, what?
46:23
Good tidings. You see the use of the word? Who
46:26
bring good tidings? Get up into the high mountain,
46:30
O Jerusalem. You who bring good tidings, lift
46:34
up your voice with strength. Lift up. Be not
46:38
afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, behold, what?
46:41
Your God. Hallelujah. So the prophet here is
46:47
using that word to describe what? Proclaiming
46:53
the goodness of God's reign. Remember, this is
46:56
a prophecy, right? 57. chapter 57 verse 7. Another
47:02
way where the prophet uses, very popular, Isaiah
47:04
57 verse 7. Am I correct here? Is it 57? 52.
47:14
52 verse 7. 52 verse 7. How beautiful upon the
47:22
mountains are the feet of him who brought good
47:26
news. What is the good news? Who proclaims peace?
47:30
Who brings glad tidings of good things? You see?
47:34
Good, good, good, good news. The news is good.
47:36
It's glad tidings. Who proclaims what? You see?
47:40
It's now salvation. Okay? Who says to Zion, your
47:45
God what? Your God reigns. Hallelujah. Your God
47:50
reigns. Nahum 115. Nahum 115. Now, home 115.
48:03
Behold, on the mountains. He's always on the
48:07
mountain. Hallelujah. He's always on the mountains.
48:12
I think mountain is a motif. You know what motif
48:14
is, right? It speaks of something. Okay? Behold,
48:18
on the mountains, the feet of him who brings
48:21
what? Good tidings. Who proclaims peace. Oh,
48:25
Judah, keep your appointed feast. Perform your
48:29
vows, for the wicked one shall no more pass through
48:33
you. He is utterly cut off. Okay? And when we
48:38
read further, we discover that he's speaking
48:39
about what God has established. His reign. Hallelujah.
48:45
So in Samuel, the verb is tied to earthly kings.
48:50
Okay? We see that the word basah is used to describe
48:54
the activity with earthly kings, human kings.
48:58
Is that what we saw? Right? Then in Isaiah and
49:02
other prophets, we see in Isaiah and other prophets,
49:06
we see that the same word or the same verb is
49:11
lifted to a higher level, announcing the reign
49:14
of Yahweh as king. Okay? Announcing the reign
49:18
of God, our God, Yahweh, as king. Alright? This
49:26
lays the groundwork for the New Testament gospel,
49:30
because the gospel was written with the context
49:32
of the Old Testament. So the gospel, as we see
49:38
in Matthew, in Mark 16, 15 and 16, that we are
49:42
to preach, okay, is the announcement that Jesus,
49:49
the son of David, is a true king. All right?
49:56
His enthronement. And his reign is established
50:00
by victory. Hallelujah. His reign is established
50:05
by what? By victory. That means the gospel in
50:11
the New Testament, as we see in the gospels,
50:13
the gospel as written in the, what we call the
50:18
New Testament scriptures, is not simply an encouragement.
50:23
Okay? It's not simply an encouragement or a moral
50:27
teaching. It is the royal proclamation. It is
50:34
a royal proclamation of what? Of God's victory,
50:39
of a king's victory and reign. So the word gospel
50:46
in a New Testament context is what? Is a proclamation.
50:52
is a royal proclamation of a king's victory and
50:56
his reign. The gospel is the public announcement.
51:02
What is the public announcement? That Jesus is
51:05
what? Is Lord. Son of David, the risen king.
51:10
That Jesus is Lord. So when we go to preach,
51:13
what you are going to do is that you are declaring,
51:16
okay? You are declaring the enthronement of Jesus
51:21
as king. You're not just telling people something
51:25
sweet to get them excited. Of course, it should
51:28
get people excited that their sins are forgiven.
51:31
But beyond that, what you're saying is that you
51:34
are declaring that God in Christ has become king
51:37
and he reigns. Are we together? You are declaring
51:41
a royal news concerning the enthronement of God,
51:44
God's kingdom among men. Okay? So in Samuel,
51:55
the good tidings were often about victory in
51:59
battle. Victory in battle. We're trying to compare
52:03
and contrast and see the context in the gospel.
52:05
It's about victory in battle. For example, in
52:08
the case of Absalom, defeated in 2 Samuel 18.
52:13
In the New Testament, the gospel proclaims that
52:16
Christ has conquered sin. Are we together? The
52:21
gospel proclaims that Christ has what? He has
52:24
conquered sin. He has conquered death. And he
52:34
has conquered Satan. So when you go to preach,
52:38
what you are declaring to people is that Christ
52:41
has conquered sin. Okay? Sin is no longer in
52:48
reign. In power. You are declaring that death
52:54
has lost its power. You are declaring that Satan
52:58
has lost its power. That is what you do at preaching
53:01
the gospel. And you are announcing the rulership
53:04
of God. The rulership of the kingdom of God.
53:08
In whose God is the king. Are we together? That
53:15
is what we do by preaching the gospel. You are
53:23
announcing that he has disarmed the rulers and
53:27
the authorities. You remember what we read? Let's
53:29
go back to that Colossians 2 verse 15. Colossians
53:31
2 verse 15. You are announcing that Christ has
53:34
disarmed principalities. That is conquering.
53:39
That is conquest. Having disarmed what? Principalities.
53:43
Where are these principalities located? We read
53:45
it earlier. Where are they? They are in the heavenly,
53:48
right? So when you preach the gospel, what you
53:50
are declaring is that Christ has what? Has disarmed
53:55
principalities and what? And powers. And he has
53:59
made them a public spectacle of them. How? Triumphing
54:03
over them in his death and his burial and his
54:06
resurrection. So when you go to preach, when
54:08
you see someone possessed with demons, what do
54:10
you do? You demonstrate. Are we together? What
54:15
are you demonstrating? You are demonstrating
54:17
the triumph of God in Christ. Okay? You're not
54:22
just preaching for people to feel that people
54:24
are forgiven of their sins. Of course, this is
54:26
true, isn't it? Fundamentally. But what you are
54:28
declaring is that God has the victory. All right?
54:32
All you're declaring is that God has conquered
54:34
Satan. He has conquered the principalities and
54:37
rulers of the kingdom of darkness. Are we together?
54:42
So, this is the implication of preaching the
54:44
gospel. This is what we are preaching. This is
54:48
what we are declaring. We are declaring his works.
54:51
that he has disarmed the rulers and the authorities,
54:54
triumphed over them by the cross. Just as David's
54:58
messengers shouted, the king has prevailed. We
55:03
who are apostles today, what do we shout? Christ
55:07
is risen, death is defeated. That is our message.
55:10
We are declaring the triumphant of Satan by Christ,
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by what he has done. So the gospel is a war report.
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Are we together? It's a war report. That is why
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I said earlier on that the gospel, preaching
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of the gospel is warfare. The gospel is war report
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of God's final victory. When you go to preach,
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have this understanding that you are going to
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do it to declare the victory of God, the conquest
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of God in Christ Jesus. It's a victory report
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you are declaring. That God in Christ has become
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victorious over sin, over Satan, over the rulers
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of darkness, over all the authority of Satan.
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Hallelujah. So in Isaiah 52 verse 7, Bazaar,
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it raised Bazaar higher. It says, your God reigns.
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This is the essence of the prophetic good news.
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Jesus will let us say in Mark 1, verse 14 to
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15, the time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God
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is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.
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So, the good news we preach is not just. It is
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that God in Christ has forgiven sin. Are we together?
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But it's not just that God forgives. but that
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God has taken the throne as king through Jesus
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Christ. All right? So if you have received the
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gospel, what it means is that you are not just
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forgiving your sins. What it means is that God
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has become king in your life. It means that he
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has conquered sin in you. He has conquered every
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activity of Satan in you. And God has become
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what? God has become king in you. So in this,
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environment we are, in this sphere, in the family
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of God, is where God reigns. Amen? Therefore,
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you are no longer a slave to what? To sin. Are
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we together? Therefore, we are no longer a slave
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to principalities and rulers of darkness because
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we are under the rulership of a superior power.
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Hallelujah. Even though we are in heaven, okay,
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but those spiritual forces are under our feet.
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In Christ Jesus. Are we together? Because God
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in Christ has triumphed over Satan. So the gospel
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is the enthronement announcement of God's rule
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over all creation. When you go to preach, you
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are announcing the enthronement of God. Alright?
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You are announcing the defeat of a ruler. and
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the victory of another ruler. Hallelujah. Now,
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in the New Testament, the gospel is not optional
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information. It's not an optional information.
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It is a king's proclamation demanding a response.
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It is a king's proclamation demanding what? A
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response. And what is a response? Believe it.
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And when you believe it, what happens? You enter
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the kingdom. And when you reject it, what do
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you do? You remain in rebellion. Are you together?
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You remain in rebellion. So to receive the gospel
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is to bow to the king's reign. That is what it
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means. To receive the gospel simply means that
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you are bowing to the reign of who? Of the kings
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of kings and the ruler of all. You're under the
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authority of a king. And in this kingdom, we're
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going to look at it subsequently. There's a culture.
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There's a governance rule. There's a principle
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that operates this kingdom. All right? We're
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under a king that governs with rules. And I mean
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rules. I mean principles that guide our living
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in the kingdom. Fundamentally, it's love. Hallelujah.
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Amen? Fundamentally, it's love. So when pastor
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begins to teach us about the things of the Spirit,
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he's telling us our culture in the kingdom. That
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is what we do. Hallelujah. When they begin to
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say, you lay hand, that is what we do in this
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kingdom. It is our culture. That is why Paul
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would say, do not be ignorant of the spirituals.
1:00:00
Because that is where you are. That is where
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you operate from. Hallelujah. So what is the
1:00:07
preaching of the gospel? What is the preaching
1:00:09
of the gospel? The preaching of this gospel is
1:00:12
like sending messengers to announce a king's
1:00:14
victory to those who are still under the enemy
1:00:19
occupation. Do you understand? It's like you
1:00:25
are sent to go out and announce. For example,
1:00:26
now, in this territory, okay, in Lefkosha, okay,
1:00:33
For example, now, the Britain have conquered
1:00:36
the presidents, but then there are some officers
1:00:40
here holding us captive. Okay? So, an announcer
1:00:44
will come from left culture to this hole and
1:00:46
say, don't you know, have you not heard that
1:00:50
there's a victory that has been announced? All
1:00:54
these people standing no longer have legitimacy
1:00:56
over you because there's a change of government.
1:01:00
Amen? So when we believe that news that came,
1:01:03
which is the gospel, what does the news do to
1:01:05
you? It liberates you, right? If you choose not
1:01:09
to believe and you continue to serve those tax
1:01:11
masters, what will happen? You remain captive,
1:01:13
even though there's news of deliverance, of a
1:01:16
conquest that has happened. So what we do is
1:01:20
that we go to occupied territories under the
1:01:28
enemy's occupation. Ephesians 6 verse 12 talks
1:01:32
about the occupation. We go to these territories.
1:01:35
And when you go to these territories, it's warfare.
1:01:38
Are we together? That is why the preaching of
1:01:41
the gospel cannot be done carnally. Because the
1:01:45
preaching of the gospel is a spiritual activity.
1:01:48
Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 talks about the
1:01:52
preaching of the gospel. What is it? Ephesians
1:01:54
chapter 6 verse 12. For we do not wrestle against
1:02:03
flesh and blood, but against what? What do we
1:02:07
wrestle against? Against spiritual what? Against
1:02:10
principalities, against powers, against the rulers
1:02:14
of darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts
1:02:18
of wickedness in the heavenly places. Give me
1:02:21
verse 11. So put on the whole armor of God that
1:02:30
you may be able to stand against the wiles of
1:02:33
the devil. All right? Because when the preaching
1:02:35
of the gospel is equally for you to announce
1:02:38
and go to this occupied territory, okay, it's
1:02:43
a war. It's warfare. Are we together? But it's
1:02:47
a warfare that has been won by Christ. Hallelujah.
1:02:52
It's a warfare that has been won by Christ. So
1:02:56
the preaching, of the gospel is therefore not
1:03:00
neutral. It is active warfare against spiritual
1:03:05
darkness. It is active warfare against what?
1:03:10
Spiritual darkness. So what we are telling you,
1:03:13
preach the gospel, preach the gospel, preach
1:03:14
the gospel. We are telling you that engage in
1:03:16
war, engage in war. And you don't go into it
1:03:19
casually. Hallelujah. You don't go into it casually.
1:03:25
You don't go into this casually. It is spiritual
1:03:29
warfare. Active warfare against spiritual darkness.
1:03:36
Breaking strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10 verse
1:03:39
3 to 5. For though we walk In the flesh. Now
1:03:56
this flesh is talking about in our human body.
1:03:58
Right? We do know against what? Against physical
1:04:04
people. Alright? Verse 4. For the weapons of
1:04:17
our warfare are not physical. but mighty in what?
1:04:25
In God. Okay? For pulling down what? Strongholds.
1:04:30
Where is this stronghold? Hmm? In people's what?
1:04:35
In people's mind. Casting down what? Arguments.
1:04:39
Have you ever gone to preach the gospel and somebody
1:04:41
begins to bring one latest argument for you that
1:04:44
you've never had before? Alright? That is what
1:04:49
you go against as a messenger of the goodness
1:04:52
of the victory that God has done in Christ. Casting
1:04:55
down arguments and every high thing that does
1:04:59
what? That exalts itself against the knowledge
1:05:02
of God and bringing every thought that does not
1:05:08
align with the truth of the gospel. Bringing
1:05:10
every thought into captivity to what? To the
1:05:14
obedience of Christ. Because God is in rule.
1:05:20
He's in charge. He has conquered sin. He has
1:05:23
conquered Satan. And he has conquered whatever
1:05:25
the enemy is. Hallelujah. So I want to encourage
1:05:32
you, right, to be intentional about this activity.
1:05:37
Please, as a believer, heaven, or let me use
1:05:42
the word, the kingdom of God, is counting on
1:05:44
you. To do what? To declare what Christ has done.
1:05:50
You must be intentional. That is your primary
1:05:53
purpose in life. This semester, make it a duty
1:05:58
with this understanding that this week I'm going
1:06:02
to wage the spiritual warfare. Are we together?
1:06:06
I'm going to bind and loose. Now, I'm not binding
1:06:10
and loosing somebody in your village. When they
1:06:13
say pray for ancestral cause, you see the tone
1:06:15
of the prayer will change. You pray for souls,
1:06:20
all right? And when you pray for souls, you're
1:06:23
depending on what? On the help of heaven to execute
1:06:27
that tax. As a believer, take time to pray as
1:06:34
you go into the week because you're looking forward
1:06:36
to an opportunity where you find an occupied
1:06:40
life. Okay? And what do you do? You declare the
1:06:45
victory of God, thereby expelling what? That
1:06:49
reign of Satan and declaring the enthronement
1:06:54
of God in that life. Hallelujah. Because this
1:06:59
territory we are talking about is men, is people.
1:07:04
Are we together? And we convert these people
1:07:07
into what? Into the dwelling place of God. We
1:07:12
make them into the house of God, where God inhabits
1:07:16
and where God dwells. And that is your assignment
1:07:19
and that is my assignment. So we must be intentional.
1:07:22
That is how we manifest this kingdom. Are we
1:07:26
together? The Bible will say that it's not in
1:07:29
meat. It's not in eating and drinking. It's joy
1:07:34
in the activities of the Holy Ghost. So what
1:07:39
is the implication of this? The implication is
1:07:42
this, as I round up. Every gospel sermon, teaching,
1:07:47
or proclamation is what? It's a spiritual warfare.
1:07:55
Because we confront sin and darkness. Colossians
1:07:59
1 verse 13. That is what we confront, sin and
1:08:02
darkness. Colossians 1 verse 13. We confront
1:08:07
sin and darkness. He has delivered us from the
1:08:13
power of darkness, right? Darkness has power,
1:08:17
okay? That's what we confront. Darkness has power.
1:08:25
And then we convey men into what? Into the kingdom
1:08:28
of the son of his love. We establish God's rule
1:08:33
in human heart. We enthrone God in people's heart.
1:08:40
By the preaching of the gospel. What it means
1:08:45
is that preachers are like the modern day messengers
1:08:47
that goes to announce the news concerning the
1:08:51
activity of a king. And in this context, who
1:08:54
is a king? God is our king. Alright? It's an
1:08:59
honorable news. It's a privileged news that you
1:09:04
have to go and announce. And if you don't do
1:09:07
that responsibility, it means that you are failing.
1:09:11
It means that we are failing. It means that I
1:09:13
am failing. You don't do that by accident. You
1:09:18
do that with every level of intentionality. Set
1:09:22
a day in the course of the week. On Thursdays,
1:09:27
I don't have classes, but I'll pray for Thursday
1:09:31
on Sunday. God, as I prepare for Thursday, help
1:09:35
me, lead me. On Tuesday, you are praying for
1:09:38
Thursday. Send me to someone. On Wednesday, you
1:09:41
are praying for Thursday? Then on Thursday, you
1:09:45
do what? You go into the day with intention.
1:09:49
I'm going out today. You're not just going to
1:09:51
just throw. You know, I want to see my lecturer.
1:09:54
I want to see my course advisor. Then I will
1:09:56
just see if I see somebody in case I see somebody.
1:09:59
No, no, no, no, no. That's not how you watch
1:10:00
this warfare. You go with intentionality. Today,
1:10:03
as I woke up from morning, this is what I'm going
1:10:06
to do today. Looking for opportunity. That I
1:10:09
will share this news with someone. And then doing
1:10:15
the course that God has put before you. So you
1:10:17
are announcing victory to territories yet unconquered.
1:10:22
That is what you are doing. Because the heart
1:10:26
of a man that is not in Christ is an unconquered
1:10:28
territory. And what you do is that you declare
1:10:31
the rulership of God. The conquest that he did
1:10:36
on the cross of Calvary. The response of the
1:10:40
herald decides whether the territory joins God's
1:10:44
kingdom or remains under enemy control. These
1:10:48
are familiar words. Enemy control and God's control.
1:10:53
Hallelujah. So the response of a man to the gospel
1:10:57
is depending whether he will be part of God's
1:11:00
family or he will be under enemy control. Conclusively,
1:11:06
Mark 16. From verse 14 to 20 that we read earlier
1:11:11
on, portrays his preaching the gospel as continuing
1:11:16
role of a biblical messenger. And that is who
1:11:19
we are. Continuously. That is our responsibility.
1:11:23
That is what we do. Announcing the king's victory.
1:11:28
And later on we will see. Give me that text as
1:11:32
we close. Mark 16. And he said to them, go into
1:11:36
all the world and preach the gospel to every
1:11:37
creature. Okay? He who believes and is baptized
1:11:41
will be saved, but he who does not believe will
1:11:43
be condemned. Okay? And these signs will follow
1:11:47
those who believe. In my name they will do what?
1:11:49
They will cast out devils. Alright? They will
1:11:53
speak with new tongues. So what are you doing?
1:11:56
You are announcing the king's victory. You are
1:11:59
confronting spiritual enemies. Not physical enemies.
1:12:04
And what are those spiritual enemies? Devils.
1:12:07
Alright? And establishing God's reign on the
1:12:11
earth. Do you know that unbelief is demonic?
1:12:14
Oh, you don't know? You think it's just intellectual?
1:12:17
It's a grip of the enemy. You think it's just,
1:12:22
people are just, are just okay. Life is, no.
1:12:25
It's a grip of the enemy. They are slaves. Unbelief
1:12:31
is a demonic activity. And the only way a man
1:12:34
can be free from that is by the preaching of
1:12:36
the gospel. So what we're doing is that we're
1:12:39
establishing God's reign on earth. Every sermon
1:12:42
we preach, every act of the gospel proclamation
1:12:45
is a spiritual battle report. What do we do?
1:12:48
We declare that Jesus is Lord and is victorious.
1:12:53
It's a victorious scheme. Hallelujah. I just
1:12:55
want you to close your eyes and pray for yourself
1:12:57
and say, Lord, with this understanding, about
1:13:02
this kingdom business. I do it with all seriousness.
1:13:08
Please pray for yourself. Pray for yourself that
1:13:13
you do this work with all of your heart. or follow
1:13:32
us on social media. If you are encouraged, share
1:13:36
this message with someone you care about. Until
1:13:39
next time, stay blessed.