Kingdom Consciousness

Most of our churches today are much more ignorant of kingdom-minded things. And, as a result, this is not something that the church today has helped us with.You see, the things we've been learning about God's Kingdom are not things that are commonly taught in most churches. In fact, the Kingdom of God is a foreign concept to most believers today. Therefore, we are at even more of a disadvantage to possessing this kingdom mentality because not only were we not raised this way in the natural , but we have not been raised this way in the church either.  

We must think in a Christlike manner!  "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."  Protect your mind by Biblical thinking! Discern every thought (healthy or toxic).  "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 

We must continually fight against an external foe who desires to establish an operating foothold in our body and soul from which to bind us and bully us to do according to his will.  This battle cannot be fought or won by yielding or separating.  This battle is waged through direct hand to hand, face to face resisting and confrontation.

Paul tells believers that the time for sleeping is over. Now is the moment of opportunity and decision.  It is high time to “awake out of sleep,” which literally means “to get up out of bed” in the original language. In a similar admonition to the Thessalonians, Paul says, “For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others..."

One of the biggest battlefields satan is prowling around on is the battlefield of our mind. All of our thoughts, past traumas, and experiences are fair game for the enemy.  And He doesn't fight fair. He will use family members, friends, and coworkers against you if he has to.  This is why it's important to God that we think like him.  Because when we do, we can start to win our daily battles. And as we win our spiritual battles, we ultimately bring glory to God and His kingdom. 

Having a Kingdom mindset means it's not about how big our church is or how many people we influence. It's not about getting people to follow us, it's about us following God. It's about helping them see that they need to obey Him!

Sometimes it seems like evil is winning. God let's things play out much longer than most of us are comfortable allowing.  But I believe God wants us to see who do we really serve? It's time for the church to rise up and do what the church is to do, make disciples.  Discipleship, the way Jesus meant for us to do it, is often different from the way we have tried to do it. Discipleship is not primarily about information, but obedience.  

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We have read that scripture over and over, however, the Kingdom distinction makes all the difference. Of course, when we seek the Kingdom, we are seeking God, but it is more specific than that– we are seeking His will on the earth. It is not about us as individuals—it is about the whole world. A Kingdom mindset is a way of seeing the world through the eyes of God and living your life in accordance with His will. It is about putting God first and seeking His glory in all that you say and do.

Imagine the power to transform atmospheres and environments from a state of chaos to a divine oasis of peace and harmony wherever you go. Well, this is the power of God or kingdom consciousness that has been given to all those who believe in him, whether they are aware of this divine gift or not.

God's kingdom cannot be forced upon anyone, because it is empowered and energized by love. It is futile to try to force or legislate Christian morality if hearts and minds are not open to this morality. You cannot force love - it comes in its own time, after it has been invited. The best thing we can do is grow these spiritual qualities (faith, hope, and love) like seeds through the light and warmth of spiritual practice and personal worship. As we do so, we will see the harvest.

Your focus is often determined by your need.  Focus in our lives makes just as much difference as well. If we are busy focusing on external frivolities or personal ambitions rather than on the kingdom of God itself, we will wind up missing not only God's kingdom but all of the other things we had hoped to attain in life too. Therefore, our focus must always be on His kingdom.

Man was created to have fellowship with God - to stay in communication with Him – to worship Him – to obey Him, etc.  So, how can we do those things if we lose our focus?  Our attention span has almost dwindled down to nothing.  Our minds are constantly jumping from one thing to another.  There is a lack of mental acuity. 

It's a challenge in the world that we live in today because there's so much coming at us: phones ringing and dings for email and dings for text messages, and just so much stuff coming at us, that it's getting more and more challenging to keep our minds on anything for any length of time.We need to really begin to pray and ask God to give us the ability to focus. We're missing things that God's doing, we're missing things that God wants us to do because we just don't focus on what we should be focusing on.I believe one of the things that brings us into a closer, more intimate relationship with God, is if we pay attention to what he's doing in our lives and make a bigger deal out of it than what we are doing now.

The Bible calls for spiritual awakening especially for believers that are slumbering or already asleep in spiritual matters. Why should and how can such believers wake up? One clear reason for spiritual awakening is the nearness of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Believers should also note that we are children of light and of ‘the day' and not of ‘the night' nor of darkness. To enjoy the true light in Christ, those that are sleeping spiritually must wake up.

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

Whether you're a teacher, a mechanic, a parent, or a student, your life is a platform for God's Kingdom work. When you show kindness, offer help, share the gospel, or simply live with integrity and love, you are manifesting the power of God in your actions.   Think about your daily interactions and responsibilities. Every moment is an opportunity to demonstrate the values of the Kingdom. It could be as simple as offering a word of encouragement, standing up for what is right, or taking the time to listen to someone's struggles. These acts might seem small in the moment, but they hold eternal significance in God's eyes.

Much of our understanding of the word church is correct, but does it relate to the Greek word Jesus used in Matthew 16:18? Christ used the word “Ekklesia” in the Greek. It means a gathering of citizens from their homes to a public place, an assembly of people for the purpose of deliberating, called-out ones, the sense of governance or assembly of Israelites. So, attending church does not mean that we are Kingdom-minded.

There has been a hollow awareness of something missing in the body of Christ. This missing link is at the very core of our walk with God. We have dealt extensively on the good news of salvation, healing, deliverance, prosperity, and all those beautiful dimensions of the Spirit, but have neglected to take a closer look at what Jesus said is “at hand.” It is the gospel of the Kingdom of God. We should have a Kingdom Mandate to be a visible demonstration of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, where Kingdom truths, values, principles, priorities, and ethics are not only taught, but embraced, believed, and initiated in life every day.

We often discover that we can be asleep with our eyes wide open. There is a sleep that comes to the soul without many of us ever even realizing it took place. You can go to sleep on life. In fact, there are thousand and one different ways to medicate yourself so that you go to sleep on the potential of life – you become numb to the issues of life. Here were some people in the Bible that went to sleep at the most inopportune time and because they went to sleep, they missed out. • Jacob—Gen. 28:12; • Samson—We all know the story of Sampson who lost his strength while he was sleeping;•Jonah—Who God told to go to Ninevah but instead he went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship going “down” to Tarshish.  And there are others. Don't waste those opportunities when the Lord is trying to hike you forward to something greater than you can even believe could be true!  .

Now, the mention of the words revival or awakening will make some Christians light with excitement while others will roll their eyes with suspicion. I have a desire for an awakening to come because there is an increase in God-consciousness. I seek a revival not for the glitz that often makes such efforts feel phony, but for the individual and church-wide renewal we all need.

We are definitely in need for a spiritual awakening. When that happens, lives are changed, the word spreads, no one is exempt, we hear its loud and clear trumpet blast, we recognize its urgency, we recognize its inclusivity, we see its transformative power and we see its enduring nature. So lets pray for a spiritual awakening in 2024.

For us as believers, God's grace has brought eternity into time. Our citizenship is in heaven.  God has decisively reclaimed us and saved us for Himself. Yet there is a final phase of this reclamation that is still to come. Scripture says that we are eagerly waiting for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body (Rom 8:23b).

The presence of the Kingdom now in history (in the ‘Lamb-Lord' program) is a mystery. This mystery is a divine purpose which has been hidden for long ages but finally has been revealed. The mystery of the Kingdom is this: before its dramatic consummation, before the destruction of Satan, before the age to come, the Kingdom of God has entered this age in spiritual power, invading the realm of darkness in order to bring men in advance the blessings of forgiveness (life); and righteousness which belong to the age to come. That is the great mystery, the righteousness of the Kingdom in its present form is an inner, absolute, imputed righteousness.

The Kingdom of God was the heart of Jesus' teaching. Christ's announcement of the Kingdom of God marked the end of the old era of the Law and the Prophets. Jesus stated that the ‘Good News' of the Kingdom of God was being preached starting with John the Baptist. The term, “Kingdom of God,” in its general sense in both O.T. and N.T. means God's reign—His divine kingly authority, especially over those who belong to Him. The glorious message of the Kingdom is that God will establish His kingdom on earth through His Son, Jesus Christ.   God's divine reign is given by the Father to the Son. Christ is appointed by God to take back the title deed to the earth and to reclaim God's authority in every sphere by overthrowing and judging all hostile authority. God is “the great King over all the earth” What is particularly revolutionary about the message of the Kingdom of God is that the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, invisible God of the universe will manifest Himself as King on earth.

Would you rather have, when the enemy might attack, someone on guard-duty who is simply waiting for the enemy to show up or someone on guard-duty who is watching to see if the enemy has shown up? The difference between “WAITING” and “WATCHING” here might mean the difference between life and death! The Bible teaches us that we are to be wide awake watching for the return of Jesus, not just waiting for it. Those who watch for it will keep themselves alert and self-controlled; those simply waiting may slip into sloppy business with other things and let their priorities slip!

In order to stay focused, one must learn to concentrate on the information they are to learn.  That takes discipline and perseverance.  That is what the Lord Jesus had in every way.  He was constant in His purpose and His assignment, given to Him by His Father.  We must learn to be that focused.  

The adversary is deceitful. He is constantly on the prowl. He is always hunting, and you are the prey he is stalking.  In order to deceive you he uses attractive lies; things that look good but aren't good. He uses undisciplined passions; things that feel good but aren't good. When the enemy attacks—and he will—you must be strong. This is where the battle is fought. This is the moment of truth, and you must stand firm and resist. Prayer is at the heart of standing firm against the enemy. Prayer that is relentlessly persistent, clear-minded, Kingdom focused, and Spirit-filled.

When God says we should be “redeeming the time,” He wants us to live in constant awareness of that ticking clock and make the most of the time we have. In fact, the NIV's translation of Ephesians 5:16 uses the phrase making the most of every opportunity instead of redeeming the time. Rather than waste our days on frivolous pursuits that leave no lasting imprint, Scripture instructs us to be diligent about doing good

When God says we should be “redeeming the time,” He wants us to live in constant awareness of that ticking clock and make the most of the time we have. What does it mean to redeem? It's not a word that we necessarily know or understand fully. It's what Christ did for us.  He redeemed us from Satan's chains, from Satan's dark kingdom, by His blood. We've been redeemed. And we are being instructed to redeem the time.

When we consider the call to awakening, we are drawn to the image of a person rousing from sleep. Sleep, in this context, is not a physical state but a spiritual one. It is a state of spiritual lethargy, of indifference and apathy towards the things of God. The call to awakening, then, is a call to shake off this spiritual slumber and rise to a state of alertness and readiness for God's kingdom.

A kingdom mind is ultimately responsible for how you live out your life as a kingdom citizen. As you think, so you are. One of the most important things that you can do as a follower of Jesus Christ is to think on the things that are true. Far too often, Satan tries to place subtle lies within our thoughts. They aren't enough to attract our attention, but they are enough to get our line of thinking off of the truth. In order to remain focused on the truth, it is essential to commit the Word of God to memory.

This is a very exciting time for our church.  However, when God is working, he's not the only one working. When God is on the move there is an enemy stalking in the distance. For every move of God in the world, there is a counter move.  Therefore, anyone who wants to see a work of God in their life, in their family, in their church, in their nation must be ready for battle. I am sounding the alarm.  I'm calling Believers to a condition of heightened alertness or preparedness, especially to guard against imminent danger.  So, let's look at these truths: you are being watched, you need to be ready and you can resist.

This is a very exciting time for our church.  God is doing extraordinary things in the lives of His people. However, when God is working, he's not the only one working. When God is on the move there is an enemy stalking in the distance. For every move of God in the world, there is a counter move.  Therefore, anyone who wants to see a work of God in their life, in their family, in their church, in their nation must be ready for battle. I am sounding an alarm to all Believers.  I'm calling Believers to a condition of heightened alertness or preparedness, especially to guard against imminent danger.  So, we will look at these truths: you are being watched, you need to be ready and you can resist.

There are many Christians WAITING for the return of Jesus Christ -- but not that many who are WATCHING for the return of Christ! The Bible doesn't teach us to wait for His return only; we are to WATCH for His return! What then is the difference between WAITING and WATCHING? We will explore those differences and encourage you, as Kingdom Citizens, to watch and not just wait for the return of Christ. Be alert!

Spiritual growth is essential to the life of a Christian, just as physical growth is essential to the life of a child.  Because God commands us to mature spiritually, we need to understand how that happens.

Spiritual growth is essential to the life of a Christian, just as physical growth is essential to the life of a child.  Because God commands us to mature spiritually, we need to understand how that happens.

Living in God's Kingdom means we're walking in the direction Jesus is walking in and our lives are animated by the Holy Spirit. This was how we were created to live. And our best life is found within God's Kingdom. By contrast, “a kingdom of my own making” is when I decide to do things my own way. God doesn't force us to do anything, but instead invites us to voluntarily give up our inclination to decide good and evil for ourselves. The Bible, and life, is full of examples of people who do their own thing. They look at the direction Jesus is walking in, and choose a different path.

Are you aware that tests benefit the ones taking them? When God tested Abraham, it was for Abraham's benefit, not God's. The test was a difficult one; however, Abraham knew that God's commands are to be executed, not questioned. Although God has not commanded us to sacrifice our first born, He has commanded us to give Him our firstfruits. Abraham was so committed to following God's command that he not only bound and placed Isaac on the altar, he had in hand the knife to slay his son before the angel stopped him. Abraham called that place The LORD will provide because God provided a substitute for his son Isaac just like He provided a substitute for the world.

There are lots of hidden divine power of protection found in Psalm 91. These powers must be revealed to you. Remember, the enemy doesn't want you to pray. He does not want you to progress in the service of God. Psalm 91 teaches us a prayer of protection or covering and also reminds us to stay in His presence, for it's a permanent place of testimony.

Psalm 91 is a powerful book. Reading it makes you understand that you are untouchable by the enemy; it goes to Heaven to order angels to protect you; and it gives you peace and guarantees your victory. It is a prayer of deliverance and protection.

God is present everywhere: He sees and knows everything about everyone. Sinners are not conscious of His presence because they are dead in sin and trespasse. But when a sinner is born again, he receives eternal life that activates his spirit to be conscious of the presence of God every time. We must at all times, in all activities, before all men, possess the awesome perception of the Omniscient God.

God's Kingdom existed first in Heaven. When God created the earth, it was His desire that His Heavenly Kingdom be extended to the world He had created.  To fulfill this desire, God created a perfect environment as an extension of His Kingdom. In this Garden of Eden, He created the first man and woman who were to multiply and populate the earth. By this method of reproduction they were to extend the Kingdom throughout the world. The first man and woman, Adam and Eve, were given dominion over the earthly extension of God's Kingdom.

What do you understand about the Kingdom of God? About the significance of the role of the Kingdom in your life? To deepen your awareness of its relevance, ask the Holy Spirit to give you clarity as to its priority and meaning. The priority of Kingdom advancement in Jesus' prayer was a manifestation of its priority in His life. The same should be true of us. The prayer and priority of our lives should be Kingdom advancement. We are to engage in it every day, the way that Jesus did.

The spiritual realm is real. Spiritual awareness can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the spirit in question and the motive of the person seeking the awareness. Broadly speaking, spiritual awareness is being conscious of spiritual matters. All believers should possess a certain amount of spiritual awareness. We understand that we are in a spiritual battle and that satan has a plan, and we are not unaware of his schemes.

Jesus' focus was not on the power of the government, but on the power of God. He stood before Pilate in complete confidence. The same Kingdom that ruled and reigned in Jesus' heart and life should be ruling and reigning in ours as well. Unfortunately, we miss Kingdom's movements all the time.  Most of our favorite Bible characters did too.  It started in the garden with Adam and Eve. God broke into the world of both Abraham and his son.  He made special promises to both generations. Abraham's grandson, Jacob was on the run when God spoke to him in a dramatic way. At first Moses tried to force the Kingdom of God into action and killed a man in the process. God is always trying to break through our world, if we will only be aware of Him.

We must understand that all of our circumstances bring us a gift. Since we belong to Jesus, all our circumstances are in Him and He is in them for the purpose of giving us things. Because we are in the Kingdom now, we are subject to a different level of sovereignty. This means that nothing can bring us down, but everything can take us up. We are Kingdom people, and it's time we start thinking and living in a Kingdom way.

One of the most difficult—and yet most important—aspects of Kingdom living has to do with the simplification of life, as we become more Kingdom conscious.  We must learn to let go of some of the attachments to life.  God wants us to live a rich and satisfied life. In fact, it is the reason that Jesus Christ came to give His Life and reestablish a right relationship between God and His People. We must seek that which is given to us. We must become more aware of what the Kingdom has to offer. We must make it our passionate pursuit to receive the fullness of what God has given to us in His Kingdom.

King-dom = King's domain = implies authority & lordship. Basically, Jesus came into this earthly domain, ruled by the powers of darkness, and offered to all who were willing to receive - the benefits of His world. The Kingdom refers to the realm of God's domain - a realm of all sufficiency! Jesus illustrated the benefits of that Kingdom through His works of forgiveness, deliverance and healing. Jesus came but so did many surprises. His purpose was not according to their plan. His ways were not what they desired. His message of repentance caught them completely off-guard. In fact, He brought His world with Him!

Keep on watching at all times, praying...." The act of staying alert is connected to the act of continuing in prayer.The Apostle Paul connects alertness to prayer in Ephesians 6:18: “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Prayer is not something peripheral to the Christian life. It is not something that should get the leftovers of our time and attention. Rather, it deserves the best we can offer. We ought to pray when our minds are sharp.

As a Christian, there are several reasons why alertness must characterize our lives - that we cannot simply muddle our way day in and day out but instead must live with a greater sense of awareness as a result of our faith. Some of these reasons why the Christian must live alertly are: Jesus is coming back, opportunities are all around us, and we have the tendency to drift. So, stay alert! The enemy doesn't want you to keep moving. He wants you to stop so that evil can overtake you, bind you or destroy you. His intentions for you are never good even though it comes veiled as relief. Keep pushing. Keep pressing. Standing firm against the enemy is only possible on a platform of faith.

When the book of Haggai was written, it had been eighteen years since the Israelites had returned from their exile to Babylon. During this time, they prioritized rebuilding their lives and what was left of Jerusalem. However, God's temple remained in ruins. Through Haggai, one of the prophets, God called His people to make the rebuilding of His temple a priority over their own homes.