As I’ve been saying for the last several weeks, I believe that the Lord is leading us into new season as we transition from the age of the church into the kingdom age. For centuries, the church has focused upon the ‘institution” instead of the “individual”. The individual was there to build and support the institution. The result was a culture in which Christians became spectators who supported the few “gifted and called’ to the ministry. It led to a culture of those doing “fulltime” ministry and those involved in the “secular” jobs. I believe in my heart that all this is about to be transitioned.
Jesus said this about the kingdom in Luke 17:20-21 (KJV)
“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is “within you.”
The Greek word of “within” is the word “envtos”. The prefix is “en” which means “in, inside, within the soul”. The opposite is the word “ektos” which means on the outside.
This would be consistent with the Apostle John’s statement in 1 John 4:4.
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
The predominant focus of this next season will be discovering who Christ is in you and who you are in Him, Colossians 1:27
“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Can you imagine a body of people moving in the fulness of that understanding? We will become unstoppable in Christ. Just like the 72 sent out by Jesus in Luke 10. They were sent out to prepare the regions for Jesus. That certainly got Satan’s attention as Jesus said this in Luke 10:18-20 (ESV)
He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
I believe we will be sent out in the same way to prepare the world for the second return of Jesus. Jesus will get the glory. It will no longer be about building a ministry. It will be about Jesus building His kingdom through us.
In contrast, it was a pharisaical perspective that only focused on outward behavior. The institutional church age focused on the externals. Behavioral modification only gets you so far. The internal work of the Holy Spirit brings total transformation into the image of Jesus.
The main emphasis of this age will be in relationship. Our gatherings will become more intentional in building relationships with Jesus and one another. Even the church of Ephesus needed to be reminded of not losing her first love, Revelation 2:2-7 (ESV)
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’”
One of our leaders, Tenille Ademiluyi received the following from the Lord last week.
“Ive been thinking alot about the concept of First Love and the message Jesus gave to the church at Ephesus. In many ways, I feel the increase we are experiencing of His Presence is a reawakening to First Love. We've been hard at work and Jesus honors that for He hates the wickedness that we are helping to expose. However, i believe He is inviting us to remember why we started this journey in the first place. We were wrecked by His beauty and just wanted to be near Him!”
As we enter this new season from the Lord, we don’t have to have it all figured out. We need to rest in our love for Him and for one another. Let our relationship with each other come to the point that we become inseparable in Christ, committed to see His kingdom come to earth. He will bring it about as we learn to obey the sound of His voice, trust in Him and be intentional in our love for Him and each other. When that happens, gifts, knowledge and prophecy will not longer be needed according to 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (ESV)
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Indeed, the best is yet to come!! Jesus saves the best wine till last!!