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Kingdom Authority
In these past few weeks we have been underscoring the fact that the great emphasis of Jesus in His earthly ministry was the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
It is interesting to note that in the New Testament, the phrase “Kingdom of God” is found 69 times, while the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” occurs 32 times and all in the Gospel according to Matthew.
While neither of these phrases are found in the Old Testament, there are numerous references to the subject. In fact, the prophecies in Daniel are very important in showing how both phrases developed.
Consider Dan 2:44: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”
Here we see the fact of the one Kingdom. It is the Kingdom of God, for He alone reigns over it. It is the Kingdom of Heaven, for Heaven is the location of His throne, and the sphere in which all of His subjects actually dwell! In Ephesians 2:6 we read how we who were dead in trespasses and sins, have been made alive in Christ, and even now are seated in heavenly places in Him!
When Jesus prayed, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” He knew that God was calling His children unto a heavenly life, which would actually have profound affects on the earthly plane. This is the nature of Kingdom authority. In one sense it is the ability to manifest heaven on earth!
This is in stark contrast with worldly authority, which is a forcing of one’s will over another. Jesus exemplified this authority that was of a heavenly nature, and He also instructed his disciples to follow suit. No mistake can be made concerning His attitude towards human authority, in favor of the power of the Life-giving Word of God!
Mat 20:25-28: “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, “You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'”
Luke 22:24-27: “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But you shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that does serve. For whether is greater, he that sits at the table, or he that serves? is not he that sits at the table? but I am among you as he that serves.'”
Kingdom authority is the ability to serve and give life, but never to control or coerce!
An example of this is found in the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to John. This was a point in time when many of His followers left Him. They said His teachings were just too hard. And so Jesus put to the twelve who remained:
“Will you also go away?”
Then Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life?”(John 6:68).
Jesus never violated anyone’s freedom of choice, but He did wield an authority such as no man has ever known! His authority was in the life that He possessed, and in His ability to share it with others!
To Peter and the others, no other choice would have been reasonable. There was nowhere else to go to satisfy that hunger for true divine, abundant and eternal life!
Reigning with Christ
It is important that we fully understand Biblical rulership. It is based on one’s inner light. Remember when in Genesis the greater light was to rule the day, and the lesser li[...]
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By Dan BeatyIn these past few weeks we have been underscoring the fact that the great emphasis of Jesus in His earthly ministry was the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
It is interesting to note that in the New Testament, the phrase “Kingdom of God” is found 69 times, while the phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” occurs 32 times and all in the Gospel according to Matthew.
While neither of these phrases are found in the Old Testament, there are numerous references to the subject. In fact, the prophecies in Daniel are very important in showing how both phrases developed.
Consider Dan 2:44: “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”
Here we see the fact of the one Kingdom. It is the Kingdom of God, for He alone reigns over it. It is the Kingdom of Heaven, for Heaven is the location of His throne, and the sphere in which all of His subjects actually dwell! In Ephesians 2:6 we read how we who were dead in trespasses and sins, have been made alive in Christ, and even now are seated in heavenly places in Him!
When Jesus prayed, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven,” He knew that God was calling His children unto a heavenly life, which would actually have profound affects on the earthly plane. This is the nature of Kingdom authority. In one sense it is the ability to manifest heaven on earth!
This is in stark contrast with worldly authority, which is a forcing of one’s will over another. Jesus exemplified this authority that was of a heavenly nature, and He also instructed his disciples to follow suit. No mistake can be made concerning His attitude towards human authority, in favor of the power of the Life-giving Word of God!
Mat 20:25-28: “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, “You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'”
Luke 22:24-27: “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But you shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that does serve. For whether is greater, he that sits at the table, or he that serves? is not he that sits at the table? but I am among you as he that serves.'”
Kingdom authority is the ability to serve and give life, but never to control or coerce!
An example of this is found in the sixth chapter of the Gospel according to John. This was a point in time when many of His followers left Him. They said His teachings were just too hard. And so Jesus put to the twelve who remained:
“Will you also go away?”
Then Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life?”(John 6:68).
Jesus never violated anyone’s freedom of choice, but He did wield an authority such as no man has ever known! His authority was in the life that He possessed, and in His ability to share it with others!
To Peter and the others, no other choice would have been reasonable. There was nowhere else to go to satisfy that hunger for true divine, abundant and eternal life!
Reigning with Christ
It is important that we fully understand Biblical rulership. It is based on one’s inner light. Remember when in Genesis the greater light was to rule the day, and the lesser li[...]