We need to start thinking in terms of kingdom… We need to think beyond Americanism and start realizing that we don’t have it all figured out and there is a whole world out there beyond here. What does a kingdom culture look like?
I am owned by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We need to get out of the mentality that I can do what I want when I want to do it. We are slaves to Jesus! We have been bought and purchased. We belong to another. We always have belonged to either darkness or light.
As much as He is my prize, I am His prize. Do you realize he won you?! At inestimable cost! What a marvel! Jesus apprehended me. He takes ahold of us and does not let go for anything. If you are a backslider, stop running because God will get you sooner or later! He apprehended us so that we may apprehend us! That’s what apprehending means. It is like a big wrap-around hug that won’t let go.
Do we disciple? Jesus said go and make disciples. Do we have a disciple? It means investing your life in someone. It might be an unlikely person, and sometimes the person that will be incredibly difficult for you. It is not about you, it is not about me. It is about Jesus Christ, and his love and his character. Sometimes I am so busy trying to find out who I am and rehashing everything I went through… Its time to get over it. Jesus wants to position you for a purpose. He has a plan for your life. God is not looking for super spiritual giants. He is just looking for super obedient people and he will fill you with his power and he take ordinary people and transform them into super servants in His name. We all have gifts. Find it. Exercise it. Step out. It’s not convenient. It never will be.
If there is anything the church needs to repent of, it is how we have treated the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the nitpicky person of the triune God. He will put his finger on all the issues in your life. You can not be a travailer until you die and become as Christ. you are the expressn of Christ. If you do not know who you are, how can you express who Christ is? God is love. God is light. We should be so filled with the light of God. Like a pure transparent crystal, we need to refract the pure light. If we are full of cloudiness and darkness, we can not refract that light.
If there is anything that rules the body of Christ it is fear and worry. Forget all that… Fall in love with Jesus. For He has apprehended us. You are not only the expression of His love, we are His declaration. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. You only have to be around Christians a little while to find out what’s in there. Is there substance, fire, life… What is in you? If I am the declaration of Christ, I better be the declaration of Christ.
God will give you the desires of your heart but send leanness to your souls if you persist in chasing after things that are not in His plan. Be careful what you ask for! If I do those things that the fathe tells me to do, I will be 100% successful. It is amazing what God will do if we are big enough to believe him. We should know the voice of God. My sheep hear my voice… The most important place to hear the voice of God is in His wonderful word. If we are not reading it, we are in trouble. Your life should be prophetic. When I speak, I speak from the substance that is within me, the fire, the passion. I declare the victory, glory and triumph of Christ.
What you breathe over your children will be reflected in their lives. Out of our mouths must flow sweet pure rivers of life. How can we go out and be the declaration of Jesus when we have bitterness, offense, anger and jealousy. We need to surrender it. Why would anyone listen to us when all we have is worse than them?!
We should have the spirit of excellence. They who know their God should be mighty and do exploits! If you have the character and nature of Jesus, you will do everything with an excellent spirit.
You are either going to displease God and please men, or displease men and please God. It is better to please God rather than men. I can not be intimidated about anything men think of me. I am the treasure of an almighty God. I am His declaration and expression. He lives powerfully in me. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. We are wishywashy because we don’t know who we are. God wants each of us to be a territorial governing entity. You see it, you enter it, you inherit it. Matthew 5-6-7 is the kingdom in a nutshell. To inherit the kingdom, I have to live the kingdom principles until I have kingdom authority. You won’t have kingdom authority until you live the kingdom principles. You can’t live kingdom life if you are a part of the world. god wants you to become a territorial governor in your family, in your workplace, in your social place by being an expression of Christ and when necessary the declaration of Christ. When I go into a conflict zone I do not become part of the conflict, I become a reconciler. Of course there is going to be a battle. To reach that place you will have fights. And most believers will give up.
Stop compromising… He is everything. Fall in love with Him!
Michael Howard, Sunday June 24, 2012