Posts for category ‘Kingdom’

Jesus, in Matthew 6:10, has told us to pray for the Father’s kingdom to come and His will to be done in earth just as it is done in heaven.

I believe that we should do this.  I also think that we must know that, in praying for these two things to be brought to pass, that there is a price that we will pay in participating in these two things.

For Father’s kingdom to come in this earth is not just about the physical earth. I believe that the “earth” that is first meant is us. We individually and corporately are earth. Adam was made of the dust of the earth and so are we.

The kingdom or the “rule of God” must first be established in our lives. We must choose to be under the rule of God and partake of all that this means.

When we were born-again we were,

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: ¹³ Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:12-13)

We are in the kingdom by the “new birth” but we must begin to live by kingdom principles. Jesus was speaking of this when HE said,

And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)

Another word or term for LORD is king.

So it seems to me that if we call Him our Lord we are also calling Him our king. Since He is King then His word is law. My question is:  Do we live like this? Are we doing the things He says to do? We may be in the kingdom but we must live by kingdom principles and precepts or, in other words, do what He says.

There is a cost or a price to pay to live according to His Word in our daily lives. We have to determine that whatever that price is we are willing to pay it. Listen to what Apostle Paul has to say in regard to this:

and when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, ²² Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:21-22)

He knew of which he spoke for in verse 19 of this same chapter we read that Paul was stoned and left for dead for what he had said and done. Is this something that we might expect? This, at this time, may seem to be extreme. However it is possible for this to happen today if you, on purpose, are placing His word above everything else in this life.

The price that we are more apt to have to pay at this time would be the loss of friendship with some or perhaps the separation of families.

The word that Apostle Paul uses in Acts 14:22 that is translated “tribulation” means stress, strain, trouble and testing.

So we must realize that to pray for the will of our Father to be done in our lives and to pray that His rule in our lives would be made manifest, we must know that there will be strain, stress and opposition.

Then as we go further into Matthew 6 we see this:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

We see that Our King says to “seek first” His rule, realm, domain and dominion. The first priority of our life is to seek to be under His rule, in His realm and under His authority.

Our problem is we want the things that this will produce in our lives but we in most cases do not know or understand that there is a price to pay in seeking first His kingdom.

There is a picture of all of this in the following verses:

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, each one a leader among them.” (Numbers 13:1-2)

In the same way we have a similar statement in New Testament by Jesus:

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give (offer-show) you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

There was and is a kingdom given but there is a price to pay; battles to be won.

We find that when the spies went into the land they found that it was a good land; the fruit of it was good but there were giants in the land and there were walled cities. They became fearful and intimidated and, in turn, discouraged the hearts of all the people.

The people of Israel wanted the Promised Land but their thinking was that it would be given to them without any effort on their part. When they saw that there was a price they had to pay by driving out the residents of the land they were fearful and discouraged.

The church has first of all thought that the Promised Land was getting to go to heaven. This is a mistake because there are no giants in heaven; neither are there walled cities there that must be defeated.

The Promised Land is a picture of the Kingdom of God that Jesus told us to seek first.

We must understand that the Kingdom of God is here in the earth and that it is occupied by and controlled by an “alien being” that must be driven out. Apostle Paul said it this way:

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: ⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2Corinthians 4:3-4)

The “god of this world” is the same being that lied to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He deceived them into giving to him the dominion that the LORD GOD had given them.

The glorious gospel of Jesus Christ is not about us going to heaven. In reality the “good news” is that the Kingdom has been restored to us in Jesus Christ. The dominion that Almighty God gave to Adam in Genesis 1:26 has been restored.

Where the problem comes in is what Paul told us:

And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, ²²Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:21-22)

Jesus made the way for us to become “sons of God” through the new birth. In the new birth we can see the kingdom and we are made able to enter it.

We, as “born again” sons of God, must be willing to learn His word, His will and His way and begin to occupy the land by driving out the former inhabitants. We do this by listening to Jesus’ voice; allowing Him to renew our minds through His word and by doing His Word in our daily lives; not just at church.

Then, what is Father’s desire will be fully accomplished:

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

Father desires a Kingdom of sons who are conformed to the very image of Jesus, our Lord.

If we believe the Kingdom has been given to us, we must know the reality of what it takes to possess the land, not allowing discouragement to get on us or in us lest we negatively affect the lives of those following after us!

We must give a good report of the land and not our opinions. It is a good land. There are giants in the land, but the Lord is with us and we are well able to posses the land.

(FOR AN AUDIO OF THIS ARTICLE, REFER TO THE SERMON.NET AUDIO PLAYER IN THE SIDEBAR)

Genesis 26:18—-Isaiah12:3—John 7:37-38

Genesis 26:18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.

Isaiah12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. ³Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. ³⁸He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

When we look into the scripture and see the types and shadows of Jesus and His ministry we find that Isaac is one of these shadows.

When Isaac re-dug the wells of his father Abraham if we think about it a little we can see that the water from these wells are pictured in some of the things that Jesus restored or re-dug for us in His finished work at the cross.

When the scripture says to draw water from the “wells of salvation” I believe that we could say it this way; “draw water from the wells of Jesus”.  The reason I say this is because His name, Jesus, means “salvation; savior.”

Matthew 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. ²¹And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

When we look at the Hebrew word used in Isaiah12:3 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation, the word “salvation” is the same root word for Jesus’ name in Hebrew.

So let’s look at the “wells of Jesus” not necessarily in order of importance.

1.         RESTORATION OF THE WELL OF SONSHIP-RELATIONSHIP

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. ²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

To all who receive Him He gives to them the power to become sons (children) of God.

We also receive the Spirit of adoption through which we cry out Abba, Father. God Almighty is truly our Father.

We must drink of this well or in other words believe He is who He says He is and that we are who He says we are in order for us to fulfill His purpose for us in the life we live here. If I do not have a clear understanding that I am who He says I am then I live a life that short changes Him, the world and me as well.

Today we are children of God. This must be heard, believed and received into the very core of our being.

2.         RESTORATION OF THE WELL OF THE BROKEN IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

We see in these verses the intention of our Father God, even in the Garden of Eden. Our Father foreknew Adam even before He made him in the Garden.

When the Lord God placed man in the Garden of Eden it is clearly stated that man was made in the image and likeness of God Himself.

The image and likeness of God was broken when they disobeyed the Word that was given to them.

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; ²¹That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. ²²And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: ²³I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Could it be that even the above verses are about the image and likeness of God being restored so that we would be “one inThem?”

It seems to me that we need to drink fully of the water of this “well of Jesus” that has been re-dug for us.

3.         RESTORATION OF THE WELL OF DOMINION-KINGDOM RELATIONSHIP

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Psalms 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  ⁵For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. ⁶Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The dominion mandate that the LORD GOD gave to Adam was what the serpent was after. It was what he wanted above everything else. He thought that this was what separated him from being God.

What satan did in Adam in breaking the image of God in man and taking the dominion or kingdom by deceit, God our Father more than overcame by what HE did in Christ Jesus

We see in Psalm 8:5 that Father

“made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.”

The word angel is defined as follows:

0430 ‘elohiym,  el-o-heem’  gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:–angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.

It seems to me that Father God made man a little lower than Himself. This tells me that the serpent wanted that position and this is what he was after in the garden. Satan wanted this because, in reality, angels are a lower order of being or creation than man is as a son of God.

This is why the scripture says the following in 1 Peter 1:12:

Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Angels desired to look into the glory that the LORD created when He made Adam as His son (see Luke 3.38).

Jesus, at the cross, re-dug for us the “dominion or kingdom relationship” well so that we could drink deeply from it.

In this He has done the following:

Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy.”

We, by drinking from this well, have the power to be “witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Wherever we are we have this ability to demonstrate the kingdom life, purpose and plan in our lives that men might see God in us.

4.         RESTORATION OF THE WELL OF KINGDOM AUTHORITY-THE DESTRUCTION OF THE  WORKS OF THE DEVIL

Luke 11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

Luke 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom

1 John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

The word destroy in 1John 3:8 does not mean to obliterate or to completely put out of existence. It means to dissolve, melt, breakup or put off.

3089. loo’-o a primary verb; to “loosen” (literally or figuratively):–break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-loose, melt, put off.

This throws light on what Jesus did when the scripture says “destroy the works of the devil.”

Since we know that the devil is still at work it helps us to understand that Jesus did not fail. If ice melts it did not cease to exist. It was just loosed from its form or simply dissolved.

So the works of the devil have been dissolved in our lives by Jesus. We have been given authority to keep it that way, ourselves, if we know and believe what Jesus did for us and what He provided for us at the cross and in pouring out His Spirit on us.

2 Timothy 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, ⁹who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,¹⁰but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

2673. katargeo,- to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively:–abolish, become (make) of no (none, without) effect, bring (come) to nought, make void.

We also know that death has not been done away with because people are still dying physically.

What Apostle Paul is saying is that “spiritual death” is rendered useless or made of no effect, or brought to naught because we have been given the very “life of God” by being born again.

What Adam lost in the Garden has more than been restored to us in Christ Jesus. Adam died but not physically; he lost the image of God; he lost the sonship-relationship; he lost kingdom dominion and authority in dying spiritually or being separated from the Life of God.

I say again:  What satan did in Adam God our Father more than overcame and restored for us in Christ Jesus.

Just as Jesus demonstrated the authority of the Kingdom of God by His words, deeds, attitudes and by what motivated Him, so we can also drink from this well that He has restored to us.

John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

Now let’s do what the “woman at the well” did.

John 4:6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. ⁷A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”  ⁸For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. ⁹Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. ¹⁰Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” ¹¹The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? ¹²“Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” ¹³Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, ¹⁴“but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

The “Wells of Jesus” are flowing!  The ‘Wells of Jesus” are life giving! The “Wells of Jesus” are ours to drink from!!

Drink deeply and fully.

This is what I think:

If we get caught up in fighting for what is right and for our rights will it be a God thing or a good thing?

We have been told that “right is might” but is it really? Is this speaking of what is the “rights of man” or what we as men perceive to be the right way to live.

 

Or do we, when we say “right is might,” refer to the “rights of our LORD.”  Are we referring to what HE says is the right way to live?

 

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

 

This is speaking of being and doing what the LORD says is right. Even if it means losing my rights as I see them.

 

Am I willing to deny myself what I call my rights so as to have HIS righteousness working in my life; to allow HIM to have HIS rights and HIS way in me and with me?

 

Acts 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him

 

If in fighting for what is right will I expend more energy in that fight than I do in living and preaching the Kingdom?

 

Having what I perceive to be my rights may be a great thing but is it not greater for the LORD to have HIS rights worked out in my life? Where do I draw the line at fighting for my rights and living in the Kingdom of God, allowing HIM to have HIS rights worked out in my life? The question is, am I abandoned to the LORD?

 

Where did Jesus fight against evil other than by doing what He saw His Father doing or saying what HE heard His Father say?

 

1Peter 2:19-23 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. ²⁰ For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God  ²¹ For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps  ²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

 

1Peter 3:10-15 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: ¹¹ Let him eschew (turn away from) evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. ¹² For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. ¹³ And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? ¹⁴ But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; ¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

 

1Peter 4:1-2  Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, ² that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

 

Jesus had rights that were denied to HIM. The trial and the crucifixion were illegal, even by the Jew’s own law. But HE did not fight against them.

 

Will we follow the LORD and do what HE says even when we know that it will lead to our being denied what we call our rights?  Will we spend time and effort fighting to make things right or will we spend the time and effort to preach, teach and live the Kingdom and let the chips fall where they may?

 

Will we be willing and able as Peter and John to stand even when our freedom to live as we see fit is questioned and even possibly taken because of our obedience to the Word of the LORD? Will we fight for our rights or just obey the leading of the Holy Spirit? See the following verses.

 

Acts 4:1-20  And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, ² Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. ³ And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. ⁴ Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. ⁵ And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, ⁶ And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. ₇ And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?  ⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, ⁹ If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; ¹⁰ Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. ¹² Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. ¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. ¹⁵ But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, ¹⁶ Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. ¹⁸ And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. ²⁰ For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

 

I am not afraid of a fight but I am fearful of missing my objective of the Kingdom by climbing the mountain from the wrong side.

Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

We are told that there are two ways or two paths that we can travel.

 

One leads to life and the other leads to destruction. What the church world has told us that this is the path to heaven or hell.

 

In the teachings and messages of Jesus we find that HE came preaching, teaching and demonstrating the “Kingdom of God”.

 

Mt 9:35 ¶ And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

 

He spoke of heaven and hell but heaven and hell was not His message.

 

Heaven and hell are real places but this is not the message Jesus brought; the message is “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you”.

 

Let’s look at this and discover what He was really speaking of.

 

When Jesus called His disciples He did not talk to them about heaven or hell.

 

Mt 4:18 ¶ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

 

He told them that if they would follow Him He would make them to become something. He would make them to be more than they were.

 

What were they? They were fishermen and they were sons of the covenant or we could say sons of Abraham.

 

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

 

They could become sons of God and also fishers of men.

 

Becoming a son of God is predicated on receiving Him and believing on Him or better said “into Him”.

 

Becoming a “fisher of men” was predicated on the invitation to “follow me”

 

I believe the invitation to “follow Him” was the invitation to discipleship not to heaven.

 

Mt 16:24 ¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

 

Here in the above verse the LORD is not talking about denying yourself so as to get to go to heaven but to become a disciple and how to become a “fisher of men”.

 

If He was speaking of heaven then the following verses are not for us today.

 

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

The reason being that “denying yourself” is works and it is not by works that we are saved.

 

If for a moment we look back at the first two verses we can find the understanding of the “Two Ways to Live”.

 

Mt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

I believe that the “strait gate” or “narrow gate” is the “way of discipleship”; this leads to the “life of God” being made manifest in our daily lives. This puts us on the pathway for the purpose of God to be demonstrated in us and through us here in this time.

 

The “broad way that leads to destruction” is simply not submitting to being discipled. This does not mean that you are not saved but that the purpose, desire and plan of God for our lives here is first hindered and finally destroyed if there are not steps made to be discipled.

 

The religious system or church culture that we live in does not really promote discipleship.

 

The following verse shows this; Mt 9:37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

 

There is a harvest that is even now plentiful but it is still as Jesus said “the laborers are few”

 

The Greek word that is translated few does not just mean few in number but also few in degree or extent or “puny”, of little value or of little duration.

 

I believe that the reason the laborers are puny is because we lead a man to the LORD and then try to make a laborer out of him. I believe that the church has skipped the step of making disciples.

 

It does not mean that this person is not saved but that he has never been discipled. Being discipled is what qualifies and equips this person.

 

The church has not heard and obeyed what Jesus said; Mt 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

 20 “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

To be discipled is a process and is not a quick thing; we have been in a hurry to “win the world for Jesus”. We have put mass evangelism before discipleship and have led people down the “broad way that leads to destruction”.

 

Unless and until we will follow Jesus clear command to preach, teach and demonstrate the kingdom of God and make disciples we will continue in the same insanity that the church has been in for the last fifteen hundred years.

 

 

 

 

 

Joh 10:1 ¶ “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

 

Eze 34:31 And ye my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord Jehovah. And ye my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord Jehovah.

 

If men are the sheep of Gods pasture and the earth is where HE has placed men then I believe that we could say that the earth is the sheepfold.

 

Now it is simple deduction to come to the understanding that the “door of the sheepfold” is the womb of a woman. If you get into the sheepfold any other way than through the door you are a thief and a robber.

 

HE is speaking about entering into the kingdom of this world through the proper door

 

Then Jesus says that “he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” He is speaking of himself here; that he came legally into the sheepfold, HE was born of a woman.

 

Ga 4:4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

 

We must also see that, the serpent our adversary, was not born into the sheepfold through the womb of a woman. He was and is a trespasser. He deceived Adam and Eve and still is doing that.

 

Then we see in vs. 7 Jesus mentions another door.

 

Joh 10:7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

 

Here HE is telling us that HE is the door for the sheep, men, to enter into the “kingdom of God.”

 

Joh 10:9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

 

Let’s think a little here and see if there is something here we need, something to think about other than being saved!

 

He says “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

 

What does he mean “go in and out and find pasture?”

 

We live in two worlds whether we understand it or not. We live in this “present evil world”, the physical world that we were born into by natural birth.

 

We also live in the “kingdom of God”. Which we were born into by the new birth.

 

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

Col 1:12 ¶ giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

 

1Jo 5:1 ¶ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

 

We live in this world but we also are in the “kingdom of God”. We have access to God;

 

Eph 2:18 For through him (Jesus) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

 

Whatever I need in this present world that I live in, I can go into my Fathers presence because I have access to HIM and I can expect HIM to hear my prayers and to meet my needs.

 

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”

 

1Jo 5:14 ¶ And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him

 

Then we read in John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly

 

The thief came into the sheepfold to steal, kill and destroy.

 

This is exactly what happened when Adam and Eve fell for his deception. The kingdom was stolen from them, they died spiritually (separated from the Father) and the hope for the purpose of God in their life was destroyed.

 

They did not lose heaven they lost the purpose of The Father in their lives here in the earth.