Keep in mind; Kingdom citizens have a different way of thinking compared to those who have developed a religious mind. A religious mind is also a mind that is conformed to this world, not God’s Kingdom. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 NLT
Once you are a citizen of God's Kingdom, you have all the benefits and protection of the King. Your faith in Him is your key focus point. King Jesus made that perfectly clear when He spoke to the woman in the crowd, who touched His garment. Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”
Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”
But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.” Mark 5:25-34 Keep in mind that the Kingdom hadn’t come yet, but the King recognized her faith in Him. Jesus didn’t notice the woman by sight, but He felt her faith in Him: “your faith has made you well”.
When the Lord Jesus made the statement “seek first the Kingdom”, He was telling us to make it our first priority. This was for our benefit. This is why: “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” Matthew 6:25-27
When you are under the authority of the King and His Kingdom, you have access to everything you will ever need. This is why you will never read in God’s Constitution about Jesus speaking about prosperity. Prosperity isn’t something to be sought after. It is an attribute of God’s Kingdom. It is only the Kingdom we seek after. Citizens in God’s Kingdom know that they have access and that they do not own anything. The King owns everything; we have access to Him. Through Him we have everything we need in His perfect timing. “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” Matthew 6:28-32 If your focus is on money and prosperity, you are out of the order of God’s Kingdom. Remember, prosperity is not a Kingdom focus. If the ministers you listen to are focused on prosperity and gaining wealth, they are out of sync with God’s Kingdom. There is nothing wrong with having money, as long as it isn’t your first priority and your daily focus!
Changing focus, especially when you teach from God’s Word, can be humbling and may require admitting your focus has been wrong. Sometimes we have to admit the Holy Spirit has led us to see things differently now, from the Lord God’s perspective. But changing direction to get on the right path is worth it all! A characteristic of a Kingdom citizen is to have a teachable spirit, where the Holy Spirit—our Governor—leads, as a child would follow their parent. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the Kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. Matthew 18:1-4
Another comparison between a religious person and a Kingdom citizen is that a religious person will get involved with the world’s situations, forcing their convictions on the world. We have all done it at some time, but as a Kingdom citizen we are an ambassador and are committed to representing God’s Kingdom. There certainly have been times that I had to remind myself what an ambassador does when dealing with a foreign government! We represent! Neither King Jesus nor His disciples were ever entangled with their world’s governmental system, nor did they work to change it. He stayed focused on His assignment and His purpose. The religious get involved with the world’s political battles and crises. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. John 16:33 NLT Kingdom citizens understand that this world is temporary and it needs Jesus and His Kingdom, where there is protection for all those who are its citizens. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17
The Kingdom of God was so important, that King Jesus stayed an additional forty days, teaching the Kingdom message. The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Acts 1:1-3 Note that He urged His disciples—apostles—not to make a move without the Holy Spirit, our Kingdom Governor. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:4-8 If you are operating a ministry without having the Governor living within you, you are operating in your own strength.
Ministry without the Holy Spirit is religion.
This is why religious leaders may strive to get the finances by any means necessary to operate their ministry. It is also why far too many succumb to sin and scandal. You cannot do ministry in your own strength. You need the power of the Holy Spirit! I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put My Spirit in you so that you will follow My decrees and be careful to obey My regulations. Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
of sin, because they do not believe in Me;
of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
of judgment, because the ruler of this world (Satan) is judged.
I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. John 16:7-15
Remember, your greatest asset is your faith in the Lord God’s Word.
All scriptures are NKJV unless noted
W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
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