To simplify, Kingdom living is being obedient to God's Constitution that He gave us to use are our guide. If you want to live a victorious life, obey and live by His principles. When living a life as citizens of the Kingdom, your greatest challenges will come from the most unlikely people. Your biological family and closest friends may indeed be your biggest obstacles, at times, to Kingdom living. So fortify your mind to be strong in His Constitution. For example, the Lord Jesus' brothers and sisters weren't on the same page. They were some of His biggest critics against the Kingdom. After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.
Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. You go on. I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee. Notice that the Lord Jesus never put His biological father before His purpose or His mission for being here. Can you say the same thing? Also note, that His earthly father only played a small role in His earthly life. This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’"
When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. Keep in mind that even thought Joseph had a short part, in terms of time, it was significant. Joseph fulfilled his role and was obedient to the Lord God's messenger. In his situation, how many of us could say that of our behavior? This man believed in the Lord God's Word. How else could the scripture state "Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man..."?
First and foremost, Kingdom living is following the leading of the Holy Spirit (the Governor). Keep in mind, Joseph could have ignored the angel's message and follow the law of Moses. “Suppose a man marries a woman but she does not please him. Having discovered something wrong with her, he writes a document of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house. " Remember, Joseph had the power of choice, but he chose to obey the Lord God's messenger (angel), and that was in a dream. If you desire to become a leader, first you must learn how to follow instruction. A great leader leads by example. In essence, Kingdom living is all about learning how to follow instructions. King David gave this charge to his son, Solomon: As the time of King David’s death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon:
“I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
Our children are to be taught the Kingdom principles by our lives and our behavior. For example, telling them not to lie or steal won't do much good if they see you calling in sick from work just to get a day off or keeping things that don't belong to you. Children hear what you say, but believe what you do. Kingdom living is always on display. You are called to be a walking, talking example of God's Constitution. That is Kingdom living; not Christian living or religious living. It's not about symbols or catchy phrases. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” It is about being guided and directed by the Holy Spirit as we travel through this world, in the midst of their rebellion against their Creator. Remember, in the midst of ambassador Paul's trials he managed to encourage other citizens of the Kingdom (disciples). When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Yes, that is correct, we are to encourage others in the Kingdom, even when we go through trials. This is all part of Kingdom living. Also, I want you to realize, you can't do it in your own strength. It takes our Governor (the Holy Spirit) working inside of you. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us. Anything else is by your own efforts. That becomes legalism. There is freedom in being guided by the Holy Spirit.
John 7:1-9 Matthew 1:18-25 Deuteronomy 24:1 I Kings 2:1-4
John 13:34-35 Acts 20:1-2 I John 3:24
~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
Jesus replied, “Now is not the right time for me to go, but you can go anytime. The world can’t hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. You go on. I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” After saying these things, Jesus remained in Galilee. Notice that the Lord Jesus never put His biological father before His purpose or His mission for being here. Can you say the same thing? Also note, that His earthly father only played a small role in His earthly life. This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’"
When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus. Keep in mind that even thought Joseph had a short part, in terms of time, it was significant. Joseph fulfilled his role and was obedient to the Lord God's messenger. In his situation, how many of us could say that of our behavior? This man believed in the Lord God's Word. How else could the scripture state "Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man..."?
First and foremost, Kingdom living is following the leading of the Holy Spirit (the Governor). Keep in mind, Joseph could have ignored the angel's message and follow the law of Moses. “Suppose a man marries a woman but she does not please him. Having discovered something wrong with her, he writes a document of divorce, hands it to her, and sends her away from his house. " Remember, Joseph had the power of choice, but he chose to obey the Lord God's messenger (angel), and that was in a dream. If you desire to become a leader, first you must learn how to follow instruction. A great leader leads by example. In essence, Kingdom living is all about learning how to follow instructions. King David gave this charge to his son, Solomon: As the time of King David’s death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon:
“I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man. Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go. If you do this, then the Lord will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, ‘If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
Our children are to be taught the Kingdom principles by our lives and our behavior. For example, telling them not to lie or steal won't do much good if they see you calling in sick from work just to get a day off or keeping things that don't belong to you. Children hear what you say, but believe what you do. Kingdom living is always on display. You are called to be a walking, talking example of God's Constitution. That is Kingdom living; not Christian living or religious living. It's not about symbols or catchy phrases. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” It is about being guided and directed by the Holy Spirit as we travel through this world, in the midst of their rebellion against their Creator. Remember, in the midst of ambassador Paul's trials he managed to encourage other citizens of the Kingdom (disciples). When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said good-bye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Yes, that is correct, we are to encourage others in the Kingdom, even when we go through trials. This is all part of Kingdom living. Also, I want you to realize, you can't do it in your own strength. It takes our Governor (the Holy Spirit) working inside of you. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us. Anything else is by your own efforts. That becomes legalism. There is freedom in being guided by the Holy Spirit.
John 7:1-9 Matthew 1:18-25 Deuteronomy 24:1 I Kings 2:1-4
John 13:34-35 Acts 20:1-2 I John 3:24
~~W.R. Luchie
www.kingdomcitizens.org
This article may only be reproduced, in print or on the internet, if the author's name and website address are included at the end of the article as originally placed. Thank you
