UNDERSTANDING YOUR PLACE IN YAH'S KINGDOM

Genesis chapter 1













Today we are walking in: Understanding Your Place in Yah's Kingdom










Today we look to the word-UNDERSTAND- H8085 shama`--to hear with attention or interest, listen to understand (language)










The Torah testifies...............




Genesis 11:7




Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand H8085 one another's speech.










The prophets proclaim..................




Nehemiah 8:2




And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear H8085 with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.











The writings bear witness...........................




1 Kings 3:9




Give therefore thy servant an understanding H8085 heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?










Introduction




The greatest threat to civil society is mankind. Every day the flood of images on our television screens tells the sad story. Blood, death, diplomacy, conflict, hatred, fear, poverty, starvation, rape, genocide, refugees and human migration, natural disasters, daily bombings, economic uncertainty, immigration, corporate corruption, moral decay, sexual revolution, and clash of counter cultures—all of these testify to the undeniable fact that we are our own worst enemy.




All of our universities, cyber-space technology, iPhones, think tanks, G-8 meetings, fiscal and immigration policies, medical advancements, social experiments, religious conferences, peace marches, and declarations of cease-fire and peace on earth all seem to collapse at the mercy of our own self-imposed destructive spirit. We build buildings and then bomb them; we make weapons and then use them on ourselves; we invent medicines that heal and then withhold them from the sick; we improve the World Wide Web to enhance global communication and then use it to destroy the moral fiber of our children. We are our own greatest enemy.




The Source of Religion




All of this is compounded by our establishment of sophisticated religions into which we retreat to escape the social chaos we have created. Religion is the most powerful force on earth. Despite the claims of many to the contrary, everyone on earth is religious. Religion is defined as the adherence to a set of beliefs that regulate the moral, social, and ritualistic behavior of the individual. This definition would include the so-called atheist, secularist, communist, socialist, humanist or agnostic, for they all adhere to a belief system of some kind, even if it is the belief that there is no providential component in creation or life as we know it, or a belief in the power of the human as the supreme measure of truth and right.




Virtually every major problem in history and in our contemporary world can be traced to some religious foundation. Religion has motivated the massacre of millions over the years in such horrific events as the Crusades, the Inquisition, and wars related to the Protestant Reformation and the Catholic Counterreformation. Slavery, ethnic cleansing, apartheid, segregation, racial discrimination, and other oppressive practices all have been justified by some religious code or system.




Even this new millennium commenced with definitive acts of religious terrorism. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 sent shock waves through the global nervous system of mankind and continues today to fuel the fires of conflict, hatred, fear, and murder throughout the world. How ironic it is that religion, the very thing that by its nature is supposed to provide the solution to mankind’s problems and provide hope and faith for life, has itself created more problems throughout history than it has solved.




Perhaps this is one reason so many millions have turned away from all forms of institutionalized religions and opted to embrace such philosophies as humanism, communism, and agnosticism. Some have simply given up and lost all hope in humanity. I myself have struggled long to come to grips with this dichotomy of human nature—our desire to worship and serve some deity that we claim to be benevolent and loving, while at the same time demonstrating a destructive zeal motivated by our “allegiance” to this same deity. Along the way I too lost faith in the concept of religion and in a real sense had to seek for something beyond and superior to these defective practices created by man.




Yet religion is a natural phenomenon that exists in some form in every human culture—and always has. Primitive and modern human societies alike manifest religious rituals that define their culture and communal life. This raises the natural question: What is the source of religion, and why is it such a natural, inherent characteristic of the human ruach?




Thirty-five years of research and personal exploration of this question have led me to the conclusion that religion is the result of an inherent hunger in the human spirit that man cannot define yet must seek to satisfy. This indefinable hunger, arising from a vacuum created by the loss of something man used to possess, drives him to pursue answers beyond his own realm. Generations of humans have attempted to satisfy this hunger through superstitions, sophisticated rituals, customs, and practices that often seem to defy human logic and reason. Most human religious activities attempt to deal with the questions of mankind’s existence and purpose as well as life after death and the unknown spiritual world. Many of these religions are attractive because they promise their adherents power to control the circumstances of their daily lives. Whether or not they can deliver on this promise is another matter.




The purpose of this series is to help you address these questions and to present to you a proposition that goes beyond religion straight to the heart of mankind’s greatest need and offers a solution to this universal human search. I am convinced that every person on earth ultimately is searching for two things in life: power and purpose. All of us look for meaning for our existence and the power to control our lives and our circumstances; power to determine the future and predict the unknown; power over death and life. We seek this purpose and power in many ways: religion, politics, money, fame, notoriety, recognition, influence. Our pursuit of purpose and power is the primary source and motivation for the development of religion.




All Religions are the Same




All religions are the same in the sense that they attempt to answer the questions of power and meaning. They all promise power to control life and circumstances and to explain life and death. They all claim to have the truth. They all claim superiority over each other. They all compare and compete with each other. They all demand adherence to their particular belief system while denying the others. They all are motivated by contention and usually thrive in an isolated culture that excludes other segments of humanity. In fact, all religions seem to glory in a spirit of segregation and separatism. Rather than uniting humanity with common power and knowledge of purpose, religion has proven itself instead to be the great divider of mankind.




The Nonreligious Answer




This is not a religious teaching but a series about a concept that was introduced at the beginning of the creation of man. That concept is the source of the human search, and its absence is the reason why man “invented” religion. Before I can attempt to discuss this dynamic concept, it is necessary to refer to the document where it was first introduced. In the “book of beginnings,” the first book of Moses, the great Hebrew writer and freedom fighter, these words explain the reason for mankind’s search for purpose and power:




Then Yah said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26 NKJV, emphasis added).




This statement documents the most important declaration ever made regarding mankind. It declares the motivation, nature, purpose, and mandate behind mankind’s creation. As this statement makes clear, dominion is the purpose for man’s creation and existence. The word “dominion” here translates the Hebrew word mamlakah, which can also be translated as “kingdom,” “sovereign rule,” or “royal power.” In essence, mankind was created to have rulership over the earth.




The first thing man was given by his Creator was a “kingdom.” This initial assignment and mandate of “kingdom” is the Creator’s primary purpose and motivation for His human creatures. Dominion sets the framework for all the desires, passions, and activities of mankind and is the key to his fulfillment and personal and corporate peace. It is also the foundation and source of his need to control and rule his environment and circumstances. It is this kingdom mandate that validates man’s desire for power. Power is natural to the human spirit.




The Loss of Power




Mankind’s failure through disobedience to his Creator resulted in the loss of his dominion over the earth. He lost his kingdom mandate, his gift of divine power. In short, man lost his kingdom. It is important to note here that when man fell from grace, he lost a kingdom, not a religion. He lost dominion over the earth; he did not lose Heaven. Therefore, mankind’s search is not for a religion or for Heaven, but for his kingdom.




This is why religion can never satisfy the deep hunger in the heart of man. Religion is itself the search. No religion can substitute for the kingdom or fill the vacuum in man’s soul. The hunger of the human heart is for the lost kingdom.




The Message of the Bible




A careful and honest look at the biblical Script will reveal that the fundamental message of this greatly misunderstood Book is about a King and a Kingdom. The Bible is not primarily about a religion or rituals, but about the establishment of a kingdom rulership on this planet from the heavenly realm. It is about a divine project of governing earth from Heaven through mankind. In practical terms, the Bible is about a royal family mandated to colonize earth from Heaven.




This kingdom assignment is the priority of Yah the Creator and the object of mankind’s inherent pursuit.




Misunderstanding Yahusha




I believe no one who has ever lived has been misunderstood more than the young teacher who happened to be born, not by preference but by promise, through the line of the Old Testament Hebrew patriarch Abraham—Yahusha the Hamachiach. Misunderstanding Yahusha has caused Muslims to reject Him, Hindus to suspect Him, Buddhists to ignore Him, atheists to hate Him, and agnostics to deny Him. But it just may be those who claim to represent Him the most—Christians—who have in fact misunderstood and, therefore, misrepresented Him the most.




If my last statement sounds outlandish and way off the mark to you, let me encourage you to listen to the rest of this series before closing your mind to this possibility. In my own life I have had to come to grips with my own personal defects related to my understanding of Yahusha and His message. This series will demonstrate beyond doubt that Yahusha’ message, assignment, passion, and purpose were not to establish a religion of rituals and rules but rather to reintroduce a kingdom. Everything Yahusha said and did—His prayers, teachings, healings, and miracles—was focused on a kingdom, not a religion. Yahusha was preoccupied with the Kingdom; it was His top priority, His heavenly mandate.




Those to whom He came first, the Jews, misunderstood Yahusha and saw Him as a rebel, a misfit, and a fanatic. In their minds He was, at best, a misguided rabbinical teacher spreading heresies that contaminated the teachings and laws of Moses and Hebrewism. In truth, they had reduced the message of Moses to a sophisticated religion where strict observance of the laws became more important than the original purpose for those laws. And they expected Yahusha to do the same. The original intent of Yah’s mandate to Moses was not to establish a religion but a nation of people who would love, serve, and honor Yah—a “royal priesthood [and] a holy nation” (see 1 Pet. 2:9).




The Muslim misunderstands Him as simply another in a line of prophets who was a great teacher, a good man, and a great prophet, but who fell short and failed to deliver the finished work of redemption to mankind.




The Hindu misunderstands Him as a good teacher, a good man, and just another deity to add to their list of Yahs to provide a service in their need for spiritual security.




The atheist, agnostic, and humanist see him as a mere man, an historical figure, whom a group of misguided men transformed into a Yah and an object of worship. They acknowledge that Yahusha existed but deny any of His miracles as well as His claim to divinity.




The media, scientists, and secularists see Him as fair game for investigation and criticism. They acknowledge Him as an interesting subject for arguments, theories, discussion, and debates while ignoring His divine claims and questioning His validity, integrity, and sometimes, His very existence.




Christians have misunderstood Him as the founder of a religion and have transformed His teachings and His methods into customs and His activities into rituals. Many even have reduced His message to nothing more than an escapist plan for getting to heaven and His promises as a mere fire insurance policy for escaping the pains of a tormenting hell.




And yet a simple study and review of His message and priority reveals that Yahusha had only one message, one mandate, and one mission—the return of the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. From the very beginning, Yahusha made it clear that the principal need of the human race, and the only solution to mankind’s dilemma was the Kingdom of Heaven. His first public statements reveal this Kingdom priority:




From that time on Yahusha began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17).




Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3).




Yahusha’ first announcement was the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven. His solution to the malnourished and bankrupt human spirit was not a religion but the Kingdom of Heaven. In other words, if you are spiritually poor, only the Kingdom will satisfy and fulfill your hunger. The Kingdom is Yah’s priority and must become our priority if we are to overcome the confusion of religions and the threat of self-destruction.




Religion versus Kingdom




The power of religion lies in its ability to serve as a substitute for the Kingdom and thus hinder mankind from pursuing the genuine answer to his dilemma. My study of the nature of religion and how it impacts the process of man’s search for the Kingdom uncovered several significant truths:




Religion preoccupies man until he finds the Kingdom. Religion is what man does until he finds the Kingdom.




Religion prepares man to leave earth; the Kingdom empowers man to dominate earth.




Religion focuses on Heaven; the Kingdom focuses on earth.




Religion is reaching up to Yah; the Kingdom is Yah coming down to man.




Religion wants to escape earth; the Kingdom impacts, influences and changes earth.




Religion seeks to take earth to Heaven; the Kingdom seeks to bring Heaven to earth.




Perhaps this is why Yahusha addressed the religious leaders of His day so strongly when He said:




Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to....Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are (Matthew 23:13,15).




Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Yahusha from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!” Yahusha replied, “And why do you break the command of Yah for the sake of your tradition?” (Matthew 15:1-3).




Thus you nullify the word of Yah for the sake of your tradition

(Matthew 15:6b).




For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).




Yahusha said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of Yah ahead of you” (Matthew 21:31b).




It seems clear from these words that religion is one of the greatest obstacles to the Kingdom. Perhaps this may be cause for us all to take another look at the power of religion over our lives, culture, and society.




Back to the Kingdom




Christianity as a religion is well-known, well-established, well-studied, well-researched, well-recorded, and well- distributed; but little or nothing is known about the Kingdom. As a matter of fact, most of those trained in official institutions to understand the Christian faith and propagate its purported message graduate without ever taking a single course in Kingdom studies. Often, no such course is available. The result is that few so-called ordained ministers and priests have any formal instruction at all in any Kingdom concept. Their priority is in propagating the Christian religion rather than the message and concepts of the Kingdom of Yah.




This perpetuation of the Christian religion and its rituals, customs, and rites has left a great vacuum in the world that must and can be filled only by understanding the Kingdom.




In this series you will learn what a kingdom is, what it consists of, how it functions, and all the components that make a kingdom unique. You will also discover the difference between a kingdom and a religion, and how it compares with all other forms of government. You will be instructed in principles of Kingdom concepts, how they relate to your daily life and how you can appropriate Kingdom citizenship here and now. This series will help you appreciate that you cannot appropriate what you don’t understand nor experience what you postpone. This is your practical guide to understanding the most important message mankind has ever received; a message the whole world desperately needs to hear. This series will equip you not only to receive that message but also to share it effectively with others.

KINGDOM CULTURE

Genesis chapter 4













Today we are walking in: Kingdom Culture










Today we look to the word-NATION-H1471 gowy--nation, people; usually of Hebrew people; of descendants of Abraham; of Israel











The Torah testifies.........……


Exodus 19:6


And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. H1471 These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.










The prophets proclaim..................






Isaiah 2:2


And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations H1471 shall flow unto it.















The writings bear witness............




Psalm 66:7


He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations:H1471 let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.





KINGDOM CULTURE


Culture encompasses many things. Once you understand the culture of a people, you understand the people. Everything that makes a nation a nation and a people a people is wrapped up in their culture.

As we have already seen, for example, every country has land— territory. Without land there is no country. Historically, the land a person inhabits significantly influences the culture they develop. Desert dwellers, for instance, are unlikely to develop a maritime culture unless they live along the coast. Their culture will reflect the environment in which they live.

A second key component of every country is language. A country is not a country unless it has one major language. Many nations of the world have numerous sub languages and dialects. But every nation always decides on one major language because language identifies you as a country. Language is the key to unity. It is also a key factor in a nation’s culture.

Again, as we saw earlier, all countries have laws. Every nation draws up a body of laws that everyone must obey to ensure peace, order, and security for the citizens. Without law there is no country because the absence of law leads to chaos, and you can’t run a country or maintain a stable government in chaos. The laws of a nation reflect the culture of that nation and vice versa. Culture and law each affect the other.

Every nation also utilizes specific and unique symbols to represent it and to help inspire unity, patriotism, loyalty, pride of nation, and a strong sense of national identity. The most familiar symbol of any nation is, of course, its flag. A nation’s flag symbolizes its history, the sacrifices, suffering, and triumphs of its people, and what the people have constituted themselves to be. All of these things relate also to culture. Few national symbols are more powerful than the flag.

Another element that all nations share in common is a constitution. As we saw in the last teachings, a constitution is a contract between the people and their government. In many ways a constitution is a cultural document because it contains in codified form the laws, ideals, and values of the people (or of the king, depending on who wrote it).

Furthermore, all nations have a moral code. A nation’s moral code embodies the moral standards under which the people have agreed to live and by which they have chosen to govern themselves. In most cases, a moral code consists of both written and unwritten standards. The written standards are expressed through laws and statutes while the unwritten standards are transmitted primarily through traditions, customs, and culture. Respect other people’s property; do not bear false witness in court; do not steal; do not murder; do not commit adultery—all of these are part of the moral code in virtually every nation and government on earth.

A seventh common characteristic of all countries is shared values. In order to have a country that runs effectively, the people must share the same values in common. The people as a whole must agree that they all value the same thing, such as life or peace or freedom.

Every nation also develops its own customs. Customs derive from a nation’s shared values. A custom is a customary way of doing something, a behavioral pattern that is not only commonly accepted but also expected. Overall, customs generally are consistent throughout a nation, although there are many regional variations. Quite often a nation’s customs are so distinctive that they become a point of identification for that nation, such as certain traditional manners of dress or kinds of foods.

Finally, there are social norms. These are similar to customs but have greater force and authority within society. Social norms are standards of speech, thought, and behavior that are accepted by the wide majority of the people as right and proper. Violate a custom and you may be thought eccentric; violate a social norm and you risk being ostracized.

All of these together—land, language, laws, symbols, constitution, moral code, shared values, customs, and social norms—comprise what we call culture.

WHAT IS CULTURE?

So what is culture specifically? First of all, culture is the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties by education, expert care, and training. In other words, culture is the development of a people’s intellectual capacities and moral awareness through a combination of formal instruction and informal modeling. Parents and society teach children the elements of the culture, and as the children learn and internalize those cultural elements, they begin to live them.

Secondly, culture is the enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training. Simply stated, we all come to think like the environment we grow up in. Our intellectual interaction with our environment literally produces a way of thinking in us that becomes our way of life, and so we become trained in our culture. None of us are born with a culture. We are born into a culture, but we are not born with a culture.

Culture may also be defined as the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon man’s capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. From a sociological perspective, culture is the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. In the business world, culture defines the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize a company or corporation.

As for a scientific definition, culture means to grow in a prepared medium. That’s a powerful image. Each of us arrived on earth in a prepared medium—the country and culture of our birth. Immediately we began to grow in that medium, shaped and influenced by the customs, values, moral code, and social norms of our parents, community, and society. We learned the language and the laws. This growth medium is also where we learned our prejudices and our hatreds, our jealousy and our greed and our pride.

Then one day we discovered the Kingdom of Heaven. We were born again and became citizens of The Most High Yah’s Kingdom. And that’s where the challenge really began. After spending 20, 30 or 40 years in a certain medium that trained us to think a certain way, we suddenly find ourselves in a whole new culture—a new growth medium—with a whole lot of new things to learn and a whole lot of old things to unlearn. And therein lies the problem: How do we get rid of the old culture in our hearts and minds to live in the new one? That’s the universal challenge for every dual citizenship believer.

For you see, culture is also what lies at the very center of the great cosmic conflict between the Kingdom of The Most High Yah and the kingdom of darkness. And earth is the battleground. The battle for earth is the battle for culture. And culture is the manifestation of the collective thinking of a people. In other words, whatever the people as a whole think collectively—their beliefs, values, ideals, etc.—becomes their culture. So whoever controls the minds of the people controls the culture. In fact, whoever controls the minds will create the culture.

The Bible says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (see Prov. 23:7 KJV). This means that the way we think determines who we become. In this context, the heart is the mind. And the Kingdom of The Most High Yah is a kingdom of the heart. Therefore, the King of Heaven is battling for the minds of the creatures He created in His own image.

MANIFESTATIONS OF CULTURE

Culture manifests itself in a number of ways.

1. Values. Shared values are a defining characteristic of a culture and a nation. What we value reveals who we are. Our values reflect our character. Basically, a value is a belief or conviction that is considered worthy in and of itself by a person or group. It is a standard or ideal that regulates conduct or policy. Values also relate to one’s personal philosophy. Our values define our attitudes, behavior, and view of the world. If we want to learn how to live in the culture of the Kingdom, we must learn the values of the Kingdom. Yahashua the King articulated His value system at the very beginning of His public ministry:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see The Most High Yah. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of The Most High Yah. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3-10).

This particular portion of Yahashua’ teaching is commonly known as the “Beatitudes,” or “blessed sayings,” from the Latin word beatus (blessed). We could even call them the “Be-attitudes” because they describe the way Kingdom citizens should “be” in character, attitude, and behavior.

Values are extremely powerful and form the foundation for behavior. They guide the people of a nation in identifying what behavior is acceptable or unacceptable. Whether explicitly stated or unspoken yet recognized, values form the foundation of nations and profoundly shape the lives and daily experiences of their citizens. Society depends on certain values in order to function, such as cooperation and honesty. Businesses also depend for their function on such values as integrity, honor, fairness, and kindness.


2. Priorities. Culture manifests itself in the things we regard as most important. In other words, whatever we prioritize in life reveals our culture. If we prioritize the sanctity of marriage, our culture will reflect it with laws, customs, and social norms that strongly discourage and even penalize divorce, adultery, and other “marriage busters.” Prioritizing the sanctity of human life will produce a culture that protects the elderly and the unborn and refuses to sanction the harvesting of human embryos for stem cell research.

Yahashua got right to the heart of priorities when He said:

So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:31-33).


Behaviors. The way we behave reveals our culture; it’s that simple.


Standards. The standards we apply in everyday life reveal whether we have a culture that indulges and encourages mediocrity or a culture that inspires excellence. Do we take pride in the appearance of our houses and churches and businesses and cities and streets? Do we place a high premium on quality in all things? Or are we satisfied with just enough to get by? Either way, our standards reflect our culture. In fact, our culture will never rise higher than our standards.


Celebration. Our culture is revealed in the things we celebrate as well as in the manner that we celebrate. Are holidays and other celebrations opportunities for fun and laughter and togetherness as families, or excuses for drunkenness and other kinds of excess?

As Kingdom citizens, we need to take our cue from our King because His attitudes and responses reveal Heaven’s culture. Whatever makes Yahashua angry should make us angry and whatever makes Him happy should make us happy. Whatever fills Him with joy should make us joyful also and whatever brings Him sorrow should grieve our spirits as well.


Morality. The level of our moral conscience and consciousness reveals the level of our culture. Do we shrug our shoulders at adultery and other forms of infidelity? Do we turn a blind eye to pedophilia and other kinds of sexual abuse? Are we willing to “normalize” perversion in our society? Or are we committed to standing for, sup- porting, and promoting the highest standards of moral purity in every area?


Relationships. Who do we relate to? How do we relate to them? How do we treat people? How do we handle the destitute, those who are hurting, and those who are abused? What is our attitude toward the poor? There’s a culture in Heaven that is revealed when poverty is around. When people are hungry, the culture of Heaven feeds them. When they are thirsty, the culture of Heaven says, “I’ve got something for you to drink.” Our culture is revealed in how well we take care of each other.

8. Ethics. Is honesty our best policy, or is honesty our only policy? If someone overpays us, do we keep the money or do we take it back? Kingdom ethics is always proactive. Yahashua said, “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). This “rule” applies to every area of life.

Then Peter came to Yahashua and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Yahashua answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Matthew 18:21-22).

In response to Peter’s question, Yahashua pulled a number out of His hat to make His point. “Seventy-seven times” is not a literal figure; it is seven times extended indefinitely. In other words, in Kingdom culture, forgiveness is ongoing. We forgive as often as necessary, just as we would hope to be forgiven as often as necessary. Again, we take our cue from our King—as He has forgiven us, and keeps on forgiving us, so are we to do with others.

9. Social norms. Whatever is regarded as normal in our society reveals our culture. Is shacking up “normal”? Are out-of-wedlock pregnancies and births “normal”? Is cheating on taxes “normal”? Is corruption in government “normal”? Are honesty, integrity, and fidelity both at home and in the workplace “normal”? Is sexual purity “normal”?

What are the “norms” of the Kingdom of Heaven? Here are a few that Kingdom Ambassador Paul called “the fruit of the Spirit”:

...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithful- ness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23).

10. Dress. Culture also manifests itself in the way the people dress. How we dress speaks volumes about our values and ideals as well as how we feel about ourselves. All of these relate to culture.

Of course, since Kingdom citizenship and Kingdom citizens are invisible, there is no such thing as a Kingdom “uniform” or prescribed manner of dress. But there is such a thing as a certain demeanor that Kingdom citizens are to carry themselves with that identifies them as children of the King. Simon Peter’s instructions to female citizens of the Kingdom applies equally in principle to every citizen:

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in The Most High Yah’s sight (1 Peter 3:3-4).

11.Foods. Food has always been a cultural distinctive. Certain dishes, certain ingredients, and certain seasonings are associated with certain regions of the world or certain regions within nations. Curry is a distinctive of Indian cooking. Beans and rice are staples in Mexico. Hot dogs are undeniably American.

As Kingdom citizens on earth we need food to strengthen and nourish our bodies, but we also need heavenly food to nourish our spirits. Yahashua said:

Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of The Most High Yah (Matthew 4:4b).

At another time, He told His inner circle of followers:

My food...is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work (John 4:34).

12. Permits. We reveal our culture by what we permit. Remember, what we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and what we loose on earth is loosed in heaven. If we “loose” lewdness and immorality, those things will characterize our culture. If we “loose” corruption and dishonesty, we will have a corrupt and dishonest culture. On the other hand, if we “loose” love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and the like, our culture will reflect these traits. As Kingdom citizens, we have the authority to bind and loose for the social, moral, and spiritual good of our fellowmen. This is why it is important for us to be involved in and to engage the popular culture and challenge it with the culture of Heaven.

13. Acceptance. Our culture is defined also by what we accept. More and more people who claim to be believers and even Kingdom citizens are buying into the popular culture to such a degree that by their language and lifestyle it is impossible to tell which Kingdom they belong to—the kingdom of the world or the Kingdom of heaven. The more often we hear about new cultural, social, or moral ideas, the more accepting we become until eventually it’s not new to us anymore. We have accepted it, and now it has become a cultural norm. That’s why we need to be always alert and ever careful to evaluate all the new ideas and philosophies that come down the line. Some of them may be fine. But many, perhaps most, will be contrary to the culture and values and ideals of the Kingdom of Heaven. When this is the case, as Kingdom citizens we have the duty and responsibility to refuse to accept them.

14. Rejections. On the other hand, our culture manifests also in what we reject. Modern popular culture has reached the point where it rejects almost nothing. An attitude of “anything goes” prevails in many circles. Political correctness rules the day with its calculated and deliberate determination to be nice to everybody, avoid hurting anyone’s feelings, and refusing to take a stand by judging anything as evil, immoral, or improper. Today’s culture rejects the very idea of absolute standards; everything is relative. Kingdom culture, on the other hand, rejects relativism in favor of the absolute standard of the unchanging Word of The Most High Yah. If some things are right, then other things are wrong and must be rejected. Yahashua said it this way:

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters (Matthew 12:30).

We can’t have it both ways. We can’t play both ends against the middle. There is right and there is wrong, and Kingdom citizens must reject the wrong and embrace the right.

15. Distinctions. Culture manifests also in our distinctions. What distinguishes us from other cultures? What makes the Kingdom culture distinctive from the culture of the world? I’m not talking about outward things like clothing or hairstyle as much as inner qualities of character, val- ues, and norms. Paul said:

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).

16. Quality standards. And finally, culture manifests in our standards of quality. The Most High Yah never does anything halfway, and neither should His children. In everything we do, Kingdom citizens should always be on the cutting edge of excellence, leading the way for everyone else rather than following in the world’s wake. In Kingdom life we don’t have to be perfect in what we do because we are imperfect people, but that is no excuse to accept shabby work, half-finished projects, or a just-enough-to-get-by attitude. Our King demands our best. And He deserves nothing less. For this very reason, it should be our joy to give our very best to the King...and to give it freely and willingly.

THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM

Genesis chapter 4













Today we are walking in: The King And His Kingdom!!!!










Today we look to the word- KING- H4427- Malak- to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel:—consult, indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make) queen, (begin to, make to) reigning, rule, surely.










The Torah Testifies……………………




Genesis 14:18

And Melchizedek king H4427 of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.











The Prophets Proclaim……………………




Isaiah 44:6

Thus saith the LORD the King H4427 of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.










The Writings Bear Witness…………………..




Psalm 10:16

The LORD is King H4427 for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.







THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM

If we were created for kingship, and if Yahashua came to earth to restore the kingship we lost, and if we want to be prepared to resume our rightful place as kings, then we had better learn what it means to be a king and how a king relates to his kingdom. This is important both for teaching us how to think, speak, and behave like rulers and for teaching us how to relate properly to The Most High Yah, our High King. A true king is not a dictator.

The first thing we need to understand is that a king is the central component of his kingdom. A king embodies the essence of his kingdom; the kingdom is the king. Without the king, there is no kingdom. The land and the people may still be there, but unless they are ruled by a king, they are not in a kingdom. This is one primary distinction between a kingdom and a democratic state. In a democracy, the country’s leader, whether called a president or a prime minister or whatever, is not the center of the government. The constitution is. Presidents and prime ministers change every few years, but the constitution provides continuity of law and government. In a kingdom, the king is the constitution. His word is the law. His word is the government.

Second, a king is the ultimate and only source of authority in his kingdom. In the Kingdom of Heaven, the authority of The Most High Yah the King is exclusive and absolute. His word is law and His will is carried out even to the farthest reaches of His realm. And The Most High Yah’s realm is infinite.

The sole and absolute authority of the King is what distinguishes the Kingdom of Heaven from religion. Religious people give lip service to The Most High Yah’s kingship but then turn around and debate, question, and even amend His laws. For example, the King says that homosexual behavior is an abomination (see Lev. 18:22), yet a gathering of bishops who supposedly honor the King’s law install an openly and actively homosexual priest as an archbishop! In the Kingdom, the King’s word is law. It is not open to debate, discussion, challenge, or amendment.

While this may seem restrictive or even despotic to someone raised in a democratic environment, in many ways it actually relieves a lot of pressure. If you are under the King and someone asks you, “What do you think about so-and-so?” you can defer to the King’s authority: “What I think does not matter. I am bound to follow my King, and my King says this...” or “I agree with my King, and this is what He says...”

In a democracy, political leaders campaign, negotiate, compromise, and consult committees in an effort to reach a consensus for establishing law and policy. In a kingdom, the king speaks...and that’s it; no debate or question. The authority of the King is like the slogan that began circulating years ago: “The Most High Yah said it, I believe it, and that settles it.” Even better is the variation: “The Most High Yah said it and that settles it, whether I believe it or not.”

Yahashua demonstrated this kingly authority when He said numerous times, “You have heard...but I tell you...” (see Matt. 5:21-22,27- 28,33-34,38-39,43-44, emphasis added). The biblical account of this occasion records:

When Yahashua had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law (Matthew 7:28-29, emphasis added).

Yahashua spoke and taught on His own authority. He did not rely on the thoughts, ideas, interpretations, or traditions of others. Why? Because He was a King whose authority was independent and sovereign.

This leads to a third point to understand about a king: The sovereignty of a king is inherent in his royal authority. The people do not make a king sovereign; he is born sovereign. Yahashua told Pilate that He was born a king; He did not receive His kingship—or His sovereignty—from the hand of men. Sovereignty means freedom from external control. As sovereign, a king is free to do as he pleases with no accountability to anyone else in the kingdom. Otherwise, a king has no true authority. No one has the authority to tell The Most High Yah what to do. The Most High Yah’s sovereignty is absolute. He is completely self-determining.




FOURTEEN CHARACTERISTICS OF A KING

A king is distinct both from a democratically elected leader, such as a president or prime minister, as well as from a dictator in a totalitarian state. Following are 14 characteristics of a king that clarify that distinction.


A king is never voted into power. His power is inherent from birth. Democratic leaders are elected to power; totalitarian dictators seize power; but a king is born into power.


A king is king by birthright. His kingship is not conferred by men. Elected leaders rule by the will of the people. Dictators rule through fear, repression, and coercion. A king rules because he is born to it. Yahashua Hamachiach was born a King. We do not make Him King; all we can do is acknowledge that He is King.


A king cannot be voted out of power. Because the kingdom is his by birth, a king rules for life. A president is voted out of office or departs due to term limits. A dictator may be brought down by a coup d’etat or popular uprising. Kingship, however, is a lifelong office. A human king may be dethroned by force or revolution, but he can never be voted out. The King of Heaven reigns by sovereign right of creation. He will never be voted out of power. Nor will He ever be dethroned. HaSatan tried and failed. Human empires have tried and failed and then fallen themselves, as is the destiny of all regimes that challenge His sovereignty. He was King before this world began, and He will still be King after it has passed away. In fact, Scripture makes this bold declaration:
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Hamachiach, and He will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 11:15b).

No act either of man on earth or of the spiritual powers of darkness will ever remove the King of Heaven from His throne.

4. A king’s authority is absolute. That is why he is not a president or a prime minister. Presidents must consult Congress, and prime ministers, Parliament. Dictators, on the other hand, while perhaps exercising absolute power (for a time), possess no legitimate authority. This is why they must use force and repression to stay in power. But when a king speaks, he speaks with absolute authority— authority that is inherent to his kingship.

5. A king’s word is law. Because a king’s authority is absolute, his word is law. No one can countermand his orders, negate his pronouncements, set aside his decrees, or amend his statutes. David, an Israelite king who loved the King of Heaven with all his heart, had this to say about his King’s law:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous....By them is Your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:7-9,11).

The King’s word is law. Great reward follows obedience. Disobedience brings severe penalties.

6. A king personally owns everything in his domain.

Presidents and other elected leaders do not own their countries; they are citizens like everyone else. Dictators often act as though they own everything, but whatever they possess they acquire by fraud, theft, and corruption. A king, on the other hand, personally owns everything in his domain. In fact, a kingdom is the only form of government where the ruler owns everything and everyone. In the words of King David, once again:

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1).

The King of Heaven Himself declares:

Every animal of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10).

A king owns the people, the animals, the plants, the land, and the air around the land. He owns the value under the earth—the gold, the silver, the platinum, the diamonds, etc. He owns the soil and the seeds in the soil. A king owns everything in his territory. That is why he is called a lord. Lord means owner. We’ll discuss more on this concept in the next teaching.

7. A king’s decree is unchanging. In a democratic system, laws can be amended, revised, or revoked. Dictators change and even reverse their own decrees whenever it suits them. They renege on their word all the time. But a king’s word is law. Once a king issues a decree, it cannot be changed.

Daniel, a faithful, The Most High Yah-fearing Hebrew in exile, was a high official in the court of Darius, a Medo-Persian king. When Daniel’s enemies plotted to destroy him, they persuaded Darius to issue a decree that for 30 days no prayers or petitions were to be raised to any The Most High Yah or anyone else except to the king himself. Violators would be thrown into a den of lions. This decree was a “law of the Medes and Persians, which may not be revoked” (Dan. 6:8b NASB).

Catching Daniel in the act of praying to The Most High Yah in violation of the king’s decree (as they knew they would), Daniel’s enemies took him to the king. Darius was trapped. Even he could not revoke his own decree! The king spent a tormented, sleepless night while his trusted servant Daniel cooled his heels in the lion’s den. The Lord delivered Daniel safely, and his enemies ended up with the lions instead.

The point here is that a king’s decree, once issued, cannot be undone. The decrees of the King of Heaven are just as permanent:

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our The Most High Yah stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).

Yahashua the King said:

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).

8. A king chooses who will be a citizen. In a democracy, the citizens choose their leader while a totalitarian system treats its “citizens” as little more than tools of the state. A kingdom operates in the opposite manner—the king chooses the citizens. Because his authority is absolute, he determines the standards of citizenship in his kingdom. The people do not vote for the king, but in essence, he votes for them.

Yahashua demonstrated this kingly prerogative as well when He said to His closest followers:

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. This is My command: Love each another. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you (John 15:16-19).

Yahashua chose them out of citizenship in the world and made them citizens of His Kingdom with full benefits of citizenship. They no longer belonged to the kingdom of the world. Now, like Yahashua, their Kingdom was from another place. Yahashua does the same thing today for everyone who believes Him—everyone who accepts His message of the Kingdom.

9. A king embodies the government of his kingdom.

This means that wherever a king is, his entire government is present. Whenever a king speaks, his whole government is speaking. Whenever a king moves, the government moves with him because he embodies the government; the king is the government.

The government of a king is wherever the king is. A king and his government are inseparable. This is how we can know that the Kingdom of Heaven is on earth; the Kingdom is here because the King is here.

Yahashua said:

...if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in My name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:19-20).

and:

...All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).

The Kingdom of Heaven is here because the King of heaven is here in the hearts and lives of His citizens who populate His colony here.

10. A king’s presence is the presence of his authority.

When a king shows up, his full authority is present. His authority does not reside in a place or in a document; it resides in him personally. This is why citizens of The Most High Yah’s Kingdom colony on earth can act with kingly authority. Because the King is present, His authority is present also. It was this present authority that Yahashua had in mind when He said:

I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18).

and:

I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it (John 14:13-14).

Kingdom citizens may always exercise kingly authority because the King is always present with them.

11. A king’s wealth is measured by his property. The larger and richer in resources a kingdom is, the wealthier the king, because the king owns everything in his kingdom. Dictators become wealthy by stealing from the people. Democratically elected leaders may or may not be personally wealthy, but they definitely do not own their country. This is one of the major distinctions between a king and other government leaders. Kings own everything in their domain by right of birth and kingship. As a matter of fact, property is so tied up with a king’s identity that without it a king is not a king. We will discuss this more thoroughly in the teachings to come.

Why is wealth so important in a kingdom? So the king can take care of his citizens. A righteous and benevolent king does not amass wealth for himself but for the welfare of his citizens. This is why it is only in a kingdom where we truly find commonwealth; that is, the wealth is common to all the people.

No kingdom is greater or richer than the Kingdom of Heaven because it encompasses all that exists. And no king is wealthier than the King of Heaven because He owns everything everywhere in both the natural and supernatural realms. Consequently, no citizens of any government are more prosperous or have greater welfare than do citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven because all the infinite wealth of that Kingdom is their common wealth.

12. A king’s prosperity is measured by the status of his citizens. If the citizens are poor, the king is seen as a poor king. If the citizens are prosperous, however, the king is seen as a wealthy king. Wealthy citizens make a king proud. That is why it is important for a king to make sure his people prosper. Yahashua never preached prosperity. Why not? Because prosperity is a matter of Kingdom business. Anyone who becomes a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven automatically prospers because the King of heaven is a wealthy King—the wealthiest of all. And He is also a righteous and benevolent King who is committed to the fullest and greatest welfare of His people.

13. A king’s name is the essence of his authority. A king can delegate authority to anyone he pleases to act in his name or on his behalf. This is often done by issuing a “king’s letter,” a royal edict signed by the king and bearing his official seal that authorizes the bearer to act on his authority. Anyone to whom the king’s letter is presented must treat the bearer as if he were the king himself.

Nehemiah, another exiled Jew who was a contemporary of Daniel, was cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes. Hearing that Jerusalem had been destroyed, Nehemiah longed to go there and rebuild the city. When the king learned of Nehemiah’s desire, he granted him permission to go. He also issued letters instructing the keeper of the king’s forest to give Nehemiah all the material he required and for the governors of the various provinces to grant him safe passage. Nehemiah carried the king’s name and, therefore, his authority (see Neh. chapters 1–2).

Citizens of the kingdom of Heaven have the same privilege. Yahashua the King has issued king’s letters to all His people, delegating His authority to them. That is why the New Testament says that Kingdom citizens are to pray in the name of Yahashua. It is why He promised to do anything that they asked in His name. There is nothing religious or mysterious about this. It is simply a kingdom principle at work. The King’s name carries the same authority as the King Himself, and all who carry His name can operate in His authority.

14. A king’s citizenry represents his glory. Any conscientious king wants his citizens to be happy, prosperous, and content because their status and quality of life reflect on him. The greater their prosperity and well-being, the greater the glory and honor that rest on the king who provides for them so well. Citizens of The Most High Yah’s Kingdom are supposed to show what their King is like by the way they live, act, dress, walk, and talk. Kingdom citizens are to reflect the nature and character of their King, who is righteous, just, benevolent, compassionate, and full of glory. This is why there is no poverty in the Kingdom of Heaven, no economic crisis, and no shortages. As King David observed:

The Lord upholds the righteous...I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread (Psalm 37:17b, 25).

The King of Heaven takes care of His citizens.

Appropriating the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven means first of all understanding that the King owns everything and we own nothing; and second, that He can give whatever He wants to anyone He wants whenever He wants. This is the kingdom concept of lordship and is the subject of the next teaching.

UNDERSTANDING KINGDOM CITIZENSHIP

Genesis chapter 4













Today we are walking in: Understanding Kingdom Citizenship







Today we look to the word-KINGDOM- H4467 mamlâkâh, (mam-law-kaw') -dominion, (abstractly) the estate (rule) or (concretely) the country (realm):—kingdom, king's, reign, royal









The Torah testifies...............





Numbers 32:33




And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom H4467 of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom H4467 of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.







The prophets proclaim..................






Jeremiah 18:9




And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom H4467, to build and to plant it;









The writings bear witness...........................





1 Kings 9:5




Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom H4467 upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.







In recent times, it has been a popular notion to celebrate the opposition against monarchies, and many have even suggested the eradication of the concept of monarchies from our so-called modern or post-modern world. Popular uprisings against the remaining monarchies in the name of the pursuit of democracy have become the craze of today’s self-proclaimed freedom fighters. In some cases it may be justifiable; in many of the instances cited, these kingdoms are filled with contradictions, abuse, oppression, social extremes, and dictatorial administrations. However, it must also be noted that many of the democracies in our world today are also plagued with the same defects and shortcomings. In essence, the problem is not the king, the kingdoms, or even the form of government, but the defects in the human nature that functions in any of these systems.

Yet the kingdom concept is the only one presented, preached, promoted, taught, and established by Yahashua Hamachiach throughout His ministry. His proposed solution to mankind’s problems on the earth is the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven in the earth. As a matter of fact, the message of the Bible and, more specifically, the focus of Yahashua was not a religion or, for that matter, any of the many subjects we have magnified and many have preached as “the gospel” or good news to the world. For instance, Yahashua never preached as a priority public message subjects like faith, prosperity, giving, deliverance, or even His death on the Crucifixion Stake or resurrection as “the gospel.” But He repeatedly promoted and declared “the Kingdom of The Most High Yah and Heaven” as His principal message.

I am well aware that what I just said may be cause for much reaction, mental conflict, and religious resistance; but I would encourage you to search and research the four Gospels for yourself and discover this surprising reality. Yahashua also indicated that this message of the “Kingdom” would be His disciples’ message to their world.

Yahashua’ message of the Kingdom was foreshadowed in the Old Testament centuries before He was born in Bethlehem. Here are two examples. The first one indicates The Most High Yah’s motivation for delivering the slave clans of Israel from Egyptian oppression:

“Now if you obey Me fully and keep My covenant, then out of all nations you will be My treasured possession. Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites (Exodus 19:5-6).

In the second example, we see the Old Testament Messianic promise declared by the prophet Isaiah, strongly indicating the governmental aspects of the Kingdom mandate:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty The Most High Yah, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Yahashua’ message was clearly kingdom focused and not religiously motivated:

From that time on Yahashua began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17).

Yahashua went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people (Matthew 4:23).

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:3-4).

For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will cer- tainly not enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20).

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your king dom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven(Matthew 6:9b-10).

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).

Yahashua went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness (Matthew 9:35).

As you go, preach this message: “The kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 10:7).

But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of The Most High Yah, then the kingdom of The Most High Yah has come upon you (Matthew 12:28).

He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them” (Matthew 13:11).

When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart (Matthew 13:19a).

Yahashua told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field” (Matthew 13:24).

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field” (Matthew 13:31).

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough” (Matthew 13:33).

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field (Matthew 13:44).

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it (Matthew 13:45-46).

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish (Matthew 13:47).

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:19).

I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom (Matthew 16:28).

And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4).

Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants (Matthew 18:23).

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard (Matthew 20:1).

Yahashua said to them, “I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of The Most High Yah ahead of you” (Matthew 21:31b).

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come (Matthew 22:2-3).

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to (Matthew 23:13).

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).

Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).

After this, Yahashua traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of The Most High Yah (Luke 8:1).

And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of The Most High Yah and to heal the sick (Luke 9:2).

Then He took them with Him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of The Most High Yah, and healed those who needed healing (Luke 9:10b-11).

I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of The Most High Yah (Luke 9:27).

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).

And I confer on you a kingdom, just as My Father conferred one on Me (Luke 22:29).

Yahashua said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36).

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Yahashua answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me” (John 18:37).

My purpose for listing all of these statements is to show and emphasize the preoccupation Yahashua had with the kingdom concept rather than a religion. Note in particular the last statement above, where Yahashua declares Himself a “king” and not a president or prime minister or mayor. This is why it is necessary and essential that we rediscover and desire to understand the Kingdom as a concept and a reality. It is the foundation of The Most High Yah’s plan for mankind.

The original ideal kingdom concept is distinct from the earthly version even though it contains many of the same components and concepts of all kingdoms. Despite the many failed kingdoms throughout history, the questions still arise: Why did The Most High Yah choose a kingdom and not a republic? Why did The Most High Yah choose a kingdom and not a democracy or socialism? What are the benefits of being in a kingdom over a democratic republic or a communistic regime? Why is a kingdom better than a democracy or socialist form of government? Why is Yahashua a King and not a president?

What exactly is a kingdom? Very simply, a kingdom is the government of a king. More specifically, a kingdom is the sovereign rulership and governing influence of a king over his territory, impacting it with his will, his intent, and his purpose, manifesting a culture and society reflecting the king’s nature, values, and morals. A kingdom is the governing impact of a king’s will over a territory or domain, his influence over a people, and a government led by a king.

Therefore, the very heart of any kingdom is its king. This definition perfectly describes the relationship of The Most High Yah to the heavenly realm. Heaven exists because of the creative activity of The Most High Yah. Throughout its entire expanse, it is infused with His presence, char- acter, and authority. There is no corner of heaven where His will is not accomplished. In every way The Most High Yah is the unrivaled and unequalled King of Heaven.

The same was true in the natural realm when The Most High Yah extended His Kingdom authority to the earth through the man and woman He created in His image and released to rule in His name. They rebelled against the King’s authority, however, and lost their rulership. Control of the earthly realm then passed temporarily to a demonic usurper until the day in the King’s sovereign plan when it would be restored to its rightful ruler.

In the fullness of time, Yahashua came to the earth and re established the Kingdom. Because only a king can establish a kingdom, this act alone reveals that Yahashua Hamachiach is the King. The Bible, the constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven, leaves no doubt as to the Kingship of Yahashua. Perhaps the clearest statement of all is found in the 18th chapter of the Gospel of John where Yahashua, mere hours before His execution by crucifixion, has a revealing exchange with Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of the province of Judea. Falsely arrested, illegally tried, and wrongfully condemned for “blasphemy” by the Jewish religious authorities in Jerusalem, Yahashua now stands before Pilate for judgment. Pilate has heard the accusation that Yahashua claims to be a king. So the governor asks Him directly:

“Are you the king of the Jews?”...Yahashua said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is from another place.” “You are a king then!” said Pilate. Yahashua answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked (John 18:33b,36-38a).

Yahashua said, “My kingdom is not of this world,” and “My kingdom is from another place,” clearly implying that He was a King. He was speaking of the Kingdom of Heaven. Notice that Yahashua said that His Kingdom was not of or from this world; He never said that it was not in this world. His Kingdom on earth originated in Heaven.

When Pilate pressed further, Yahashua plainly said, “I am a king.” He then said, “I came into the world to testify to the truth.” What truth? The truth that He was a King with a Kingdom. What could be clearer than that? Testify is a word often used to describe what a witness does in a courtroom—testifying or avowing to what he has seen or heard. The original Greek word employed here has an even deeper meaning. It is a word of experimentation from the laboratory and means to verify or validate. Essentially, Yahashua said to Pilate, “I came to earth because I am a King, and I will prove it by putting it to the test. I testify to the truth that a King is here, a Kingdom is here, and this Kingdom is available to anyone who wants to come in.”

The last thing Yahashua said to Pilate was, “Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.” A more accurate rendering would be, “Everyone on the side of truth hears Me.” This is a very important point because it has to do with “connecting” to Yahashua’ message. Everywhere I go teaching the message of the Kingdom, I find that it resonates with people from all religions and walks of life. The Most High Yah created us for kingship—for dominion—and inside each of us is a latent kingdom consciousness striving for expression. This consciousness reveals itself in various ways, such as in our natural resistance to being ruled or controlled by any other person and our continual longing to control the circumstances of our own lives. That is what finally connected me to Yahashua—when I realized that He could teach me how to run life, not let life run me. I learned that I could control my own circumstances.

The search for power is a natural human drive. We all seek power over things and over circumstances, and that is what the Kingdom of Heaven promises. Yahashua said, “I will testify to the truth of the Kingdom, and when you hear Me, you will believe it. You will connect with what I have to say because it will resonate with the kingdom consciousness that is already in you.” We connect with the Kingdom message because it addresses the most deep-seated longing of our heart—our longing to be kings.

While it is natural to desire power over things and circumstances, desiring power over people is another matter. Seeking to influence people, public opinion, and public policy through kingdom principles is always appropriate, but pursuing despotic power over other people for personal gain at their expense is a corruption of our natural quest for power. Desiring to control our own life is one thing; desiring to control others’ lives is another.

HOW TO BECOME A CITIZEN

Genesis chapter 4













Today we are walking in: How To Become A Citizen







Today we look to the word SCEPTRE-H7626-shebet- from an unused root probably meaning to branch off; a scion, i.e. (literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.) or (figuratively) a clan: correction, dart, rod, sceptre, staff, tribe.








The Torah Testifies………………………….





Genesis 49:10




The sceptre H7626 shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.






Numbers 24:17




I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre H7626 shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.









The Prophets Proclaim…………………………





Ezekiel 19:4




And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre H7626 to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.





Amos 1:5




I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre H7626 from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.








The Writings witness……………………………..





Esther 8:4




Then the king held out the golden sceptre H7626 toward Esther. So Esther arose, and stood before the king,





Psalm 45:6




Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre H7626 of thy kingdom is a right sceptre H7626.










The Principle and Power of Kingdom Citizenship: Keys to Experiencing Heaven on Earth by Myles Munroe






The Responsibility Of Government




The hostility toward the kingdom concept is very common, and I do not find it hard to understand. Just think of the domineering kings throughout human history. The quality of a kingdom depends on the character of the king, and if the king is corrupt, his kingdom will be corrupt as well.




Some parts of the Old Testament read like history textbooks, with lists of kings and their wars and what happened to them. Once in a while, a good king came along who reigned over a period of peace and harmony, but such rulers are rare. Most of the time, the people lived in the midst of upheaval and tumult, all because of their bad kings.




More than once, the Most High spoke through His prophets to correct royal abuses, and in general He tended to include these instructions:




*A king must fear the Most High.




*A king must not gather wealth to himself.




*Rather, a king must use his wealth to take care of the poor.




*In other words, a king must be benevolent toward his people, even loving.




Of course most kings have ignored the advice of the King of kings, carrying out their own schemes, making the same mistakes over and over. But their failure does not change the act that love is the foundation of a sound throne. The requirements for a good kingdom hinge on the disposition of the king, on his character and integrity.




Unrighteous kings, on the other hand, oppress their people. This is why we have proverbs like this one: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan” (Proverbs 29:2). The quality of a kingdom comes down to a question of authority and how it gets exercised.




Authority




A powerful leader forces people to do what he wants. Oppressive power controls people, restricts them, masters them by means of fear of punishment. The people groan. Authority, especially divine authority, is not the same as raw power. Authority is powerful, but it is not absolute. True authority is derived from the Most High Himself.




I can think of seven qualities of true authority, and every one of them applies to a good king who exercises his governing responsibilities well:





A person of authority fears the Most High and submits to Him. A leader’s personal submission to the Most High ensures that authority will not be exercised abusively. For example, a pastor who fears the Most High and submits to Him will never take advantage of a woman or a child sexually, even though he is stronger and more powerful than they are. He fears One who is greater than he is, and he submits to His commandments.




2. A person of authority has high morals and personal discipline. Fear of the Most High leads to a morally upright, ordered lifestyle.




3. People eulate a person of authority. People admire and want to imitate that kind of lifestyle. This makes leadership easier. A good example of this use of authority is parenthood. The model of the parents’ good behavior becomes a standard for the child’s behavior.




4. A person of authority does not seek to benefit from someone else’s success. He or she will rejoice about someone’s success, but the person in authority will not infringe on it for personal profit.




5. A person of authority does not use other people to promote him/herself. Similarly, the authority figure will not try to ride on the coattails of someone else's success, using it to improve public perception of his or her effectiveness.




6. A person of authority does not expect anything from other people except their own success. People should not have to support a leader financially or in any other regard.




7. A person of authority wants the people under him to become great. He wants people to achieve more than he has. Yahusha Himself said, “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 Abba.” (John 14:12)




When the person in authority is a king, all of the citizens benefit. The people in his kingdom do not need to waste time or effort defending themselves from his abuses and exploitations. The people are happy to serve his government. The entire nation rejoices and flourishes.




Governments Protect Their Citizens




It is a fact of citizenship that all reputable governments, whether they are kingdoms or some other form of government, protect their citizens from harm. Even when people are not within the borders of the country, their government takes responsibility for their welfare.




When two American missionaries were detained in an Asian country, the US Navy moved ships into the nearest port. Military helicopters were mobilized. Diplomatic messages flew back and forth. It became a matter of international urgency, even a potential cause of war--simply because they were American citizens and they were in trouble in a foreign land. When one young Israeli soldier was captured by the Palestinians, the “incident” drew worldwide concern as it escalated tension between the two governments. The government of Israel, concerned for his welfare, negotiated for five long years before they could arrange for his release, at great expense and increased risk.




If this is true of governments in general, how much more is it true in the all-powerful, love-motivated Kingdom of the Most High? When Kingdom citizens are under attack, the King rises up to defend them. Why else, for instance, would He have spoken to saul on the road to Damascus in the way He did: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). Saul did not know he was persecuting the Most High. He was pursuing individual believers, not thinking that their King would rise to their defence against him. The King was taking it personally.




A King Is Responsible For Citizens’ Welfare




A good king is personally responsible for the welfare of every citizen. This is not the case in a democracy. In a democracy, the leaders--the president or prime minister, the congressmen, the state or small town government, the city mayor or district councils--non of the lose any sleep if some of their citizens can’t pay their light bill. When the electric company cuts off the power to those people’s homes, the president still goes to sleep at night in his nice bed without worrying about those citizens. It is every man for himself, for better or for worse.




This cannot happen in a kingdom, because the king’s reputation is tied to his people’s welfare. He becomes personally embarrassed when any of his citizens are broke. He does not want them to have to ask for bread and water, because it makes him look negligent. It is as if they are telling the world that he had failed in his responsibilities, he has forgotten his promises, and he does not have the resources in the first place.




Have you ever wondered about Yahusha’s famous teaching about not worrying about personal provision? Read this with the Kingdom in mind:
Matthew 6:25-33 King James Version (KJV) 25
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.




You see, Yahusha was almost in disbelief that anybody in His Kingdom would worry about such things. He needs to remind people that He is more than able to provide everything you need. Their fretfulness sends a message that they do not believe He wants to do it. They should not be so worried, because they are citizens of the Kingdom.




He invites everyone to the most important benefits to their Kingdom citizenship:
Matthew 11:28-30 King James Version (KJV) 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.




The King considers your welfare His responsibility. In the Kingdom, the King has a personal interest in your mortgage payment. I do not know how He does it, but He takes a concern in every citizen, personally. He visits each one of us and lives with us, following through with every provision that we need. He knows what each one of us is feeling. He can figure out our biggest needs. He is doing it right now, and He does it day and night.




In the Kingdom, the King is bound by His own laws to take care of His citizens. How many times in the Bible do we read something like this? “Here’s what I will do, because I promised to take care of you.” Even when He feels exasperated with His people, He feeds them and guides them as a shepherd guides his sheep.




Abraham knew about this when he tried to persuade the Most High not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because his nephew Lot lived there. He knew that the Kingdom constitution (Scripture) said that the Most High would never destroy the righteous with the wicked. So he kept coming back to the Most High: “If you can find fifty rightous people in the city, you cannot destroy it...fourty, thirty….” He went down to ten people but even that small number could not be found. At least he bought enough time to get Lot and his wife and daughters out of harm’s way before the rest of the wicked city was destroyed by a firestorm. (Genesis 18:22-33; 19:1-29)




I wonder how many people in each of our families could be saved if we knew our constitutional rights? The Bible says, “The seed of the righteous will be delivered” (Proverbs 11:21). That means we can claim our children for the Kingdom, even if at present they are wandering far away like the Prodigal Son.




Protection On Foreign Soil




I made a point in the previous teaching describing the power of a passport. A passport-carrying citizen has immunity from all sorts of problems when he or she is away from home.




With a passport, you have the authorization to “pass the port.” A port refers not only to the place where ships dock, but also the airport, the customs booth along the highway, or in the case of a Kingdom citizen, the “port” of Heaven. Your passport enables you to move from on jurisdiction to another with freedom.

Because the passport is actually the property of the government of that citizen, the entire power of that government lies at the passport-holder’s disposal. Most of the time, people take their passports for granted. But when they have a problem on foreign soil, suddenly they do not.




For a Kingdom citizen, this means that you have the full protection of Heaven regardless of what happens around you. You can always be sure that your government and your King are looking after your safety as well as your every provision.




The Kingdom takes care of its own in the here and now, not just in the future, by and by. Yes, Kingdom citizenship carries with it a guarantee of Heaven, but in the meantime you get a personal security escort from the King and his angels.




You have citizenship, so you have a passport that list all of the promises and provisions of your government. You do not have to go home to your country (Heaven) to be blessed. You do not even need to be in Heaven to experience freedom from pressure and problems. You can have it all right now.




Until I knew about the way the Kingdom works, I never could understand that Yahusha meant when He said this: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea” (Mark 9:42).




Now I understand that Yahusha was making a threat. In essence, He was saying, “If you dare touch one of my citizens, you had better commit suicide before I arrive to deal with you.” Anyone who tries to hurt a Kingdom citizen triggers the King’s anger.

Deep in the Kingdom constitution (2 Chronicles 16:9), you can find this line:




For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.




If your heart is right before Him, He is watching over you. When you think you are alone, stuck in traffic with all the other drivers acting like they are crazy, you have got all of Heaven watching to make sure you are okay.




You can also count on this one:

For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. (Psalm 91:11).




Don’t wonder why citizens of the Kingdom can go anywhere with confidence and peace; it is because they do not have to worry about taking care of themselves.




The government of the Kingdom takes care of its citizens when their earthly governments turn against them. Daniel’s earthly government put him in a lion’s den, but the Most High’s government put the lions to sleep (Daniel 6). Paul’s earthly government locked him up in a Philippian prison, but the Most High’s government sent an earthquake to set him free (Acts 16). Your government may fire you from your job, but the Kigndom government will pay your bills while you are unemployed. The government of Heaven exercised diving power on behalf of its citizens.




The Most High interrupts evil activities all the time. You don’t know about it, because nothing happens to you after all, and you do not know something got interrupted. When Saul was breathing murderous threats against the Kingdom citizens in Damascus, he definitely got interrupted. I wonder if those citizens even knew they had been first targeted and then preserved. That is something to think about.




“Father, Do Not Take Them Out Of The World…”




Now even a child knows that we are not living in Heaven yet. Regardless of how many times the King protects his own, citizens of the Kingdom do suffer persecution, mishaps, illnesses, financial hardship, hunger and more.




During the first century, believers in Yahusha got driven out of town and killed. They had their houses burned down because they believed in Yahusha. As time went on, the Roman Empire clashed with the Kingdom again and again. Believers were brutally murdered. It is still happeing in some places around the world.




No wonder the early Church prayed, “Come quickly, Lord Yahudha!” (Revelation 22:12, 20). If you were living under those conditions, you would want Maschiach to come right away too.




Yahusha prayed to His Abba on behalf of believers, but He did not pray that they would escape every hardship. Instead, He prayed:

John 17:15-18 King James Version (KJV)

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

In our time, we have built a belief system that is afraid of tough times. We want relief from the pressure. We forget that we too have been sent into the world; we are colonists of the Kingdom, sent to subdue and dominate the evil one, one victory at a time. In the midst of the battles, it must be possible to be kept free in our spirits from the clutches of evil, even as we may suffer in our bodies, because Yahusha prayed for us to be kept from the evil one. Therefore it is possible to live right to the end of life, preserved from the evil one’s impact and influence. It is possible to brush aside fear of evil, because we know that our King is stronger than anything the evil one can throw at us.




Our King has obligated Himself to provide total defensive coverage to His citizens. He wins every time. He never leaves us to our own devices, although we often think we are on our own. Remember when Yahusha was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. His disciples were with Him. Peter grabbed a sword because he thought, “Most High needs help!”




And he cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant (Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 18). Yahusah took time to heal it. Peter should not have done that. Shortly afterward, Yahusha stood before Pilate and He explained,

John 18:36 King James Version (KJV)

36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.




Yahusha did not call His disciples or the messengers to deliver Him, because the whole reason He had to come to the Earth was to suffer and die on that crucifixion stake. Yahusha was a king to the end, exercising his kingly dominion by not interfering with the plan of the Most High, and giving generations of believers courage to face whatever they had to for the sake of the Kingdom.




Citizens’ Authority




Following from all that we have discussed in this teaching, we can see that the government of the Most High invents its citizens with divine authority. The King gave it to them. He takes a measure of His own absolute authority and He bestows it on the people who live under His authority.




Unless the King gives it, the transfer cannot occur. He considers His responsibility to apportion His powerful authority to the ones to whom He has given assignments. This authority brings with it all of the strength, the stagties, and the wisdom necessary to fulfill the King’s assignments.




Yahusha’s coming to Earth signaled a new level of the transfer of Kingdom authority. He started with His twelve disciples:

Matthew 10:1 King James Version (KJV)

10 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Later He spoke of the authority He was giving to all believers: Here's how the Message version of Scripture puts it:




See what I’ve given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in the Most High’s authority over you and presence with you. (Luke 10:19, The Message)




He gives His citizens authorization to destroy the works of the evil one. In this way, the King enlarges His Kingdom. He extends the purpose for which He came to Earth to His colonist-citizens: “For this purpose the Son of the Most High was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). From the time we become citizens of the Kingdom, it is our job, too and we need the appropriate divine authority to do it. He gives his citizens authority to go to the root of problems--the evil ruler of the world.




Yahusha was going to be leaving the Earth for the time being. But, as He told His disciples, He was not going to leave them orphans (John 14:18). He was sending His Spirit to swell in them, and subsequently in us. Through His Spirit and in His authorivice name, we would be able to overcome the world (John 16).




This heavenly authority is the foundation of all the benefits and privileges that come with citizenship in the Kingdom. The government of the Kingdom takes responsibility for granting it to each of its citizens, and the key to retaining it is righteousness on the part of the citizens. We have described how important it is to remain in right legal standing with the government if you expect to stay out of trouble; people who break the law lose certain privileges. But upright citizens do not have anything to worry about. Quite naturally, they can enjoy the benefits and privileges that come with their citizenship, without begging or bargaining for them.




We will see more how this works in the next session of this series.