The Power of the Kingdom

TO BE A WITNESS

Witness: One who gives evidence; one who has personal knowledge of something.

-Merriam-Webster Dictionary-

As the Body of Christ, we know that all are not called to the five-fold ministry, which includes the Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher and Evangelist. However, we are all called to be witnesses. Now let us examine what we are witnesses of:

In the conflict of doctrines and many different ministerial beliefs; arguments are formed, positions are taken and the Body of Christ is greatly divided. I submit to you that while we take part in wars over doctrines, the true causalities of this war are the lost. Often we who have the truth lose sight of purpose; which is to procure more sons into the Kingdom. Instead we try to establish ourselves as those with the truth, forgetting that the truth came to save and set the captives free.

A witness is one who has knowledge of a thing based on what he/she has seen for themselves or experienced. A scripture example of this is given by the Apostle John, in the book of first John one and one.

1 John 1:1-3

1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;

2. (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us ;)

3. That which we have seen and heard declare us unto you, that

ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship

is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

John clearly stated in this scripture that they had seen the life that came; which was with God in the beginning. This made John’s witness true. His knowledge of Christ didn’t come by way of hearsay, but by a face to face experience with the Master. Receiving the Holy Spirit represents our face

to face experience with the Master. All such ones should be considered witnesses. Oftentimes we elect people to go out and witness with us, but they themselves have never had an experience with God in which they can testify. This is why the Word instructs us to know those who labor among us.

Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables, but He trusted the establishing of the Church unto His Apostles. These men would be the first partakers of the Life of Christ.

Matthew 13:10-11

10. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11. He answered and said unto them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

To further understand this principle, let us look to the Bible. Physically, the Bible appears to be a book just as common as any other book and anyone with a certain level of education can pick it up and read it.

However, the understanding of its contents is given to those who possess the life that inspired its writings.

1 Corinthians 2:14

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

How many times have we witnessed people who do not have the Spirit of God, attempt to interpret the scriptures? This has produced much confusion and error in teachings which has no bearing on the foundational principles that we all live by. Teachings like, Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married; teachings which suggest that many miracles listed in the Bible were not literal events etc. These ideas all derived from man’s wisdom, but as believers we have been taught not to lean to our own understanding. If a man is not filled with the Holy Spirit what else does he have? So how can such a one testify of the Spirit? How can one be a witness of what he has not experienced? He cannot.

The intent of this section is to impress upon us how essential it is to know a person’s spiritual location as it pertains to being Holy Ghost filled or not. In addition, as believers, we are charged to be a witness of the content of this life. The Bible states that the Kingdom of God is righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Ghost. We are charged to show an unrighteous world that righteousness can be achieved and to

show a world where there is no peace, that peace is obtainable when one is filled with the Holy Spirit.

Let us examine the first man Adam. Adam being a natural man with natural needs and natural wants could have obtained happiness and peace by natural things. In laymen terms, Adam found serenity in his environment and his peace depended upon its conditions. We are of the second Adam who is spiritual, and we find serenity, joy, and peace in the Kingdom of God, even when our natural circumstance and situations are filled with trouble. An example of this truth is in 2 Cor. 4.

2 Corinthians 4: 8-11

8. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9. Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

This too, has made us witnesses of Christ, not just that He is in us, but we are in Him and it is through our experiencing Him in these times that we are made witnesses. Though this is a simple truth, it’s a most important truth. For the establishing of kingdom living, many have to sacrifice all to establish this truth. We are vehicles that the Holy Ghost desires to work through. The Holy Ghost is the witness who has seen, heard and experienced all things. He has overcome all sin and can testify through our vessels that all who receive Him can do the same. This is why ministry cannot be worked by those not filled with the Spirit. He has to be the one bringing forth the Word of God.

In addition, the Holy Ghost testifies through a sinless life. The message of complete freedom from sin is seen best in a life without sin. A life must be controlled by Him in order to live holy in all situations and those not born of the Spirit cannot do so. When we truly embrace God, He will love and witness through us. There is no other way to minister. Anything outside of this is not true ministry. Only obedience to the Word, love for the Father and for people, and tireless efforts to win people to the Kingdom of God can truly be defined as ministry.

This is the life we have been given. It is not a glamorous life. This life is one that must be sought out in diligence and maintained by the same. People are waiting for the sons to stand up and bring them out of captivity. We must be holy and in place so that when people begin looking for answers, we can provide the Word of God as their way of escape. When we embrace the Lord’s will, His light shines through us and into the lives of the lost. The light shines through all darkness in their lives and they are able to see God clearly, because they see Him through us. The enemy loses his power in their lives and they begin to

inquire of us, “What must I do to be saved?”

THE WORLD TO COME

The third principle of our witness is the world to come. Jesus often said, “The kingdom of God is at hand,” He also said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions. Paul stated he reckoned that;

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The glorious part of our witnesses is the reward of our holiness. We are looking forward to the world to come. The just shall walk by faith and not by sight. We know faith to be the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen (2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:1). So our testimony is one obtained through our faith. One day we shall put off corruption and put on incorruption, we shall take off mortality and put on immortality, living with the Father always throughout eternity. We believe that the earth shall be reformed for the church. We believe that the meek shall inherit the earth. This is why the gospel is called the good news. Our expectation of the world to come is what sustains us.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

James 1:12

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Revelation 2:10

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

THE OUTREACH MINISTRY

True evangelism must be under the direction of the gift of the Evangelist. A Senior Pastor in a ministry must recognize the gift of the Evangelist and focus the energy of the whole ministry on that gift; that the purpose of evangelism might be fulfilled in the community in which the ministry resides. When evangelism has been forsaken, the outreach of the ministry will also suffer. Let us examine a common operation in our ministry that we have entitled outreach.

Weekly, we give an offering to the Outreach Department, but many times there is no outlet for this department. For example, we ask for donations of food and clothing, but when there is no evangelism, no one is being clothed or fed which is just one of the many purposes of the outreach ministry. But this responsibility is not just isolated to one department. It is a responsibility given to the church fellowship as a whole.

Remember, all that we do must be done as a body. The outreach ministry is a direct aspect of evangelism. It is not wise on our part to separate charity from ministry, because true ministry is observed in the life of Christ in that He ministered to the spirit and the body. He was always mindful of the state of the multitude that followed Him. He was mindful of how long they sat listening to Him and in His consideration compassion was felt, so that He would also feed the people.

Matthew 14:19-21

19. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

20. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

21. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Matthew 15: 35-38

35. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

37. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

As in His day, when many only followed for the food, we will have the same scenario, but let us not neglect the compassion of Jesus Christ. When you summarize what you have just read, it leads us to this next important point. Evangelism and outreach go hand and hand, they must be well thought out, and carefully planned by the individuals who will be used by God in this magnitude. This, in itself , is an offering unto the Lord.

A true offering is something that is given but that which is given must also be received. The Lord says, “You haven’t given until you have given all.” This is the explanation of the previous statement: If we throw together an activity and title that activity “evangelism,” with no spiritual preparation by way of prayer or fasting, and with no plan or strategy, the Father has seen it is an unfit offering. When an offering is unfit, it is rejected of God, as in the days of Cain and Abel.

Genesis 4:3-5

3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

4. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

5. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

When an evangelistic offering has been rejected of God, you will find that there will be no power of God displayed. For example, no souls will be saved; no healing will take place, no spiritual restoration and no deliverance. But aren’t these the very reasons we embark upon the streets witnessing to the lost? If we are not going to do that which is pleasing to God first, what is the point?

Let us examine for a moment why we don’t give God the offering of evangelism that He requires. Oftentimes it is due to our judgment. The scripture instructs us not to lean to our own understanding. For example, many of us consider evangelism a revival in the church or canvassing neighborhoods spreading the good news of the gospel. These are both accurate examples of evangelism, but what we often don’t consider is the level of ministry that took place inside these activities nor do we compare them to that which is biblical. Because we don’t compare the level of ministry to that which is biblical, we are forced to lean to our own understanding. After these activities, we pat ourselves on the back and say, “God sure moved.” But did He, Saints? If we compare it to when Peter came out of the upper room preaching the gospel and 3,000 souls were saved, did He move?

We must stop seeing the Bible as a book of abstract legends and start seeing it as the absolute Word of God; the blueprint for our lives even today. If God was able to save 3,000 by one message from one man in the Book of Acts, He is able to do the same in our present time. Now I would not be discouraged if 3,000 are saved, but the same praise is worthy when three are saved, Hallelujah! Let us raise the consciousness of our belief; realizing we serve the same God who opened the Red Sea.

Sometimes the preparation for evangelism is not done due to our unbelief. We simply don’t believe God is going to show up. But I submit to you if we operate in the scriptures and in belief, the Father will anoint our efforts and we will see ministry like never before take place.

Mark 16:17-18

17. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.