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Kingdom Identity: Introduction to Identity | Pastors Trev Evans, Christy Jones & Shondell Jones · Koinonia Christian Center

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  What a mighty God we serve.
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  >> Yes, Lord.
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  >> Indeed, the Son of God is lifted high.
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  Well, we're glad to join you today. Is
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  myself, Pastor Trev,
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  >> Pastor Christie,
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  >> Pastor Shandelle,
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  >> and we're excited about being able to
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  share the word of God with you today. We
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  want you to pull up a chair and be in
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  this conversation with us. For those of
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  you who are laying in the bed, sit up.
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  Come on, sit up and lean in to this
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  discussion as we begin to talk about
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  kingdom identity. We know that God has
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  given us this as a theme for this year
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  on kingdom identity and we want to begin
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  to uh somewhat unpack it today. And so I
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  want to whisper a prayer as we jump into
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  this discussion. All right, let's do it.
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  Father, we thank you so much for your
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  goodness and your mercy. We thank you
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  Lord for this opportunity that you've
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  given us to gather around your word. We
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  ask you Lord that as we discuss and
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  share that you will give us ears to
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  hear.
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  >> Yes God,
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  >> hearts to receive and a will to obey
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  your word.
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  >> We thank you for it now in Jesus name.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> Well listen we are talking about kingdom
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  identity and uh we have defined kingdom
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  identity uh the other day and um we we
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  defined it as the distinguishing
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  >> uh the distinguishing traits, thank you,
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  of our worth, purpose, and belonging.
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  And we said that it is is solely derived
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  from our relationship with Jesus. That
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  is our kingdom identity. However, in our
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  conversation, we said before we dive all
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  the way into it, we need to back up and
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  really talk about and define what we
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  mean when we say the kingdom.
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  >> That's a mouthful,
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  >> isn't it?
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  >> Yeah. Jesus said clearly that the
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  kingdom of that this world is not of his
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  kingdom and I thought that was
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  interesting that he's drawn a line of
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  distinction and I think it is necessary
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  for us to draw similar lines to define
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  what the kingdom is. I will first begin
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  by saying what it is not that the
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  kingdom of god is not just the church.
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  >> Oh that's good. I grew up thinking that
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  that people said kingdom and church that
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  that was synonymous. And although the
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  church is a part of the kingdom, that is
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  not the subtotal of the kingdom.
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  >> It's not even just about our
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  denominations
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  >> and our reformations. When we say
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  kingdom, we're talking about something
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  much bigger than just church and
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  reformation.
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  >> Yeah. And you know, you were talking
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  about that scripture, PT, and I did want
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  to read that out of um John chapter 18.
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  So, if you have your Bibles,
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  >> they got to have it. They got to have
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  it.
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  >> Go in your Bible to John chapter 18. And
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  hold on, let me get there.
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  >> And I want to thank God for my red Bible
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  that my pastor, Bishop Rosie O'Neal,
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  gave to me. Come on.
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  >> Super excited about that.
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  >> I know somebody is wondering why we
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  didn't do the confession. We We'll get
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  to it next week.
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  >> Hold on a minute. So John chapter 18 and
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  we're going to read verse 36. Listen to
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  this and we're going to read out of NIV.
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  So John chapter 18 verse 36 says hold on
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  let me get there
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  verse 36 Jesus answered
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  >> my kingdom is not of this world. If my
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  kingdom were of this world my servants
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  would fight so that I should not be
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  delivered to the Jews. But now my
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  kingdom is not from here. And you know
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  that's super important as we're getting
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  into this and we're talking about
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  kingdom because just as you said Pastor
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  Trev, you know, the kingdom is so big.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> It's not little. It's not confined to
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  just the church or to just four walls,
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  but it's so much larger than that. And
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  >> I'm so excited how God is taking us on
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  this journey this year to understand our
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  kingdom identity. Yeah,
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  >> not just our church identity but our
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  kingdom identity. And you know, we were
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  talking actually with Bishop
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  >> and she started giving us some things to
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  consider. One of the things that she
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  said was kingdom means the reign of the
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  king.
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  >> You got to understand that when we talk
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  about the king, we're talking about
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  Jesus. We're not talking about, you
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  know, our supervisors. We're not talking
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  about our teachers, but we're talking
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  about Jesus Christ, the one who laid
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  down his life for us. And it is the
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  intentional extension when we talk about
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  kingdom, it's the intentional extension
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  of godly influence into every area of
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  our lives, whether family,
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  entertainment, education, government,
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  business, media, all of those things.
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  You and I have an assignment from God to
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  be kingdom ambassadors. So that's what
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  I'm really excited about today's
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  conversation. Yeah. I think that's
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  important because it is the it is the
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  the concept of the kingdom is difficult
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  because as Jesus said my kingdom is not
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  of this world.
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  >> Yes.
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  >> And but for us this is the this is the
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  world that we know. And so it is
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  difficult for us to understand the
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  concept sometimes because
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  >> we we mix up the contents
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  >> from the container.
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  >> Yeah. Preach.
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  >> In other words, we see the we look at
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  the church. Yeah.
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  >> We look at politics. We look at
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  entertainment. We look we look at the
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  contents that should be impacted by the
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  kingdom and and we mistake that as being
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  it
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  >> when those as you said those are
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  >> the contents those are underneath the
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  reign or the overarching rule of the
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  kingdom and it can be difficult because
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  that's not where we function
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  >> and so it for us it's going to take
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  >> it will take a different mindset
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  >> to understand that we are functioning
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  >> in the visible realm
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  >> to bring to pass what is invisible.
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  >> You know, and that is that is that can
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  be challenging, but it's possible. And I
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  think that's why it's important that we
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  have this time to break down and look at
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  what is the kingdom itself before we
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  find our identity. What is that kingdom?
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  >> And I think you said something important
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  because we're talking about the rule and
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  reign of Jesus.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> We have to make sure that you get that
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  concept in your mind and in your heart.
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  We're talking about the reign and the
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  rule of Jesus Christ. Yeah. I think
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  that's so important. And you know, we
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  were talking about how sometimes,
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  especially now in our day, everything is
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  about mine and and and what I got to get
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  done and and you know, all of that. But
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  when we talk about kingdom, y'all, what
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  we're saying is
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  >> we got to make sure that Jesus is the
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  ruler of our lives, that this word is
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  the final authority to which I submit.
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  We're talking about the rule and the
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  reign of Jesus. What does that say to
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  y'all? because I just I'm just so
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  nervous that our culture doesn't see it
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  that way.
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  >> I mean, for me, it says that I'm not in
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  control. When we were having the
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  conversation and talking about it, you
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  know, I I I began to think about those
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  countries. And this this may, you know,
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  get a little off,
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  >> but I was thinking about those countries
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  who have a king.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> And they already know how to function to
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  a degree with the kingdom of God.
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  understanding that there is one who is
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  in control and who has a right to
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  determine certain behaviors and beliefs
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  and the way we function and in our in an
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  amazing country that we live in. It's
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  amazing.
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  >> It is.
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  >> However, I think it takes some
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  >> renewing of the mind for us to be able
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  to grasp what it means to function in
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  the kingdom with the king.
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  >> Yeah. Yeah.
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  >> Yeah. That's good. And not to get too
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  too deep into where we're going, but it
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  is that it's that reminder that we are
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  accustomed to a democracy.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> And that is so much different from a
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  kingdom because the the I mean we have
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  the bill of rights, you know, we have
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  the constitution, we have all these
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  things that define what we can do
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  ourselves, what we have the right to do.
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  And then really I mean you see you see
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  the videos online. You everybody loves
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  these videos where somebody gets pulled
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  over by the police.
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  >> Oh, I do. I watch them. I do. It's just
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  something about it. You want to watch
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  and see how they know the law better
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  than the person who's supposed to be in
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  authority.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> And so they can say, "Well, no, you
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  can't do this cuz I have my rights."
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  >> Oh.
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  >> And
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  >> Oh, and granted that may work within the
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  world system. But that doesn't work in
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  the kingdom. Not in the kingdom.
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  >> God has the ability to pull us over to
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  arrest us and say, "This is how things
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  work in this kingdom."
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  >> In this kingdom.
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  >> And we and he rules. That's that's
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  different from us because we're used to
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  saying, "Hey, this is what I can do.
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  This is what I should be allowed to
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  say." But in the kingdom, it implies
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  that there is a king.
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  >> Yes.
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  >> And of course, we know that's Jesus.
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  >> That's Jesus. Amen.
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  >> Man, somebody type in the chat, "His
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  reign over my rights."
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  >> Oh, God.
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  >> Just put that in the chat. His reign
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  over my rights.
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  >> That's good.
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  >> Now, and I and I hear Bishop in my head,
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  you got to understand his heart toward
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  us to be able to relax in that,
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  >> right?
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  >> His reign over my rights.
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  >> His rule over my rights.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> Boy, boy, boy.
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  >> Oh my. That's that's what we got to
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  embrace. So today when we talking about
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  the kingdom, we kind of just want to
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  talk specifically about three things. We
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  want to talk about the purpose of the
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  kingdom.
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  >> We want to talk about the values of the
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  kingdom and the authority.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> Of the kingdom. Yeah.
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  >> Doc, when we say the purpose of the
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  kingdom, will you share shed a little
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  light on on that?
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  Well, so the purpose of the king God God
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  gave us Jesus gave us the pattern of
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  prayer that when we pray even the Lord's
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  prayer, we're praying that his will be
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  done on earth.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> As it is in heaven.
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  >> That prayer itself gives us a sense of
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  or a view of the purpose of the kingdom
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  and that is to allow his rule and reign
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  that is in the invisible that is in the
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  spiritual world
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  >> to be made visible here on earth. Mhm.
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  >> It is allowing his culture
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  >> Mhm.
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  >> to take over the land that we live in
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  and the life that we live, you know, and
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  you know, culture has a language. It has
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  a it has systems, you know, it has it
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  has monetary systems. It has a way that
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  you function, the way that you treat
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  people. And the purpose of the kingdom,
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  and this this isn't popular,
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  >> but it is to rule.
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  >> It's to rule.
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  >> It is to take over. You know what I
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  mean? And
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  >> to take over territory.
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  >> Yeah, it is. That is the purpose of the
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  kingdom. We we've seen that in just just
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  world history, right? If a kingdom goes
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  in goes into a land, the first thing
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  they do is they send they they bring
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  their systems into that area. They bring
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  their language into that area. They
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  teach people how to talk. The language
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  that is learned of of the by the people
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  is the language that the kings speak.
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  Come on. I mean, they come to to
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  infiltrate that land not just to make
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  it. So not just to make the people of
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  that land like this other country. Yeah.
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  >> But to make them into citizens of that
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  country. What a difference. That's a big
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  thing. When they're not just trying to
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  make you similar, but no, we're a
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  kingdom is has come to take over so that
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  now you are no long if if you know you
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  got to be careful in the current current
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  environment. Let's just say your your
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  land is your land is is Aiden, right?
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  And my kingdom is Winterville. I'm not
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  trying to put up houses and structures
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  in Aiden that just are similar to
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  Winterville. I am annexing
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  >> Aiden so that when I leave my house and
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  I go to your house, I am still in the
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  same kingdom. And I think that that is
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  the purpose of the kingdom is to bring a
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  rule and a reigning in in every area
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  that we go.
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  >> To bring his rule and his reign. because
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  we don't want you to get confused about
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  this. When we're talking about setting
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  up rule and reign, we're talking about
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  the rule and reign of Jesus. And I think
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  that's important because again,
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  >> everything in our day speaks to me
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  ruling and me reigning and what I need
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  and what I want, but we're talking about
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  Jesus.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> That has to be clear.
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  >> Yeah. Yeah.
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  >> Man, I was just thinking like, you know,
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  what a mindset shift. Yes. Because it's
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  not just as a believer, we're trying to
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  get to heaven,
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  >> right?
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  >> That's good.
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  >> What we're trying to do is to set heaven
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  up on earth.
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  >> On earth.
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  >> What a different perspective.
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  >> What a different mindset that we're not
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  tucking tail and running and hiding. But
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  we are really trying to institute the
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  will of God in these different uh areas
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  that we spoke of. That's what we're
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  trying to do. That's what we're about
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  doing.
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  >> That's what we're about doing.
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  >> That's a mindset shift. It is. Yeah, it
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  is. And I think that's why that's why we
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  we look forward to heaven and and we
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  want we want to we want to get there.
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  >> Absolutely.
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  >> But while we're here, we're here
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  >> on purpose. And that is to bring that
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  rain and to bring that rule. So it it
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  reminds me of the concept of uh an
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  embassy in another country. And so an
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  embassy, let's let's say in Africa, we
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  have a US embassy in Africa. That is an
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  area of land in Africa that is in that
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  nation. Yeah,
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  >> but it's not owned by that nation. It
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  represents the nation that owns it. That
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  is what the kingdom is in the earth.
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  Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this
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  world." That means his kingdom is from
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  somewhere else. But it is positioned
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  here to be able to function so its
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  citizens can have a safe place
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  >> to function and so that they can have a
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  consistent place to answer to.
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  >> And so that is that it reminds me of
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  that concept. And we're that way. We are
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  the ambassadors
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  >> of the embassy of our life.
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  >> And so we are in this foreign world,
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  >> but we're not of this world. We're just
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  in it. That's right. We're in it, but
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  we're not of this world. And so we
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  function differently.
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  >> And even though the people of this world
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  may have one function,
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  >> that doesn't work in our embassy.
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  >> I know we're in a different place, but
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  we're called to still be governed by
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  >> the rules, the regulation, the reign of
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  the kingdom where we are from. Yes.
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  >> And so even even in a world where there
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  may be trends and and things that people
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  love, you know, everybody's about my
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  truth and my way, but that for us, we
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  don't have that.
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  >> We go by his truth and his way because
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  we're trying to expand the rule
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  >> of God in the earth. Can I can I say
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  could could it be
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  >> could it be that that may be some of the
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  frustration of the believer in
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  Absolutely. trying to occupy or function
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  in the operate within the kingdom using
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  the world standard.
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  >> That's it. That's it.
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  >> You know, that's where we find
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  frustrated believers who who say the
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  Bible doesn't work. This is not real.
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  No. I think what happens is is that
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  we're trying to operate with the world's
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  perspective, the world's way in God's
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  kingdom, and it will not work. It will
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  not work. No, it doesn't work. You call
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  that an outlaw.
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  >> You can't function.
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  >> Come on. I even if I'm in Africa, if I'm
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  on the US embassy,
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  >> I am ruled and regulated by the laws of
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  my land that I'm from. And I think we
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  get frustrated because we try to take
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  the laws of this world
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  >> and bring them into the kingdom and it
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  doesn't work
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  >> when it it doesn't work.
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  >> It doesn't work. That's why the old
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  people used to say, the old saints used
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  to say, "I'm just a stranger passing
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  through. I'm not here." Didn't they make
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  it clear?
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  >> I'm on a journey. I'm going to heaven.
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  That's where I'm from. And I'm not here
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  to stay. And I think that's the other
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  piece. Even when we talk about death.
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  Yeah. For the believer, death, as Bishop
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  has taught us, is a limousine ride
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  really back home.
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  >> Yeah.
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  >> You know, it's a limousine ride back
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  home. So, I'm not going to be frustrated
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  when it's my time to go back home. But
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  while I'm here, I got to operate based
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  on what the king says.
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  >> Sure. Oh, that's good.
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  >> You know,
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  >> so let me share this with you. This is
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  >> y'all. We're just having good
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  conversation. It's just Oh, I love And I
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  know we got to keep going, but I love
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  this example. This Dr. Tony Evans uh
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  shared this and he talked about how we
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  are like referees in a basketball game.
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  >> Oh yes.
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  >> Come on.
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  >> And what it is is there they're two
• 15:55
  sides.
• 15:56
  >> Yes, sir.
• 15:56
  >> Against each other.
• 15:57
  >> Yes, sir.
• 15:58
  >> But we're not on either side.
• 15:59
  >> Come on.
• 16:00
  >> We We don't work for We don't work for
• 16:02
  the Charlotte Hornets.
• 16:03
  >> Come on.
• 16:03
  >> We don't work for the Chicago Bulls. We
• 16:05
  We are employed by the league.
• 16:07
  >> Yes. And so our calling in the earth is
• 16:11
  to be referees in our areas of influence
• 16:13
  because the ultimate goal is the reign
• 16:15
  and rules set by the league. And that's
• 16:18
  what we do. And everywhere we are, we
• 16:20
  are we are that way in the kingdom.
• 16:22
  >> That we are called to be referees, not
• 16:25
  based on our opinions. I don't have a
• 16:27
  team I'm pulling for because I have a
• 16:29
  team I work for. And that is for the
• 16:31
  kingdom of God. And our goal, our aim,
• 16:33
  our purpose is to implement the rules
• 16:36
  and the reign of the kingdom of God.
• 16:38
  >> That's so good. I just heard it. We
• 16:40
  don't stand for who's right. We stand
• 16:41
  for what's right.
• 16:42
  >> Oh, that's good.
• 16:43
  >> Yeah, man. That's good. Boy, that's
• 16:44
  good. But that's the purpose
• 16:46
  >> of the kingdom.
• 16:48
  >> That his will may be done on earth as it
• 16:51
  is in heaven.
• 16:52
  >> The kingdom has purpose.
• 16:54
  >> Secondly, the king ha The kingdom has
• 16:56
  values.
• 16:57
  >> Yeah.
• 16:58
  >> The kingdom has values in every walk and
• 17:00
  sphere of life. In our culture, in the
• 17:03
  world and even other countries, there
• 17:06
  are values that you live and operate by.
• 17:09
  >> Yeah.
• 17:10
  >> And these values, they they show us, you
• 17:12
  know, speak to and give us clarity on
• 17:15
  what behaviors are accepted.
• 17:16
  >> Oh, that's good.
• 17:17
  >> And ones that are not.
• 17:19
  >> The values, you know, last a couple
• 17:21
  weeks ago, we are excited about our core
• 17:23
  values as we have been establishing
• 17:25
  them. But it speaks to our core values.
• 17:28
  what goes here at Cornelia that if
• 17:30
  you're a corneria member, this is how
• 17:32
  we're going to operate.
• 17:33
  >> Yeah.
• 17:33
  >> This is what matters.
• 17:35
  >> Yeah.
• 17:35
  >> And the same thing is true in the
• 17:37
  kingdom of God that God's kingdom has
• 17:40
  values that we're to operate by. I just
• 17:42
  want to throw a couple of them out that
• 17:44
  that it should be humility over pride.
• 17:47
  >> O PT
• 17:48
  >> humility should be over pride. The
• 17:52
  world's way is pride,
• 17:54
  >> you know. But the Bible says in James
• 17:56
  4:6, "But he giveth more grace.
• 17:58
  Wherefore he said, God resisteth the
• 18:00
  proud,
• 18:01
  >> but he gives grace to the humble." The
• 18:03
  world says, just, you know, hold on,
• 18:06
  hold yourself down. Don't don't tell
• 18:07
  anybody what you got going on. You know,
• 18:09
  you make it happen. That's the world's
• 18:11
  way.
• 18:11
  >> Yeah.
• 18:12
  >> But the Bible says that if we're going
• 18:13
  to find grace, the king says that if you
• 18:16
  want to find this grace, you need to
• 18:18
  humble yourself. Yeah. Yeah.
• 18:20
  >> Don't stand up like you're so much.
• 18:22
  Don't try to hold your way to a fault.
• 18:25
  >> What God values is our humility.
• 18:27
  >> That's so good.
• 18:27
  >> Yeah.
• 18:28
  >> He said also love over hate.
• 18:30
  >> Yeah.
• 18:31
  >> Love over hate. Matthew 5:44 says, "Oh
• 18:34
  my God, love your enemies.
• 18:36
  >> Oh Lord,
• 18:37
  >> pray for those who persecute you."
• 18:39
  Listen, that's what that's what's
• 18:40
  valuable in the kingdom of God. Again, I
• 18:43
  think that's the frustration of the
• 18:45
  believer is when we want to take the
• 18:47
  world's values and try to operate in the
• 18:50
  kingdom.
• 18:50
  >> Yeah.
• 18:50
  >> God doesn't call us to clap back.
• 18:53
  >> PT Lord, somebody in the chat. Put that
• 18:56
  in the chat. It's in the chat. God
• 18:57
  knows.
• 18:57
  >> Yeah. God is not calling us to clap
• 18:59
  back. God does not call us
• 19:01
  >> or to cut off.
• 19:02
  >> To Oh, Lord.
• 19:05
  >> He doesn't call us to clap back or to
• 19:07
  cut off.
• 19:07
  >> Yeah. I and I know she don't want us to
• 19:09
  be talking about us the old time, but
• 19:11
  that is one of the things I appreciate
• 19:13
  about Bishop.
• 19:14
  >> Yes.
• 19:14
  >> Is that she has this model of leave the
• 19:17
  light on
• 19:19
  >> where you know people does done does
• 19:20
  some interesting things but she always
• 19:23
  leaves on her end an opportunity for
• 19:26
  people to be able to come back
• 19:28
  >> which is the heart of the king.
• 19:30
  >> Yeah.
• 19:30
  >> That's the heart of the king. He left
• 19:32
  the light on for us while we were yet
• 19:34
  sinners. The Bible says Christ died. He
• 19:37
  left that light on so that we would have
• 19:38
  an opportunity and even when we messed
• 19:41
  up, he said, "My grace is sufficient."
• 19:43
  >> Come on.
• 19:44
  >> So we if we're going to be kingdom
• 19:46
  ambassadors and kingdom citizens, we got
• 19:49
  to do the same thing. Yeah.
• 19:50
  >> We can't do it our way. I know they
• 19:52
  mess, you know, messed you up and made
• 19:54
  you frustrated and all of that, but you
• 19:55
  still supposed to forgive because that's
• 19:57
  what he said.
• 19:58
  >> Yeah.
• 19:58
  >> Love over hate.
• 20:00
  >> Yeah.
• 20:00
  >> He said generosity over grief.
• 20:02
  >> Oh Lord, please talk about that. You
• 20:04
  know, the Bible still says in Acts 20:35
• 20:08
  that it is more blessed to give than to
• 20:11
  receive. That's a kingdom mindset
• 20:13
  because the world says get all you can,
• 20:14
  can all you can get and sit on the lid.
• 20:17
  >> You know that that's that's the world
• 20:18
  mindset
• 20:19
  >> and don't share.
• 20:20
  >> And don't share.
• 20:21
  >> That's right. Hoard it for yourself.
• 20:22
  >> But the kingdom mindset is generosity.
• 20:25
  >> He said if you want something, give it.
• 20:27
  >> That's it.
• 20:28
  >> Like we sow to give. And that's so
• 20:30
  that's backwards from how the world says
• 20:32
  because the world says no you know I'm
• 20:34
  not giving no 10% I'm not you know
• 20:36
  giving over and above unto him unto me
• 20:38
  that's what I'm sewed into that's the
• 20:40
  world mindset yeah what is sacrifice
• 20:42
  right
• 20:43
  >> no no no sacrifice for myself but that
• 20:45
  is not the kingdom way what God values
• 20:49
  is generosity the Bible says the liberal
• 20:52
  soul shall be made fat that is what
• 20:55
  that's how God wants us to operate
• 20:57
  >> he says he says oh my god This is a good
• 21:00
  one. It says, "Justice over oppression."
• 21:03
  Yeah.
• 21:03
  >> Oh,
• 21:04
  >> my God. Justice over oppression. Micah
• 21:07
  chapter 6:8 says, "He has shown you, oh
• 21:09
  man, what is good."
• 21:11
  >> And what does the Lord require, but to
• 21:14
  do justly, to love mercy, and to walk
• 21:16
  humbly with our God?
• 21:19
  >> That God wants us to have a perspective,
• 21:21
  a mindset, an eye for, and a voice for
• 21:25
  >> the oppressed.
• 21:26
  >> Yeah. And that and that's not it's it's
• 21:28
  in various fears. Yeah. You know the
• 21:30
  various fears. And I think that we don't
• 21:33
  have to wait to get in front of a city
• 21:35
  council. That's right. That that's a
• 21:37
  part of it. That's a way to speak up.
• 21:38
  But I think in our everyday lives, we
• 21:40
  can look out for those who are
• 21:42
  overlooked, for those who are oppressed,
• 21:44
  those who are ostracized, those who are
• 21:47
  marginalized, being having a voice for
• 21:49
  them and sticking up. You know, one of
• 21:51
  the Oh Lord, watch this. One of the
• 21:53
  videos I like, speaking of videos, I
• 21:55
  like watching videos where somebody is
• 21:58
  getting bullied.
• 22:00
  >> Yeah.
• 22:01
  >> But there's somebody that's in the crowd
• 22:04
  that stands up and comes out swinging on
• 22:06
  them.
• 22:07
  >> Oh my god. Because we live in a day now
• 22:09
  where everybody is standing with the
• 22:10
  cell phone recording. And ain't nothing
• 22:12
  wrong with recording because you got to
• 22:13
  have some witnesses. I get that. But
• 22:14
  somebody got to be ready. Now, I'm not
• 22:16
  I'm advocating violence, aren't I?
• 22:18
  >> Somebody's got to be willing. You got to
• 22:20
  be willing to jump in there and knock
• 22:21
  somebody out for somebody else. Exactly.
• 22:23
  >> Stand up for the somebody. I think there
• 22:24
  was a video a while ago where this
• 22:26
  mother was uh with her kids at a bus
• 22:28
  stop
• 22:29
  >> and these other kids was jumping this
• 22:31
  this mom and like her two or three kids
• 22:33
  and I mean beating this lady up and her
• 22:35
  kids. Unbelievable. It was in Chicago
• 22:38
  and and I was just waiting
• 22:40
  >> for somebody
• 22:42
  >> to step out
• 22:43
  >> and grab these kids by the nap of their
• 22:45
  neck and just to because we want to be
• 22:47
  the kind that stand up for the
• 22:49
  oppressed.
• 22:49
  >> That's it. That's it.
• 22:50
  >> You know, uh so that's the kingdom value
• 22:52
  though. Yeah. Justice over the
• 22:54
  oppressed.
• 22:54
  >> I think that these are important. The
• 22:55
  values are important because number one,
• 22:57
  it's upside down, isn't it?
• 22:59
  >> It's upside down from us. Yeah.
• 23:01
  >> And that again, that's why that's why it
• 23:02
  takes a mindset shift because if if this
• 23:06
  is how we live according to these
• 23:08
  values, we've got to understand the
• 23:09
  values of the kingdom. And I know we're
• 23:11
  going to talk about these all year.
• 23:12
  Yeah.
• 23:12
  >> But it it makes me think of it, you
• 23:14
  know, if I'm going to live by these
• 23:15
  values,
• 23:16
  >> it's like diving into the into the
• 23:18
  ocean, you know, now my life
• 23:20
  >> is on land. Oh, wow.
• 23:22
  >> And so the value I value oxygen to be
• 23:25
  able to live, right?
• 23:26
  So, but I can't think because I'm diving
• 23:29
  in the water and because I can swim well
• 23:31
  that all of a sudden I can breathe
• 23:34
  >> in the water.
• 23:35
  >> I still need
• 23:37
  >> the value of oxygen, you know. And I
• 23:40
  think what happens a lot of times is and
• 23:42
  again we we see the world around us.
• 23:45
  >> Yeah.
• 23:45
  >> And we start looking in that ocean and
• 23:47
  saying, "Well, shoot, all the other fish
• 23:49
  seem like they doing just fine in here.
• 23:51
  >> They don't have this oxygen tank like I
• 23:53
  do. M
• 23:53
  >> maybe I can take mine off and I can
• 23:56
  mobilize and move around just like
• 23:57
  everybody else. And the minute we do it,
• 23:59
  we suffocate.
• 24:00
  >> Yeah.
• 24:01
  >> Because we're in the kingdom, but we're
• 24:03
  still trying to breathe the air of the
• 24:04
  world.
• 24:05
  >> And if we don't understand the values of
• 24:08
  the kingdom, we suffocate in the systems
• 24:10
  of the world.
• 24:11
  >> Yes.
• 24:11
  >> Now, you done said a mouthful. Good
• 24:13
  gracious.
• 24:14
  >> Boy, that's good.
• 24:15
  >> I know. Let take a moment and sit with
• 24:16
  that for a second.
• 24:18
  >> Yeah.
• 24:18
  >> God, you suffocate.
• 24:21
  >> Yeah. And that's that frustration I
• 24:23
  think that you were talking about is we
• 24:24
  get frustrated because like man I seem
• 24:26
  like I can't stay down here as long I
• 24:29
  seem like I can't make it or maneuver in
• 24:31
  this environment as long it's because
• 24:32
  you're breathing the wrong air.
• 24:34
  >> Come on.
• 24:34
  >> That that system doesn't work down here
• 24:36
  for you,
• 24:37
  >> right?
• 24:38
  >> That works for them. But you're not of
• 24:39
  the ocean. You're not of the world.
• 24:42
  We're of the kingdom. And we have to
• 24:44
  live on the values of the kingdom.
• 24:46
  >> That's good.
• 24:47
  >> And that's a mindset shift,
• 24:48
  >> man. So I so in in that light I need the
• 24:50
  oxygen of humility and love and
• 24:53
  generosity and justice and faith over
• 24:55
  fear. And let's just tackle this one. I
• 24:57
  I need the oxygen of servantthood over
• 25:00
  selfishness.
• 25:01
  >> Jesus. Yes.
• 25:02
  >> I need the oxygen of servantthood over
• 25:05
  selfishness. Jesus said in Matthew
• 25:06
  23:11, he said, "The greatest among you
• 25:09
  will be your servant."
• 25:11
  >> That is the oxygen that I need in the
• 25:14
  kingdom of God. Selfishness will suff
• 25:16
  when I tell you if that you talk about
• 25:17
  something that'll suffocate you.
• 25:19
  Selfishness will suffocate you.
• 25:20
  >> Yes, it will.
• 25:21
  >> How many times have we met people who
• 25:23
  have gotten and acquired all these
• 25:25
  things that they seem to have want and
• 25:27
  they still gasping for air because air
• 25:30
  and oxygen for the believer is not found
• 25:32
  in what we get.
• 25:33
  >> Yeah.
• 25:34
  >> It's found in what we give.
• 25:35
  >> Boy, that's God's people. Yeah. But
• 25:37
  those are the values of the kingdom. So
• 25:40
  the kingdom has purpose.
• 25:41
  >> It has value. But the kingdom also has
• 25:45
  authority. Now y'all know, full
• 25:47
  disclosure, Pastor Christie had to get
• 25:49
  this one.
• 25:49
  >> Yes, sir.
• 25:50
  >> When we talking about authority,
• 25:51
  >> y'all, we were so excited when we were
• 25:53
  putting this together and talking the um
• 25:54
  other night. Listen to Matthew 28:18.
• 25:57
  This Bible,
• 25:58
  >> this b this this scripture, it says,
• 26:00
  "And Jesus came and spoke to them,
• 26:02
  saying,
• 26:03
  >> listen to this, all authority."
• 26:07
  >> I want to just let you just pause on
• 26:09
  that. All authority. And it's written in
• 26:11
  red. So Jesus is talking. All authority
• 26:14
  has been given to me in heaven and on
• 26:18
  earth.
• 26:19
  >> What you and I got to understand is this
• 26:22
  kingdom, this system that we're in. We
• 26:24
  have
• 26:25
  >> it's his authority. Yes, sir.
• 26:27
  >> It's his author. You know, I was
• 26:29
  thinking about the Bible and the Bible
• 26:33
  really is our constitution.
• 26:35
  >> Yeah.
• 26:36
  >> You know, because in an earthly kingdom,
• 26:38
  the king's word is law. The Bi and I
• 26:41
  wrote this down. The Bible is not just a
• 26:43
  book of stories. It is the constitution
• 26:46
  of the kingdom.
• 26:47
  >> Come on. Come on.
• 26:47
  >> And that's what you and I got to
• 26:49
  understand. When I hold this book in my
• 26:53
  hand, I'm not just holding a bunch of
• 26:55
  stories about people who I don't know.
• 26:57
  >> Yeah.
• 26:58
  >> I'm holding the constitution of the
• 27:00
  kingdom. This is the final authority to
• 27:02
  which I submit to settle any issue in my
• 27:05
  life because I'm a kingdom citizen. is
• 27:08
  gonna be settled by this word. So when I
• 27:11
  pray to the king, Yeah. I'm not begging
• 27:13
  him.
• 27:14
  >> Yeah.
• 27:15
  >> And I think sometimes we we struggle
• 27:16
  with that as kingdom citizens. We think
• 27:19
  we're begging. No. When you pray and you
• 27:21
  pray the word, you're reinforcing what
• 27:23
  the king said.
• 27:24
  >> And when you pray, you release angels to
• 27:27
  go out on your behalf because that's a
• 27:29
  part of your kingdom rights. And that's
• 27:32
  the thing that we've got to understand.
• 27:33
  You know, I was thinking about this and
• 27:35
  I said, I'm not a beggar.
• 27:39
  >> As a kingdom citizen, I have authority.
• 27:42
  Why? Because I'm operating by what he
• 27:45
  said.
• 27:46
  >> And his word, he'll perform his word.
• 27:48
  The Bible says he performs his word with
• 27:50
  signs following. He's not performing my
• 27:52
  feelings. He's not performing my
• 27:54
  frustrations. He is performing his word.
• 27:57
  And as a kingdom person, you got to
• 28:00
  understand the authority that you have
• 28:02
  in him. Yeah,
• 28:03
  >> your life is in him. And we can't even
• 28:05
  get into that because I know that's we
• 28:07
  going to go there. But I'm just saying
• 28:08
  and I I'm just so
• 28:10
  >> as we were preparing for this, what I
• 28:12
  was saying to Pastor Trev and Pastor
• 28:13
  Shandelle, and let me slow down. What I
• 28:15
  was saying to them is I'm nervous that
• 28:19
  as Christians, as kingdom citizens,
• 28:23
  >> we have become punkish in our approach
• 28:27
  to things. What I mean by that is we
• 28:29
  don't understand the authority that we
• 28:31
  walk in. Yeah.
• 28:32
  >> We don't understand the authority of the
• 28:35
  kingdom that we are a part of. So
• 28:38
  therefore, when a little trouble hits,
• 28:40
  we back up. We stop coming to church,
• 28:42
  the place where we're supposed to get
• 28:44
  our instruction. We stop coming there.
• 28:46
  We stop giving because we're over here
• 28:48
  trying to figure out how to pay our
• 28:49
  bills. Well, the thing is, if we operate
• 28:52
  by his kingdom authority, by his system,
• 28:55
  we will get the results because that's
• 28:58
  what we're called to do.
• 28:59
  >> Yeah.
• 29:00
  >> So, I'll pause cuz I done got excited
• 29:02
  and hot. So, go ahead y'all take over.
• 29:04
  >> Well, it takes it takes me so many
• 29:06
  places. I think as you were saying that,
• 29:07
  it made me think of
• 29:09
  >> and we talked about it last night. P
• 29:11
  versus authority.
• 29:12
  >> That's where I went.
• 29:13
  >> It made me think about that. And I think
• 29:14
  a lot of times when we don't recognize
• 29:17
  the authority that we have in the earth,
• 29:19
  we look for earthly power.
• 29:22
  >> And when when you have authority, you
• 29:24
  have the right and the ability to direct
• 29:27
  and control any power.
• 29:28
  >> And I think that's that is that's where
• 29:30
  again that's one of those areas where we
• 29:31
  suffocate. And so we look now go to
• 29:34
  school, get your education, you know,
• 29:35
  get degree, you know, do all these
• 29:37
  things, get powers, whatever. But that
• 29:39
  is not authority. That's not authority.
• 29:40
  >> That is power. And I think a lot of
• 29:42
  times we get disappointed because we
• 29:44
  seek and some of us find power but we
• 29:46
  don't we don't use that in kingdom
• 29:49
  authority.
• 29:50
  >> Yes.
• 29:50
  >> Yeah. You know I I sat up cuz something
• 29:52
  a story came to mind.
• 29:54
  >> So I'm driving down Greenville Boulevard
• 29:56
  and we you have certain lights that you
• 29:58
  can see from a distance. So I'm
• 29:59
  approaching this intersection but
• 30:01
  there's a blinking light.
• 30:02
  >> Yeah.
• 30:03
  >> And so the the the cars and stuff are
• 30:05
  backed up and I'm wondering like why
• 30:07
  isn't my lane going? What is going on?
• 30:09
  Yeah.
• 30:10
  >> And so when I finally get up to it,
• 30:11
  there's a cop standing in the middle of
• 30:13
  the intersection.
• 30:15
  >> And so you realize that this cop, all
• 30:17
  this power cop, these cars, if they
• 30:20
  wanted to, they could trample him. But
• 30:22
  this cop is not operating by power. He's
• 30:25
  operating by authority. He has the
• 30:27
  backing of the Grim Police Department to
• 30:29
  be able to tell one stop and one go.
• 30:31
  Well, let me calm down. I feel you. It's
• 30:33
  authority to be able to call and direct.
• 30:36
  And I and I hear you so clearly that
• 30:38
  that is what we're missing. And when
• 30:40
  we're missing authority, we're trying to
• 30:41
  grab power.
• 30:42
  >> Yes, man. That's good.
• 30:44
  >> Yeah. That's and the presence of that
• 30:45
  officer overrides
• 30:47
  >> the systems of the environment that he
• 30:50
  stands in. And that's the authority that
• 30:52
  we have. And I think this is important
• 30:54
  because when you when you hear
• 30:55
  authority, it is authority over our life
• 30:58
  as we submit to God. But then but when
• 31:00
  we submit to authority, we can be
• 31:02
  trusted with authority. And that is that
• 31:05
  is the method that he uses to God am I
• 31:08
  getting into the next week. That is the
• 31:09
  method that he uses to expand his
• 31:12
  kingdom. I think that's that gives us a
• 31:14
  sense of confidence.
• 31:15
  >> Confidence. Yes. Cuz I'm going to tell
• 31:17
  you something like I understand and and
• 31:19
  I know
• 31:20
  >> Okay, let me say it like this. When I
• 31:22
  walk into a room, I understand who I am.
• 31:24
  I understand when I walk into a space,
• 31:26
  the atmosphere has to shift. Yeah.
• 31:28
  >> Why? Because I'm operating under his
• 31:31
  authority.
• 31:31
  >> Yeah. If nobody in there is is with me,
• 31:34
  I understand who is with me. That
• 31:37
  scripture became so real to me, y'all.
• 31:39
  He said to me, Christy, I will never
• 31:41
  leave you. Yeah.
• 31:42
  >> I will never forsake you. I'll always be
• 31:44
  with you. And I have taken that thing. I
• 31:47
  understand when I walk into a room. I'm
• 31:50
  not walking in there by myself. I'm
• 31:53
  never alone.
• 31:54
  >> I don't care who's not around me. I
• 31:56
  don't care. You know, I love my husband
• 31:58
  with everything that's within me, but if
• 31:59
  he falls off the face of the globe
• 32:01
  tomorrow, I'm still gonna be okay
• 32:03
  because I know who is with me. Yeah.
• 32:05
  >> And I think that's where God is trying
• 32:07
  to move us to. We We're so accustomed
• 32:09
  to, you know, people and people are
• 32:12
  great.
• 32:12
  >> Yeah.
• 32:13
  >> You understand? People are great. But I
• 32:15
  want you all to get your mind centered
• 32:17
  and focused on the fact that Jesus is
• 32:19
  with you. The king is with you.
• 32:22
  >> You're not by yourself. Absolutely. And
• 32:24
  you have authority. So you see a
• 32:27
  situation, he told us that you can speak
• 32:29
  something and stuff has to shift. You
• 32:32
  can lay your hands on the sick and the
• 32:33
  sick have to recover. Why? Because I'm
• 32:36
  putting that word on that situation. But
• 32:38
  if you're not utilizing his word,
• 32:40
  >> Yeah.
• 32:41
  >> you have no authority.
• 32:42
  >> Yeah. Yeah. And you got to use that.
• 32:44
  They call that a
• 32:44
  >> We got 30 seconds.
• 32:45
  >> They call it a citizen's arrest.
• 32:48
  >> Yes, sir. When you when you have the
• 32:49
  authority of the king and you see
• 32:51
  something that's not in line with his
• 32:53
  kingdom, you can speak a word and
• 32:55
  address that situation, you can arrest
• 32:57
  the situation. But that is that is the
• 32:59
  authority
• 33:00
  >> the authority
• 33:00
  >> that we walk in. Is that what he gave
• 33:02
  Peter said, "Whatever you bind on earth
• 33:04
  is bound in heaven. Whatever you loose
• 33:06
  on earth has been loosened. I give you
• 33:08
  the keys of the kingdom." Yes, sir.
• 33:09
  >> He gave them for my God today. That's
• 33:12
  good.
• 33:13
  >> That's good.
• 33:14
  >> All right. Listen, y'all. They tell us
• 33:15
  to They telling us to wrap it up. All
• 33:16
  right. But this is this is good. the the
• 33:18
  kingdom. We want we're getting into
• 33:19
  kingdom identity, but we thought it was
• 33:21
  needful
• 33:22
  >> to start with identifying what do we
• 33:25
  mean by kingdom. And we understand today
• 33:27
  that the kingdom has purpose. It has
• 33:29
  value. It also has authority. But the
• 33:32
  kingdom also has citizens.
• 33:34
  >> And we're going to begin to unpack and
• 33:36
  talk about how we operate in this
• 33:38
  kingdom as citizens. All right.