LOVE IS THE NEW COMMANDMENT (42)/ THE KINGDOM OF GOD (10)

This Sunday service Pastor (Mrs) Silvia Lia Leigh preached another sermon in the series titled ‘Love is The New Commandment’. Her main scriptures were taken from the books of Romans 14:16-18; Psalm 112:1-10; John 21:15-17.

THE AGAPE LOVE OF GOD

Love is the greatest word in the Bible. Agape means unconditional sacrificial love. This Love is not just a feeling. It is the highest, most pure form of love, born not out of natural attraction or obligation, but a willful choice and a command to be obeyed.  It is the unselfish, pure, powerful, and sacrificial love that desires the best in another person. This love is best expressed as the Fatherly Love of God for humanity. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). The unbelievers may be religious, but they do not know this agape love. Love is a gift given only to the children of God, who are saved by grace and thru faith in Christ. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn15:13). Because we are born sinners, agape love does not come naturally to us. Agape love requires faithfulness, commitment, courage, strength, wisdom, faith, and sacrifice. Agape love is the magnet God uses to attract the world to Jesus! It was so in the early church, and during all the revivals in the history of the Church! Selah!

Question: what is the difference between human genuine love and agape love? Human love can be as strong as death. Many unbelievers have loved others and sacrificed their lives for them. But there is a vital difference between human and agape love:

*The Source of Agape love is found in the Cross. Christ died for me. He loved me first. Therefore, I love others. Human love is based on the flesh, on emotions, which can fail anytime. Agape Love proceeds from the Will. Phileo Love proceeds from emotions. Selah!

*The Power to sustain Agape Love is through the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s heart. It never fails. Human love is sustained by emotions and personal commitments which can fail anytime.

*The Goal of Agape Love is to give glory to God. The goal of human love is to make humanity ‘a better place’. The goal is earthly.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

The Kingdom of God is the realm, rule, and reign of God, where Jesus Christ is King, advancing on earth, by the power of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, bringing righteousness, peace, joy, healing, freedom, prosperity, and deliverance, by driving away the forces of darkness. Jesus said: “But if I drive out the demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already come upon you” (Lk 11:20; AMP). As a citizen of heaven, you must experience deliverance, victory upon victory in every area of your life! Amen!  God’s Kingdom is the realm of God Himself, filled with truth, love, holiness, righteousness, power, grace, and Glory!  It points to spiritual things, to eternal life, to the atmosphere of heaven, to the worship there, and to the authority of God. The Kingdom of God has three basic attributes: Righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Spirit! The concept of the Kingdom has almost been lost. Most people do not understand the authority of the King in his domain, and the blessings of the subjects. This is because most countries have other types of government: democracy, communism, or dictatorship. God invented the concept of Kingdom so that it is easier for us understand His plan and purpose for men.

“Then God 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.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen 1:26-28). God created the human beings to populate the earth. He created them male and female. He created them in His own image and likeness. God blessed man and gave him authority over the earth. “The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, But the earth He has given to the children of men” (Ps 115:16; AMP). God did not give authority to men over the heavens. God commanded man to subdue the earth. The word ‘subdue’ means to control something by force and discipline, to master or to overcome it. To subdue someone, it means to establish superiority. Practically, God commanded man to master the earth by planting and producing harvests, by digging into the ground and bringing out gold and diamonds. Because of man’s rebellion, the earth was cursed to produce thorns and thistles. Now, it is harder for man to work, to master the earth, to produce harvests (Gen 3:17-19). It is only in Christ that there is redemption for man and for nature. Christ, as we understand our position as Kings and Priests, we can produce harvests, to prosper supernaturally like never before. Praise the Lord!

God gave them ‘dominion’ over all the animals. The word ‘dominion’ is a Kingdom Word. It means to have sovereign authority, absolute power to rule, to control or master another. Even at creation, before sin entered, God’s plan and purpose for them was to be kings in their domain, to be royal priesthood in Christ. Man was to rule and reign over all the animals, but not over one another. When Adam sinned, he lost a Kingdom. Jesus came to live and die, to re-establish God’s Kingdom on earth. He is now the King of kings! What makes the Kingdom of God different from any other kingdom, is that all its citizens (subjects) are the relatives of the King, and they are all kings themselves! What a privilege to be the royal priesthood in Christ!!! Glory!

The word ‘Kingdom’ comes from two words: King and Domain. God has always been God. Then God created the spiritual (invisible) world and the physical world (man). He did it for His own pleasure and because He is a Creator. Once God created His domain, He became King over His domain. Let us start with what the Kingdom of God is not. The Apostle Paul says that it is not ‘eating and drinking’. It is not ‘meat and drink’ (KJ). It is not made from material things, man-made, temporal, or perishable items. It is not a collection of some little things that you buy with money. We often forget the littleness of this material world and the amazing majesty of the eternal God. We forget that all things do not have the same power or value. For example, Jesus said that life is more valuable than food and the body is more than the clothes that cover it. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matt 6:25). To worry about food and dress, and to ignore your life, is foolish. For unbelievers, food, and clothes are more important than their souls. Here you see that the doctrine of the Kingdom of God is not a matter of indifference. The Kingdom of God is not just a little religious behavior, something small, narrow, and negative. It is a grand concept, fit for the King of kings to rule and to reign. The Holy Spirit must give you the revelation! Selah!

THE ESTABLISHED HEART (Psalm 112:1-10)

This is God’s sure promise to us: “The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself” (Deut 28:9). In Psalm 112, we find a heavenly royal banquet of spiritual food. This is the ideal Christian testimony, having favor with God and with men. Christ is our Righteousness. He died to save our souls from the condemnation, guilt, pollution, and shame of sin. Righteousness is defined as the right standing before God. Practically, it manifests as being good and doing good to the glory of God. Here we see that a righteous man is celebrated by heaven and earth. He is a worshipper of God. His family and children are blessed. He is a fruitful man. God’s light of revealed truth comes to him even during spiritual darkness. He is kind, loving, generous, and discreet. He is strong, courageous and fearless, a true spiritual leader of men. His reputation among angels and men is established. Even his enemies agree that this one is a righteous man, favored by God. To have an established heart and confirmed testimony is our portion in Christ! Glory to God!

“Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments”

It is always good to praise the Lord! The proud man praises himself. The righteous remembers to praise the God of His salvation. The believer not only fears the Lord, but also loves the Lord. He is a respectful and responsible son. The religious unbelievers like to listen to Bible stories, but they hate God’s commandments. It is not the rich, handsome man who is blessed. We do not read that God blesses the man who fears in general … but the one who fears GOD! The object of fear is most important. It is the child of God who loves the Bible. He becomes “bold as a lion” (PV 28:1). He does not fear “evil tidings” (Ps112:7). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (PV 9:10).

“His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever”

It is better to leave behind godly children than money in the bank. The descendants of the godly are ‘mighty’. In Hebrew, the word is ‘Gibor’. It means to be a champion, a wealthy man of valor, or a courageous man of war. It is a fact that the children born in homes where both parents are committed Christians have an advantage over other children. They know God’s Word and feel God’s presence. Many of the great men and heroes from all nations come from a Christian background. The blessings upon the descendants are both spiritual and material. God not only gives wealth, but He helps the righteous man to manage his wealth. When riches increase, he does not get proud. He is not deceived by material wealth. He uses it to bless others. In the Old Testament, God’s blessings upon the descendants were counted as the greatest blessings. Both God and His child have something in common: Their “righteousness endures forever” (Ps111:3). God uses this man to do good things that are rewarded eternally. God takes care of his needs and protects his legacy. “The memory of the righteous is blessed” (PV10:7). This is a mystery, how, for a long time, people remember the godly with love in their hearts!!! Selah!

“Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous”

Most men admire the sunsets, but few wake up early enough to see the sun rising. Each sunrise testifies to light’s victory over darkness. God promises to reveal His truth and light to the righteous man. In all circumstances, during attacks of the enemy, sickness, persecution, bereavement, or loneliness, the Christian has hope and peace. To him, depression is a foreign language and confusion is a stranger. He manifests agape love to all, friends or enemies. Pain does not make him rude or selfish. He is always kind to people. God’s light of revelation increases daily. “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (PV 4:18; NIV). The future for the child of God is better than his past or present!

“A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion”

A Christian is good with money!!! Lesson: to have a generous heart you need a good mind. God blesses him materially. He is wise when helping people. He is not wasteful and not greedy. He uses money as a spiritual weapon for blessing others and helping them to be free. He never gives too much and ends in poverty. He never gives too little in such a way that the recipient cannot benefit from his gift. The gift of money mixed with prayer, given by a godly man, is powerful and effectual to help others in their times of need. The lesson we learn in poverty is patience. The lesson we must apply in riches is generosity.

The righteous man is discreet. Discretion is a form of wisdom. It is the skill to behave well, in a quiet humble way, not attracting much attention to yourself. It is freedom of personal choice. You do what you plan to do. None manipulates or intimidates you. You speak and behave in such a way that you do not embarrass yourself or others. Discretion tells you when to say yes and when to say no. Like Jesus said, when doing good, your right hand does not know what your left hand is doing. Discretion is the queen of good behavior. The steward needs discretion when working for his master. He knows the mind of his master. Knowledge or wealth, without discretion, is like a sword in the hand of a mad man. When working for God, Discretion becomes power, protection, and progress in life. Selah!

“Surely, he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies”

The Righteous man will never be shaken, slip or fall. His testimony is secure. Security is necessary for happiness. His testimony and his memory are protected by God. He is not afraid and does not expect bad news. These may come but he does not welcome them halfway. He is not intimidated or anxious by negative stories. The reason for this strength and peace is total faith in God. His heart is steadfast, prepared, made ready for any possibility. The word ‘steadfast’ means to be like a nail, firm in its place, staying in one position for a long time, constant, and not changing suddenly. His heart is established in the Lord.  To be ‘established’ means to be strong and confident; to have a deep foundation, like a house built on the Rock or be like a tree planted by the river. To be established means to be approved and honored by people as the right person in the right place. This man cannot be uprooted or fired from his place. He increases in strength, wisdom and resources. It never gets weaker. He is fearless, strong and courageous. He is a pillar in God’s house. He perseveres in battles until he sees his desire upon his enemies. Because he is a man of grace, his desire is that his enemies repent and surrender to Christ. He does not take pleasure in private revenge. But if the wicked continue in their evil way, the godly man will witness their downfall.

“He has dispersed abroad; He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor”

God blesses the righteous man with material blesses. This man is not selfish. He loves to share with others, especially with those who are in need. His generosity is a matter of principle. He gives out of a deep well of agape love expecting nothing in return from men but trusting God for His reward. This man is our hero. Everything he does has eternal value. His reputation as a servant of God is approved by God and cannot be damaged by evil people. His memory is blessed! The horn of an animal is a symbol of power. It is a container filled with olive oil, to anoint kings and priests. It is a trumpet that sounds the victory sound. The horn is like a bank, filled with gold. The horn is also a sign of maturity. The mature Christian shall be honored by all for his spiritual strength, consecration and resources.

“The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish”

After describing the righteous man, we are reminded that not all men are like him. In this world, there are evil people who take pleasure in hurting others. Like their master, the devil, they desire to steal, kill, and destroy. But their evil plans are powerless against the righteous. The wicked see the righteous blessed and envy them. But the same wicked cannot see their own desires fulfilled. God knows all men. God rewards all men according to their works. This is a reminder that there is a final judgment and a hell. May we examine ourselves. May we be found in the Kingdom of God, where there is Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit, and eternal life in Christ alone! Amen!

THE SUCCESS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Over the years, God sent prophets who told the people of Israel that one day, the Messiah King will come. Great kingdoms like Babylon, Persia, and Greece, rose and fell. They all played a part in the history of mankind. But God decided to send Jesus during the time of the Roman Empire. Though not perfect, it was the best model to understand God’s Kingdom. God never makes mistake. His timing is perfect. The Roman Empire had a King (the Ceasar) who desired good for all the people. He invested much in the economy. There were human rights, safety, peace, and prosperity. The Jews hated the Romans and refused to submit to them. But the truth is that the Romans were fair to the people they conquered. When Jesus spoke about His kingdom, men understood what He was talking about, because they saw examples in the Roman Empire. An Empire is an expansive territory, a group of countries, that are under the control of a single ruler (king).

During its peak, the Roman Empire was the most successful empire. From the time of Augustus, who became the first Roman emperor in 27AD until the death of Marcus Aurelius in 180AD, the Empire expanded and prospered like no other. The empire doubled in size, from Great Britain to the North of Africa. A quarter of the world population belonged to the Roman Empire. New righteous laws were instituted. For example, Augustus decreed that all the soldiers in the Roman army should be paid their pensions not by their military commanders, but directly from the public treasury in Rome. This law made all the soldiers have peace of mind about their retirement and not afraid of manipulation from their senior commanders. Augustus created a governmental system that could investigate and punish corruption found in the governors who exploited their position for personal gain. Once the Roman army conquered a territory, if the local king submitted to Rome, and agreed to pay taxes to Rome, then he will remain in charge of his domain. The people in the conquered territory were treated well. They were not forced to change their customs or their religion. This kind attitude towards kept peace in the Empire.

Augustus destroyed all the oppressors. He killed all the pirates on the Mediterranean Sea. He built big ships and encouraged free trade on the Sea. Under Augustus alone, Rome built 50,000 miles of new roads that eased the movement of troops, information and goods. These roads were well built. Many of them are still used till today. Rome built bridges and ports. Water flowing through Roman aqueducts allowed cities to prosper. The Romans gave citizenship to good locals. Most people learned Latin, took Roman names, changed their hair styles, fashion and customs to be like the Romans. Life was better and happier. Every city had their own amphitheater where they did chariot races. For the first time in the ancient world, the Romans built public baths and toilets. Using a mixture of volcanic ash, lime, and seawater, The Romans were the first to use concrete and built mighty structures. The Colosseum in Rome still stands to this day.

The Roman army was very well organized. This is the first army that trained its soldiers. There was discipline, new improved weapons, and good strategy. For almost 200 years nobody could defeat the Roman army.  At its highest the Roman army was made up of half a million well-trained soldiers. Only men were allowed to be soldiers. A soldier had to be at least 17 years old, and at least 1.6 meters tall. The soldiers trained very hard. They were forced to walk 20 miles daily, rain or shine, using full armor. Any soldier who disobeyed his commander or was found sleeping on duty was punished with severe flogging or even sentenced to death.

Roman society was divided into citizens, non-citizens and slaves. Citizens had many rights, including the right to vote (only male citizens had this right) and the right to a fair trial. Except for treason, the Roman citizens could not be sentenced to death. Non-citizens could earn their citizenship if they achieved something special, such as faithful service in the army. But the life of a slave was difficult. They were considered the property of the family they served and could be beaten for little or no reason. Latin was the main language of the Roman empire. Women, whether citizens or not, had very few rights in Rome. They received a very basic education and were expected to take a traditional role in the household, preparing and cooking meals, making clothes and raising children.

As we have studied the Roman Empire, we deduce that in the Kingdom of God there is economic prosperity, order, discipline, peace, joy, security, justice (sin is punished), hope for greater things, submission to authority, creativity, respect and love among people.   

DESTROYING THE STRONGHOLD OF POVERTY

“How long will you lie there, you sluggard?  When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man” (PV 6:9-11; NIV).

This is a warning given especially to the sluggard. A sluggard is a habitually lazy person, who loves sleep and hates work. In the Bible, poverty is described as an armed robber that attacks you in the night, when you sleep! Do you love sleep? Sleep is a good servant, but a bad master. Do not take sleeping pills! Too much sleep is a sign of sickness, depression or laziness leading to poverty. Do you fear armed men coming to attack you at night? The attack of poverty is worse than an attack with EK47. Poverty is a spiritual bandit. It attacks when you relax too much, when you are not watchful and prayerful (ask Samson, he will tell you..) Once poverty pounces on you, it will chain your feet, your hands, your eyes and your mind. You become its prisoner. It will carry you to its smelly dungeon and steal all your dreams. It will kill the wonder, the romance of your worship. You will not be able to make progress in life. Your hands become too weak to work. Your mind becomes too tired to think well! You become easily bored, restless, blind to opportunities to invest, foolish, fearful, and confused, especially when it comes to financial decisions!

The subject of material prosperity and poverty is something that interests everybody. Right now, I am speaking only to believers in Christ. As children of God, we must have the mind of Christ. We must view everything thru the eyes of Christ, as it is revealed in the Bible. We must avoid and reject the worldly way of preaching prosperity. As Christians, we do not love money and we do not hate money! We love God and hate the devil! This is a fact: There are more ‘poor people’ in this world than the ones called ‘wealthy’. But poverty is relative. A hut in your village may be a palace in my country. Let me be more practical… There is something called ‘poverty mentality’. It is a spiritual evil stronghold in your mind, the devil’s seed, possibly planted in your youth. If you water it with anxiety and doubt, it will become a harvest of lack. Even if you work hard, you will always be in need. Even when you have money, you feel poor. As a child of God, you need to discover this evil plantation, uproot it and destroy it. God’s Word has greater authority than any idea, imagination or theory in your mind! This stronghold affects the rich and the poor, the educated and the illiterate. It is a spiritual wall that forms a hindrance in your mind when you want to think about material prosperity in life! That is the danger! Selah!

These are some of the characteristics of poverty mentality type of stronghold in the mind:

*You hate spending money. You feel guilty after spending more money than you have planned.

*You think that opportunities to make money are limited. You think that material success is temporary and hard to achieve.

*You are anxious when trying to start a business. You feel it is too risky.

*You stay passive or neutral. When it comes to finances you choose to follow than to lead others to a greater level of prosperity.

*You fear that you’ll never be able to save money.

*You are silently jealous of others who have more money than you.

*You love being on a form of welfare plan and you do not plan to stop it; you love receiving ‘free money’ and ‘palliatives’ from others.

*You daydream about being wealthy, winning the lottery, thinking that one day ‘you’ll hammer’ (Naija) but you can’t visualize it clearly.

*Your mind-set concerning money is to eat and enjoy and not to plant! You are a consumer and not a creator!

*You have an inferiority complex when it comes to your finances.

*You see the world through the lenses of the poor people who hate the rich! For example: If a poor man driving keke enters in front of a car and injures himself, you tend to blame the owner of the car just because he is richer!

*You see wealth as a mysterious stranger who is mocking you from afar! For you to stay poor is more comfortable; The path to stay poor is easier than the ‘wohala’ of struggling to make money!

Let’s pray: “Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the revelation of the root of this poverty mentality and bondage. We take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, and we destroy every chain or stronghold binding our minds concerning God’s material blessings. Holy Spirit please take control! Open our eyes to see the freedom and the blessings we have in Christ, as citizens of God’s Kingdom! We destroy all yokes of bondage, all wrong ways of thinking! From this moment on, by the grace of God, we shall make spiritual and natural (visible) progress in life! Our testimony is to the glory of God! The long-waited season of change has come! We arise and shine for the glory of God is risen upon us! Thank You Father God! In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!”  Worship the Lord!

PENTECOST OPENED THE ROYAL ETERNAL TREASURE OF AGAPE LOVE

Before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, agape love was still a stranger to the apostles. Jesus talked often about Love. He told them about the God the Father’s Love for Him and for them. He talked about His own Love towards them. But it is interesting to observe that not one of the apostles told the Lord: “Jesus, Master, Lord, I love you”. They worshipped and honored Him but could not express their love in words. After the Resurrection, when Jesus met with them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and prepared breakfast for them, the topic of love was brought again. Jesus wanted to reinstate Peter after his painful backsliding. He did it through Love. Three times Jesus asked Peter: “Peter, do you love me?”. Three times Peter answered Him, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love you”. During the first two questions, Jesus uses the word ‘agape’ for Love. But Peter could not rise to that level. He answered using the word “phileo”, which is a friendly type of love, a lower level of love. The third time, Jesus lowers Himself to the level of Peter. Like him, Jesus uses the word “Phileo”. Peter is grieved, hurt, sad, that Jesus is still asking about love. Sadly, Peter answered saying “Lord, I love You” still using the Greek word “Phileo” (Jn 21:15-17). Lesson: to love with agape love, you need to be born again and Spirit filled! Selah!

How does Jesus restore a backslider? How does Jesus disciples a weak believer who has failed in his commitment? Three times Jesus asks Peter about Love. “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!” (1Cor 16:22). Lacking Love is a curse. Love is the way to disciple a believer and to help him repent! Love never fails! Love is the greatest!

Here you see that even the great Apostle Peter could not rise to the heights or Agape Love before the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came as Wind and Fire. The Wind separates the wheat from the chaff. The Fire burns the chaff. In Greek, the Word used for Holy Spirit is ‘Paraclete’. The word ‘para’ means ‘to be beside’. The word ‘kaleo’ means to call or to come to your side. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the Christian’s truest and most faithful Companion and Friend, walking beside him, giving him strength, wisdom, comfort, guidance, and encouragement, every moment, especially felt during the challenges of life. Praise the Lord!

The Holy Spirit fills the Christian, helping him to become like Jesus. The Holy Spirit doesn’t bypass the personality. He uses it. He polishes it and transforms it to become a new creation. The mind becomes sharper. The memory (remembering God’s Words) is alive and never fails. Emotions follow the mind. Love manifests as a sound mind. The Holy Spirit makes the Christian zealous, creative, spontaneous, and free. The Holy Spirit brings new thoughts into the mind. The believer acts on them without advance preparation. He experiences hot, pure and deep emotions for Jesus and for people. The flesh is dead. Each believer becomes unique. None imitates the others. Only the Holy Spirit can create such original, unique people. They manifest an unquenchable, untiring love for others. Love does not wait for the recipient to appreciate it. Love is not tiring to love. Before Pentecost, the disciples were not capable of loving with such profound intensity. Their souls could not contain such fire. After they got filled with the Holy Spirit, their very souls were given strength and protection to contain this fire of agape love. Like the burning bush, they burn, but are not consumed. This is a miracle. Worship the Lord!