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Strange title, but truthful. Luke 16:16 says, “The law and prophets were until John, since that time the kingdom is preached.” John the Baptist was sent to prepare a people for the Lord. His message was, “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matt.3:2). Jesus, when He came, preached the same (Matt.4:17). Jesus told His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount to proclaim the kingdom (Matt.6:10). Jesus often mentioned the kingdom’s presence in His preaching and teaching (Matt.10:7, Matt.12:28). And when He sent His disciples out He told them to do the same (Luke 10:9,11, Mark 1:15, Luke 11:20). Jesus taught that the kingdom was within or among His disciples (Luke 17:26-27) and it consisted of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit (Romans 14:17). He, furthermore, indicated that it was also future (Mark 14:25).

Jesus said that entrance into the kingdom was through the new birth (John 3:3,5). He also said it was more than words but also power (1 Cor.4:20). Any time and place we see the manifestation of the Spirit of God we are seeing the kingdom being revealed.

When Jesus returns to set up the physical manifestation of His kingdom, every eye will see Him (Rev.1:7, 1 Cor.15:50-53, 1 Thess.4:13-18, 2 Thess.1:10). To prepare for that day, it is the calling of His disciples to preach the “message of the kingdom” to every people group before the “end” comes (Matt.24:14).

When Jesus returns, He will deal with Satan (Rev.12:10) the antichrist, false prophet, and other Christ rejecters (Rev.19:10-21). He will set up His earthly kingdom on the New Earth and reign forever with the redeemed (Rev.21-22).

Let’s live a victorious life now on the earth and work with Him in His kingdom (2 Cor.6:1).

All of life can be made better or worse by one’s perspective. Is the glass half-full or half-empty? The same holds true when one is looking at the circumstances in his life or his upcoming death. For the individual who does not know the Lord as His Savior, life’s problems can be very challenging, and discouraging to the point that he wants to give up but is afraid to face the Lord. On the other hand, when the disciples of Jesus face the same circumstances they most often do it with faith in God and His promises, because they have a different perspective.

The disciple of Jesus is God’s ambassador to this earth (2 Cor.5:20). But his real home is heaven where his citizenship exists (Phil.3:20). Reading church history, or Hebrews 11, as well as the experiences of those who have been recently martyred for their faith in Jesus reveals a different perspective about death than that which most of us have! Too many believers in Jesus mourn as those who have no hope (1Thess.4:13), simply because they have not renewed their minds to the blessed hope of being with the Lord forever!

The sorrow that we most often experience is really about us missing them without thinking that they are with the Lord and are in a far better place than we are. Let’s be glad and rejoice when a beloved disciple goes to be with the Lord for there is great joy in the presence of the angels and the saints who have gone on before (Luke 15:10).

None of us know for sure, but it could be that some of us may become a martyr for Christ in the future, and it will take a different mentality to remain faithful than the one that we most often exhibit.

In Carthage, North Africa, early church theologian Tertullian argued that persecution actually strengthens the church. He supposedly said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” That is a perspective that very few of us have today, but the future will reveal whether it is true or not.

Many of us are not willing to change, whatever may be doing harm to us until the consequences become severe, then we become willing to repent, pray, obey, etc. But does it have to be this way?

I have made over thirty trips overseas to other countries where I taught Pastor’s seminars, in Bible Schools, spoken at crusades, etc. and generally speaking, I have found people in third-world countries to be more open to God and the supernatural than most American Christians. I have spent a considerable amount of time thinking about this as to why this may be. And one thing stands out to me. Desperation.

Many of us in the USA have almost everything that we need. If we feel sick there are doctors, hospitals, and medicines available. Food is readily available as is transportation. We may WANT some things that we do not have but most of our NEEDS are being met. God never said He would supply our wants but our needs. (Ps.23:1, Ps.34:9-10, Phil.4:19).

In many of the countries where I have been the needs of the people abound everywhere. And many times if someone gets sick, the nearest medical help maybe 20-100 miles away if you can find a way to get there! So, when they pray for healing, they realize if God does not help them, they are going to die. And they become desperate and pray with all the knowledge they have, with gusto, and faith. Many times for hours at a time! And sometimes the sick person does die. But sometimes great miracles of healing and deliverance do happen, and when it does, there are great, wonderful times of rejoicing and praising God for His goodness to them.

So, the question is, in the face of modern conveniences are we desperate enough to seek God and His promises and see His hand at work, or will we trust in what is available and disbelieve the Word of God? And for many of us Americans, that is a bigger challenge than some in foreign countries!

In evangelical churches, the invitation is often given at the end of the message for people to ‘invite Jesus into their heart.’ And through this, many have come to know Him as their personal Savior. But too often it stops there and He is never allowed out to positively affect the rest of their life! 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says that we are tri-partite beings. We are a spirit, that has a soul (mind, will, emotions) and lives in a body.

Acts 2:36 says, that the Father has made Jesus both Lord and Christ. We cannot make Him Lord, He is already Lord. But we can make Him the Lord and Master of our life. We do that by obedience to the Word of God whereby He has input into all aspects of our life. We could call this process discipleship (Matt.28:19-20). Jesus did not just make converts, He made disciples. His ministry was not to just inform but to transform their lives. As His disciples, they were to carry on His ministry after He went back to the Father. Our ministry is to do the same! But because, too often, we have made converts and not disciples we have lots of consumers but few producers who believe the “ministry” is done by a few and little is expected from everyone else. This causes, to a large degree, weak church members who express very little victory, power, and vibrancy in their lives.

Don’t lock Jesus in your heart, invite Him to be Lord in your life. Ask Him to bless you, extend your borders, and minister to others through you. (1 Chron.4:9-10). If you do, you will discover a relationship with Him that is life-altering!

All of us, at one time or another, have difficult circumstances that seem insurmountable. The quality of our character is revealed in such a situation. The heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 dealt with such life-altering problems and many became martyrs for Christ as a result of severe persecution. Perhaps our problems today are not that severe but to us, they may seem unbearable. What do we do? To whom shall we go for help?

The Apostle Paul knew something about dealing with such problems that pressured him constantly. Notice what he says in 2 Corinthians 1:8 “For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia; that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.” While very few of us may have problems to the degree that he did, but to us they may seem very similar. Notice, that he says he was burdened ‘beyond measure, above strength,’ and that he ‘despaired of life.’ He wanted to give up, quit, or even die.

Perhaps some of us are facing financial problems, family problems, the loss of a friend, or church problems, or are greatly disturbed by situations in our country. In these types of situations, we often question ourselves ‘What did I do to cause this?’ Sometimes the answer is nothing because we live in a fallen world, that to a large degree, is hurling through time to meet a holy God!

When we do question ourselves, perhaps asking the following questions may help us see if we have an open door somewhere that the enemy is using to harass us. 1) Have we taken our eyes off Jesus? (Matthew 14:27-32) 2) Do we think we can handle this situation by ourselves? (Jeremiah 17:5, Proverbs 28:26, Proverbs 16:25). 3) Do we trust people more than the Lord or His Word? (Luke 18:14). 4) Are we willing to seek the Lord with our whole being and obey His Word regardless of what the circumstances may say? If so, we will soon recognize His presence with us because He has not forsaken us nor will He ever do so!

Again, the Apostle Paul tells of a time when the ‘messenger of satan’ was harassing him and he prayed three times for the Lord to fix it, but He did not do it. He said to Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness…” While reading this some things come to mind. First, God’s grace is always working with and for us. Second, He has already given His grace to us to handle whatever life may throw at us. Third, His strength is apparent at our lowest moments. As a result, He gets the glory for what He does in bringing us through or out of the situation!

What can we do and/or to whom can we go for help on the physical level? First, search for Scripture passages that promise God’s help for you. Second, read and personalize passages that tell you who and what you are IN Christ. Third, talk with your pastor or Godly Word-oriented friends who can speak the truths of the Word to you. Fourth, never give up! Life is seldom as bad as it seems in its darkest hour. A breakthrough from God is on its way now, don’t quit on the brink of a miracle!

A good definition of a disciple is someone who follows another to learn to live a better life. Jesus had many disciples but all of them were not at the same level of maturity or self-control. As is the case today. Jesus had twelve who were the most intimate with Him. And of the twelve, Peter, James, and John were closer still. But John leaned on His breast at the last supper.

The definition of the word Discipline is the practice of training a person to obey rules or behavior. Do you see the word “disciple” in discipline?

To carry on His mission after He went back to Heaven, Jesus needed some well-trained, obedient disciples who could be trusted. His method of training them included time He spent with them, teaching by precept and demonstration, and sending them to areas to represent Him and His kingdom in ministry. When they returned, He often gave them further instructions about what they encountered (Luke 10:19-20).

The Great Commission (Mt.24:18-20) is the carrying out of this directive as was given to them. We are to go and make “disciples” of Jesus as we teach them to “obey” the instructions that He has left with us. Too often in the modern church, we make members or converts to an idea or program but few real disciples of Jesus. To see His plan fulfilled it will be necessary to have disciples who make disciples who make disciples, etc. until He returns!

A thought to consider is are you making disciples of your immediate family? Who will take your place in the work of the kingdom of God after you are gone? In the Old Testament, you had the schools of the prophets where an older more experienced prophet would teach and train the younger ones. An example is Elijah with Elisha. In churches down through the centuries, the same methodology has been carried on. And in the last fifty years, disciples making disciples is coming back as a way to disciple others.

All types of discipline (parents, military, police, schools, punitive punishment, etc.) are meant to develop personal discipline in the individual. If one is a possessor of personal discipline they will not need as much further instruction as before, as they become more trustworthy. Individuals who have a high degree of personal discipline become better employees, leaders, workers, and disciples of Jesus!

Now is a good time to evaluate ourselves to see how good a disciple of Jesus that we really are!

I have discovered that an addiction is often like a branch growing out of another, larger branch. To help people, we may have to go beneath the addiction and discover the larger branch out of which it grows. Two common examples are continuing personal frustration and a deep emotional need that is not being fulfilled.

Let us take, as an example, two married women, one an Episcopalian and the other from the Church of God. Each is aware that her husband runs after other women, spends money on himself that she needs for housekeeping, and shows little interest in his family. Each is reaching out desperately for some source of comfort.

The Episcopalian walks across her living room to the cocktail cabinet and becomes an alcoholic. The woman from the Church of God, who would never go near an alcoholic beverage, goes to the refrigerator and eats everything in sight. She becomes a food- aholic – a glutton.

In either case, deliverance from the addiction, whether alcohol or food, will probably not be complete unless the branch that supports the addiction-each woman’s frustration with her husband-is dealt with. The best solution would be for the husband to repent and change. But even if he does not, the wife cannot expect to be set free unless she forgives him and lays down all her bitterness or resentment against him.

In the U.S. today more than fifty percent of all households are singles. As a result, the deep emotional need for loving companionship may be left unsatisfied. If a person feels betrayed and cut off by a parent, spouse or friend, he or she may turn instead to a dog or cat or some other pet. (Animals are often more loyal than humans-and also less demanding!) This longing for companionship may result in a strange kind of addiction.

Some years ago Ruth knew a Christian woman in Jerusalem named Joanna who had no living relatives but kept seventeen dogs in her house. She could not see a stray dog without taking it home. Wherever Joanna went, her dogs went, too. Some of them slept in bed with her. She was, in fact, “addicted” to her dogs.

When Joanna was suddenly taken ill and hospitalized, her dogs went crazy. They rushed continually to and fro, barking loudly. Eventually, an exasperated neighbor threw some poisoned food to the dogs and they all died. Soon afterward Joanna died, too. She had nothing left to live for.

In other cases, we may not become addicted ourselves, but we may be the cause of addiction in another. Busy parents may discover to their dismay that a teenage child has become addicted to one of the many drugs that are so easily available. Too late they discover that their son or daughter has turned to drugs as a substitute for the love and companionship they were too busy to provide.

Almost anything that is both compulsive and enslaving is an addiction, and there is no limit to the forms that addictions may take. In 1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul said, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

This provides us with a scriptural definition of addiction: A person is addicted when he or she has been brought under the power of anything that is not helpful. I believe that addictions, so defined, are almost always demonic.

In attempting to solve their problems, people sometimes trade one addiction for another. It often happens, for instance, that a person gives up smoking and immediately puts on excessive weight. He or she has traded nicotine for gluttony.

Pornography is a tragic example of an addiction. The man enslaved by pornography finds himself compelled to tune in to those TV channels that satisfy the demon within. He cannot walk past a magazine or video display in a store; it draws him like a magnet. One pastor said to me, “When I travel, the demon wakes me up at two A.M. when the X-rated movies come on. I have to turn it on. I cannot control myself.” His whole body convulsed when the demon came out. But some years later he told me he was completely free.

Television is a largely unrecognized addiction. Some people cannot walk into a room without switching on the TV. It is not a reasoned action. These people may have no idea what they want to watch. They reach for the television set without thinking, just as an alcoholic reaches for a drink. In the long run, the social results of television addiction may be even more disastrous than those of alcoholism.

More recently the World Wide Web is spawning addictions. People have been classified as “addicts” because of social withdrawal and loss of control. Psychologists have discovered that addicts include such varied groups as housewives, construction workers, and secretaries. Side effects range from plummeting job performance to broken marriages.

Some forms of addiction have no recognized name. Lydia and I dealt with a young woman once who was a member of a Pentecostal church. She had a compulsive desire to sniff nail polish. “When I walk into the cosmetics department of a store,” she told us, “I’ve got two options. I can either buy nail polish or I can run out of the store. But I’ve got to do one or the other.” When she was delivered, the demon threw her down and came out screaming, just as it did from the man in Mark 1:26.

Another more familiar addiction is sniffing airplane glue or a similar product. This is amazingly common among young people, and often not recognized by parents.

Some addictions are more powerful or dangerous than others, but none is beneficial. Two socially acceptable beverages that can become addictive are coffee and soft drinks, especially caffeinated drinks like colas. According to statistics, the average American consumes 50 gallons of soft drinks in a year. Sometimes a person who stops drinking coffee or cola goes through withdrawal symptoms similar to those of a person going off hard drugs.

A decisive factor in the marketing of a commodity is the fact that it can become addictive. Once a person has become addicted, the producer is guaranteed a customer for life. Some tobacco companies in the U.S. acknowledged recently that they deliberately altered the nicotine content of their cigarettes in order to ensure addiction.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given to us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and a sound mind.” What is a sound mind? The word, as used here, can also mean an orderly or disciplined mind. In fact, we need to be disciplined in all areas of our life, not just the mind, although that is a good place to start.

A disciplined mind is one that is under control, it does not flitter around like a hummingbird. To have a disciplined mind indicates that one is in the process of renewing it to the Word of God so that it does not think contrary to what God desires.

Can you see the word ‘disciple’ in discipline? One who is a disciple of Jesus will need to be a disciplined person to be able to resist the flesh, worldly thoughts, and one’s own ideas as to how God should act.

One who has a disciplined mind will be one whom God can trust! I had the privilege to teach at Dr. Lester Sumrall’s Bible College and make a few speaking engagements with him. Riding back in his plane, he told me how the Lord appeared to him in Jerusalem about starting the Joseph program where American pastors and churches would partner with third-world pastors and pray for and give finances to help them. He said to the Lord “I am 75 years old and why are you just now directing me to do this?” And the Lord responded, “I have just now gotten you to the place that I can trust you!”

God can use anyone who will submit to His Lordship, but those who are disciplined are the ones who last decade after decade because they are disciplined and know that good times and bad times happen but God remains faithful to Himself, His Word, and His children!

Can God use us? Perhaps an inventory of our life will reveal a need to be more disciplined in the Word, prayer, church attendance, finances, taking care of our possessions, and life in general. If areas need to be improved, I suggest starting by renewing the mind with the Word of God, specifically with those “great and precious promises” He has made to us!

Science says there are at least four dimensions, length, width, height, and time. But I suggest there is another one greater than these, and that is the dimension of the spirit. The Scriptures tell us that God is Spirit (John 4:24) angels are spirit (Heb.1:14) and human beings are spirit (1 Thess.4:23-24). The Spirit of God and angels dwell in the spirit realm but can materialize and interact with the natural realm, while humans live in the natural realm but interact with them in the spirit realm.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 8:1 that we should live according to the Spirit. He further says that ‘the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom.8:2). He says that those “who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit” (Rom.8:5). He also says if the Spirit of God dwells in us then we are in the Spirit (Rom.8:9).

Paul further says “Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the spirit against the flesh, these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Gal.5:16-17). The flesh produces adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like (Gal.5:19-21). And he says that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Some will suggest that this person will not be saved but I would interject this means he will not at this present time enjoy the benefits of the kingdom of God now in this life, for the kingdom of God exists in our midst now as well as in eternity.

But the fruit of the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal.5:22-23). If we examine our life we can determine which dimension we have been obeying!

The dimension of the spirit not only affects character issues but power issues as well. 1 Corinthians 12:4-l0 reveals the nine gifts of the Spirit and workings of the Spirit given by God as He wills (1 Cor.12:ll). Anytime we see one of these manifested, we have seen the Spirit realm invade the natural realm! Going a step further, any time one of the five ministry gifts is seen operating, one has seen the spirit dimension invade the natural realm (Eph.4:7-16). The fruit of the Spirit reveals godly character, and the ministry gifts reveal godly power, and all of these are from the dimension of the Spirit.

There is another type of being from the spirit realm that invades the natural realm known as demons. They are fallen spirits that attempt to influence us away from God and godly things thereby attempting to stop God’s work on the earth. But we have someone greater living in us (1 Jn.4:4, Col.1;27) through whom we have the victory. Standing on God’s promises we overcome the devil and his demonic hord in this life!

Disciples of Jesus have victory over the flesh and demons because of the victory won for us on the Cross and Resurrection in this life and for time and eternity!

Humans were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, Genesis 2:7) and God is spirit (John 4:24). Who we are is who we are internally, which is spirit and will exist forever. Because of the fall, all humans have been born with a propensity to sin. But because of Jesus’ sacrifice through the Cross and Resurrection, we can have eternal life. Our previously dead spirit will then have eternal life, the very life of God (Romans 8:9, 1 John.4:4, Colossians 1:13). To those who are born again, there is now no condemnation awaiting them (Romans 8:1, Romans 5:9, John 3:17-18, 1Thessalonians 5:9). In this life, we are supposed to live by the guidance of the Holy Spirit (who always leads us in line with the Word of God) from within the regenerated spirit (Romans 6:6-14, Romans 8:8-11,26).

The house we live in, this mortal body, will at the resurrection become immortal (1 Corinthians 15:35-57, 2 Corinthians 5:1-5). But for the time being, this mortal body causes us many challenges. It is subject to death, sickness, embarrassment, temptations, etc. But it can be made to obey the spirit from within. How? By bringing the mind, will, and emotions in line with the regenerated spirit. The re-born spirit already wants to obey God and His Word, but the soul (mind, will, emotions) has to be subjected to the spirit to accomplish that (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). As we progressively bring the soul in subjection to the spirit, we discover more and more what is available to us today in the Spirit of God. We are told to walk (live) in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26). To the degree that we do that, the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our life, as will the gifts and power of the Spirit!