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| Paradigm Shift |
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11:12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. 16:16The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.
The old way of thinking is: We need to endure this world until we can make it to heaven.
We used to sing the hymns about when the "Roll is Called up Yonder," "When We all Get to Heaven," and "In the Sweet By and By." We teach and believe that this world is bad, and that relief is on the way. We resign ourselves to evil on this earth getting worse and worse, and that things are going to get so bad that the Lord is going to come get us and take us out before it gets too bad. I am a student of the Bible and I understand that things will get worse and the Lord will come get His children and we shall meet Him in the air. But, what are we going to do until then?
Are we just going to retreat into our churches and homes and seclude ourselves and isolate ourselves from this mean, cruel, miserable world? Are we just going to wait it out until the LORD comes back? To hear some Christians talk You might think we are looking for an exit strategy from this world.
I would like to propose a different way of thinking: We need to find a way to get Heaven into this world and change it for the better, rather than succumbing to the idea that there is nothing we can do to change the course of events in this world.
Do you believe that God can change things? Do you believe that God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond anything you could ever ask or think? Do you believe that we always have the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you believe that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world? Do you believe that you are more than a conqueror? Do you believe that God always leads us in His triumph? Do you believe that God can save anybody? Do you believe that God can do miracles? Do you believe that God can raise up a king and a nation as well as bring them down? Do you believe that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation? Do you believe that the message and power of the gospel changes lives? Deep down, I know you believe all of these things. The problem is that we have bought into the idea that there is nothing we can do about the downward spiral that the world is in and that devil will be free to do as he wills until the Lord deals with Him in the end. I just want you to know that is nonsense! The Kingdom of God is to be advancing! Jesus said, that He "will build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." The gate is a defensive weapon. The fort or the castle has a gate to keep intruders out. The church is to be encroaching upon the kingdom of darkness! We have the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. When we understand the power that is available to us and the fact that the Kingdom of God has come to earth we will see that the Devil and the works of darkness will decrease in power and influence! This is why the kingdom of darkness violently opposes the kingdom of God right here and right now message. This is a violent pressing involved in entering the Kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" Mt 11:12. There is Satanic opposition toward the kingdom message. The Devil is not threatened by the mind set of "heaven someday in the future," but he sure is bothered by the Christian who believes that God's kingdom is has come to destroy the works of the Devil. When a Christian believes that God can do and will do the Devil gets nervous! The devil can only do what we allow him to do. We have power and authority over him through the name, blood, and authority of Jesus Christ. When we stand up against the Devil and resist him he has to flee from us. There is so much more to the Christian life than just accepting Jesus as our Savior and going to heaven when we die. God has a plan and a purpose for us and one of those purposes is to build the Kingdom of God on earth. We do this by standing for righteousness, loving our fellow man, and preaching the gospel. We need to take the Word of God, and the love of God to the places that we know the Devil is. As we encounter the kingdom of darkness, it will violently oppose us, but greater is He that is in us and we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ! No weapon formed against us will prosper and we shall not fear for the Lord is with us even until the end of this world. Satan is defeated! Jesus triumphed over him and put him to an open shame! I encourage you to shake off these heavy bands of defeated thinking and realize that God has given us the victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil and that the Kingdom of God has come to this earth and all the nations of this world will be blessed by it. It is our responsibility to preach the rule and reign of God in the hearts of men. When God reigns there will be peace, and prosperity on this earth. So even though we are seeing increased activity of the Kingdom of Darkness we also can see the over-coming power of the Kingdom of God right here and now and not just in the sweet by and by.
By: Todd Erskine
7/25/2008 |
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| To add a comment to "Paradigm Shift" |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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| The Kingdom of God is to be advancing! Jesus said, that He "will build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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| Well said! |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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| Lead the charge, Todd! |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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Brother Todd this is indeed an interesting blog that you have posted here, and something must be in the air because I just left another blog along these similar lines.....Too many things are flowing through my mind and time will not permit me to express them all. The ministry of JESUS CHRIST has always been the message of the *Kingdom of God*. He knew that His ministry was to come *first* to die for the sins of the world, and then to return and rule and reign here *on this earth* with, Him being the King. Unfortunately, the devil crept in and has deceived men for years into thinking that they shall die and go to heaven to be with the Lord....
When Jesus returns again....He is coming down to earth to establish His Kingdom...and that is the gospel that we are supposed to be preaching. For those that are serious students of the Word of God know that there are 3 heavens...and the earth *is* the 1st Heaven....but that's another lesson for another time (smile)...But back to the subject, there *are* those in the Body of Christ who indeed know *who* they are, and they know the power and the authorithy that has been given to them by God.
Will this world at large get better before Jesus returns????? .....NOOOO....That is the purpose for Jesus coming to rule...(to set things in order). He has allowed man 6,000 years to make choices...do they want to serve Him or the devil....Most have chosen the devil, or the ways of their father the devil. Most things that are taught in most churches are not even biblically correct...but that is how the deception started...Remember there is a broad way that leads to destruction and many travel on that road....but on the straight and narrow road, there are but a few...and that is every now and then.....So for the few that are on the straight and narrow.....They know about this power and authority that you have written about...and they are walking in it...They are blowing the Trumpet in Zion and they are sounding the Alarm....But how many people are listening....They are too busy listening to LOVE .....LOVE...LOVE...You said:
Have you ever heard of the term "paradigm shift?" The paradigm shift means that there is radical new change in the way something is thought of, and the way something is done. Like it or not we all become creatures of habits and once a habit is established we become slaves to that habit. That is why it is so important to be careful about the way we think and what we allow ourselves to be subjected to. Jesus talked about a paradigm shift when He spoke about putting new wine into old wineskins. Sometimes the old way of thinking and the old way of doing things need to be changed. One of the paradigm shifts that need to take place in the hearts and minds of Christians in the 21st century is a change in their thinking when it comes to what our mission here on earth is.
Brother Todd, when the true message of the gospel *is* preached, it is foreign to most people and they think that you are out in left field some where....I've seen it here on MyChurch (smile)...but nevertheless my friend.....the old way of doing things shall change.....because GOD is ushering in HIS KINGDOM here ON EARTH...and it shall happen just as it is recorded in His Word ;o) |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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| Bro Todd, very convicting, very convicting........thanks! I got my food and thought for the day ;0 |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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AMEN say it LOUD:
"We have power and authority over him through the name, blood, and authority of Jesus Christ. When we stand up against the Devil and resist him he has to flee from us."
Thank you for this word today........ |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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Well I have news for you guys. The new heaven and the new earth is the same one we are living on right now! Just like after the flood all remanants of the old world were destroyed (a picture of baptism by immersion) the earth is reserved for judgment by fire (a picture of the baptism of the HS) 2 Peter 3:5-7 KJV For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. Remember Ninevah which was marked for judgment which was spared when the people repented. There is hope for those of us that truly believe that God is who he says he is. 2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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Great word Todd!
Satan is defeated!
I guess sometimes we just forget about those three words......
The hard work has already been done! |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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| Amen. I stand in agreement with you. |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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Jacob: I love you brother we are pressing into the kingdom. From Asia to Alabama!
Grant: So be it!
Mike: I'll lead are you with me?
Margie: His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. I love getting you fired up!
Prophet Jay: I beleive that we need to repent in oder to bring the kingdom to full operation on earth, but you are going to have to elaborate on what you said. About the fire being a picture of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. That fire is speaking of judgment. I don't see that as the role of the Holy Spirit, but perhaps I have limited understanding on this.
Cindy: It takes a while to soak this in, the first couple of times I heard the gospel of the kingdom it challenged all of my thinking.
Valarie: Yes, Satan is defeated and now we must "mop up" and take back what the enemy has stolen.
Melanie: I am excited about how His Spirit is moving in your church. Keep me posted.
Revstarr: If one can put 1,000 to flight then 2 can put 10,000! |
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| July 25, 2008 |
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| MStoval: Sorry I missed you. Yes we have power over the enemy! We must be reminded of it constantly don't we? |
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| August 01, 2008 |
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| RevStarr: His kingdom and His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven! |
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