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#305 Kingdom: Word, Spirit, Life


John 6: 62] “What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before? [63] “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.


Mat 13:19] “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.


The “Word of the Kingdom” and “a message about the Kingdom” are two separate and distinct things. We may speak a clear word about the Kingdom and prepare a series of meetings and seminars on the Kingdom or write books about the Kingdom and still not speak the “Word of the Kingdom.” The “Word of the Kingdom” is both Spirit and it is Life [Zoe]. The Word, the Spirit and the Life are three elements that are essential in communicating the Kingdom. It should be obvious that a large book about the Kingdom may not possess these three qualities even though the elements within the book are true concerning the Kingdom.


We may speak a clear word about the Kingdom and everyone in the audience fully understands the message, but the evil one has no real “Word of the Kingdom” to snatch away. This IS the most frustrating part of trying to preach the “Word of the Kingdom.” The devil has no work to do because we just preached information about the Kingdom which everyone understood but the “Word of the Kingdom” was not proclaimed. My point is this; Preaching the “Word of the Kingdom” is a totally new kind of preaching and teaching for most of us. In the Charismatic Movement we heard a lot about “spirit and life” preaching but little evidence that it contained the “Word of the Kingdom.”


Those “outside the Kingdom” only hear parables with no understanding of what was said. If everyone understands the message it is certain that either the Word of the Kingdom was not preached OR everyone who heard the message was already “In the Kingdom.”


Jesus Christ could easily preach the “Word of the Kingdom” because He IS THE WORD OF THE KINGDOM that became flesh and dwelt among us in human form. This defines the difference between us preaching the Kingdom and Christ preaching the Kingdom. Then is our conclusion that we just can’t preach the Word of the Kingdom because we are not Christ. NOT AT ALL! Then how do we get from here to there?


WE should begin with God’s plan for eternity future when the “Word of the Kingdom” will go forth from New Jerusalem into all the regions of God’s new Creation. Isa 2:3] And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.


If we define the “Word of the Kingdom” as the “Word of the King” we are approaching Eternal Reality. We may comprehend how this works in eternity but how can the “Word of the Kingdom” go forth today from us? The “Word of the Kingdom” must go forth from the THRONE OF GOD. Jer 3:17] “At that time they shall call Jerusalem `The Throne of the LORD,’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the LORD; nor shall they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart.


The saints that are coming to perfection are called Jerusalem. Not the earthly Jerusalem in the middle east [which is a type] but the Jerusalem that is being prepared to be the “Throne of the Lord.”for eternity. The basic understanding about the “Word of the Kingdom” is that it always goes forth from the “Throne of the Lord.” This also presents the problem for us who are anticipating the preaching of the “Word of the Kingdom.”


Until the “Throne of the Lord” which IS the “Throne of the King” which IS the “Throne of the Kingdom” is firmly established within us we can only preach information ABOUT the Kingdom but NOT the “Word of the Kingdom.” The “Word of the Kingdom” IS the “Word of the King” being proclaimed on the earth in the same measure that it is being proclaimed in heaven. If we understand the “Word of the Kingdom” is the “Word of the King” or the “rhema” of God we are approaching the reality of “Word, Spirit and Life” which ALL flow from the same source. The Spirit of Christ IS the Word of God which IS the Life that is imparted to us in regeneration.


Does this mean that ALL regenerated people speak the “Word of the Kingdom?” NOT AT ALL! Does it mean they have the potential to speak the Word of the Kingdom? Yes! The differences lay with the presence or absence of the Throne of the Lord being a reality within the messenger of the Kingdom. We could reduce this down to “NO THRONE, NO KINGDOM.” “NO KINGDOM, NO WORD OF THE KINGDOM.”


1PE 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, [23] for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God. [24] For, “ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS, AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS. THE GRASS WITHERS, AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF, [25] BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ABIDES FOREVER.”


1PE 1:25 And this is the word which was preached to you.


“All flesh is as grass” [or this IS the actual potential of the natural man]. Flesh lives for a while and the dies and is gone but ONLY what IS of the “Word of the Lord” abides forever. In other words all persons upon this earth are like grass EXCEPT those who have been born again by the “Living and Abiding Word of God.” This “born again EXPERIENCE” IS the potential to preach the Word of God. However, “the potential” may NEVER be realized during many years of the Christian life simply because the born-again person never surrenders to the King of the Kingdom and exercises his spiritual life standing before the “Inward Throne of the Lord” in obedience.


Until the Throne of the Lord is an inner reality, the Word of the Kingdom will remain dormant within us.


Mark 4:10 And as soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. [11] And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but those who are outside get everything in parables, [12] in order that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE; AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND LEST THEY RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.” [13] And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables?


Mat 13:10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” [11] And He answered and said to them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. [12] “For whoever has, to him shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. [13] “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. [14] “And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, `YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; [15] FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES LEST THEY SHOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I SHOULD HEAL THEM.’


Mat 13:16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.


The Word of the Kingdom was certainly delivered within the parables but the multitudes could not understand what was said. The Word of the Kingdom could not be seen in order to perceive the meaning. Neither could the ears pick up the understanding of the message. The Kingdom message is not delivered from eye to eye or from mind to mind or from head to head. The Word of the Kingdom is delivered from spirit to spirit or from heart to heart. A hardened heart just does not perceive spiritual things.


Only those who are equipped to hear the mysteries of the Kingdom can understand the Words of the Kingdom. Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the villages in Israel and to the multitudes but only those who were equipped to hear and understand could receive the message. What was the difference between those that could understand and those who could not understand? Some had a heart to understand and some had permitted their heart to become hardened so they could not understand. Then is there no solution for this condition? Yes there certainly is! Those who repent and return to the Lord can be healed of the hard heart. It for this reason that the Gospel of the Kingdom MUST begin with repentance and an experiential return to the Lord.


Therefore, preaching the real “Word of the Kingdom” to unconcerned, uncommitted and lukewarm believers is a waste of time. Just preaching “about the Kingdom” by unconcerned, uncommitted and lukewarm preachers is also a waste of time. The ONLY “Word of the Kingdom” that can be preached is out from the “Inner Kingdom” within the preacher “who has been healed” of a hard heart. The “Word of the Kingdom” MUST be the “Word of the King” within the preacher.


Buying 52 sermons for $52 (with preaching notes) is certainly not the same thing as preaching the Word of the Kingdom from a completely renovated and restored inner man. Repeating something we read in a book is also not the same thing. Writing documents about the Kingdom is not the same thing as delivering the Words of the Kingdom from up out of the new spiritual man.


If we applied this “Word of the Kingdom” to the Tabernacle of Moses it should be clear that the “Word of the Kingdom” is an fundamental part of the Showbread. The Outer Court preparation is the “healing of the inner man through repentance and returning to the Lord.” The physical Showbread was just a type or picture for us of the reality of ingesting the Word of God. Eating the Showbread is ingesting the “Living and Abiding Word of God.” This supplies the “preacher” with “Words of the King” which IS the “Word of the Kingdom.” This corresponds with the eating of His flesh and drinking of His blood in John 6 and is the source of the “Life” and “Spirit” of the “Word.”


John 6: 53] Jesus therefore said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. [54] “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. [55] “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. [56] “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. [57] “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. [58] “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.”


Since the natural man is like grass he has no Life (Zoe) in himself. The ONLY source of this Life (Zoe) is Jesus Christ. By ingesting the “Living and Abiding Word of God” we take in this eternal Life and this IS the basis of preaching the Word of the Kingdom. It is also the basis of the resurrection. Ministering out of the resurrection Life of Christ is fundamental to ministering the Words of the King. It is THIS Life that is “raised up on the last day.” When the “Living and Abiding Word of God” comes to abide in us, HE comes as the King to establish His Throne within us and to speak from His throne. When He speaks from the throne He expects obedience. What He speaks is the “Word of the Kingdom.” He actually becomes our SAVIOR from within us and not as some doctrine we learn intellectually.


The real “Word of the Kingdom” that abides within us then goes forth with “Spirit AND with Life” but always flows out from the Throne of God within. This IS the “River of Life” that flows from the “Throne of God” in Revelation 22:1. In Ezekiel 47:6-12 this river flows from the Sanctuary and cleanses whatever corruption it touches. Everywhere it flows it causes life to come forth. Why? Because it IS the “River of Life” and not the “river of doctrine.”


John 7:38] “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, `From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’”


That river will flow IF there is the “Throne of God” in our innermost being! Could it be that from His viewpoint “Believing in Him” is the same as having His Throne within us? All who truly “believe in Him” should have this river of living water flowing out from the Throne of God within. That is “From His Sanctuary.” IF it is NOT flowing out we should question if there is really a throne of God in there. Maybe we just have the doctrine of the throne of God and not the experience.


I have written over 300 documents that contain information about the Kingdom of God. I have sent them out into the world! My question is this; Does that alone speak anything about “Preaching the Word of the Kingdom” in the whole world as a witness to every nation? No!


Preaching the “Word of the Kingdom” is NOT preaching from one head to another head. Just an intellectual message! Preaching the “Word of the Kingdom” with “Spirit and Life” is preaching from spirit to spirit so the result is a spiritual understanding that results in an inner Life, IF there IS a renovated heart that can receive it. However, the natural man can receive nothing of the Spirit of God but spiritual truth is just foolishness to the natural man. That is why those “outside the Kingdom” receive everything in parables and cannot understand the “Word of the Kingdom.” This is not a matter of God’s sovereignty or predestination but of the lack of the individual’s obedience to repent, return and be healed.


If the “body of Christ” is Christ in another form (in the same way that Eve was Adam in another form) then Christ being “formed in us” is the most important process we can experience until we become His body and grow up in all things into Him. When we no longer live but Christ lives His Life in us, then His Word will have very little restriction when flowing up and out of us! We may be preaching from meeting to meeting but it might just be us talking and the “Word of God” is laying dormant within us because ME, MYSELF and I are the dominant power within me. That is why we are “selfish” and “ego-centric” and seek for the approval of men. That is why we attach big titles to our name.


To preach the “Word of the Kingdom” it is the King who must be the dominate part of our being. This means that the Christian Life must be the process where the old I is constantly decreasing and He is constantly increasing within us. This must progress until He can freely speak the “Word of the Kingdom” from out of our innermost being. The proof of this extraction of the old and the inner growth of Christ within is that there is no restriction to the Word of God speaking within us.


John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. [2] “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. [3] “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. The River of Life that flowed from Jesus was flowing from the Sanctuary and from the Throne of God so that water cleansed the corruption wherever it flowed and tuned filthy water into fresh water. The disciples were cleansed by that Word that was spoken to them. This is NOT forgiveness of sins but cleansing. We might apply this to the ashes of the Red Heifer.


Ezekiel 47: 6] And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me back to the bank of the river. [7] Now when I had returned, behold, on the bank of the river there were very many trees on the one side and on the other. [8] Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah; then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the sea become fresh. [9] “And it will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there, and the others become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes. [10] “And it will come about that fishermen will stand beside it; from Engedi to Eneglaim there will be a place for the spreading of nets. Their fish will be according to their kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea, very many. [11] “But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. [12] “And by the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”


In Revelation 22 we see this River of Life that flows from the throne of God relates specifically to the “bond-servants of God” or those who have the Throne of God or the Government of God on the inside following a full and experiential consecration. We might say that the bondservants have been restored to God’s original purpose.


REV 22:1 And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, [2] in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. [3] And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; [4] and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. [5] And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever.


The paramount problem today is the lack of “bondservants” in the pulpit because this produces a lack of “bondservants” in the pews. If the church “that IS His body” is made up of “bondservants” who will see His face and live in His light and have His name engraved on them, because they belong wholly to Him, then the ministry today must go to the next level where the Kingdom is fully preached. I have a new term. The Bond-servant / King / Priest Ministry.


The lukewarm will never preach the “Word of the Kingdom” simply because there is no Word of the Kingdom in them because there is no throne within them. That is the basic reason they are lukewarm and unconcerned. Spiritual activity flows from the throne of God and has its function within the Kingdom of God as the Word of the Kingdom directs the activity. The doctrine of the Kingdom has no governmental authority over us to direct our activity. Doctrine alone exercises very little influence over our life or our words.


We should understood that the Holy Spirit teaches us and experientially, leads us and directs our life from the Kingdom Government of God within us. He IS the King / Priest who teaches and ministers the Kingdom Government of God. This is not goose bumps and glory but He is teaching us to function in the eternal Kingdom of God and He teaches us and imparts the ability to live in the Kingdom way in this life.


If we make the transition to this level He can then teach us how to speak the Word of the Kingdom from within our innermost being rather that to just preach more interesting information about related things. Maybe 7 steps to somewhere.


This is much more than an Outer Court anointing upon the garments that qualifies us for the priesthood. This is the Eternal Word of God that lives within us, coming up out of us as the Gospel of the Kingdom or the Word of the Kingdom. If there are those who don’t understand the Word of the Kingdom then our ministry is to bring them to repentance and to Christ who can heal their inner problems so they can hear. Writing them off as stupid is not the answer. They are not dumb but their problem is a hardened heart that keeps their ears from hearing and their eyes from seeing.


Preaching the Word of the Kingdom then is not a matter of education or higher degrees but of a eradication of the Adam life and a hard heart through repentance and the healing of the Outer Court experiences. Then the creation of a new inner man of an entirely new species who after Christ IS the image of God. The establishment of the Throne of the Kingdom IN this new inner man is the preparation to preach the “Word of the Kingdom Government of God” in Word and in Deed and the Power and Demonstration of the Spirit.


This is certainly NOT complicated but it does require a continuous surrender of all the negative and unclean things in our life to God for removal.


The “fire of removal” is the blessing of the Kingdom. This is not the “fire of judgement” but the “fire of His love” calling us to Himself, to become like Himself.


Building the Pure Gold Lampstand Church (with no wood) is “the Word” that is upon His heart and is fundamental to the Kingdom.