School of the Miraculousনমুনা

## Ambassadors of the King An understanding of the kingdom of God is central to our Christian walk, yet many people in the Western world, including Christians, don’t really understand the concept of a kingdom. This is especially true in societies that base their government on the concept of democracy. For instance, the United States is a representative democracy, governed “by the people, for the people.” Though this is a great form of government, it does not operate in the same way the kingdom of God is governed. ### What Is a Kingdom? The word kingdom literally means “the domain of the king.” It is an expression of government, power, rule, and authority in a particular territory. A kingdom typically expands in two ways: conquest or colonization. When a kingdom conquers another kingdom or territory, it establishes its rulership and dominion over that territory. Colonization is defined as “the action or process of settling among and establishing control over the indigenous people of an area.” I know that the concept of colonization has a very negative connotation in our culture, but this is indeed the way a kingdom establishes control over foreign populations. It involves the appropriation of culture, language, and customs. ### What Is the Kingdom of God? > For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Romans 14:17) The kingdom of God is His kingship, authority, influence, and government in the entire universe, especially in the earth. While the kingdom of heaven is a place, not merely a geographical place as we know them, the kingdom of God is a “system.” This system is characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 1\. Righteousness : God’s right way of doing things. Justice, judgment, and morality. 2\. Peace : shalom , or completeness. Nothing missing and nothing broken. 3\. Joy : a state of being that is void of fear, worry, anxiety, or shame. An essential distinction between the kingdom of God and earthly kingdoms is that the territory of God’s kingdom on earth was usurped by the enemy, Satan, whose sole intent is “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10) this world, including human beings. God’s kingdom continually moves to regain this lost territory and restore a rule of love, peace, and joy on the earth. ### Where Is the Kingdom of God? Thus, the purpose of heaven is to colonize the earth. Jesus instructed us to pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven ” (Matthew 6:10). We are ambassadors of the eternal King, empowered with the spiritual authority to release heaven into the earth—beginning with us! Notice that the King James Bible uses the expression “ in earth,” rather than “on earth.” Why is that word significant? The apostle Paul wrote, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). We are the earthen vessels. God wants His kingdom to be established within us. Until heaven manifests in us, it cannot manifest on earth. As we yield to the kingdom in us, we begin to see the manifestation of the kingdom through us. We experience the demonstration of the kingdom by yielding to the government of God in our lives. As a result, the Holy Spirit colonizes the earth around us through His presence and power. In fact, this is the real purpose of miracles. The power of God is not meant to impress us or gratify our religious sentiments but to show the world that God is indeed King and His kingdom reigns over all the earth. Miracles, signs, and wonders are the evidentiary proof that heaven can and must invade our world. God is demonstrating His sovereignty over every other human or satanic kingdom in existence. (See Luke 11:20.) ### Commissioned to Release God’s Kingdom The truth is that every single believer has been called and commissioned to release God’s kingdom wherever they go. I want you to begin thinking of miracles as one of heaven’s ways of invading the earth for kingdom purposes, rather than as random occurrences that happen every now and then when God decides to give them. As ambassadors of God’s kingdom, we have been charged with the responsibility of advancing the kingdom on earth, in all spheres of influence. How can we do this? The first requirement is availability. We must make ourselves available to God in obedient submission to His Word. Unless we obey the Word of God, our quest for the miraculous will be fruitless. I challenge you to say, “Lord, I am available to You!” Our willingness to yield to God is a major factor in seeing the manifestation of His power through us. I cannot overstate the importance of this condition. God rewards our willingness! > If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. (Isaiah 1:19) What does the Bible mean by willingness? Willingness refers to our ability and desire to cooperate with God and His Word. There are many people, including Christians, who do not live a life of obedience to God’s Word. Some of them actually operate in rebellion. If you live in disobedience, God will not consistently manifest His power through you. Surrender is more than an intellectual concept; it is a spiritual posture. When we surrender to God, we are telling Him that He has the right to direct our lives. We submit to His lordship, and then we become recipients of His delivering power. His will for our lives must prevail. If you want to advance the kingdom of God, you must submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ daily. Remember, He is the sovereign King. When you submit to the agenda of the King, you will always see the manifestation of His kingdom.