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Posted: 09/24/2009 at 7:37am
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A New Kingdom Mindset
By Ron McGatlin
Our journey into New Jerusalem includes the sometimes bumpy road to a whole new way of thinking.
The basic understandings and methods of the past that served us well in the church emphasis age will not be as serviceable in the kingdom emphasis age.
A fresh new mindset is being planted in the hearts of God’s kingdom age servant army of kings and priests.
Perhaps a good way of phrasing the new way of thinking and functioning is a Spirit way of life, a mind set on Spirit God.
Father God is Spirit. Jesus was Spirit with Father God in heaven and became a man. After His cross, resurrection, and ascension He returned to indwell believers as a “life giving Spirit.” At the same time He remains at the right hand of the Father.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one God. Spirit God indwells His temple (His Body) on earth. Our communication with God and with one another is to be by the Spirit.
Life Empowered by Spirit God
Some forerunners are now discovering what many kingdom disciples will soon experience: a different reality of life in which the natural mind and body take a back seat to Spirit God functioning in and through their human spirit, soul, and body. This is a significant change. As individual born-again believers we have been in agreement with God in spirit. However, for most of us our soul (mind, will, and emotions) has not always been in full agreement with our spirit and Spirit God.
For example, in our spirits we know that Jesus and the disciples regularly did supernatural miracles. We are in agreement that Philip in His natural body was translated from one physical place to another. We even agree that a whole boatload of disciples and their boat were instantly translated from one place to another. We agree in spirit that these and many other supernatural events were a part of the works of Jesus and His disciples.
Yet, there is a disconnect between our spirit and our soul when we consider what Jesus said in John 14:12, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
Jesus goes on to say that he is providing the empowerment to do these things and will be with us always. He then makes it clear that He (JESUS) will do it. He (Jesus) will come to us and be in us. John 14:13-18: "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, keep My commandments, and I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” Jesus is the truth. He is Spirit. He dwelled with the disciples to whom He spoke “I will be in you.” He promised “I will come to you. Christ in us by the Spirit.
Yet, in reality, or soul has not been fully in agreement with our spirit even though in spirit we are in agreement with Spirit God. The resurrected life of Christ is released when the two agree.
The great change in the kingdom age from the past is that our soul is coming into agreement with our spirit and Spirit God. As the conflict of Spirit and soul within us is resolved and in full agreement, the works of Jesus will be naturally produced in and through us as we truly become the mature adopted sons of God. Our bodies will follow our souls and supernatural works of Christ will become natural.
Five Apostolic Changes in Kingdom Mindset
1. Spirit to Spirit Relationships
A change to functioning by the Spirit of God rather than by natural understanding is coming about. Heavenly-mindedness is replacing natural-mindedness.
Natural human relationships have been predominant in the past church era. Natural human thinking that roots in the first Adam has been more prevalent in the church than living and walking in the Spirit.
Communing with God in the Spirit and hearing Him clearly by the Spirit will lead to our connecting with one another by the Spirit. The church is changing to a Spirit-based organism reflecting the spiritual kingdom of God and producing God’s will from heaven on earth.
2. The God Family
There is to be only one kingdom family in heaven and on earth. There is becoming one royal family in heaven and on earth. A family of Spirit-related Spirit beings – a Spirit family of - one Father of all, with one begotten Son, one Spirit, and one Bride or Wife – one Spirit family in heaven and on earth. Not a family in heaven and another family on earth. We are adopted sons (not gender specific) – spirit beings in whom Christ dwells.
The organic spiritual Church is moving toward fully relating as the God family – one family of Spirit beings on earth and in heaven – Spirit God with us and within us – joint heirs with Christ – sons of the Father relating Spirit to Spirit. Connecting and networking will be accomplished in the Spirit and by the Spirit. Unexplainable spiritual love will draw and connect us in a Spirit relational network.
3. Universal Kingdom
In the kingdom there is to be one King ruling all of heaven and all of earth. All of life - every facet and function of life on earth is equally important to God. All in heaven and on earth is by Him and for Him. All things must be gathered to God in Christ Jesus.
All activity of life in the kingdom is equally important to God. Family, business, education, government, ministry, and all of life and creation is from God and for Him. Eventually Christ Jesus will rule all.
Christ Jesus the King will direct all through His Spirit. He is the only head of the church and the King of all. All things are coming together in Him.
The seed of the kingdom has been planted into the church and now is coming forth into the world. This baby is birthed and now growing into place. All the kingdoms of earth are becoming the kingdoms of our God. Your natural eye may not see it yet, but in the Spirit it has begun and will come to pass.
Kingdom is not all about church, in the same sense that life is not all about our mothers. Church is, in the final analysis and purpose, all about the King and His kingdom. Saving the lost and making disciples is preparing a people to rule and reign with Christ as kings and priests in all of life.
Don Atkin recently gave an excellent illustration of the church in the kingdom. He said that his home was at a specific address in a certain city. He did not need to leave home to be in that city. Don’s house is in the city as the church is in the kingdom. I would add to that illustration that also in that city are businesses, schools, government buildings, and many other things.
4. Decentralization
The organic church has one Head and one headquarters, and it is not in North Carolina or Tennessee or Texas or any place on earth – It is in heaven. There is no central earthly headquarters. Christ Jesus rules from heaven on earth by the Spirit in His Body/Bride/Wife on earth in whom He dwells.
5. De-systemization by Spiritualization
When a building is completed the scaffolding comes down. When a baby is born the umbilical cord is cut and the placenta discarded. When a booster rocket on a space ship finishes its work it looses its thrust and falls away. The end of the church systems as we have known them is at hand. The spiritual kingdom organic church reality is coming forth on earth. Human-based organization and religious church form with its offices and layers of clergy rule will loose its thrust and fall away.
In the kingdom age organic church, Spirit gifted apostles, prophets, evangelist, shepherds, and teachers are not clergy - they are gifted mature brethren. They are (1) spiritually mature and (2) they are given gifts from Christ Jesus by the Spirit.
In the organic church our thinking is changing from clergy and laity - to elders or mature ones, and younger or immature. The elders train and lead the “youngers” until they become elders (mature). There is one class of believer. All are under the divine headship of the one Head, Christ Jesus. Gifted elders are delivery men bringing gifts of wisdom and revelation from Christ to encourage, strengthen, and mature their brothers and sisters. The elders’ function is to guide the younger into mature oneness with Christ Jesus.
Love is the primary characteristic of the kingdom of God. Pure holy love is only available in the Spirit God. The kingdom functions and is held together by love.
Love from God and for God must be primary in the kingdom. Love for our neighbor flows from that first love. If we love anything else or anyone else before God we will move into error and establish other gods. Love from and for God is the primary order of the kingdom.
Edited by Ron McGatlin on 09/24/2009 at 3:25pm
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Topic: A NEW KINGDOM MINDSET
