The Expression of the Kingdom
In the 90's, the heart of worship was being restored back to the church; intimacy with God became the focus and direction of those who had a genuine heart for worship. A corporate hunger for intimacy began to burst forth across the nations and a new awareness of the importance of intimacy found its place in the church. Yet, what started out as an authentic cry to recapture intimacy with God, began to drift away from what intimacy is about. As a result, a worship culture arose that couldn't wait to come to a worship event to get "a touch from God". What started out right turned into another platform of self-gratification. This was the trap that Peter fell into at the mountain of transfiguration when Peter said to Jesus, "It is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles...", in other words, "Let's capture this glory and camp here and be blessed". Jesus responded by heading back down the mountain and back out into society to do the will of His Father. Intimacy and being touched by the presence of God is great, but it was never meant to be an experience that we camp around! Unfortunately for some, intimacy and encountering the presence of God has become more about having an experience than changing and growing up!
Adam and Eve dwelt in an environment where heaven and earth were as one; Eden was heaven on earth. There were no barriers or limitations to them being able to access the presence of God. However, the enemy's primary intention was to shift man's focus from God and onto self. He did this by enticing Eve to gratify her flesh through eating of the fruit. Their act of disobedience divided heaven from earth. Even though they lived in the glory of God, what enabled them to remain in this place was their unconditional obedience to God and to His will for their lives. The same is true for us today, we can sing and worship God for days, but worship without a life of obedience will not bring heaven to earth. A true worshipper to God is not only one who can sing worship songs but one who walks in obedience. In fact, the first time the word "worship" was mentioned in the Word of God, it was used in context to Abraham's obedience to sacrifice his son. (Genesis 22:1-5) To God, the true essence of worship is submission to His will. We are out of His order if we just want to camp in His glory and not walk in total obedience to His will.
The kingdom expression of worship is much different to the previous order. God is currently adjusting and reforming the ‘act of worship' in His house. The act of worship must come out of a kingdom?centred paradigm otherwise it will produce, and continue to reproduce, a religious act. Worship in this ‘new day' begins every morning when we slide out of bed. To God, worship is the motive of why we do what we do; it is our wills submitted to His in all situations; it is a life that is in submission to His mission - the kingdom mandate. To God, worship is obedience in all situations!
We can come up with a bunch of ways to do worship differently, but if the wineskin (paradigm, mentality, belief system) is not changed to a kingdom mind set, we will produce an act of religion. Our paradigm (way of thinking, culture) can only be changed by understanding the message and mandate of the kingdom. The more we enter the kingdom the more we will reproduce God's original purpose for man. Developing a kingdom mentality starts with understanding God's original intention. His goal was to extend the kingdom of God from heaven to earth; colonising earth with heaven's mandate.
WORSHIP must reflect Gods original intention for man, heaven on earth or God's rule manifest in our midst! This is not just a manifestation of the anointing, but rather a manifestation of heaven's government and dominion.
This government must first find its home within us before it has the power to change the world around us. In fact, the more we enter into the kingdom expression of worship the more we will want to walk in obedience to His will. Intimacy in this kingdom age is more than just crying at the altar and falling on the floor under the anointing. It is OBEDIENCE TO HIM AT ALL COST! Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." (John 4:34) In other words, the way I live and am fulfilled is by being obedient to finishing His will. Obedience in one's life is a reflection of His kingdom coming and His will being done. Our obedience is the fundamental key to the ushering in of the kingdom of God on earth. This can be seen when Jesus was baptized; John said to Jesus, "I need to be baptized by you." But Jesus said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:14-15) In obedience, Jesus submitted to the ministry of John, in order to fulfill the will of God. As a result, the scriptures say, when he had been baptized, behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and the voice of God came from heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17) The key to the heavens being opened in His life and ministry was His ‘act of obedience', and not only that, but the revelation (the Father's voice) He needed to empower His ministry came as a result of His obedience. The same is true for us today!
A song without a life of obedience will never bring heaven to earth. We can have churches from across the nations coming together to sing and worship, but a song without a life of obedience will be in vain! God is shifting the mentality we have operated under in relation to worship. He will not inhabit worship that is void of His order. David learnt a very hard lesson when he chose to disobey God's order in bringing up the ark to Jerusalem; a man died for it. (2 Samuel 6:1-9) In this new day, His divine order must be embraced and walked out in obedience.
Aligning our lives to the order of the kingdom will position us to be His worship. In other words, our lives become the expression of what worship is; obedience! The evidence of our intimacy with God is a willingness to be in submission to His mission.
Adam and Eve dwelt in an environment where heaven and earth were as one; Eden was heaven on earth. There were no barriers or limitations to them being able to access the presence of God. However, the enemy's primary intention was to shift man's focus from God and onto self. He did this by enticing Eve to gratify her flesh through eating of the fruit. Their act of disobedience divided heaven from earth. Even though they lived in the glory of God, what enabled them to remain in this place was their unconditional obedience to God and to His will for their lives. The same is true for us today, we can sing and worship God for days, but worship without a life of obedience will not bring heaven to earth. A true worshipper to God is not only one who can sing worship songs but one who walks in obedience. In fact, the first time the word "worship" was mentioned in the Word of God, it was used in context to Abraham's obedience to sacrifice his son. (Genesis 22:1-5) To God, the true essence of worship is submission to His will. We are out of His order if we just want to camp in His glory and not walk in total obedience to His will.
The kingdom expression of worship is much different to the previous order. God is currently adjusting and reforming the ‘act of worship' in His house. The act of worship must come out of a kingdom?centred paradigm otherwise it will produce, and continue to reproduce, a religious act. Worship in this ‘new day' begins every morning when we slide out of bed. To God, worship is the motive of why we do what we do; it is our wills submitted to His in all situations; it is a life that is in submission to His mission - the kingdom mandate. To God, worship is obedience in all situations!
We can come up with a bunch of ways to do worship differently, but if the wineskin (paradigm, mentality, belief system) is not changed to a kingdom mind set, we will produce an act of religion. Our paradigm (way of thinking, culture) can only be changed by understanding the message and mandate of the kingdom. The more we enter the kingdom the more we will reproduce God's original purpose for man. Developing a kingdom mentality starts with understanding God's original intention. His goal was to extend the kingdom of God from heaven to earth; colonising earth with heaven's mandate.
WORSHIP must reflect Gods original intention for man, heaven on earth or God's rule manifest in our midst! This is not just a manifestation of the anointing, but rather a manifestation of heaven's government and dominion.
This government must first find its home within us before it has the power to change the world around us. In fact, the more we enter into the kingdom expression of worship the more we will want to walk in obedience to His will. Intimacy in this kingdom age is more than just crying at the altar and falling on the floor under the anointing. It is OBEDIENCE TO HIM AT ALL COST! Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." (John 4:34) In other words, the way I live and am fulfilled is by being obedient to finishing His will. Obedience in one's life is a reflection of His kingdom coming and His will being done. Our obedience is the fundamental key to the ushering in of the kingdom of God on earth. This can be seen when Jesus was baptized; John said to Jesus, "I need to be baptized by you." But Jesus said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:14-15) In obedience, Jesus submitted to the ministry of John, in order to fulfill the will of God. As a result, the scriptures say, when he had been baptized, behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and the voice of God came from heaven saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17) The key to the heavens being opened in His life and ministry was His ‘act of obedience', and not only that, but the revelation (the Father's voice) He needed to empower His ministry came as a result of His obedience. The same is true for us today!
A song without a life of obedience will never bring heaven to earth. We can have churches from across the nations coming together to sing and worship, but a song without a life of obedience will be in vain! God is shifting the mentality we have operated under in relation to worship. He will not inhabit worship that is void of His order. David learnt a very hard lesson when he chose to disobey God's order in bringing up the ark to Jerusalem; a man died for it. (2 Samuel 6:1-9) In this new day, His divine order must be embraced and walked out in obedience.
Aligning our lives to the order of the kingdom will position us to be His worship. In other words, our lives become the expression of what worship is; obedience! The evidence of our intimacy with God is a willingness to be in submission to His mission.
