21st November Infill Service 2021 - Mike Bollinger - Principles of the Kingdom

Well, good morning, running me Christian Fellowship. It's good to be with

you this morning. Even if it's virtual. I hope to someday in the

near future be able to be there in person with you. Just a real

privilege to be able to be part of your Kingdom series this morning. If

you want to turn to Luke chapter four Versus eighteen, I want to look

at a quality of the Kingdom of God out of this passage. In Luke

four, he says, there the spirit of the Lord is upon me because

he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent

me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,

and to set at liberty those who are oppressed. For a few minutes,

we're going to focus on the portion of the passage where he says he has

sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, to set at liber those who

are oppressed. In the NIV, it says he has sent me to proclaim

freedom for the prisoners, to set the oppressed free. Notice First, it

uses the word proclaim twice to proclaim good news to the poor. Then he

has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives. These are two slightly different

words. In the original language. To proclaim good news to the poor was

an announcement like to evangelize, But to proclaim liberty is to herald as a

public crier up divine truth. To put it another way, like one of

my favorite films, Braveheart, it's like saying freedom. The Kingdom of God

is a kingdom proclaiming freedom, but it also says to set at liberty,

to proclaim and set free. It's a message with a power behind it to

accomplish it. Part of our walking in Kingdom activity is that it's normal in

Kingdom life for freedom to take place wherever we go. One of my dear

friends I met up with in person this last week and we were at a

conference together and I asked him how I was doing it, and he said,

he's just been so troubled, And he just said that he's been having

a real battle and real struggle in a relationship with another person that's just been

heaping a lot of blame upon him for all the problems in this other person's

life, and the cause of that has just made him so heavy and so

just disparaging of life right now has really been struggling, and so I offered

just to pray for him. And as we prayed, he said, you

know, I just keep wanting to yawn. And just as we just kept

praying, God just broke something that day over his life. And he said

that it was like there was blue sky again. So just in everyday life,

just opportunities for God to bring freedom to captivities. When the kingdom breaks

out, people get free. Jesus was sent to proclaim freedom and set free

the captives. The first statement I want to make is we needed to be

rescued. Being captive means that we're under the rule and authority and control of

another. Colausians one thirteen and fourteen tells us very familiar verse that for he,

Jesus, has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into

the kingdom of the son he loves, in whom we have redemption the forgiveness

of sins. Colaussians tells us that we were rescued from one kingdom into another

kingdom. The Bible is a tale of two kingdoms. Satan and demons are

fallen angels who once worshiped before God. We know that Satan is not a

God. He was a creative being from God who rebelled against him. And

Jesus all said to his disciples in Luke ten eighteen, he said, I

saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, and that set up two kingdoms,

the kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of God. So next we must understand

where captivity began. Were right at the very beginning in Genesis one, we

see God's plan. In Genesis one twenty six, he says, then God

said, let us make man in our image after our likeness, and let

him have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the

heavens, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over

every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. And then Genesis to it says,

you may surely eat all the trees of the garden. He was giving

instruction as to how to rule and how to live life in this new place

of dominion. But the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you

shall not eat. What we know. As the story goes in Genesis three

that just all of a sudden it declared there was a serpent. And now

the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord

God had made. He said to the woman, did God actually say you

shall not eat of any tree of the garden? Verse six? She took

of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband,

who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were

open, and they knew they were naked. And the man and his wife

hid themselves from the presence of God among the trees of the garden. But

the Lord God called to the man and said to him, where are you?

And he said, I hear the sound of you in the garden.

And I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself. Noticed

the effect of the Fall upon Adam and Eve. There was guilty, fear,

great self consciousness, and the shame of wrongdoing and independence. That active

rebellion in the Fall has affected every part of human life in broken relationships,

first of all, broken relationships with God, so man became vitually dead and

separated from a holy God. Broken relationships with others as well. Even at

that moment, Adam blamed Eve for giving him the apple Cain. Their son

killed Abel, and society deteriorated to the point where in Noah's day with the

arc, it tells us corruption and violence where endemic and widespread. As we

journey through the Old Testament, we read different expressions of this captivity and see

glimpses of these two kingdoms clashing. Moses before Pharaoh with the plagues as he

demanded Pharaoh to release God's people. Elijah showed down with a Mount Carmel where

he was the low representative of God against four hundred and fifty followers of the

false God Veil and I love. In Isaiah fifty nine. It paints a

real candid picture of captivity, but it also it shows God is beginning to

speak of his ultimate rescue plan. We read in verse one of Isaiah fifty

nine, Behold, the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot

save, or his eyes dull that it cannot hear. And then it just

begins to just talk about just the state of mankind. In verse eight,

the way of peace they did not know, and there's no justice in their

path. They've made their roads crooked. No one who treads on them knows

peace. Therefore, justice is far from us, and righteousness does not overtake

us. We hope for light and behold darkness and for brightness, but we

walk in gloom. We've grown like bears, and we moan and moan like

doves. I love that verse eleven. I just even feel that, even

coming out of pandemic, there's a real expression of our hearts like that in

just some of the trauma and the difficulties and the pain of being separated from

people and being forced into isolation. As we come out of that, it

just kind of feels like we're a mixture of either we gravel like bears,

or we moan and moan like gods. But he says, we hope for

justice, but there is none for salvation. But it's far from me Verse

sixteen, talking about God's answer to that, he saw there was no man

and wondered that there was no one to intercede. Then his own arm brought

him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him. So we see really clearly from

what we've read so far, that we all needed to be rescued. We

all were captive. We didn't just find Jesus, like, we didn't just

add Jesus to our life like adding a bolton to our phone plant. We

didn't just assimilar him into our life. We all needed to be rescued.

And then came liberty that Jesus was God's rescue plan. Jesus came, bringing

and demonstrating a different kingdom to the kingdom that they were in, and a

kingdom of power. He saw them as harassed and helpless, like sheep without

a shepherd. Jesus demonstrated authority over the kingdom of darkness. And then he

did something incredibly remarkable. This authority and power he demonstrated, he gave to

his disciples, who were former fishermen, who were former tax collectors. We

know in Matthew ten one it says, and he called to him his twelve

disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to

heal every disease and every affliction. But Jesus knew that in order for them

to free others, they would need to be themselves. God's ultimate rescue plan

was the cross, and the cross was the ultimate defeat for Savan. We

see in Colautions too, very powerful words in verse thirteen. And you who

were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive

together with him, having forgiven us all of our trespasses by canceling the record

of debt that stood against us and its legal demands. To kind of put

another way, I've got in my hand for those that are listening, I've

got a toilet roll. And it's like if we were on trial for every

one of the wrong things we ever did. It's like this record of wrong

is like this whole roll of toilet roll. And it's like on the account

of getting angry, guilty on the account of yelling, guilty on the account

of kicking the cat, guilty on the account of overeating at the buffets,

guilty on account of desiring that lying about this lost there, on account of

everything, guilty. And it's like all these things have been mounting up in

an account of our lives. But it says there, for he set aside,

nailing it to the cross. It's like all these records are wrong that

we so readily see in our lives and in our memories. It says that

he nailed it to the cross, and this great exchange, that he took

my sin upon himself and nailed it to the cross. And I'm left not

guilty. I'm left forgiven, as if I've never sinned. The language there

is justification, and that is simply the act of which God moves a willing

person from the state of sin of justice, to the state of grace.

Justice, and his death and resurrection once and for all satisfied God's requirement for

the penalty of sin, and makes us righteous in the sight of God.

And it says in Hebrews ten fourteen that for by a single offering, that

moment at the cross, that he took all our sin and nailed it to

the cross, he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

And sanctification is that daily being more and more like Jesus, that perfect moment,

that at the cross he rescued us out of the kingdom of darkness into

the kingdom of the Son of his Love, when we accept him as our

Lord and savior. But then in the midst of him bringing that justification,

putting us in right standing with God. There then is that daily becoming more

and more like Jesus. To Corinthians three eighteen says it this way, for

we all with unveiled faces behold the glory of the Lord, and being transformed

into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes

from the Lord, who is the Spirit. According to two Corinthians three that

we just read, we're being transformed through a process of sanctification until the image

of God is more clearly seen in us. And those things that we just

read about, those phrases about being justified by faith, they just seem like

words right now. But I was reminded when I was studying this that in

Oxford in fifteen fifty five, Ridley and Latimer were burned to death at the

stake for teaching this very thing about justifification by faith alone. And it's just

a reminder, even in this season, this month of remembrance, even just

for those that fought for freedom for us that we walk in today. Not

only did Jesus bring freedom and righteousness, but he gives us power. He

gives us weapons. We know the passage from there that talks about the weapons

we fight with are not the weapons of this world. On the contrary,

they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretense that

sets itself up against the knowledge of God. And we take captive every thought

to make it obedience to Christ. Strongholds for us are wrong thought patterns and

ideas which the enemy can influence. Just in this last couple of weeks,

a dear friend of Ruth and I, she really was having a struggle.

She's a real trophy of grace that God rescued out of a real traumatic and

dark past. And God's just over different seasons, just making your more and

more like Christ and setting her free in the areas of her life. Well,

just in the last week, she was noticing that while she was worshiping

during on Sunday morning, or while we were having a prayer time, that

as soon as she got in that moment, it just felt like there was

kind of this uncontrolled crying and wailing and a real spiritual battle. And when

we started talking about it a little bit, she would say to herself,

you know, I don't have a problem with accepting that Jesus forgave me for

my sins. I can accept Jesus forgiveness, and I know I've got to

hope into bad stuff and how he forgave me. But she said, I'm

really carrying guilt of the consequences that my past life has had before Christ on

my kids, and that had been such a battle. It was almost like

a mourning and a grieving and a real guilt and shame. And even though

at thinking process us that the enemy was able to influence her, that that's

where Stronghold give up, give opportunities to the enemy, to to to oppress

us and to give us, to give us trouble. And and as we

just started talking, we just reminded ourselves afresh that he's a good father.

And not only is a father someone that just takes care of us, not

only did he rescue us and forgive us, but when the Bible says,

cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you. We had

a discussion about that he as a good father, that that this friend of

ours, she was one that was uh that repaired clothes, and people would

bring their clothes to her that that were broken and tattered, and she would

repair them and sew them and hand them back to the people all well and

care. And she's she kind of had this picture. We were talking and

she realized that it was like she was like these people that would bring these

things to God. And when she brought them to God, though she still

was holding on to him rather than giving them to God. And so in

this tension of still holding on to guilt and shame, that sort of thought

process was overwhelming her and giving the enemy an opportunity to overwhelm her heart.

And as we just simply came to the truth that if I give everything to

Jesus, if I give all things, that he's bigger to be able to

handle not only my life but for my whole family, that he can take

care of all the consequences of sin, that just in that moment of truth,

all of a sudden the battle stopped. It was quite incredible. And

not only did Jesus give us liberty, but he also through the Gospel,

gave us authority to be part of God's rescue mission. We're part of God's

rescue planet. At the end of jesus mission in not through twenty eight to

his disciples, he said, all authority in heaven and earth has been given

to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them

in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit Verse seventeen.

And these signs will accompany those who believe. Do you believe Jesus this

morning? If you believe Jesus this morning, this verse, if we just

let it preak, it says, and these signs will accompany those who believe

in my name. They'll cast out demons, they'll speak a new tongue,

they'll lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover. And this

challenges our thinking. There's no specialty gifts in the Kingdom. Jesus is the

only special one. He has given us authority and power to walk in our

own freedom, but also to share in that rescue mission to bring freedom to

others. Well, you may be here on a journey this morning of understanding

what it means to be a Christian. Quite simply, it needs freedom.

As believers. It reminds us of the authority that Jesus has given us.

We are rescued to rescue others. These kingdom qualities apply to us personally,

but also to our mission. When God shows up, people get freedom.

When God shows up, people get saved. We are set free to bring

freedom to others, taking back more and more ground every day we walk through.

When we're praying for people, when we're worshiping Jesus, it's normal activity

for the Holy Spirit to bring freedom. I'm confident that even in the midst

of worship, that God lifts things off of us, even a simple act

of us coming into a gathering just feeling so like we're dragging our tail,

our knuckles are dragging on the ground. And yet when we leave, we

feel so light and so clear, and we see things so bright, like

my friend, where it seems like blue sky rather than clouds. I believe

in those moments that God's doing spiritual warfare as we open our hearts to him,

and many times God just brings freedom in our lives as we cooperate with

him. There's a practical experience we have with with this with with my wife

Ruth, when we were a young family of three small children. There were

five, three and one, and at that time in our church in Canada,

we were small group leaders, and Ruth just started having these headaches and

and just having a hard time concentrating, so much so that when she she

had to have a complete grocery list because every time shed she was trying to

concentrate. He just couldn't concentrate at all. And we'd pray and they'd go

away, and then they come back, and we pray, and they'd go

away, and then they come back and then then one day we just kind

of have a thought and I said, you know, maybe there's things that

you need to forgive a particular family member for. And she said, yeah,

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah sure. But then you know,

she went away, and a few days later she came back and said,

well, I prayed and asked God if there's anything I need to forgive this

person for, and he came back with two and a half pages of specific

events. So we started praying, God, forgive this person for doing that.

I forgive this person for that. And we didn't get very far into

that list when all of a sudden she started to just sort of twitch and

just sort of have this sort of deep voice and kind of freaked me out.

I thought, oh great, I married a monster. But actually,

in the midst of forgiving, God broke in and brought her freedom and opportunities

for freedom broke out wherever Jesus went, and he didn't seem to go looking

for it, but simply addressed it with authority when it happened. Imagine if

tomorrow, when we start our week, if we're mindful that it's normal in

Kingdom life for freedom to take place wherever we go. Just reminding ourselves freshly

of what Jesus has done, how good God is as our father, having

gospel conversations with people. What impact would that have in the world around us

where we go, there's freedom expressed in our life. And my prayer for

us this morning, just as we close, is that we would see God's

Kingdom come in our lives and in the lives around us, where even in

our conversations about Jesus, that captives are set free, that lives are lifted

of oppression, that people are rescued out of the kingdom of darkness, out

of the darkest of dark and brought into the Kingdom of the Son of His

Love, the Kingdom of light. And that is God's great rescue plan.

And that is an amazing, powerful quality of the Kingdom of God. Can

I pray for us, Father, in Jesus' name. I just want to

thank you for your holy spirit. Even now you're there, you're brooding over

us as a people. And I thank you God that even in our own

lives, even as you've made perfect those that are being sanctified. Lord,

I pray in Jesus' name, as you're working in us day by day,

as we're that trophy of grace where you've taken us from difficult, broken situation

and you're bringing healing to us. I just want to thank you for all

the ways that you bring healing in our lives. Are God, thank you

for the wisdom of doctors. Thank you Father for the wisdom of medicine.

Thank you God, Father for your healing power. Just thank you God for

truth of your scripture. Thank you Father for words and support of friends around

us. Lord, I thank you that you're not limited by how you bring

human But most importantly, God, my prayer today is right now in our

midst. I pray right now you would lived off heaviness from people. I

pray right now you would bring into people's mind people that they might need to

be bringing forgiveness to. And Lord, I just want to pray right now

in Jesus' name, Father, for those that have felt like they're in chains.

The Lord, thank you that you are the chain breaker. Thank you.

It's not by wise and persuasive words, but a demonstration of the spirit's

power. And we give you all the glory and praise. And I thank

you Lord, even from this moment, I just thank you in advance of

testimony of lives being set free, people being brought out of captivity, minds

being unlocked from difficulty, wrong thinking in Jesus name and pray, Amen,

Amen, God, bless you everyone. Love. Such a good word from

there, And I hope you've taken some notes. I'd already listened to it,

so I knew I'd already taken some notes before, and I've just taken

some more notes. But it's just good to put what God says to us

in practice. You know, when we go out, should we expect to

find freedom? See freedom, bring freedom. And one of the things that

he's so simply illustrated in a few stories he told there was when he came

across it, they just great. Let me encourage you. I don't think

any of us feel like we've got the right qualifications in prayer, but we've

got enough. We could always start. I don't think anybody in the room

that I will wear I's got a PhD. In prayer, but we could

all all pray. We can all start, we can all open our mouths

and pray. And some of the simplest prayers I've heard prayed have been by

little children who just said God, heal mummy and that's all they pray.

But it's been with faith, and it's been with passion, and it's talking

to Daddy God. It's a lot of me. Encourage you reach out and

ask God. Let's see what happens this week. So after the notice sees