Unleashing the Kingdom

So for the last couple of weeks, Jacob has been talking about how what God has started

here at Acts 29, what God is birthing here at Acts 29, what we are seeing and experiencing

is unstoppable.

We are teaching on unstoppable.

How Acts 29 and everything that God has been putting into this church, which is what is

happening in our lives and everything that God has been establishing over the last few

years, that is completely unstoppable.

And then we have been talking and thinking and praying for a revival that is coming,

that we know is here.

It's been going on for, I think a year plus we have been talking about the revival and

that's something I was talking to Sheldon on his way to the airport.

He wouldn't stop talking about the revival.

He had so many mouths, so to speak, to talk about revival.

It's happening now.

It's happening now.

We are seeing it.

There is so much going on and we are entering that phase where all through the last few

weeks you can see the direction in which God has been leading us.

It's like multiple dots connected together.

And if you take a step back and look at it, you go, well Father, you are actually very

intentional in what you are doing with us.

I had no idea what songs Jane would be singing, had no idea what songs Remy or Tooney sang

today.

I didn't know that was coming.

But it all fits in very well together with what God is wanting to do in our midst.

I do not say that lightly.

I acknowledge that.

I really believe that God is really asking us to look at what he is doing so that we

can jump right in.

And that, we'll continue in that path today because what Jacob started with two weeks

ago, the unstoppable church, last week he talked about how we are to represent Christ

to the world outside, how we are to go out.

We are going to go down the same path.

So if you need a title for today, it is Kingdom Unleashed, Kingdom Unleashed.

And we'll read from the book of Daniel, chapter 2, 31 to 35.

Daniel 2 · chapter mention

Book of Daniel, chapter 2, 31 to 35.

Daniel 2 · chapter mention

It says, You saw, O King, and behold, a great image.

This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening.

The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs

of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

As he looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet

of iron and clay and broke them in pieces.

Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in

pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind carried

them away, so that not a trace of them could be found.

But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

This is the dream that Nebuchadnezzar saw, and he wanted someone to actually tell him

what's the dream that he saw, and then he wanted that person to interpret it.

Daniel interpreted the dream, and Daniel is saying, hey Nebuchadnezzar, here are the things

that you saw in your dream.

Here is what happened.

And then you see Daniel interpreting that dream to Nebuchadnezzar.

In this dream, Nebuchadnezzar saw a big mighty image, not a small one, a big mighty frightening

image, and it's got a head made of fine gold, the chest and the arms are made of silver,

the thighs and the middle is made of bronze, the legs are made of iron, and then the feet

is made of iron and clay.

So think about it, it's a very frightening image that Nebuchadnezzar saw, and he wanted

an answer to that.

And Daniel responds and says, here is what you saw, I know what my God has shown me,

here is exactly what you saw.

Now I'm going to give you a meaning of that dream.

The meaning of the dream is, this kingdom that you have, Nebuchadnezzar, is the head

with the fine gold, and there are going to be coming many kingdoms after you.

But then there is this stone that you saw.

It says it's not carved out by human hands.

And this stone out of nowhere comes and strikes this image, and the entire image, the entire

structure of it breaks, it says, into pieces.

And then the stone that struck it, which was a small stone to begin with, that stone becomes

a great mountain, and it doesn't end there, it fills the entire earth.

Daniel proceeds to say this, I want us to listen to this.

Daniel says, your kingdom, Nebuchadnezzar, is going to be followed by many kingdoms.

But there is going to come a day, a day in which God is going to set up a new kingdom.

And this kingdom that God sets up will destroy every other kingdom, and this kingdom that

God sets up will be unmatched, and this kingdom will cover the entire earth, and it's unstoppable.

No one can stop it.

You see the relation, because with what Jacob has been talking about, with where God is

taking us, he's planned the whole thing.

This isn't stopping.

This kingdom that we are part of is not stopping.

This kingdom that we are part of is always advancing.

It's ever advancing.

I like the song that Jane sang initially.

She kept on saying, God is here.

God is here.

God is here.

Because this kingdom that you and I are a part of, it's an ever advancing kingdom that

God has set up, and the plan that God has is that this kingdom will reach out to the

ends of the earth, and it will cover the earth for what?

For people to come from the kingdom of darkness into this kingdom.

I want to read a few more verses, and then we'll go down into the next thing.

So Matthew chapter 3 verse 2.

Matthew 3:2

We're ready to read 3, 4, 5 verses.

We'll start with Matthew chapter 3 verse 2.

Matthew 3:2

It says, this is John the Baptist.

It says, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

So about 540 years after, Daniel interpreted that dream.

John the Baptist says, behold, the kingdom of God is at hand.

It took 540 years.

Let's read a couple more verses.

Matthew chapter 4 verse 17.

Matthew 4:17

Matthew chapter 4 verse 17.

Matthew 4:17

From that time, Jesus began to preach, saying, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

From that time, Jesus began to preach, saying, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Let's read Matthew chapter 4 verse 23.

Matthew 4:23

It says, and he went out throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming

the gospel of the kingdom.

So the gospel that Jesus taught was and is the gospel of the kingdom.

Next verse, Matthew chapter 12 verse 28.

Matthew 12:28

The reason we're going through this is to lay the foundation so we know exactly where

we're going.

It started with a dream.

God is saying, I'm going to set up a kingdom.

And then John the Baptist enters the scene and he says, the kingdom is at hand.

And Jesus comes and Jesus says, the kingdom is here.

The kingdom is here.

It's in your midst.

Let's read this.

Matthew chapter 12 verse 28.

Matthew 12:28

But if it is by the spirit of God that I cast out demons, Jesus said, then the kingdom

of God has come upon you.

If it is by the spirit of God that I cast out demons, Jesus said, then the kingdom of

God has come upon you already.

Let's read next one.

Hebrews chapter 12 verse 28.

Hebrews 12:28

Hebrews chapter 12 verse 28.

Hebrews 12:28

Two verses.

Hebrews chapter 12 verse 28 and 29.

Hebrews 12:28

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.

And thus let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe for our God is a consuming

fire.

See how a few years later as the writer of Hebrew is writing this, he's saying, now let's

thank God because this kingdom is here.

And it's not that it's here.

We have received it.

We are now a part of this kingdom.

I want us to see that thread through the Bible.

Let's see that thread.

And now God is saying, you're in that kingdom.

You don't have to go search looking for it.

We are part of that kingdom.

Now here's the thing.

God's kingdom was present in Jesus's birth.

It was present in his life, in his teachings, in his miracles, in all the deliverance that

happened and then this kingdom was established by his death.

And after Jesus's death, this kingdom was inaugurated by God by Jesus's resurrection.

But here's the best part.

So the kingdom came, the kingdom was established, the kingdom was inaugurated by the life of

Jesus, by the death of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus.

Here's the best part.

Now this kingdom is always advancing by the power of the Holy Spirit through men and women

like us.

So the kingdom came, the kingdom is here, the kingdom was established, the kingdom was

inaugurated.

Now the kingdom is always advancing all the time.

It ain't stopping.

When we are not thinking about it, his kingdom is advancing.

He is in this business.

The business that God is in is this.

He has a business that is always advancing.

It reaches to the ends of the world.

Ends of the world is maybe a different way of saying, ends of the earth.

Maybe it makes a little bit more sense.

It's not the end of the world yet.

Ends of the earth.

It reaches to the ends of the earth.

It doesn't stop.

And as we listen, as God is leading us this way, I want us to be so excited that we are

in the grand scheme of things.

We are right in the thick of it.

We are in the middle of it.

This kingdom is never stopping.

It's always advancing.

And we have a role to play.

For the next 30 minutes, whatever, that's what we are going to talk about.

What is it that we can do?

What is expected of us in this kingdom?

A few years ago when I was reading a book, I don't read many books, but one or two that

I read, one of the books, when I say when I was reading a book, if you think that I've

got a pile of books, I don't.

I have two or three or four maybe that I've read.

That's it.

But in one of those books that a guy named Derek Prince wrote, it's okay.

It's not me, but he wrote it.

So in one of those, I was like, oh, that name looks good, so I took it.

I also read, one of the other books that I've read is John's dad's book.

What is his name?

Derek Webb.

So you know my book selection process.

It's pretty easy.

But that was a great book, John.

That was the first book I read when I landed in Canada.

You guys should read it if you haven't.

So in that book, one of the things that God taught this man is, I think the conversation

was more like, look at this river, that is, he's sitting at a riverbank or something.

God asks him to look at this riverbank, look at this river from the banks of it.

He looks at it, he sees the river.

You can, we have all seen this, of course.

But then God started telling him, can you imagine what's underneath the surface?

You don't see it.

You're not seeing it right now.

You can see the river flowing, fast flowing.

But can you imagine what's underneath the surface?

There's so much going on.

So much life, so much algae, so many things.

You're not seeing it.

And the analogy, if applied to what we are talking about, is right now, when we are sitting

here, man, it's so easy for us to see each other.

It is so easy for us to look at the monitor and the that and the this.

But the greater reality is that we are sitting in the kingdom of God and his rule is here.

His reign is here.

That is the greatest reality of it all.

So it's so easy to look at the river, not knowing what's underneath it.

God, I'm telling you, is opening our eyes to this reality that you and I belong to this

kingdom that is ever advancing and no one can stop it.

We are already in it.

So we are part of it.

Now we've got a role to play.

We better be in on it.

And God has been inviting us and inviting us and inviting us over the last many months.

And I am so excited because of it.

Because we are right in the middle of it.

We've got to be excited, guys.

How can we hear this and not be excited?

Is there a reason to live other than this?

Exactly.

No.

We are right in the middle of it.

I was looking up, there are about 190 something countries on the earth.

Kings, presidents, prime ministers, whatever you call it.

And then there is a greater reality, which is the kingdom of God, ever advancing, unstoppable

in nature.

And we have to be more aware of the kingdom we belong to and our role in this kingdom.

We have to be more aware of this kingdom and our role in it.

What is your job description or job title?

Kingdom advanced.

We are all kingdom advances.

If I were to draw this, this is how I envision it.

This is the kingdom.

We are all on the front lines.

Many of us.

It's the best drawing ever.

But we are on the front lines.

We are on the front lines of this ever expanding kingdom.

So be more aware.

Let's be more aware.

May our prayers change to, Father.

As I wake up today, as I go about my day at work, at school, whatever we are doing, I

want to be so aware of your kingdom that is waiting, waiting, waiting to break into the

lives around us.

It's waiting.

Samara just talked about that some time ago.

Her life was broken into by this kingdom.

And now she is sitting here.

Same with me, same with you.

It is, it should be difficult for us to miss this.

This excitement, this kingdom that we are part of, where it is always advancing, waiting

to break into the lives that we meet.

So what we're going to look at today is how are we going to do this?

What are the patterns in the world that God has given us?

Let's read first Philippians 3.20.

Philippians 3.20.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our citizenship is in heaven.

I was thinking about this yesterday because I want it to be as practical, as tangible

as it can be.

In reality, whenever someone asks me, what's your citizenship?

I go, India, I haven't changed it to Canada.

That's my standard answer.

I don't think anything else.

But can I be different?

I can be different.

We can be different.

My citizenship doesn't belong here.

My citizenship is in heaven.

And I'm here because God has sent me here to what?

To bear witness to the truth.

that Jesus said, that you and I will say.

And now we have days when we say this, but man, isn't it great to live like this every

day?

I know that all of us live like this and it happens periodically.

I'm telling you, I think the invitation from God, to put it simply, is to live like this

every day.

Every day.

Waking up knowing fully well that we do not belong to Canada, that I do not belong to

India, that we do not belong to the nations of the earth.

We belong to this kingdom.

That is what God is pulling our hearts towards.

Let's read John chapter 17 verse 14.

John 17:14

The gospel of John chapter 17 verse 14.

John 17:14

I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the

world just as I am not of the world.

I have, Jesus said, I have given them your word or father and the world has hated them.

Why?

Because they are not of this world.

Just as I am not of this world.

So God's kingdom that was present in Jesus' birth, his teachings, his deliverances that

he gave to people, his ministry, which was then established by his death, inaugurated

by his resurrection, is now advancing through us.

Let's look at how this power or the influence of the king can be unleashed into the present

age.

I don't want to look at this anymore.

Looks great.

So let's look at how we are going to advance this kingdom.

What's the pattern that God has given us?

Tooni read out that verse already.

Let's read Ezekiel chapter 37 verse 4.

Ezekiel 37:4

But before you start reading, here is what we are going to look at.

We already read it.

This is one of the passages we are so aware of.

We know what happens there.

Hear me out.

The kingdom is advanced by announcing the things that Jesus announced and by proclaiming

his words.

That's what the entire teaching today is about.

The kingdom is advanced by announcing the things that Jesus announced and by proclaiming

his word.

The kingdom is advanced by announcing the words that Jesus announced and by proclaiming

his word.

So let's read Ezekiel chapter 37, 4.

Ezekiel 37 · chapter mention

You know what?

Let's not read it.

What happens there is this.

The spirit of God takes Ezekiel into the valley of bones and in the valley Ezekiel sees, it

says, a valley full of bones.

And here is what God does, okay?

Because it's easy to miss that.

God then takes Ezekiel in and around this valley.

He then takes him in and around this valley and all of a sudden Ezekiel says, this valley

has very many bones.

What he says, a new thing that he just witnessed, it's very dry and it's very dry.

How does that relate to what we are saying?

The scripture that Tuni just read where God says, hey, Ezekiel prophesy this to the bones.

What happens when God says it?

God says prophesy this to the bones and there are two, three things that he says.

He then commands Ezekiel to say the same thing.

And until Ezekiel says it, the bones are not revived.

When God spoke, can not the bones be revived?

Absolutely can.

But God chose it this way.

Ezekiel, I want you to say the same things that I said.

When you say the bones will be revived and then the bones come together.

There is a rattling, there is a sound and then there is muscle all over it.

Now there are bodies that he can see, but there is no breath.

What does God do?

God says again, Ezekiel prophesy to these bones.

He didn't stop there.

He tells exactly what Ezekiel is to prophesy.

What does Ezekiel do?

Ezekiel then prophesies the exact same thing that God asked him to.

Obedient, word to word.

What happens?

There rises a great army.

How does this kingdom expand?

We'll look at more verses.

How does this kingdom expand?

This kingdom expands by announcing the things that Jesus announced and by proclaiming his

word.

This kingdom expands by announcing the things that Jesus already announced and by proclaiming

his word.

We look at the life of Jesus.

We'll see this.

You can write down a few references and then read this later.

Mark chapter 141.

Mark chapter 211.

Matthew 8.8.

Matthew 8.32.

Mark chapter 141.

Mark chapter 211.

Matthew 8.8.

Matthew 8.32.

Because in the gospels, the more we look at it, here is what we are seeing.

The kingdom of God and the ministry that Jesus worked here on earth, it was synonymous with

Him speaking and things happening.

Because when He met the man who had leprosy, Jesus said, I am willing to heal.

That's all Jesus said and He was healed.

When there was a lame man, Jesus said, arise and the man was not lame anymore.

When the centurion sent a person to go find Jesus, here's what the centurion said.

I know that if you would just speak a word, He'll be healed.

Speak a word.

Centurion already knew.

It was just one word that Jesus could speak and in that word, there was healing.

And when Jesus met anyone who was oppressed by the demonic, Jesus said, go and demons

left.

So the ministry of Jesus was synonymous with words that He spoke and events that happened

after.

So the ministry of Jesus was comprised of His words and then events that happened after.

And what happened?

Announced the presence of a new kingdom.

Because think about all of the guys who were there at that time.

They all read this dream of Nebuchadnezzar.

That was part of the Torah.

They knew it.

But then all of a sudden, Jesus is coming.

He's entering the scene.

And as He speaks, things are changing.

People are getting healed.

Everything is changing.

I know some of them did not believe, but many of them believed.

What a change.

And the song that Remy sang is not the world waiting.

It's not creation groaning.

It is.

It is.

And we all believe that.

I know we all believe what we are hearing.

That we are part of the kingdom.

That God is fully in us.

But now God is saying, come on guys, I've got something greater for you.

I said that in my word.

That when you do things in my name, you will do greater things than I did.

Because I'm leaving that legacy for you.

I want you to do it.

Little flock.

This kingdom of God, it's yours.

Somewhere in Luke it says that.

So Ababai, we hear what you're saying.

That we are to announce what you have already announced.

And I don't mind repeating this a hundred times today.

Because this is what you have for us.

That we will announce what you have already announced.

And we will proclaim your word.

And in us doing that, you're saying you will do what needs to happen.

Ababai, pray for a quickening of my mind and our minds.

That we take this truth and we apply this in our lives.

Because we desperately need it Aba.

We desperately need this father.

We want to see.

We want to see your kingdom expanding.

We want to be part of that.

We want to be partners with you.

Although that diagram was bad, or whatever you call it, the drawing was bad.

Aba, we are frontline workers.

Our father's business is frontline.

Ever expanding.

Ever growing.

Ever advancing kingdom that we get to be a part of.

Let's read this verse because Ezekiel chapter 37 is good.

Ezekiel 37 · chapter mention

Let's look at another verse where Jesus actually says this.

Jesus lays out this pattern.

Matthew chapter 10, 7 and 8.

Matthew 10 · chapter mention

It says, And proclaim as you go, Jesus said, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.

You received without a doubt the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And you are the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who

is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one who is the one

keep without paying, keep without pay.

So Jesus is saying these very words.

He's saying when you go, he doesn't say go cast out demons, clean the lepers, raise the

dead.

He says when you go, listen to this.

The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Proclaim this.

Proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Tell them that there is a kingdom coming and that this kingdom is already here.

Proclaim that.

Proclaim that the kingdom is here.

It's near.

John the Baptist said, it's near, it's near, it's near.

Jesus said, it's here.

Who wrote Hebrews?

They wrote, thank you, we have received it.

And now when we meet people, we say,

this kingdom is here, this kingdom is here.

That's what Jesus said.

That's the pattern he laid out for us.

That we are to announce everything he announced,

that we are to proclaim his words.

And so he says, say this,

the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Then heal the sick, raise the dead,

cleanse lepers, cast out demons.

Because you received without paying, give without pay.

So we have to notice the connection

between the word and the event.

The word proclaim and then events following.

We have to.

And I pray that in our hearts,

God does the work that he wants to do

so that we became a church,

a people who always proclaims.

We never doubt it.

We never will stay away from it.

We will never withdraw from it.

Because proclamation is part of the game.

We have to.

So we proclaim, we open our mouths

and we proclaim what he is saying.

What are we proclaiming?

We are proclaiming that the kingdom is here.

What does the proclamation do?

It unleashes a demonstration of healing,

raising, cleansing and driving out.

So we proclaim that the kingdom is here.

And the proclamation unleashes the kingdom.

Unleashes a demonstration of healing

and raising and cleansing and driving out.

We announce the power of the king.

Results in works of God.

See, I want to go back to what Samar did today.

Because I do feel and believe

that God is teaching us stuff.

She proclaimed.

She said, here is what I believe.

Here is what I believe.

And sometimes we don't acknowledge

how much the other person needs to hear it.

One of the things that I am so confident of

is that the world is so much broken

than we think it is.

There are people who are waiting to hear these words.

We met a person a few weeks ago.

We met a person a few weeks ago.

I'm sharing it just to

help us see that these real lives

that we are surrounded with,

real lives where they're looking for help.

We met a person, Mark, Pawan, Bishop.

In this particular person,

the thing he said is,

I cannot live in an apartment.

I have money, but I don't want to.

Because my relationships all were broken.

And my children have been taken away from me.

I just can't live in an apartment anymore.

So I'm here.

I just can't live there.

I'm depressed.

I'm walking the streets.

And now I have little money here and there.

And because I need to spend time doing something,

I'm gonna be fixing this bike.

Because I need to put my mind to something.

Otherwise I'll go crazy.

The world is so broken

that we sometimes may think,

oh man, what happens if I share it?

Will the person like?

How will it look like?

I'm telling you, creation is groaning.

The outward picture may be different,

but the word says that the creation is groaning.

And therefore, you and I begin to speak

everything that he already announced.

Because he chooses to do it through us.

Can he not expand his kingdom in one day like that?

He can.

But he chooses to do it through us.

The only reason I shared that story is just because of this.

Think of the need there.

How people are waiting.

For the Prince of Peace to appear through our lives.

We know so much.

We've been given so much.

We live it.

And one thing I want to break today

is if any of us ever think that,

you know what, how will people think?

Let's tear it apart and throw it aside

because there are a million people waiting to hear this.

They're saying, come, please come, please come.

Please come.

Please come.

I want to hear this.

I want us to think like that.

I think over and over again, there is this thing that,

oh, you know, there are so many people out there

and these people may not be,

there are people that we meet who are resisting.

That's okay.

There are more people who are just waiting.

Let's talk about that.

And we go wherever we ascend.

We go wherever we ascend to a person who is resisting

because God is the one who does the work.

I am only asked to go say what he said.

And then he said he will do the rest.

I'm not creating it.

We can't create it.

We can't manufacture it.

It starts in God.

It ends in God.

So is that it?

Proclamation and everything else, that's it?

No, I was thinking about this yesterday

because one of the things that, for me,

has been helpful when I was going through these notes

is for whatever reason,

it is easy to think that proclamation is speaking the words.

It's just natural to think like that.

What is proclamation?

Proclamation is speaking his words.

But no, proclamation is not speaking his words.

Proclamation is first.

There are three parts to this.

It's first,

seeing the invisible.

Two, believing.

In the power of God and his nature.

And see, then speaking his words.

Proclamation is not equal to speaking.

Proclamation is first seeing the invisible,

seeing what's actually happening.

And then believing in the nature of God,

the power of God, and then speaking.

It makes a big difference.

Proclamation is not, because we have been so,

we grew up in Christianity, some of us,

we've heard these verses, these things for so many times,

it's so easy for us to say, you know, Remy,

Jesus loves you.

So easy.

So easy to say, Jesus will heal you.

I know Jesus will heal you.

I'm telling you, God is saying, come on guys,

there is something deeper here.

Before I go and meet Remy, look at him and know this,

there is a kingdom right here,

waiting to break into Remy's life.

It's waiting, see it, see this kingdom.

Number two, believe what I want to be to Remy.

I want to be a father to Remy.

I want to protect Remy.

I want to be everything for him.

Believe it, believe in my power

that it will break everything.

Let's go back to what Daniel saw.

This stone that is not carved out by human hands

will go strike the statue, this image,

whatever you call it, and it will break in pieces

everything that is there.

And the stone will become a great mountain.

What's the stone?

My words, the kingdom words,

has the power deposited by God

to break that needs to be broken

so that Remy can be restored.

So it's not just speaking.

It is seeing what's happening, seeing the invisible,

then believing in God, his power, his character,

so sure and certain that God loves him.

These are not words anymore.

These are words with so much power

because God put it all together and they travel fast.

And God's word says these words will destroy,

will break in pieces that which stands against it.

In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus says these words.

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

So Jesus is the king of this kingdom.

He's the one who is ruling.

We are his people, his sons, his daughters.

He's the king.

In Matthew chapter 13, you can read this later.

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

It's parable after parable after parable

talks about the kingdom of God.

But there is one parable I want us to look at today.

And it is the parable of the mustard seed.

Here is what Jesus, who is the ruler of this kingdom,

the mighty king, he is saying,

guys, my kingdom is like a mustard seed.

Can Jesus not find a different way of explaining this?

My kingdom, actually because I don't know mustard seed,

I had to go, I went to my kitchen and I took it,

put it in my hands.

Jesus said, it's like a mustard seed.

But then Jesus said,

this mustard seed will go into the soil.

And this mustard seed, the smallest of seeds

becomes the largest of trees.

The smallest of seeds becomes the largest of trees.

And then Jesus says,

if you are the king of this kingdom,

and then Jesus says,

birds will come.

They will lay nest in these trees.

Jesus, the ruler of this kingdom,

equates his kingdom to a small mustard seed,

which then grows into this big tree.

Starts with simple, ordinary people like us,

speaking simple words, but not just speaking,

seeing the invisible,

then believing in the power of God and his nature,

and then speaking,

so that these words will go break that needs to be broken.

I had this for two, three years, it's in my house.

When you look at this,

smallest of seeds become the largest of trees.

Jesus's words.

So many analogies in the word, so many.

David Goliath, one stone.

Nirmakar Mesa's dream, one small stone.

God has given us what we need.

So before we proclaim, faith has to proceed.

Faith precedes proclamation.

Faith precedes proclamation.

Faith precedes proclamation.

Faith precedes proclamation.

Faith is entering into what God wants to do,

and it's an embrace of his action.

You're already seeing what God wants to do.

You're entering into it already

while you're talking with the person.

And you're embracing what God has for them.

You're in it already, you've seen it, you're in it,

now it just needs to happen.

Who does that? God does that anyway.

We don't have to work hard at it.

That's the thing that he has guaranteed.

He will do it.

A few days ago when we were sitting down,

we asked this question to each other.

What are we expecting from God?

And so,

Pawan said something, Mark said something,

I said something.

All really good answers.

And then it was James' turn.

And he said, you know what?

I know the answer to this.

A few days ago, I was walking by and I saw a billboard.

And on this billboard it said, expect a lot.

My answer was so Christian-ese, Mark and Pawan's,

they were all Christian-ese answers.

You're expecting this, we're expecting this,

we're expecting that.

And James said, I'm expecting a lot.

Was the best answer.

Expecting a lot.

What do you expect?

I expect a lot.

Let's expect a lot.

Because God is big.

The largeness of the kingdom in and through our life

depends on

our understanding of God

and what we believe he is to be in this situation.

That determines the largeness of the kingdom

through my life and in my life.

So the more I am open to this bigness of God,

that he is God, he can do anything.

He can break any chain.

And while I'm saying this,

I don't want us to think that we are negating

all of the problems.

We're not.

We're looking at them and we're saying,

our God is greater and bigger and stronger.

He is.

That's who he is.

Expect a lot.

So the question is not how I am feeling.

The question is, what is the proclamation of my heart faith?

My heart faith.

What does my mind and my heart and my spirit believe?

Love your God with all your heart,

with all your mind,

with all your strength.

What does my heart and my mind and my spirit believe?

That is the difference.

Then the words that we speak,

it has so much potency.

It comes from God.

God does what needs to happen.

So Jesus expects us to therefore make the same announcement

that the kingdom is here.

When we meet people, the kingdom is here.

When we do that, the Holy Spirit will disclose his gifts,

his gifts of healing, his gifts of word of knowledge,

his gifts of prophecy, his gift of healing.

When I do what God has asked me to do,

then the Holy Spirit will disclose his gifts.

And that's great, because as someone said,

we don't have to work at that.

He is powerful and able.

He will disclose it.

We just need to be ready for him to use us.

Because sometimes what happens is we look at our own lives

and go, I'm not great at this, I'm not great at that.

I'm not great at that.

I'm not great at that.

I'm not great at this, I'm not great at that.

Wow, the only, the thing that the gospel makes

so very much evident is that it is not about our greatness

or our smallness, it is only about his greatness.

And that frees us, absolutely frees us.

I want to read something, because a few years ago,

Jacob read out, wrote out the gospel,

meaning for us to, when we meet people,

how to share this with others.

And I'm going to first pull it up.

I want to read it.

If you can write it down.

I wrote it down at the back of my Bible

when Jacob preached on this a few years ago.

Because we have to be always ready, always ready to speak.

So write it down if you can.

I'm sure you have it in your notes already somewhere,

but write it down.

Here is the gospel.

Jesus the creator came to the earth as man.

Jesus the creator.

So think of it as you're writing this down,

think of it as you are communicating this to someone else.

Jesus the creator came to earth as man.

Point number two, he came to inaugurate a new kingdom.

He came to inaugurate a new kingdom.

You see the kingdom, the kingdom, the new kingdom.

That's what we have been asked to talk about.

The kingdom is here, the kingdom is here,

the kingdom is here, a new kingdom is here.

Let me tell you about this kingdom.

Number three, that all religions, institutions,

philosophies and nations will pass.

Daniel chapter two, that all religions, institutions,

philosophies and nations will pass,

but God's kingdom is forever, forever.

Number four, God is therefore inviting you

into this kingdom.

God is inviting you into this kingdom.

Number five, okay, sorry Diana.

For whatever reason, as I said it,

I knew something was coming.

Okay, shall I read four again?

Three as well?

Sorry guys, let's go slow.

Okay.

Number three, that all religions, institutions,

philosophies and nations will pass,

but God's kingdom is forever.

Number four, God is inviting you into the kingdom.

God is inviting you into the kingdom.

Number five, to enter this kingdom,

God is inviting you into the kingdom.

Number four, that all religions, institutions,

philosophies and nations will pass,

acknowledge that you have fallen short of his standards.

To enter this kingdom, acknowledge that you have fallen

short of his standards.

We, you, are therefore sinners.

Number six, okay, okay, acknowledge that you have fallen

short of his standards, and therefore sinners.

Number six, Jesus died for me, an act of love to save me

from eternal death.

Jesus died for me to save me from eternal death.

He was buried, and he rose again.

I'll read six and seven again.

Jesus died for me, that was an act of love

to save me from eternal death.

Number seven, Jesus was buried, and he rose again.

And last point, number eight, Jesus is seated in heaven

at the right hand of the father,

and he will return to judge the world.

Number eight, he is seated in heaven

at the right hand of the father,

and he will return to earth to judge the world.

And will return to earth to judge the world.

A couple more points and then we are done.

So really what we are reenacting,

what we are doing is reenacting Jesus' ministry on earth.

That's what we are doing, that's what we are doing,

reenacting Jesus' ministry.

And when we meet with people, we can tell them

that because of Jesus' ascension,

he is absolute Lord and King,

and that he hears their cries.

And that he can defeat the oppressor.

The oppressor is actually already defeated,

but now that becomes a reality in the person's life.

Bringing total deliverance through battle.

He is against the oppressor,

and he brings total deliverance through battle.

You can tell them that Jesus is present,

and that his presence always means increasing freedom.

That his presence always means increasing freedom.

We'll stop at one, guys,

but there's one more thing I want us to do today.

We need to speak.

We need to proclaim based on what we believe.

But before that, as a church, let's respond,

but before that, the proclamation of the kingdom

should come from a place of strength and assurance

when we proclaim.

It has to come from a place of strength and assurance.

Because this message that we are talking about,

this kingdom message, it's about power and authority.

It's the power of God.

But the authority, it is based on our responsibility

before God.

So the more I am responsible before God,

the more authority I have in my walking with God.

I always think of it this way.

When Jesus came up from the water after baptism,

it says that the Holy Spirit came down upon him.

And I picture that every time Jesus walked,

he walked in a way that he was not afraid of,

but he walked in a way that was responsible

before the Father.

The Holy Spirit always with him.

Always with him, always responsible, always aware,

regardless of where we end up.

I have to say this.

Yesterday, okay, I don't want this to sound weird,

but I need to say this.

For the most part, it's very difficult to irritate me.

It's very difficult.

Ask my brother, he'll tell.

For the most part, it's difficult to irritate me.

Yesterday, there was a situation that came up.

I got irritated.

Got pretty irritated with it.

And then I'm thinking to myself,

you know all this.

You don't need to be this irritated.

And then I have to tell myself, it's okay.

I start again.

I start again, right there, right now.

I start again.

So our problems or the limitations that we have,

no, it will change.

Next time, same situation, I'll be better.

I'll be better.

Don't, he's laughing.

Don't do.

Xavier is also laughing.

Don't do.

I'll be better.

We'll be better.

So this is about the power of God and the authority,

which is determined by how much responsible are we before God.

And let's pick ourselves up and do it again,

and do it again, and do it again.

We're only getting better.

From faith to faith, from strength to strength.

The last verse is Luke chapter 12 32.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 12 32.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

Do not be afraid, little flock,

for your father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

For your father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

So I want us to respond to this.

I don't know how, but we know that this is the direction that God has for us.

We talked about words, seeing the invisible,

believing in the power of God, his nature, speaking his words.

We talked about how this kingdom is always advancing.

We are frontline workers doing the father's business.

He gives us words.

We announce what he has already announced.

His kingdom is here.

We talk to people about his kingdom and his works will follow.

We walk responsibly.

There is power and authority.

And we, that song that Ramey sang, the creation is waiting.

It's groaning.

So let's speak to our cities.