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KINGDOM BIBLE STUDIES

"Teaching the things concerning the kingdom of God..."

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Part 55

THE INCREASE OF THE KINGDOM

(continued)

Man in God's image, man in Christ at the right hand of God, is God's government in the Kingdom of God. This magnificent purpose burned in the heart of the heavenly Father when on the sixth creative day He proclaimed the wonderful decree: "Let us make man in our image...and LET THEM HAVE DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:26). Far away in the depths of my spirit I am convinced that within this shadowy type we behold a vivid portrait of God's purpose for man, that when man comes fully into GOD'S IMAGE he shall be, first, the ruler of things beneath, the lowest realms of the bottomless, typified by the fish swarming in the depths of the seas, and the creeping things; next, the things upon the earth, typified by the cattle, and all the earth; and finally, the things of the heavens also, typified by the fowl of the air. One may find it difficult to embrace so great a truth from so small and insignificant a type, but did not our Lord Jesus employ many of these same analogies when He said things like, "Ye shall tread on serpents, and on scorpions...I give you power over all the power of the enemy." Spake He of creeping creatures slithering through the grass? Certainly not! He spoke of spiritual realities represented by the orders of things in the natural. The natural world is but the type, symbol and shadow of the heavenly.

Was it not upon this very Edenic type that the writer to the Hebrews enlarged when by the Spirit he wrote, "For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What IS man, that Thou art mindful of him? Thou madest him a little lower that Elohim (Ps. 8:5, Hebrew); Thou CROWNEST HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, and didst set him OVER THE WORKS OF THY HANDS: Thou hast put A-L-L T-H-I-N-G-S in subjection under his feet. For in that He put ALL in subjection under him, He left N-O-T-H-I-N-G that is NOT put under him!" (Heb. 2:5-8.

You won't quite grasp that at first. It's too overwhelming! To be CROWNED means to be given KINGLY RULE. To be crowned with GLORY and HONOR is to be given such rule as Jesus Christ has now, and of that rule we read, "Wherefore God also hath HIGHLY EXALTED Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue (in all those three realms) should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11). We have already stated that man in God's image, man in Christ at the right hand of God is God's government in the Kingdom of God. Paul said it this way, "Who (Jesus) IS THE IMAGE of the invisible God...by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers...and ye are complete IN HIM WHICH IS THE HEAD OF A-L-L PRINCIPALITY AND POWER" (Col. 1:15-17; 2:9-10).

Have you noticed that the rule the firstborn Son of God now has is the very same rule over the identical THREE REALMS of heaven, the earth, and the abyss, which God delegated to Adam, the man in God's image, in Genesis 1:26! This is the dominion reserved for all of God's sons! What a hope! What a calling! How much better, how much higher and more meaningful is this than harps and fluttering wings and white night gowns! A kingdom denotes rulership and advancement of all kinds. It means work and responsibility and a place of ministry and authority to bless. All who in Christ come to God's image are destined to share that awesome dominion, seated together with Him, far above all principality and power. The reason so many people fail to attain to the great heights of the Spirit is because they are unable to see God's purposes, and therefore they have no particular incentive to seek the great heights that are IN HIM. So many Christians are far too taken up with carnal ideas and childish notions about mansions in the skies and harps and wings and sitting on clouds eating pork chops with nothing to do and all eternity to do it in, to be able to see the true purposes of God at HIS RIGHT HAND. Simply speaking, the purpose of God is that we might reign with Him, and to reign is to exercise authority for God -- to rule all things. Paul tells us that we are to seek those things which are above -- where Christ sits at the right hand of God. This means that we are to SEEK THE THINGS OF THE RIGHT HAND! Reigning with Christ must become one of the great goals in the life of every man and woman who has received the call to sonship.

When our Lord Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," He spoke of that true church which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. It should be abundantly clear that He spoke of His "many brethren" who would be conformed to His image, matured in His life, and perfected in His wisdom, power, and dominion. The sad truth is that for nearly two thousand years the gates of hell have prevailed against those systems which call themselves the church, and every foul and unclean spirit has overrun them and sits enthroned in their creeds, liturgies, ceremonies, rituals, and ecclesiastical orders.

The Greek word for church is ECCLESIA. We all think we know the meaning of this word, for we hear it so often. Ecclesia means "called out," it's a chosen, separated people. That is true. But ECCLESIA means much more than that! The word ECCLESIA is a special word, with a particular usage in the Greek in which our New Testament is written. It is a word that denotes a legislative body. In New Testament times when they wanted to gather people together for various purposes they had different words for different gatherings. For instance, the word SUNAGOGE (synagogue) means a gathering of people for the purpose of worship. In every Jewish community there was the synagogue, the gathering of people to worship the God of Israel. But whenever they wanted to gather together the ruling class, the legislative body -- the mayor, the senate, the pro-consul, etc. -- they would announce the gathering of the ecclesia. It was a ruling class of people with power to legislate, to make laws, to initiate governmental actions, to control events within the nation.

That is what the church is intended to be! What today is called the church is not the church at all! The gatherings are not gatherings of rulers, but gatherings of babes seeking blessings and spiritual thrills. The church has become a spiritual kindergarten where people go to be entertained and taught and taught and taught again, those things which are but the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ. These so-called church systems are decaying before our eyes and nothing can save them. They are not at all what Jesus had in mind when He said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The imperfect things that have been used of God in an imperfect age are vanishing away with the age itself, for "when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part (imperfect) shall be done away."

KINGDOM DOMINION

Dominion means to live in authority, to reign in life by one, Christ Jesus. God is teaching His sons in this hour to live victoriously! With the pen of inspiration Daniel wrote of this Kingdom-Dominion: "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before Him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: and his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:13-14). Daniel said that he saw something in the night visions. He saw one like unto the Son of man. There was given unto Him dominion, glory, and a kingdom. These were given Him for the purpose that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. It describes His dominion as an enduring dominion, an invincible dominion that shall not pass away and a kingdom that cannot be overcome or overthrown.

KINGDOM DOMINION! The terminology that Daniel used is that the dominion and the kingdom are given to God's Christ, Head and body, and it is an enduring dominion and an indestructible kingdom. That is powerful! The kingdoms of men crumble very quickly, all the vaunted empires of history lie in ruin in the dust of the ages. The rise of any earthly empire is but the early proclamation of its fall. The Roman empire, apparently invincible, exists today only in the crumbling ruins of buildings, roads, and aqueducts. All of man's systems are doomed -- the short span of the twentieth century saw the decline of the British empire, the meteoric rise and fall of the Third Reich, and the emergence and collapse of Russian communism. If this is the "American Age," then nothing is more certain than the fact that our greatness, too, shall pass away. The kings of the earth have dominion one day, and lose it the next. But when you connect with God's Kingdom, you connect with an enduring dominion and an indestructible kingdom. The dominion that you receive from God and His Kingdom will not only last forever in your life, but it can never be defeated. The victory of Christ is being raised up within every son of God that will triumph and remain -- it cannot be affected by anything within or without or diminished in any degree. You, my beloved, have omnipotent potential in Christ! What we are walking in as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven is an everlasting, continual, full and indestructible Kingdom!

One cannot talk about Kingdom dominion without recognizing the King of the Kingdom. Jesus Christ is the King of the ages. It is Jesus who now reigns and shall rule for all the ages. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has been given power, authority, influence, and control over the spiritual heavens, over the universe, over the earth, over humanity, and within your heart. Matters not what demons, devils, men, or any other creature says, those called to sonship to God have received the spirit of kingship -- the Lord of glory sits in royal majesty upon the throne of our lives and all power in heaven and in earth is given unto us. "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him" (Dan. 7:27). "Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Lk. 12:32).

The power of the Kingdom of God begins to have dominion first within our individual lives. The beginning of the Kingdom dominion of God is right there in your heart today. In 1932 a young actor, trying to make his mark in Hollywood, took a screen test. A talent judge who watched the performance was less than enthusiastic. His note about this particular actor read, "Can't act, can't sing, can dance a little." The actor was a man named Fred Astaire -- the same one who went on to stardom. When the world looks at us -- or when we look at ourselves -- there doesn't seem to be much potential in us for sonship. We have little natural ability that God can anoint and use for His Kingdom. Fortunately, the reality of our sonship doesn't depend upon any potential we have in our natural constitution -- all the potential comes from God! It is the potential of the Christ who has come within! Our potential is not limited by our own resources but, instead, is limitless because of Christ's infinite resources!

Jesus Christ did not come to earth to win the world by political action or military rule. He didn't come to set up a police state. "My kingdom is not of this world (system)," Jesus said. Some of the Jews came to forcefully make Him a king and what did He do? The scripture says that He escaped away from them, He walked right out of their midst and vanished. He came representing and manifesting the spiritual rule of God, the invincible heavenly dominion, which is destined to consume all the visible kingdoms of this world and raise them up into the realm of the Kingdom of God. That's exactly what Jesus came here to do -- to consume the visible kingdoms, the existing ones, until the words of the prophet are truly fulfilled: "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign to the ages of the ages" (Rev. 11:15).

The rule of God on earth begins to become a reality when the dominion of the Spirit is established in the minds, hearts, and lives of God's elect. When the Kingdom of God is fully established in God's elect, then God begins to take hold of the kingdoms of the world. It is just as simple and effective and powerful as that! God doesn't take the kingdoms from the top down, He takes them from the bottom up. He starts at the grass-roots level. Every time a man or woman is born again into the Kingdom of God there is the increase of His government and peace. There is the increase of Kingdom dominion in the earth as He forms His Kingdom in His sons and daughters.

"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days He did eat nothing: and when they were ended, He afterward hungered. And the devil, taking Him up into an high mountain, showed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto Him, All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will, I give it. If Thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be Thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve" (Lk. 4:1-2,5-8). "All you've got to do is worship me, and all will be yours." Well, it is true that all the kingdoms of the world, their glory, their power, their beauty and their splendor were delivered into the hands of the devil through the transgression of Adam.

Have we considered that the apostle John knew what he was talking about when he wrote, "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the wicked one" (I Jn. 5:19). That's the very reason Jesus came -- to take the dominion back and give it to the sons of the Most High. It is delivered into the hands of God's elect! Notice the testimony of God: "The Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom...the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end" (Dan. 7:22,26). Can you imagine what was going through the mind of the firstborn Son of God when Satan offered Him all the kingdoms and dominion of the world if He would fall down and worship him? By revelation of the Spirit Jesus could say, "You don't give me anything -- I've come to take it! Just stick around, devil, you're going to lose it, but not because you gave it to me. I've come here to take the dominion from you, and all power in heaven and in earth shall be given unto me and to the sons of the Most High God. You're not offering me anything. I'm about to subdue you!"

Jesus came into the world to transfer the power and the dominion to the sons of God. He came as a Son of God, He came by divine force, by might, by strength, by ability, by God's potential in man. Within Himself He entered into the adversary's dominion, to his throne room, to the seat and stronghold of his kingdom and wrested from him the power and the dominion. He came upon him abruptly, suddenly, powerfully, seized him and took his dominion from him, left him humiliated, stripped of all his power and dumbfounded at the swiftness and magnitude of his defeat. Jesus accomplished all of this within Himself, and now His victory is given to us to accomplish within ourselves. Sons of God! The spirit of sonship is within us! That's what Jesus came to do: to destroy, render impotent, make of none effect the devil and bring to nought all his works. This power and authority is within the Christ, and ye are the body of Christ. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and it is He who lives within us. The Life He lives is nothing less than the Life He is. Within His Life is all His love, grace, wisdom, ability, power and authority. Don't let anybody tell you the devil is after you, the devil is fighting you, hindering you, tripping you up, defeating you or thwarting God's purpose in your life. Oh, no! "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," says Christ the Head. "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," must be the testimony of every member of Christ the body.

All power is all power. For those who stand in God's Christ no power belongs to the devil anymore! For these blessed ones the devil's kingdom has come to an end! His rule is terminated! His dominion is over! His power has been stripped, his authority revoked! And now the sons of God are "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son" (Col. 1:12-13). Therefore may I boldly say, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom -- its righteousness, its joy, its peace, its incorruptible life, its power, its authority, its dominion, its wisdom, its knowledge, its anointing, its blessing, its potential, its fullness, its riches and its treasures!" It is the Father's good pleasure, it pleases Him to make you the sons of God with power. It pleases Him to give you life more abundantly. It pleases Him to raise you up into the fullness of His Christ and send you forth as deliverers of creation. Jesus took it all -- all power -- and raises it up within the sons of God. The hour has now come for this to be realized, personified, and consummated in the many brethren of our Lord.

Men of God throughout the church age have tasted the earnest and firstfruits of this Kingdom dominion, but just as the seed planted eventually produces a harvest of many seeds in which the life settles, reproducing in form, quality, and power the original seed, so now the life of the all-triumphant Jesus is settling in fullness of form, quality, and power within the sons of God. We who have received the call to sonship are learning, growing, developing and maturing into His dominion within ourselves, the rule of His Kingdom raised up within us. We can never understand the deep mystery of Kingdom dominion until we clearly see that Jesus does not now enforce His victory over satan and His acquisition of All Power on behalf of all creation. If He did, there would be no sin, no darkness, no sickness, no sorrow, and no death anywhere! Though Jesus has all power in heaven and in earth, and has fully and forever overcome sin, satan and death, men continue to be ravaged by fear, carnality, sin and death. It is like a boxer who fights the world champion boxer and defeats him. HE has defeated him for himself, but no one else has defeated him. Now suppose that the new champion trains every other man to box as he does, and one by one they are developed into world-class boxers and enter into a match with the former world champion and each in turn defeats him. The new world champion's ability has thus been transferred, conveyed, and imparted to all men, making them champions. This is the law of Kingdom dominion! We do not merely glorify the victory, power and authority of the man Jesus two thousand years ago, but through His Spirit we are brought into the same relationship with God that He knew. Then by the gracious ministry of the sons of God all men shall be ushered experientially into the same victory! How awesome is this Day!

Paul Mueller has ably written, "David expressed the magnificent wonder of man having the glory of the Lord. 'When I see Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast formed; what is man that Thou shouldest think of him, and the son of man that Thou shouldest care for him? Yet Thou has made him but little lower than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor! Thou madest him ruler over the works of Thy hands, Thou hast put all things under his feet; all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field; the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, that traverse the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth!' (Ps. 8:3-9, Smith-Goodspeed).

"This is a Psalm showing the authority God has given man over His creation. It presents a picture of man as he is now, and as we shall be when redemption is complete. During this and previous ages, man was given dominion over all God's vast creation (Gen. 1:26-28). The earth and all things of it have been given to man to manage and to govern according to his ability. But man has not done a very good job of managing the Lord's creation. We have polluted the earth and its environment. Man has not judged the world in justice and righteousness, nor has man handled the economic affairs of this world with equity. And man has certainly not represented the Lord and His kingdom very well. Man has had the God-given authority and dominion of the earth, according to the Lord's plan and purpose, yet he has done a miserable job managing the Lord's wonderful creation.

"Why is this true? What is lacking in man that makes him such a poor administrator of God's creation? Those who managed the creation did poorly because they were not yet in God's image and likeness, nor were they crowned with glory and honor. The glory and honor of the Lord was lacking! The likeness of Christ also was lacking! And unless man is transformed into the image of God, and crowned with glory and honor, he cannot possibly take the dominion of the creation and govern it in righteousness. The whole fallen, corrupt order of man is in the debased condition it is because man has ruled in his fallen state. And the Lord has ordained that it should be this way for an appointed time. But in the age to come, a corporate man shall come forth in God's image and shall be crowned with glory and honor. They shall then administer His kingdom with justice, equity, peace and righteousness just as the Lord intended it to be.

"The glory of the Lord now rests upon the sons of God who make up the true church, the body of Christ. God's glory is not now, nor has it ever been, on a denomination or a building of man's design. His glory is the glory of Christ, which is His splendor in the realm of the Spirit. The glory of the Lord is that holy and awesome presence of the Lord that is miraculous, marvelous and beyond the feeble words of man to tell. That glory belongs to the Christ body. And the hour is upon us when we shall be anointed, empowered and crowned with the fulness of the wondrous, majestic, and awesome glory and honor of the Lord. Then we shall be qualified by the authority He has given us to have dominion over His creation. Then it shall truly be said by many, 'O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth!' When the Christ body is complete and united in one, we shall all be changed into His likeness and crowned with glory and honor. We shall then have dominion over the whole creation in that wonderful, resurrected, new creation state.

"The writer to the Hebrews also proclaimed the truth of the creation of a new heavens and earth. 'And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: they shall perish, but Thou remainest; and they shall all wax old as does a garment; and as a vesture Thou shalt fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail' (Heb. 1:10-12). One aspect of the vision the elect shall have in this hour is the vision of a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness (2 Pe. 3:13). We shall not forever rule and reign over an earth that has been worn out and destroyed by the effects of man's sin, perversion and darkness, and by Satan's dominion. We shall eventually reign over a restored universe.

"The earth, as we see it now, is slowly wearing out and its resources are diminishing. It is all waxing old as doth a garment, just like the word of God says it will. To those without a vision, it appears that we will not have enough water, oil, gas, trees, rain forests, vegetation, spotted owls, birds, beasts, creeping things, insects, fish, and sea mammals. Environmentalists are trying to stifle agriculture and industry, for they think that we are at the end of earth's resources. There are many unbelievers and skeptics who are far from God and have no vision. They are worshipping the creation rather than the Creator (Ro. 1:25), putting the creation before man. But man was given this dominion (Gen. 1:26-30). God and man must always come before the creation. That is the divine order! Many millions of those in darkness have no vision of God's power of restoration! Though mankind has done a terrible job of managing our resources, there will be enough of everything to the end of this age. Then the whole creation shall be made new again. And the reason we are running out of the earth's resources is because we are at the end of the ages of man's dominion.

"By the inspiration of the Spirit, the writer to the Hebrews prophesied that both the heavens and the earth would 'perish,' and would 'wax old as doth a garment.' Thank God he didn't end his dire prediction there, but went on to declare, 'And as a vesture (garment or mantle) shalt Thou fold them up, and they (the heavens and the earth) shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail.' The entire universe is in God's sight as a vesture, as a mere piece of cloth or garment that the Lord shall pick up and turn over in His hands, thus making it all new again. With the ease and simplicity of someone changing garments the Lord will restore the whole creation. The restoration of the earth is to the Lord as if He would remove an old coat from the mantle of the earth and put on a new one. That is the truth of God's word which is presented in Hebrews chapter two, in Peter's epistle, and in Old Testament prophecies (Ps. 102:25-28, Is. 66:22).

"The heavens and the earth will be changed and restored by the same power that is changing us. The whole creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious freedom of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19-22). When the Lord has completed His work of restoring the earth, there will not be one needy, starving, famine-ravaged person anywhere on earth. Then every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree; and none shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it (Mic. 4:4, Zec. 3:10). Only our omnipotent God could make such a promise as this, and back it up with His glory and honor. And He alone is worthy to be adored, revered and worshipped by all. The restored heavens and earth will not be under the dominion of angels, but will be given to the saints of the most High. Let this be our vision, and the daily struggles and conflicts of this life will be seen as nothing when compared to the greater plan and purpose of our omnipotent Father that is now coming into view" -- end quote.

REIGNING FROM THE HEAVENLIES

Many a sermon has been preached on the rule of the Kingdom of God on earth, and I think most of them have missed the mark because they see only God reigning over His Kingdom. The greatest mystery of the ages is that seated at the right hand of God today is a MAN. God came down from heaven and invaded humanity, He took upon Himself the nature and the body of a man, so that when He went back to the throne (His omnipotent power in the Spirit), He would take humanity back to the throne. There is no mystery to it that God sits on the throne, He belongs there; but to think now that MAN is sitting on the throne! "Jesus of Nazareth, a MAN approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs...THIS JESUS hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore BEING BY THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD EXALTED..." (Acts 2:22,32-33).

There is confirmation of this in Acts 7:55-56 where we read concerning Stephen, "But he being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God and JESUS STANDING ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. And said, Behold I see the heavens opened and the SON OF MAN standing on the right hand of God." The "right hand of God" is simply a metaphor denoting the spiritual realm of all authority, power, and dominion. It is the divine realm of God's omnipotence. It was rankest blasphemy in the minds of the persecutors of Stephen for him to say that he saw JESUS, the SON OF MAN, standing at the RIGHT HAND of God. Such words were for him to seal his doom at the hands of the high priest and all the council. If Stephen had said he saw the SON OF GOD there, it would not have been so grievous, perhaps, but when we realize that it is the SON OF MAN seated in such a place, then it assumes proportions that we never before have thought about.

The right hand of God is not a physical location somewhere in the universe. The throne of the God who is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent spirit is not a material one, but bespeaks of the REALM OF HIS SUPREME AND UNIVERSAL AUTHORITY AND RULERSHIP; and our Lord Jesus Christ has been exalted to the glory of that rulership. The right hand of God is a realm of power and authority, a position of eminence, a condition and a state of divine being. It is the assumption of the almighty power and universal dominion of the Father! It is the dispensing of His positive energy force into His creation. Exalted to that high realm Jesus no longer walks in a limited physical body, for He now indwells the spirits of His many brethren, who are the FULLNESS OF HIM THAT FILLETH ALL IN ALL (Eph. 1:22-23).

And blessed be God! We now have a share in the REALM OF THE RIGHT HAND. "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, and not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3:1-3). Ephesians 2:5-6 tells us that "when we were dead through our trespasses, God made us alive together with Christ...and raised us up with Him, and made us SIT TOGETHER WITH HIM in the heavenly places (the heights of His own exaltation)." This shows that as we come to know the resurrection life of Christ, we are also made to experience the ascension of Christ. We are chosen of God not only to be made alive from the dead and have God's life, but also to sit in the heavenly places as ASCENDED MEN. He causes us to ascend with Him and sit with Him in the heavens -- NOW! Therefore, ascension truly is the position of those who know Christ in His fullness. The position of ascension rests not only on the fact of Christ's ascension, but on the LIFE OF ASCENSION WE HAVE OBTAINED WITHIN US. The Christ who indwells our hearts and is being formed in our lives is THE ASCENDED CHRIST, and His life is ascended and heavenly, and is given from heaven. Although in the conditions of the outer man we still live on earth, yet according to the inner man we are already in heaven. The situation is just like our Lord's during His time on earth. He said then that though He "descended from heaven" He was still "in heaven" (Jn. 3:13). This was due to the fact that His life and consciousness were heavenly and one with heaven.

It is true therefore that as we ascend into the high places of God in the spirit, we are reigning with Christ from His heavenly, spiritual throne. As we truly become overcomers by the ascended life of Christ, we are also given power over the nations to rule them with a rod of iron, and as the vessels of a potter they shall be broken to shivers (Rev. 2:26-27). This rule is given to the overcomers in Christ! As the life of ascension within us raises up Kingdom dominion in our lives we reign with Christ in the Spirit, and the worldly powers of man can be broken by the authority within God's sons. The will and ways of man are displaced by the power of the Spirit and replaced by the spiritual power of the Kingdom of God. We are a spiritual people. And the Kingdom of God is the spiritual realm of our Father's dominion. Therefore our reign in Christ is a spiritual reign, which is accomplished as we move in and by His Spirit in relation to things in the earth realm. Through that spiritual dominion God's will is brought to pass on earth as it is in heaven.

All the vaunted thrones, powers, and dominions of earth are as sand castles on the beach before the power of the Kingdom within us. The greatest power in the universe is that which flows forth from the throne of God in the heavenlies! Although the Lord has ordained the "powers that be" for a purpose and for a season, the true throne of God remains in the heavenlies in the realm of the Spirit. During the days of king David, who was one of the most powerful and honored kings of Israel, and who reigned gloriously from his physical throne on the earthly mount of Zion, the throne of the Lord was really in heaven, for David ruled by the Spirit of God and it was the Spirit of God upon Him out of the heavenly realm that constituted the throne of the Lord in the midst of His people. The prophet Isaiah, who prophesied during the reign of four kings of Judah, also beheld in spirit and saw the throne of Yahweh in the heights of the heavenly realms of the Spirit (Is. 6:1, 66:1). Jesus also proclaimed the truth that the throne of His Father was in heaven (Mat. 5:34, 23:22).

Armed with this sacred knowledge that the throne of God is a spiritual throne in the spiritual heavens of His divine life, wisdom and power, it is clear that there is no throne anywhere that can withstand the moving of God by the Spirit in Kingdom dominion. As His sons we must take our place in the heavenlies, acknowledge that we are seated with Christ at the right hand of God, and begin to move more and more out of the unity of His mind and will within us. As we sit in the high place of spiritual ascension in union with our Lord we are establishing a vital link between heaven and earth by which the Kingdom of God more fully comes to earth, thus usurping and overcoming the powers of man. As one has written, "Each time we rise in the Spirit to worship our Father at His spiritual altar, the fire from His altar is cast to the earth to change the world (Rev. 8:3-6). This is the direct result of the reign of Christ, which shall continue to increase until all is changed!"

The sons of God are called in this hour to minister to the Lord and for the Lord from the realm of His presence. The throne of God is in the presence of the Lord in the heavenly realm of His Spirit. Our spiritual ministry in the presence of God releases a mighty stream of God's life and power from the heavenlies that flows from the presence of the Lord to all the earth. As heaven casts its shadow upon the earth, all things are changed just as the sick were healed when the apostle Peter's shadow fell upon them. It is by the word of the Lord that flows through us from the throne in the presence of God within ourselves that causes God's will to be done on earth even it is being done in the heavens. This is taking place even now as God calls His sons higher into His presence and glory. There is nothing that cannot be affected on earth through the spiritual ministry of the sons of God in the Most Holy Place in the heavens of His Spirit!

Multitudes of Christian ministers today are ministering from the lowlands of carnal church programs and promotions. We have a higher calling in God. Only as we rise into the heavens of God's Spirit and minister to the Lord and for the Lord from the realm of His greater, spiritual presence in the Most Holy Place of His throneship, shall the blessings and benefits of His heavenly Kingdom continue to change us and the world. Father has raised us up into a unique place in this spiritual temple of the body of His sons. Our hearts cannot settle for anything less, for we yearn and long and pray and travail and seek for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Nothing else will satisfy! As we abide in this heavenly realm of His presence, taking our position -- seated in Christ Jesus at the right hand of God in the higher than all heavens -- His mighty spirit-power shall continue to flow to the earth, changing the world and shaping the nations for the full and powerful reign of the Kingdom of God. Those who are called to sonship are experientially ascending in the Spirit to the high places in God. They are recognizing and taking their rightful place on the throne of the Lord, by the Spirit, where they reign with Christ.

Today we are living in momentous times. We are living in a period between the ages, and God is initiating a new order and ministry in the earth. My prayer is that all who read these lines will see in the spirit this new ministry of the Kingdom of God on earth! As we fulfill this Kingdom ministry, this Kingdom dominion in the Spirit and by the Spirit, all evil and darkness shall eventually be removed, to trouble the world no more. The spiritual ministry in the Most Holy Place of the heavenly realms of the presence of the Lord is the secret to conquering all evil and all darkness! Preaching and ministering according to the old carnal methods and techniques of the church systems will avail but little in this battle against the corrupt kingdoms of this world. But when we ascend in the Spirit to the heavenlies where God's will is revealed to our hearts, and God's word is put in our mouths, and we worship and intercede and speak from the throne of the Lord, we then begin to defeat all darkness and evil and put every enemy under Christ's feet by releasing the presence and power of the Kingdom of God in the world. This is a new ministry we are entering at this time, and it is real and very powerful. It will bring the blessings and benefits of the Kingdom and God's power and glory to all mankind. Make no mistake about it -- sons of God have a tremendous responsibility. We are not called to merely learn deeper truths; we are called to RULE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST! We are called to possess the Kingdom, to take the Kingdom, to take dominion over all darkness, sin, and death. We are called to break the kingdoms of man to shivers, and to rule mankind as if we were shepherds tending a flock of sheep.

God is bringing us in the power of the Spirit to a new place. There are certain principles of the Kingdom of God that must be a part of the frame of mind and the experience of all who fulfill the high calling of sonship. We must learn to think like God. We must begin to RULE WITH CHRIST IN THIS LIFE. Kingdom dominion begins in that inauspicious place where we now dwell. Too many saints are weak, frustrated, troubled, and defeated. Many run to and fro seeking someone to deliver them out of their distresses and problems. May the dynamite of God's Spirit blow us all out of the low places of lethargy, discouragement, oppression and defeat into a vibrant walk with Christ in the high places of joy, peace, faith and triumph of His Kingdom within. "Strengthen yourselves in the Lord and in the power which His supreme might imparts. Put on the complete armor of God, so as to be able to stand firm against all the stratagems of the devil. For ours is not a conflict with mere flesh and blood, but with the despotisms, the empires, the forces that control and govern this dark world -- the spiritual hosts of evil arrayed against us in the heavenly warfare. Therefore put on the complete armor of God, so that you may be able to stand your ground in the evil day, and having fought to the end, TO REMAIN VICTORS ON THE FIELD" (Eph. 6:10-14, Weymouth).

Once the believer embraces the truth that he is now seated with Christ at the right hand of God in the higher than all heavens, his heart will find rest and joy and confidence in the face of all situations and circumstances. The right hand of God is the place of omnipotent universal power and dominion -- FAR ABOVE ALL THINGS! Such all-embracing majesty is far too vast for my feeble understanding, yet I know by the Spirit that the body of Christ is being formed and prepared for the explicit purpose of UNIVERSAL DOMINION! Yet, how can a man rule over principalities and powers and universes if he cannot rule his own spirit? If my mother-in-law, my boss, or my neighbors get me down, how can I handle nations? It is my deep conviction that what happens in your life and mine is a result of the use or abuse of the principles of the Kingdom of God. Learn this, beloved, and you will know one of the fundamental principles of reigning with Christ in the heavenlies: OUR AUTHORITY IS OVER SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS FIRSTLY IN OURSELVES!

I never think of the glory of reigning with Christ without remembering an incident that happened many years ago. In 1966 three brethren and I made a mission trip from Florida to Central America by automobile. We arrived late one night in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. From there we were scheduled to fly to the island of Roatan for a series of meetings. Three things needed to be done the following day before our departure. The brakes on the car must be fixed, we must find a place to leave the car while away from the capital, and we must locate the Embassy of El Salvador and secure visas for our return trip through that country.

After breakfast at our hotel the next morning we inquired at the desk for the address of the El Salvadoran Embassy. The desk clerk courteously gave us directions and we set out to accomplish our business. But there was no Embassy at the address we were given. Driving around the block we found nothing in that area that resembled an Embassy. Finally, inquiring of a man on the street, we were informed that the Embassy had moved to another location. But when we arrived at the new address, there was no Embassy there, either! I entered a small shop nearby and introduced myself to the owner, a well-dressed, distinguished looking business man. He said, "Oh, yes, I know exactly where the Embassy is; in fact, I have business in that part of the city and will be most happy to accompany you." He climbed into our vehicle and happily we sped away. An hour later we were driving around in circles and our distinguished guide still could not find the building he was quite certain he had seen a hundred times before!

Disheartened, we dropped that project, concentrating instead upon getting the brakes repaired. In a matter of minutes we discovered a large garage and were motioned in. We stated the problem, whereupon a mechanic proceeded to jack up the car, take off the four wheels, and disassemble the brakes. Once the parts were laying out on the floor an attendant informed us that it would be three days before they could fix the brakes! Astonished, we instructed them to reassemble the brakes, and made our departure.

I was aware of an American church in the city and thought perhaps we should seek help from the pastor. We did find the church rather quickly. Leaving the brethren in the car I made my way to the door of the residence attached to the sanctuary, and rang the doorbell. A young American girl answered the door. I asked if she could direct me to the pastor of the church. Her response was that she didn't know the pastor, neither did she know his name, where he lived, or how he might be contacted. By this time I was completely confounded! We had spent the entire morning accomplishing absolutely nothing! Our efforts to locate the Embassy were fruitless. The attempt at getting the brakes repaired ended ridiculously. And now here we sat atop a hill in front of an American church in a Spanish-speaking capital in the heart of Central America, and an American girl in that American church denies any knowledge of the pastor of that church!

I related this news to the brethren, whereupon one brother, especially sensitive to the Spirit, exclaimed: "The Lord shows me that this city is RULED BY SPIRITS OF CONFUSION. We must agree together and bind these governing spirits in Jesus' name!" We joined hands there on that hilltop and spoke to the spirits of confusion reigning over the city of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, commanding them to loose their hold. After several minutes of praise and rejoicing we drove down that hill, saw a Texaco station, and were impressed by the Spirit to pull in. We met the proprietor, an English-speaking gentleman. In the conversation that ensued we found that he knew where the Embassy was, and he graciously offered to park our car by his station while we were in Roatan; furthermore, he would fix the brakes while we were gone -- and then the icing on the cake -- he picked up his phone and arranged a free night's lodging for us at a Bible School on top a mountain just outside the city. Within forty-five minutes after we took our position in the higher-than-heavenlies and bound the spirits of confusion that had us (and the entire city) running in circles, every problem was solved, every need met, and all our business accomplished! Furthermore, we were convinced in spirit that not only had we personally triumphed in Christ, but something tremendously glorious had transpired in the heavenlies that would redound in blessing to that city and country for years to come. And the subsequent history of Honduras in relation to events in Central America over the past thirty-five years proves that we were right!

Simply speaking, the purpose of God is that we might reign for Him, and to reign is to exercise authority for God -- to rule all things. All who in Christ appropriate the fullness of His life and glory and exaltation are destined to exercise that awesome dominion by the Spirit, seated together with Him, far above all principality and power. This is the blueprint and strategy for the triumph of His Kingdom in all realms, from the lowest hell to the highest heaven. Ah, beloved, we shall reign throughout the age and the ages to come until all enemies are conquered and Christ is All in All.

Let me give you another example of how we are called to rule and reign over the nations at this present time. In 1983 the Lord spoke to me in a dream. In the dream I was standing on a wide boulevard at a busy intersection in the city of Moscow. At this intersection was a large vacant lot, and erected on this lot was a tall pole on the top of which was affixed crucifixes and religious emblems of the type used by the Russian Orthodox Church. I stood in transfixed wonder, astonished that in a nation ruled by an atheistic government which harshly suppressed all outward expressions of religious faith, this religious symbol should be planted in such a prominent place with no connection to any nearby church edifice. As I marveled, I turned and saw to my left a vast throng of people coming, marching down the boulevard. The street was completely flooded with this crowd of demonstrators, and those at the head of the parade (who I presumed were priests) held out in front of them a great number of crucifixes and religious emblems identical with those on the pole. Again I was amazed that in an atheistic nation where public religious demonstrations were forbidden, this multitude of people should be uninhibitedly parading their religious symbols through the thoroughfares. At that moment I started across the side street, but the demonstrators turned toward me and I found it necessary to run in order to keep from being trampled.

Immediately the scene changed. I was in the same city, but found myself in a storefront building. There was nothing in the large room where I stood except a number of folding chairs. I was aware that this building was used by certain believers who met for prayer, counsel, preparation and planning; for from this place teams of ministry were sent forth throughout the length and breadth of Russia. Suddenly I was transferred to a small room at the back of the building. The room was furnished only with a single cot with a small table at its head, upon which lay a book with a dark purple cover, and embossed across the front in gold letters was this title: THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY. The next scene was back in the larger room where several people were congregated. I knew that a meeting was soon to begin, with prayer and a strategy session for sending out the ministry teams. In connection with this activity I was shown a massive intervention of God's power accompanied by a dramatic move of the Holy Spirit across Russia, by which the nation would be stirred with the manifestation of the glory of God. With this electrifying knowledge planted within my consciousness, I awoke.

Immediately the interpretation of the dream flooded my spirit. It was clear that a new condition of RELIGIOUS LIBERTY was to come to the people of the Soviet Union. Remember -- this was 1983. At that time Yuri Andropov was in power and Mikhail Gorbachev was unknown to the Western world. We had not yet heard the words GLASNOST and PERESTROIKA. And the imminent collapse of the Soviet Union was the farthest thing from anybody's mind! In 1984, first at a Convention in Daytona Beach, Florida, I commenced to proclaim the word the Lord had given me; following that in meetings in El Paso, Texas and in other parts of the country. The Spirit revealed to me that the advent of religious liberty (typified by the pole) would be followed by a revival of religion (represented by the parade). This we have seen come to pass! Late in 1989 as I watched the NBC Evening News, suddenly -- THERE IT WAS! The reporter was giving a report from Moscow. Down the broad avenue I saw them coming...a vast throng, literally hundreds of Christian believers marching on foot...at the forefront of the crowd marched the Russian Orthodox Priests holding out the crucifixes and icons -- the exact scene I had witnessed in my dream six years prior! I shouted through the house to Lorain, "Honey, come, look! That's it! There is the procession I saw in my dream!"

Exactly as the Lord said, much of what is happening in Russia today is taking place within the precincts of religious Babylon. The Russian Orthodox Church has had a dramatic increase of people, priests, seminaries, and restoration of power and prestige. Thousands of new churches have opened representing many denominations and groups. The Lord has opened doors -- tremendous avenues for the gospel of salvation. Teaching services in Russian churches are now diverted to evangelistic messages in deference to the masses of unbelievers (most first-time attendees) flooding the meetings. Invited by friends or attracted by a printed invitation, many Russian people come to churches seeking an answer to their great spiritual hunger. Evangelical churches are filled with new inquirers, and many newcomers are converted to Christ. Most have dramatic and emotional experiences -- all are life-changing. Excitement permeates Russian churches as believers have the joy of leading unbelievers -- people who have never prayed before in their lives -- to the Lord. And there is a very significant revival in the cities, especially among the youth. But for the most part this is all an elementary move of the Spirit within the context of the church systems of man.

The sovereign move of God in miracle working power that the Lord showed me in 1983 HAS NOT YET BEGUN -- but it looms upon the horizon. There was to be a revival of religion first, then the mighty move of the Spirit of God. Since 1984 I have had a ministry to Russia in and by the Spirit and through that saw the collapse of Soviet Communism there just as the Lord had moved me to proclaim. Everything that has happened there has been according to that word of the Lord and the proclaiming of it! That is what it means to be given power over the nations and to reign over them from the heavenlies! By prayer, by faith, and by the revelation and proclamation of the word of the Lord we have heavenly governmental power and authority to change things! The sons of God are beginning to reign in the heavenlies, and earth is being impacted by their authority and dominion! When the present distress in Russia has run its course, there will be an unprecedented, sovereign move of God in that country that will bring the glory and honor and power of the Kingdom of God in a new and higher dimension, and bringing multitudes into living relationship with God beyond the religious systems of man through the power of the Holy Spirit! I was made to understand that the book I saw -- THE UNITED STATES IN PROPHECY -- indicated that American ministries were destined to play a pivotal role in this move of the Spirit in Russia. But beyond that, America represents to the whole world the concept of LIBERTY, and God is about to PROCLAIM LIBERTY to the captives of communist ideology, sin, darkness, bondage, hopelessness, poverty, sorrow and death throughout Russia!

The groundwork is being laid. The preparation is in progress. The stage is being set. And regardless of what events, positive or negative, may yet transpire, the mighty God, in due time, will utter His voice from the heavens and great shall be the sound of abundance of rain. Can you comprehend, dear reader, what effect you can have upon creation by REIGNING FROM THE HEAVENLIES? There is no need to board a great airliner and fly to far-away nations with strange sounding names and quaint customs in order to bless the world. I have never set foot on the soil of Russia, yet I do not doubt for one instant that the faith and prayer in my heart and the declarations of God's word through my mouth aided in some mysterious and divine way the amazing events that have unfolded and are unfolding in that land.

The sons of God are now arising on the world scene. It will be MORE than revival this time, my beloved, IT WILL BE THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH POWER! There is a fresh move of the Spirit, a new ministry from the Holiest of all, and a new work of God in the earth that transcends by far anything that has ever been seen or known. We are nearing the hour of the full manifestation of the sons of God. The long awaited liberation of planet earth is near at hand. The greater works that Jesus told us of are ready to begin. The hour is at hand when THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER and the enduring Kingdom of God which shall never be destroyed shall consume and destroy forever all other kingdoms. The sons shall reign in the power and authority of the Spirit over all dominions from pole to pole, from sea to sea, and from galaxy to galaxy, and all nations and peoples and entities shall know and serve the Lord. There shall be peace on earth and goodwill to men, with justice and judgment and equity and LIFE ABUNDANT FOR ALL.

To be continued...

J. PRESTON EBY

PART 54

PART 56