Kingdom Part 7

You and I are the Kingdom of God because Christ has made us the KINGDOM and priests. The moment you are born again, He put the Kingdom INSIDE you. Jesus said "The Kingdom of God is WITHIN you."

God's original purpose was to establish His Kingdom on earth through Man. As Man takes dominion over the earth, God's Kingdom continues to expand. After Man fell due to sin, Jesus came to restore this purpose by putting the Kingdom BACK into us.

The Greek word for 'Kingdom' is 'the realm in which the King rules'. The first place that the King wants to rule and reign is our heart. From our heart, the King gets to rule and reign on earth through us. 

When we give ourselves to Him, when we surrender to God as our King, the Kingdom begins to flow FROM WITHIN us into the atmosphere and the sphere outside us.

The Kingdom flows from our spirit through our renewed mind (Romans 12:2), through our mouth into the physical reality. 

Where you go is where the Kingdom of God flows and manifests through you. Where there are sicknesses and diseases, you manifest the King, and healing flows. Where there is depression, you manifest the King, and total well-being flows. Where there is lack, you manifest the King and meet the needs, and supply flows. Where there is hunger, you manifest the King and feed the hungry; the food multiplies. Where there is chaos, you manifest the King and peace flows. Where there are sins and chains, you manifest the King, and they are broken.

Jesus said in the Lord's Prayer, "Your Kingdom come... on earth as it is in heaven..." The Kingdom of God is established through you and me when we manifest the King wherever we go. Because the Kingdom is not a concept. The Kingdom is not religious. The Kingdom is not bound by location. The Kingdom is a lifestyle and it lives in you and flows through you, so that wherever you set your feet on is the advancement of THE KINGDOM of God!

When people encounter the Kingdom of God, you can then say to them, "The Kingdom is here!"

This the Gospel that Jesus preached. It's not about receiving Jesus into your life. It's about the reality of a loving King and you give your life to Him.

Walk In Faith, Not Fear

You rather be mocked by people for your faith than to be mocked by the devil for your fear. Because hell always fears your name when you walk in faith.

The Misunderstood Impartation

The Misunderstood Impartation

There are a number of passages in the Word that have been interpreted by the charismatics as impartation.

Well, a word without a context always becomes a pretext for a proof text. Inductive study is more important than deductive study.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands... - 2 Tim 1:6

This passage has been read as Paul imparting a spiritual gift to Timothy, and thus, it has been used in meetings where impartation of gifts is eagerly desired by the believers.

If we continue reading, we might see some light to the passage.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a Spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. - 2 Tim 1:6-7

If we read this passage at one go, the gift of God might be referring to the Person of the Holy Spirit (baptism of the Spirit). For Paul added, "Because (for) God gave you the Holy Spirit of power, love and self-control." Nowhere talks about a special spiritual gift apart from the very gift of the Holy Spirit.

Laying on of hands serves three purposes in the New Covenant:

1) Baptism of the Holy Spirit ----- aka the VERY gift of the Person of the Holy Spirit

2) Commissioning into a ministerial office

3) Healing the sick

Next, if we draw the context in the whole counsel of the books of Timothy, we can see additional passages that might help to interpret 2 Tim 1:6.

Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. - 1 Tim 4:14

As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. - 2 Tim 4:5

1) Prophecy doesn't give you a gift. It confirms and calls out the gift that is already IN you. This is why Paul said 'I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, WHICH IS IN YOU... (2 Tim 1:6)

2) If this gift was confirmed and called out by prophecy during the commissioning of ministry by the elders, then it is likely not the gift of the Person of the Holy Spirit. It could be Christ's ministry gift (Eph 4:8, 4:11)

3) In the first letter to Timothy, Paul ended his letter charging Timothy NOT to neglect this gift. In the final letter to Timothy before Paul's departure, Paul started the letter reminding Timothy to 'fan into flame the gift of God'. And again, Paul ended his letter charging Timothy to 'do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry'.

Throughout both letters, Paul told Timothy not to let anyone despise his youth, to endure suffering as Timothy preaches, and not to be ashamed of the Gospel.

Right after 2 Tim 1:6-7 on the so-called misunderstood 'impartation' passage, Paul said in 2 Tim 1:8, "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord... but share in suffering for the Gospel by the power of God."

This is the reason that Paul told Timothy that God has given him the Spirit not of fear, but of power, love and self-control.

Therefore, 2 Tim 1:6 is Paul charging Timothy the same theme over and over again through the letters written to him ----- fan into flame the ministerial gift of an evangelist, prophesied and commissioned by elders and Paul, to keep preaching the Gospel and fulfill his ministry.