SPEAKER_00: We've been in a series talking about being kingdom-minded.
SPEAKER_00: Can you say kingdom-minded?
SPEAKER_00: Something that each and every one of us have been called to be as children of God.
SPEAKER_00: Scripture says that we are to have what?
SPEAKER_00: The mind of who?
SPEAKER_00: The mind of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: The mind of Christ, how do we have the mind of Christ?
SPEAKER_00: By receiving our information from above.
SPEAKER_00: The world has a lot of nonsense information.
SPEAKER_00: You need to start receiving your information from above.
SPEAKER_00: Instruction that has been written down in Scripture, revealed by what?
SPEAKER_00: The Spirit of God.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: As you begin thinking the way that Christ did, as you begin to operate under the leading of the Holy Spirit according to God's word, you might find yourself doing things out of the ordinary.
SPEAKER_00: Can you say out of the ordinary?
SPEAKER_00: Yes, you are a peculiar people.
SPEAKER_00: It might be out of the ordinary to come forward and have the elders pray for you.
SPEAKER_00: But listen, when you do things out of the ordinary, it's because you're expecting out of the ordinary results.
SPEAKER_00: You're expecting out of the ordinary blessings.
SPEAKER_00: Listen, you might find yourself spending more time at the altar, something out of the ordinary, but it leads to out of the ordinary results.
SPEAKER_00: You might find yourself talking to people about Christ more than you ever have before, praise the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: You might find yourself teaching Sunday school, doing something out of the ordinary.
SPEAKER_00: I never thought I'd be able to do that.
SPEAKER_00: Or getting involved in another ministry.
SPEAKER_00: You might find as you do things out of the ordinary, you will reach out of the ordinary results and out of the ordinary blessings.
SPEAKER_00: And as we tap into this attitude of being kingdom-minded, you will naturally reflect what?
SPEAKER_00: The supernatural.
SPEAKER_00: And you will begin to reflect the supernatural.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: How?
SPEAKER_00: By letting God do a work in your family.
SPEAKER_00: By allowing God to shine his love and forgiveness through you, by speaking his word into your situation and watching the miraculous take shape in whichever way God wants to.
SPEAKER_00: See, you can reflect the supernatural in the way that you get up in the morning.
SPEAKER_00: Did you know that?
SPEAKER_00: You can reflect the supernatural by just putting a smile on your face and knowing that God's got even this.
SPEAKER_00: Because you know that God has something more for you to accomplish today for his kingdom and glory.
SPEAKER_00: We said that king, being kingdom-minded is looking towards what?
SPEAKER_00: The future.
SPEAKER_00: Looking towards the future.
SPEAKER_00: Because in the kingdom of God, there is always something to look forward to.
SPEAKER_00: Do you believe that this morning?
SPEAKER_00: Think of what you have to look forward to as children of God.
SPEAKER_00: Think of what you have to look forward to.
SPEAKER_00: Did you know that Christ is coming back for you?
SPEAKER_00: I'm just making sure you knew that.
SPEAKER_00: Because when the days start to wear out and you start to get sick and tired of being sick and tired, you can realize that God has a future and that he's coming back for his children.
SPEAKER_00: It says in this in John 14, verse 2 through 3, it says, In my Father's house there are many rooms.
SPEAKER_00: If it were not so, I would have told you, because I'm going to prepare a place for who?
SPEAKER_00: For you.
SPEAKER_00: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.
SPEAKER_00: See, when those who have fallen asleep in Christ, along with those who are alive, will be joined together in something that we have to look forward to.
SPEAKER_00: In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, let me remind you of this in verse 16: for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with the shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
SPEAKER_00: Praise the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Then we who are alive, that's you and I, who remain, will be caught up together, will be raptured up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
SPEAKER_00: And so we will always be with the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Do you believe that this morning?
SPEAKER_00: And guess who has to look forward to this future?
SPEAKER_00: Guess who gets to look forward to this future?
SPEAKER_00: His church.
SPEAKER_00: Not this building, remember?
SPEAKER_00: His church.
SPEAKER_00: You and I, members of one body with Christ as the head.
SPEAKER_00: Listen, people of God, you have so much to look forward to.
SPEAKER_00: So much to look forward to with the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: And as I read this next scripture verse, I want it to just wash over you.
SPEAKER_00: I want us to shut our eyes and let his word wash over you this morning.
SPEAKER_00: In Revelation, it says this Revelation chapter 21, keep your eyes shut.
SPEAKER_00: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.
SPEAKER_00: For the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
SPEAKER_00: And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
SPEAKER_00: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and he will dwell among them.
SPEAKER_00: Listen, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be among them, and he will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will no longer be any death.
SPEAKER_00: And he who sits on the throne said, Behold, I am making all things new.
SPEAKER_00: And he said, Right, for these words are faithful and true.
SPEAKER_00: See, when you're kingdom-minded, this is what is on your mind.
SPEAKER_00: When you're kingdom-minded, this is what is going on in your mind.
SPEAKER_00: And not only are you looking forward to your own future, but you're looking to invite others to join in the wonderful things that God has made available for all of humanity.
SPEAKER_00: Can you imagine that being kingdom-minded is not all about you?
SPEAKER_00: Could you imagine that?
SPEAKER_00: Being kingdom-minded is not all about you because the world needs to know that there is so much more to look forward to than just a new Tesla.
SPEAKER_00: There's so much more to look forward to than the new iPhone or the new series that's coming out on your streaming.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, I get excited too.
SPEAKER_00: Those are fun things to look forward to.
SPEAKER_00: But when was the last time you invited somebody to hear God's word?
SPEAKER_00: When was the last time you invited somebody to fellowship with believers?
SPEAKER_00: Because although these things are wonderful to look forward to in life, and I look forward to them too.
SPEAKER_00: God has so much more.
SPEAKER_00: And not just the temporary things that get old fast, and we need new ones and new ones.
SPEAKER_00: They wear out so fast, especially those new TV series.
SPEAKER_00: But He's got some eternal things to look forward to, things that will last for eternity.
SPEAKER_00: And I love when the Queen of Sheba visits Solomon and sees what God is able to do.
SPEAKER_00: And I looked up in 1 Kings 10:7, and this is what Queen of Sheba says when she visits the wisest person to ever live.
SPEAKER_00: Howbeit I believe not the words until I came, and mine eyes had seen it, and behold, the half was not told to me.
SPEAKER_00: Thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I had heard.
SPEAKER_00: I believe the half has not been told of the things that God has prepared for those that love him.
SPEAKER_00: Do you believe that this morning?
SPEAKER_00: For those who follow him wholeheartedly, see, when we behold the things that were that are to come, when we finally get to the throne of heaven, singing, worthy is the Lamb that was slain.
SPEAKER_00: I believe we're gonna look around and we're gonna say, Wow, God, the half had not been told.
SPEAKER_00: The half had not been told, but there was so much more.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for never giving up on me.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Lord, for strengthening me even when I was weak.
SPEAKER_00: Thanking, thank you, Lord, for keeping me on the path of righteousness by leading me in your spirit.
SPEAKER_00: See, we talked about the spirit last week.
SPEAKER_00: Because being led by the spirit is an important part of being kingdom-minded.
SPEAKER_00: Do you believe that this morning?
SPEAKER_00: Being kingdom-minded requires fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: Being kingdom-minded, it requires fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: It requires walking in the Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: Guess what?
SPEAKER_00: It requires listening to the Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: You know what that means?
SPEAKER_00: That means when you get all wrapped up, tied up, tangled up in the mess that you've created, and you want to stay angry and you want to stay mad and you want to stay unforgiving, you need to shut your eyes and you say, God, what should I do in this situation?
SPEAKER_00: Should I be loving?
SPEAKER_00: Should I be forgiving?
SPEAKER_00: Should I be patient?
SPEAKER_00: Should I show self-control?
SPEAKER_00: God, what should I do in this situation?
SPEAKER_00: And I know the Spirit of God will reveal it to you.
SPEAKER_00: And how you can accomplish His word in your situation.
SPEAKER_00: That's listening to the Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: But listen, you gotta get the Word of God inside of you so that way the Spirit can speak to you through His word.
SPEAKER_00: Do you understand what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_00: In 1 Corinthians, it says this, chapter 2, verses 9.
SPEAKER_00: But just as it is written, things which eyes had not seen or ears not heard, and which have not entered the human heart, all that God has prepared for those who love them, for to us God revealed them through the Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: For the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
SPEAKER_00: For who among the people knows the thoughts of a person except the spirit of the person that is in him?
SPEAKER_00: So all the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God.
SPEAKER_00: Now we have not received the Spirit of the world.
SPEAKER_00: Can I get an amen?
SPEAKER_00: But the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.
SPEAKER_00: Do you see what the Spirit does?
SPEAKER_00: We also speak these things not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.
SPEAKER_00: But a natural person, listen, does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are what?
SPEAKER_00: Spiritually discerned.
SPEAKER_00: But the one who is spiritual discerns all things.
SPEAKER_00: Yet he himself is discerned by no one, for who has known the mind of the Lord that he will instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: See, amen, amen.
SPEAKER_00: Being kingdom-minded requires fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: So I asked you last week, what does your fellowship with the Holy Spirit look like?
SPEAKER_00: What does your fellowship with the Holy Spirit look like?
SPEAKER_00: When you read the Bible, do you allow the Spirit to reveal its mysteries to you?
SPEAKER_00: Or are you just checking off a checklist?
SPEAKER_00: You don't have to read the whole book back to front in one night.
SPEAKER_00: But imagine if you took just one verse, read it, and allowed the Spirit to reveal it to you.
SPEAKER_00: Fellowship of the Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: Do you spend time in prayer?
SPEAKER_00: Do you spend time in worship and in praise and allow the Spirit to speak to speak to you and through you in different tongues?
SPEAKER_00: Are you baptized in the Holy Spirit?
SPEAKER_00: Have you allowed the Holy Spirit to overwhelm you where you can't get enough of what the Spirit is revealing to you?
SPEAKER_00: I ask you this.
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever experienced that true power to be witnesses of Jesus Christ?
SPEAKER_00: What's your fellowship with the Holy Spirit look like?
SPEAKER_00: Where the Spirit gives you such a confidence and an understanding of the things of God, I encourage you this morning, spend time in the presence of God.
SPEAKER_00: Listen to that still small voice, reminding you of the things that are right and that are written down in God's word.
SPEAKER_00: With this in mind, we find that being kingdom-minded is yes, walking in the spirit.
SPEAKER_00: But this morning I want to tell you being kingdom-minded is walking in the spirit and denying the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: Denying the flesh, it's a tough one.
SPEAKER_00: Denying that old flesh.
SPEAKER_00: See, in your journey to becoming kingdom-minded, putting on this mind of Christ that scripture talks about, doing things out of the ordinary, reflecting the supernatural.
SPEAKER_00: Yes, we're looking towards the future, and we're even finding our fellowship with the Holy Spirit, but you're gonna find that something is going to continually be trying to take you off course.
SPEAKER_00: Something is gonna try to get in the way of you being kingdom-minded.
SPEAKER_00: And that is the desires of the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: How many have been set free this morning through Christ Jesus?
SPEAKER_00: Are there any who have been set free through Christ Jesus?
SPEAKER_00: But Galatians 5 13 says this you brothers and sisters were called to be free.
SPEAKER_00: Can you say free?
SPEAKER_00: Say it again.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, we love free.
SPEAKER_00: Free.
SPEAKER_00: But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, rather, serve one another humbly in love.
SPEAKER_00: You're free.
SPEAKER_00: Receive that this morning.
SPEAKER_00: But don't let your freedom be an excuse to indulge the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Lord, for your grace.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness.
SPEAKER_00: And Paul says this in Romans 6.
SPEAKER_00: What shall we say then?
SPEAKER_00: Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?
SPEAKER_00: God forbid, say God forbid.
SPEAKER_00: How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?
SPEAKER_00: This is what Scripture says.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, thank you, God, for your grace.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, God, for your forgiveness.
SPEAKER_00: But should we continue to sin so that grace may abound, God forbid.
SPEAKER_00: See, when we were baptized in Christ, we were baptized into his death.
SPEAKER_00: Do you believe that this morning?
SPEAKER_00: And just like Christ was resurrected from the grave, was resurrected from the dead, so you and I, when we give our lives to Christ, so we are resurrected with Christ, and we are to walk in what Scripture calls the newness of life.
SPEAKER_00: How many enjoy the new?
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: I know you do.
SPEAKER_00: Praise the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Romans 6 13, it continues: neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, as those that are alive from the dead, as those that are alive.
SPEAKER_00: And your members are instruments of righteousness unto God.
SPEAKER_00: I want to read it again.
SPEAKER_00: Neither ye yield ye, too many wise, neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield ye yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
SPEAKER_00: When we have fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we find that walking in the newness of life becomes so much easier.
SPEAKER_00: That's why I needed to talk about the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: Because you're going to find that if you don't allow the Holy Spirit to really do a work in your life, then yes, denying the flesh is going to be very difficult for you.
SPEAKER_00: We find that walking in newness of life and denying the flesh comes so much easier when we start to find our fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: It says in Galatians 5 16, so I say what?
SPEAKER_00: Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: Can you say that with me?
SPEAKER_00: So I say, walk by the spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
SPEAKER_00: But watch, if you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law.
SPEAKER_00: The acts of the flesh are obvious sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like, I warn you as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: Obviously, in the church that Paul is writing to, there's a lot of nonsense going on.
SPEAKER_00: And unfortunately, in today's church, there's a lot of nonsense going on.
SPEAKER_00: But the Lord, through his word, reveals to us that, hey, it's time to get kingdom-minded.
SPEAKER_00: It's time to put away those desires of the flesh that lead to death.
SPEAKER_00: And start to chase after the things of the spirit that lead to life.
SPEAKER_00: And not just life, but life more abundantly.
SPEAKER_00: You see, we realize through scripture that the flesh and the and the spirit they desire what is contrary to one another.
SPEAKER_00: You have to realize that.
SPEAKER_00: We read last week, because then it goes into the fruits of the spirit.
SPEAKER_00: But the fruits of the spirit are what?
SPEAKER_00: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, favoress, gentleness, and self-control.
SPEAKER_00: You know that one.
SPEAKER_00: Showing which direction the Holy Spirit is going to lead you in.
SPEAKER_00: If it's not in that direction, then guess what?
SPEAKER_00: It's the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: If you're not walking towards the fruits of the Spirit, then you're walking towards the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: Unfortunately, the more that we deny the leading of the Holy Spirit and giving in to the desires of the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: The more our fellowship of the Spirit becomes more unfamiliar.
SPEAKER_00: Listen, you can get excited and find your fellowship with the Holy Spirit, but if you choose to continue to give in to the desires of the flesh, then your fellowship of the Holy Spirit will become more and more and more unfamiliar.
SPEAKER_00: The more we deny the leading of the Holy Spirit, the more our fellowship of the Spirit becomes more unfamiliar.
SPEAKER_00: Just because the world finds something acceptable does not mean that the kingdom of God finds it to be that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
SPEAKER_00: You see, that's why the Bible calls us to be transformed by what?
SPEAKER_00: The renewing of our minds.
SPEAKER_00: No longer being conformed to this world.
SPEAKER_00: God loves everybody.
SPEAKER_00: Do you believe that this morning?
SPEAKER_00: I hope you do.
SPEAKER_00: God loves everybody.
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't matter your past, it doesn't matter what you've walked through, God knows it all.
SPEAKER_00: And He loves you this morning.
SPEAKER_00: And God will accept you just the way that you are.
SPEAKER_00: But there must be a willingness to surrender every part of who you are and allow Him to transform you into who you were truly meant to be.
SPEAKER_00: You see, even the thief on the cross, he had a past, and God loved him.
SPEAKER_00: But in the words that he spoke, there was a heart of surrender, there was a heart of brokenness, there was a heart of God.
SPEAKER_00: Here I am, transform me, even in the last moments of his life.
SPEAKER_00: When we give our lives to Christ, there needs to be a surrender, a willingness to say, hey, I might have been taught a lot of different things, but now, God, I'm allowing you to teach me your will, to teach me your word, a willingness to surrender every part of who I am in brokenness, and God, I allow you to transform me into your image, into who I was truly meant to be, no longer following after the things of this world.
SPEAKER_00: But guess what, God?
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna deny the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: And being led by the Spirit into righteousness through Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Lord.
SPEAKER_00: See, thankfully, Christ gave us instruction to live by.
SPEAKER_00: Christ gave us instruction to live by, and not only did he give us instruction, but Christ gave us the perfect example of what that instruction looks like in the flesh.
SPEAKER_00: Will we fall short?
SPEAKER_00: Of course we will.
SPEAKER_00: Will we fall short?
SPEAKER_00: Always.
SPEAKER_00: But God looks at the heart of you and I.
SPEAKER_00: God looks at the heart of the person and looks at their desire to live life the way that He instructs them to live.
SPEAKER_00: I think of a child.
SPEAKER_00: And when I think of a child, of course, I think of my child.
SPEAKER_00: I think of baby Emora.
SPEAKER_00: I got one in my house, and Emora is at the age, she's almost a 14-month-old.
SPEAKER_00: She's at the age where she likes to throw her food all over the ground.
SPEAKER_00: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, restaurant, wherever.
SPEAKER_00: When she's done eating, she'll just throw it, she'll do one of those.
SPEAKER_00: She thinks it's funny.
SPEAKER_00: She also enjoys going into the cabinets and rearranging all of the Tupperware.
SPEAKER_00: She enjoys rearranging all the pots and the pans, even though they're heavier than her.
SPEAKER_00: We prayed for a healthy, strong girl, and that's what we got.
SPEAKER_00: But as her father, I have been given the responsibility to teach her how to keep her food on the table.
SPEAKER_00: I've been given the responsibility to teach her how to stay out of the cupboards.
SPEAKER_00: And it's not that I'm trying to spoil her fun.
SPEAKER_00: Daddy would never want to spoil babies' fun.
SPEAKER_00: Throwing food on the floor can be fun.
SPEAKER_00: Emptying the cabinets can also be fun.
SPEAKER_00: But as her father, I'm trying to teach her a better way of life.
SPEAKER_00: A life that is literally not as messy.
SPEAKER_00: As her father, not only am I trying to teach her, I'm trying to protect her.
SPEAKER_00: I'm trying to protect her from harm and getting hurt.
SPEAKER_00: I'm trying to teach her things that will help her get the most out of life.
SPEAKER_00: Listen, she's still a baby.
SPEAKER_00: And I'm sure there will be so many more things that I am going to need to teach her.
SPEAKER_00: But I'm believing that if she would listen to my voice, if she listens to the words that I speak, and not only that, if Emora would follow my example, she will become even more than what I have planned for her.
SPEAKER_00: I'm sure along the way, she's gonna make some messes.
SPEAKER_00: She's gonna keep making messes.
SPEAKER_00: She's gonna keep reaching for the cookie jar, even though I say, don't reach for the cookie jar.
SPEAKER_00: But I want a cookie, but I want a cookie, but I want yeah, you can eat a bunch of cookies.
SPEAKER_00: But after I've told her not to eat those cookies over and over and over again, but as she denies doing the things that she wants to do and follows the things that I tell her to, eventually, I believe she's going to experience all the benefits of listening to her father's instructions.
SPEAKER_00: Do you understand what I'm saying this morning?
SPEAKER_00: Your heavenly father loves you.
SPEAKER_00: Your heavenly father loves you and desires for you to listen and follow the example that has been given.
SPEAKER_00: Will you make mess?
SPEAKER_00: Of course you will.
SPEAKER_00: Will you make messes?
SPEAKER_00: Plenty of them.
SPEAKER_00: But I'm telling you this, according to God's word, as you deny the flesh and the things that are not beneficial to you, and you follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit through the instruction of his word, eventually you are going to experience the benefits of listening to your heavenly Father's instructions, and not just for today, but for all of you all of eternity.
SPEAKER_00: Romans 6, 22 through 23 says this.
SPEAKER_00: But now being made free from sin and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
SPEAKER_00: Christ Jesus our Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Hallelujah.