Royal Priesthood Living in the King's Environment

Royal priesthood living in the King's environment. Jesus announced a kingdom revolution. Sometimes it’s hard to grasp the importance of the kingdom of God, and its revolutionary implications, not only in the heart of man but in the presentation of a new culture. Jesus was kingdom minded. That’s easy to say but hard to comprehend.

His ministry introduction happened after his baptism in the river Jordan by John the Baptist. John saw the Holy Spirit come to Jesus and remain. This changed everything. We know He was the Word made flesh, but after His baptism by the Holy Spirit, he became the anointed Word. That’s when everything changed, and the manifestation of the kingdom of God began.

I think we get confused sometimes because we don’t separate the kingdom of God from the salvation of men. In other words the difference between the doctrine of the Cross and the Gospel of the Kingdom. Jesus had two ministries, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world and the Restoring King.

Most the West is familiar with teachings about the Cross and the power of the redeeming blood of Christ. Without that blood, we could never enter the kingdom of God. It’s interesting. However, Jesus did most of his preaching regarding the Kingdom. Said another way, the presentation of a different culture and its effects on mankind.

Culture is a way of life built on values and beliefs. The Kingdom of God, with its citizens called Christians (Disciples of Christ), is profoundly different than other cultures because it’s built on the foundation of its founder’s teachings. These instructions are found in the Christian Bible.

One reason we don’t teach much on Kingdom is the focus on the rapture of the church. You have probably heard preachers teaching on being “rapture ready.” Others preach perilous times as confirmation of an immediate gathering away. Like you, I have no idea when Christ is going to return so I don’t focus on getting out of here, but learning how to live here before He comes back. In other words, as Christ instructed in the Parable of the Talents, “occupy until I come” (Luke 19:13).   

Here is my point, we need a revelation of how to live in the Kings environment. When you start to dig into this subject, you will read this Scripture,

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:19-21).

Notice especially the part that says heaven receiving Christ until the times of restitution of all things. This is a striking verse because it says history’s prophets spoke of this since the world began. That’s a long time. How many of today’s prophets are teaching about restitution? Restitution is an act of restoring something to its original state. (Prophetic ministry today seems to be anchored to something different.)

With restoration in mind, let’s read Christ’s first announcement of the kingdom of God. “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel”(Mark 1:14-15).

This is a king’s decree. It’s the announcement of a kingdom that would turn the world upside down. It would usher in a restitution of all things. In other words, as it was in the beginning, so shall it be in the end. The question is, how do we fit into this declaration of restoration?

One key is found in the word repent. Repent here means to change the way you think. What’s he talking about? He’s talking about thoughts about the kingdom of God.

Changing the way we think about the Kingdom of God is our first step. I could go on as Christ demonstrated His kingship with dominion power in this earthly realm. He turned water into wine, rebuked storms, cursed a fig tree, opened blind eyes, raised the dead, cast out devils, and launched the greatest revolution ever seen throughout man’s history.

One of the greatest blessings Christ left us was the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Without Him, we have no revelation. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, we have access to spiritual authority and dominion power (Acts 1:8). He is our teacher. Let’s learn how to live in the Kings environment.

© Apostle Jonas Clark
www.jonasclark.com