Pastor Bola Bello
[biblegateway passage=”1 Corinthians 12:28″ display=”1 Corinthians 12:28″]
The church is not the kingdom of God but the fruit of the gospel of the kingdom; the message of the Kingdom was what birthed the church, and the kingdom of God is bigger than the Church. However, the kingdom of God cannot be fully expressed without the Church active involvement. This is the purpose of the Church – to spread the message of the kingdom.
[biblegateway passage=”Revelation 11:15″ display=”Revelation 11:15″], As far as the heavens are concerned, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of Jesus Christ. The sound of the seven angels was heralded, and great voices in heaven attested to the sound, that the Kingdoms of the earth have become the kingdom of the Lord and Christ, and Christ will reign forever This was the decree of heaven. In other words, the kingdoms, which are the domain of all kinds of a religious movement; the political, the economic kingdoms etc in this earth, have become Christ’s. The reality is that the earth must respond to the message of the kingdom and embrace it before its manifestations. The Lord is waiting for a generation that would respond and bring this experience to life and in reality.
[biblegateway passage=”Daniel 2:44-45″ display=”Daniel 2:44-45″] – This was a description of the imagery of the kingdom of the world and the Church. The small stone that smashed the toe of the image of Nebuchadnezzar, was the Church, The statue was representing the kingdom of the earth and how Church will subdue it. Though Jesus kingdom may not be obvious now, in reality, David’s kingship timeline was a prototype of the reality of the Kingdom on the earth. David was anointed a king and did not immediately ascend on the throne until he was aged 33. He began to rule some parts of Israel until he fully gained rulership over all of Israel. This same thing is what the church is experiencing presently. Not every part of the world have fully submitted to the government of Jesus, notwithstanding this, the earth has become the kingdom of Christ ([biblegateway passage=”Psalm 110:1-3″ display=”Psalm 110:1-3″]).
[biblegateway passage=”Luke 9:1-6″ display=”Luke 9:1-6″] There is a call to responsibility from God and the church must respond. The church has the roles of spreading the gospel of the Kingdom to all parts of the world. Though, the Church must evolve through four phases on earth. She will evolve from her original formation to the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18). The foundational apostles were able to behold the face of Christ and were transformed into His image. No wonder, they were able to do exceeding miracles more than Jesus. At least the shadow of Peter was healing the sick. However, the Church diminished from that glory to the dark age era, when the Church was highjacked by the secular king of Rome. Rather than the Church radiating in the image of Christ, she now radiates in the culture and traditions of Rome.
[biblegateway passage=”Acts 3:21″ display=”Acts 3:21″]; was the fulfilment of this scripture and a time of restitution of the glory of the Church or reformation of the Church, when Martin Luther led a movement that birthed the current state in which we must not allow corruption to set in. The last stage of the Church is to evolve into her ultimate end. Luke 9:1-6 must be replicated again in the Church. The role of walking in the supernatural cannot be overemphasis in bringing the earth to the kingdom of Christ. The earth will be willing in the day of His power. There needs to be a restoration of what the church has been operating, back in the days of apostles and prophet. People would naturally be attracted to the supernaturals and this is the inheritance and gift of Christ to the church.
[biblegateway passage=”Acts 14:26-27″ display=”Acts 14:26-27″]. Church of the apostles and prophets was a community of people that were determined to spread the gospel to all men. Their testimonies back then were the conversion of Gentiles, not the jet or house they owned. The world is no longer interested in church since our testimony has become a canal and not different from the testimony of the world. The gifts of Signs and wonders to the Church are particularly demonstrated and are more effective in the fields when you go for evangelism. We are not supposed to just tabernacle in the church and feel good with pastoral grace alone.
[biblegateway passage=”Acts 15:3-4″ display=”Acts 15:3-4″]; [biblegateway passage=”1 Corinthians 12:28″ display=”1 Corinthians 12:28″], The church cannot push the Kingdom until we come to apostolic and prophetic ministries. These are the first ministry gifts of the Church and they will be the last gifts that will bring the work to a close. This is future work and we are expected to key into the programs.