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Common Lectionary: Proper 9C

God has given us authority, enabling us to discern his will; then we are command and prophesy that the Kingdom would come, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Keywords: - Works of Jesus, Words of Jesus, Gospels, Vineyard movement, Healing ministry

Key Scriptures: - Luk 10:9, Mat 8:11

Other Scriptures: - Act 1:3, Joh 5:19, Isa 53, Rev 21

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1. The Kingdom - ‘now’, ‘not yet’

   a. God’s rule; Heaven invading Earth

   b. Light, truth, freedom, health and life

2. Our role

   a. We have authority to command and prophesy the Kingdom to come

   b. We are to discern the will of the Lord, then ask and act it

Our goal as believers is to bring in the Kingdom and the works of Jesus. The Kingdom of God is God’s rule, contrasting with the Enemy’s kingdom of this world.  The Kingdom of God brings light, truth, freedom, health and life. Wherever Jesus went the Kingdom exploded on the scene, crumbling the Enemy’s kingdom. Jesus’ words proclaimed the Kingdom, and his works demonstrated that it is here - the Kingdom is both ‘now’ and ‘not yet’. Every so often the ‘not yet’ invades the ‘now’; Heaven invades Earth; future bursts into the present. Jesus’ works are often hard to put into theology, especially healing. Some say healing is part of the atonement; just like we believe and are saved from our sins, we can believe and be healed. Yet many faith-filled, righteous people get sick and die. So others give up on healing, perhaps praying, “If it be your will, heal this person.” Yet Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus asks us to pray that this will would be brought to earth: Revelation teaches that in Heaven all our pain and sickness are gone. Although God is sovereign, he has chosen to give us authority, and to act in response to what we do or say. We are in a partnership with God, who acts after we express his will in our words. Our role is to discern the will of the Lord, then ask and act it. We have authority to bring in God’s Kingdom. As we pray, “May your Kingdom come,” we are releasing His Kingdom, power and glory. We do not know exactly how or when the Kingdom will burst out, but it is the nature of the Kingdom to do so. Find situations to command and prophesy that the Kingdom would come.