Chapter 5
KINGDOM CONCEPT #2
UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF LORD
The word dominion refers
to a king’s authority—his power; the word domain refers to the territory, the property, the geographical area over which his authority
extends. A king exercises authority (dominion) over a specific geographical area (domain) and within that area his authority is
absolute.
Without a domain there is no king. To put it another way, if kingship has
to do with authority, then lordship has to do with ownership.
Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient
doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this
King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord
mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them
up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—He is
the King of glory (Psalm 24:7-10).
But if we say, “Jesus is Lord,” what does that mean in practical
terms? What does it mean to live under a “lord”? The only experience most westerners have with a lord of any kind is with a landlord.
If you now live or have ever lived in rental property, you know that
the landlord is the landowner (or the landowner’s direct representative who exercises the landowner’s authority, which amounts to the
same thing), the person you pay rent to and to whom you are
accountable for the way you treat his property. Why? Because you
do not own the property; the landlord does.
If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and
take up his cross daily and follow Me (Luke 9:23b).
If Jesus is Lord, He must receive first priority in your life. He is
above every other love and every other loyalty. He is above every
goal, dream, and ambition. You cannot be a disciple and say, “Lord,
first let me…” He must be first…in everything.
Living under a Lord also means giving up all concepts of personal ownership. This does not mean you have to sell your house or sell
your car or give away all your personal possessions. It does mean
learning not to take a proprietary view toward these things.
What happens when we think of ourselves as owners? In our
dog-eat-dog culture it means we feel we have to fight for what we
get, hoard what we have, and guard it anxiously from fear that someone will take it away. And our neighbors do the same thing. We live
in fear of economic downturns, inflation, downsizing, and never
having enough. This is not Kingdom thinking!
In the Kingdom of Heaven, there is no economic crisis and there
are no shortages. With a King who owns everything, how could
there be? When we relinquish our sense of ownership and acknowledge God as the Owner and ourselves as stewards, it relieves us of
the pressure of having to worry about how we are going to make it
because we are now depending on Him for our welfare. And He is a
benevolent and generous Lord of infinite resources.
Relinquishing ownership then also puts us into the position of
full access to those resources. As we learn to give and receive and
transfer at His will, He shares with us freely and abundantly. But a
hoarding sense of personal ownership that shouts, “Mine!” cuts us
off from those same resources. Which position would you rather
be in?
Letting go of personal ownership also nourishes and releases a
generous spirit within us. If we are only stewards and not owners,
we can give freely as the Lord has given freely to us, knowing that
He, who has no limitations, can replace what we give to others. His
reputation as King and Lord rides on how well He cares for His citizens and He will give special care to those citizens who reflect His
character by giving as He gives.
As a matter of fact, the best time to give is when things are tight
personally because that is when you acknowledge that He owns even
what you don’t have. The greatest sign that you truly believe that
Jesus is Lord is by how much you are willing to get rid of. You have
learned how to live under a Lord when you can give freely without regret, or fear and say to the Lord of all with a joyful and
willing spirit, “It’s all Yours! It’s all Yours!”
Chapter 6
KINGDOM CONCEPT #3
UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF TERRITORY
The word kingdom derives
from the phrase “king domain.” Domain refers to the property, the
territory over which a king exercises his dominion.
Heaven is a real Kingdom with a real government. The fact that its
primary realm encompasses the spiritual dimension of creation does
not make it any less real.
But the realm of the Kingdom of Heaven also takes in the natural world. God designed it this way when He created the earth and
then fashioned man in His own image to rule it for Him. The
sequence of events here is very important. God envisioned man to
be a king in his own right, but a king is not a king unless he has territory over which to rule. So God prepared the territory first—the
earth—and then brought forth man. God placed man on the earth
and told him, “I am giving you dominion over this physical domain.
You have authority over every acre of land and sea and over every
creature that inhabits the earth. Rule it freely as My legal representative.” A careful review of the model prayer of our Lord Jesus reveals
that it specifically identifies the location of the Father and King of
Heaven: “Our father who is in Heaven….” His location is the key to
our power and authority on earth. If He comes to earth, we lose our
privileged position. Mankind was designed to serve as a corporate
rulership of kings representing their Father, the King of Heaven, in
the colony called earth.
That ideal arrangement was shattered, however, when man
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rebelled against God, abdicated his regency, and passed control of
his realm to a demonic usurper, a fallen angel who had no right or
authority to take it.
God’s purpose isunchanging. He created man for rulership, and
so immediately set into motion His plan to restore to man the
Kingdom he had lost. The Bible lays out a detailed record of the historical outworking of God’s plan
The domain of earth is mankind’s legal right, power, and
authority of rulership. When God said, “Let them have
dominion,” He transferred the legal rights to the earth to
us. He did not say, “Let us have dominion,” including
Himself, because He already had His dominion in heaven. He said, “Let them have dominion over that territory
called earth. I’m going to rule heaven; My kids are going
to rule earth. I’m going to be King of heaven; they’re
going to be king of the earth. I’m going to be Sovereign
of heaven; they’re going to be sovereign of earth.” The
dominion of earth is our legal right. We have a right to be
here and God gave us that right. So many believers look
forward to going to heaven, but I look forward to coming
back to rule the “new earth” that God will fashion when
this earth passes away! (see Rev. 21:1). Heaven is fine,
and it will be a glorious place, but ultimately it is not
where we belong. In heaven we have no legal authority to
rule; it is God’s domain. We were made for the earth, and
that is where our place of dominion will be in the life to come.
BINDING AND LOOSING
This transfer of ruling authority over the earth from God to man
has major implications for all of us regarding our daily circumstances and our relationship to our society and culture Every human being on earth who is a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. God is not to blame for human evil
and suffering. We brought these things on ourselves by our own selfishness and rebellious spirit. God wants to help but won’t intervene
unless invited to do so by Kingdom citizens who know their dominion authority. Through prayer we invite God to act in our domain.
This is what Jesus meant when He said:
I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be
bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be
loosed in heaven (Matthew 18:18).
Seeing life from this perspective will require a major change of
mind-set for most people. We have to learn, we have to train, we
have to be taught to think this way. A change of mind is what the
Bible calls “repentance.” So now the words of Jesus become much
clearer when He says, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near”
(Matt. 4:17). He is saying, “Change your mind! Stop thinking like the
world with its inadequacies and inequities, and start thinking like a
Kingdom citizen! Stop operating from a worldly mind-set of “never
enough” and start operating from a Kingdom mind-set of “more
than enough”! The Kingdom of Heaven is here and everything has
changed!”
Chapter Seven
KINGDOM CONCEPT #4
UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF CONSTITUTION
The constitution of a kingdom is the documented will, purposes, and intent of the king. It expresses the
king’s personal desires for his kingdom and sets out the principles
under which the kingdom will operate as well as establishing the
manner and conditions of how the king will relate to his people and
they to him. A kingdom constitution is stamped with the essence of
the nature, character, and personality of the king.This is why it is always good to have a king who is righteous, benevolent, and compassionate, with a genuine concern for the welfare of his citizens.
. A contract generated by the people is a democracy,
the complete opposite of a kingdom. A royal contract, on the other
hand, originates completely and exclusively in the heart, mind, and
will of the king. His citizens have no input concerning the terms or
conditions of the contract.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, in Our
likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and
over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God
created man in His own image, in the image of God He
created him; male and female He created them. God
blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase
in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish
of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living
creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:26-28).
This is why God would make a statement like:
For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me ,
and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me
when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by
you… (Jeremiah 29:11-14).
That is why I call the Bible the constitution of the Kingdom of
heaven. It is even divided into two sections called the Old Testament
and the New Testament. The Bible, then, comprises God’s documented thoughts concerning His citizens—His expressed will,
desire, and intent for the human race.
SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF THE
KINGDOM CONSTITUTION
1. The source of the constitution is the king, not the citizens.
Whereas the Constitution of the United States begins
with the words, “We the people…” the constitution of
God’s Kingdom says, “I, the Lord…” We who live in democratic states can always amend our constitution
because we, the people, created it. But we cannot change
God’s constitution because we didn’t write it.
That is why I believe the biggest conflict in the coming years will
be between the Kingdom and religion. Religious people keep trying
to adjust God’s constitution. They debate it and discuss it and
become embarrassed or angry over parts they don’t like. Sometimes
they even change it or water it down to make it more palatable for
modern spiritual tastes. This is absolute foolishness. The King of
Heaven established the constitution for His Kingdom and only He
can change it. But He won’t. He is eternally unchanging, and so is
His Word, because the King and His Word are the same. It says so
right in the constitution:
2. The constitution contains the benefits and privileges of
the citizens. It spells out the advantages that come with
being a Kingdom citizen as well as everything the citizens can expect from the King. In the Bible, these often
take the form of promises. Here are just a few:
Do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall
we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run
after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as
well (Matthew 6:31-33).
3. The king obligates himself to the tenets of the constitution.
A king and his word are the same, and when he speaks,
his word becomes the constitution. So when a king’s
word is spoken (or written down), the king is obligated to
carry it out. That is why the Bible states that whatever
God says, He will do and whatever He promises, He will
bring to pass. Once the King of heaven speaks, it is as
good as done. God cannot fail to keep His Word, for if
He did, He would cease to be God.
4. The constitution contains the rights established by the king
for the citizens. In addition to the benefits and privileges
accruing to Kingdom citizens, the constitution also
delineates and sets forth their rights. Rights in a constitution are important because they are the grounds for
making law, which is the next stage. If I said to you, “I
give you my car, my house, and my boat,” I have just
expressed my will. If I then document it on paper, it
becomes a testament and your constitution.
If God says, “I will bless you, I will prosper you, I will make your
name great…” that’s constitution. If He then says, “…if you obey Me
and keep My word, and walk uprightly,” He has given you laws that
set the conditions for the benefits and privileges to apply. The government says you are free to do commerce, to lease, to buy property, etc., as long as you pay taxes, do not break the law, obey the social
order, and respect people’s property. They give you all these constitutional rights, but they are contingent upon your honoring the
laws. The Kingdom of Heaven is no different
5. The constitution cannot be changed by the citizens—only
by the king. This principle should be perfectly clear by
now and needs no further elaboration.
6. The constitution is the reference for life in the kingdom.
How are Kingdom citizens supposed to live? What are
the values, the ethics, the moral code, and standards of
behavior for citizens of the Kingdom, and where can they
be found? In the constitution. God’s standards for life in
His Kingdom are found throughout the Bible. Such standards as these:
You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not
make for yourself an idol.You shall not misuse the name of
the Lord your God….Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy….Honor your father and your mother….You
shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You
shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against
your neighbor. You shall not covet… (Exodus 20:3-17).
And:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be
comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the
earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who
are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3-10).
7. The constitution contains the statutes of the kingdom.
Statutes are fixed, predictable standards. “Teach me Your
statutes,” King David of Israel says. Normally, where the
word “statutes” shows up, you will find “laws” in the same
sentence. Statutes give the physical image of law. That’s
why we call a carving in stone a statue. Or we call it animage. Image is the same as statue. A statue is permanent. A statue means simply a fixed, predictable image or
standard. Think about a statue in your town. When it
rains does the statue change? What if it snows? What if
the temperature tops 100 degrees? If you spit on it, curse
it, hate it, does the statue change? Of course not. It
remains the same no matter what.
Chapter Eight
KINGDOM CONCEPT #5
UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF LAW
I n any civil society, the “rule of law” is the bedrock of
order and social justice. In addition to being a constitution, then, the Bible is also the law
book of the Kingdom of Heaven.The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The
statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the
heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light
to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure
gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the
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comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them
there is great reward (Psalm 19:7-11).
What does the “law of the Lord” do for us? It revives our spirit,
gives us wisdom, and fills us with joy. It enlightens our minds and
emboldens us with confidence because of its permanence and
uprightness. It enriches us with wealth much greater than earthly
riches and leaves a sweet taste in our mouths. It warns us against
danger and foolishness that could destroy our lives and places us on
the path to “great reward.”
If we allow it, the “law of the Lord” will nourish us thoroughly
body, soul, and spirit. Jesus said:
It is written: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on
every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew
4:4).
SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF LAW
1. All creation was designed to function by inherent principles. Inherent means “built-in”; existent from the beginning. Scientists speak
of the laws of nature, the laws of physics, the laws of
gravitation, the laws of thermodynamics, and many
other laws to explain how nature works. In this sense,
laws are observable, measurable, and repeatable because
they never change.
2. These principles are called “natural law.” Natural law has
to do with laws concerning the nature of a thing. Violation of natural law, on the other hand, leads to dysfunction. Take a
fish out of water and it will malfunction. It will die
because a fish is designed to live and breathe in the water,
not out of it. So natural law is very important; it is the
standard for determining effective function.
3. Laws are the key to successful existence and a guarantee
of fulfillment of purpose. Obedience to laws promotes
prosperity and ensures success. All a bird has to do to
fulfill its purpose is fly and reproduce; both of these
functions are governed by natural laws. It is no different with us. As long as we acknowledge the laws of God and submit ourselves willingly to
living by and obeying them, we too will succeed and
fulfill our purpose in God’s design. We will realize our
full potential.
4. Laws protect purpose. When we obey laws, we protect
the purpose for which we were born. As long as a fish
stays in water, it will be able to survive and prosper. As
long as a seed stays in the soil, it will sprout, grow, and
prosper. As long as a bird stays in the air and there is
space to fly, it will fulfill its purpose and prosper. As long
as we obey the laws of God, we too will live and grow and
prosper.
Please understand that when I talk about obeying God’s laws in
order to live and prosper, I am not suggesting that we can “earn”
right standing with God by doing good works or by strictly observing some code of rules or statutes. The only way to be rightly aligned
with God is by changing our mind and turning away from our rebellion against Him (which the Bible calls “repentance”), placing our
trust in Jesus’ death to remove the guilt of our rebellion (giving up
our self-reliance), and acknowledging Him as Lord (Owner) of our
lives. By obeying God’s laws, I mean living in willing submission to
Him as King and Lord and honoring His Word as the unchanging
standard of reference for our lives.
So then, what laws of God are we to obey? All of them, of course,
and there are many. But here are the two most important:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5).
Love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18b). Jesus Himself identified these as the two most important commandments in the law of God. Kingdom ambassador Paul, in context with a discussion about the responsibility of Kingdom citizens
toward civic earthly authority, commented on this second verse,
saying:
Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the
fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10).
Obey the law and it protects you. Disobey the law and you risk
sacrificing your purpose.
5. Laws are the conditions of covenant. They are the terms
under which, if followed, the covenant will operate.
Virtually everything we buy these days comes with a
covenant of laws and conditions called a “warranty.” The
manufacturer guarantees that if the product is used in
accordance with the specified terms and conditions of
operation or function, it will perform as designed. If
those terms and conditions are violated, the warranty
“covenant” is nullified, and if the product then malfunctions, the manufacturer is free of responsibility.
It is no different in the Kingdom of Heaven. The King’s covenant
with us specifies blessings and benefits for compliance as well as
consequences and penalties for noncompliance. As long as we
observe the conditions of the covenant, all the blessings and benefits
of the covenant are operative in our lives. If we violate the covenant,
the “blessings clause” shuts down and the “consequences clause”
kicks in.
THE MEANING OF LAW
What exactly is “law”? The most basic Hebrew word for “law” is
torah, which also means, in addition to “law,” direction and instruction. In time, the word torah was used to refer to the entire body of
law that Moses received from God on Mt. Sinai and passed along to
the Israelites. In this usage, torah means “the law,” “the direction,”
and even “the Law of the Lord.”1 In the New Testament we find two
basic Greek words used for “law.” The first of these is nomos, which
means “to divide out, distribute” and also “that which is assigned.” It
gradually came to mean “usage” and “custom” and, eventually, “lawas prescribed by custom, or by statute.”2 This is the word from which
we get our English word norm.
Whatever becomes accepted as a norm in our society eventually becomes a law of our society
Depending on the nature of the idea or behavior, this process
could be very dangerous because we as a society could end up
endorsing and normalizing evil or immorality. This is precisely what
has happened and is happening in western culture with regard to
such issues as homosexual rights, homosexual marriage, abortion
rights, assisted suicide, embryonic stem cell research, and the like.
Chapter Nine
KINGDOM CONCEPT # 6
UNDERSTANDING THE KINGDOM CONCEPT OF KEYS
Every nation and social civil society functions on laws
and customs that make that society work. These functions depend on the constitution and a body law that create a context and reference for social behavior and relating to the
government and other members of the society. The result is a culture of laws and principles that serve as regulations, values, morals,
and standards that govern the citizen’s relationship with the authority structure and its disposition as it relates to expectations within
the constitutional framework. In essence, all nations and kingdoms
contain inherent principles and laws that must be adhered to by
each citizen in order for the citizen to benefit from his citizenship
privileges and rights. These laws and principles are called by Jesus,
“Keys of the Kingdom."
We have
a big bunch of “keys” called “Scriptures” that most of us don’t know
how to use. We have the keys, but we don’t know which key unlocks
which lock. It’s like having all of this information but not knowing
how to use it, having all of this power available to us but not knowing how to apply it. This is because most believers
lack a proper Kingdom mind-set. Life in the Kingdom is really about
returning to the governing authority of God in the earth and learning how to live and function in that authority. Part of understanding
the Kingdom is learning how to use the keys of the Kingdom.
The Kingdom of Heaven is God’s desire and purpose for us.
Jesus said:
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been
pleased to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32).
Our Father, the King of heaven, has given us the Kingdom. It is
ours. In fact, Jesus Himself brought the Kingdom to us. It was His
main purpose in coming to earth in human flesh. We receive the
Kingdom through His death. The moment we turn from our rebellion against God and place our trust in Christ to salvage us from the
consequences of that rebellion, we become naturalized citizens of
the Kingdom of heaven, with all the rights, benefits, and privileges
that come with it. But how do we appropriate our rights? How do we
enter into the full enjoyment of our benefits and privileges? What
are the keys to effective living in the Kingdom?
KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
One day Jesus asked His disciples, His inner circle of 12 most
intimate followers, the most important question He would ever ask
them. When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He
asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man
is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say
Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of
Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by My
Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on
this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades
will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound
in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed
in heaven” (Matthew 16:13-19).
Then Jesus says that upon the “rock” of Peter’s confession of
faith, He will build His “church.” The Greek word for “church” is
ecclesia, a word that is widely misunderstood. Because it is translated here as “church,” most people believe that ecclesia is a religious
word. It is not. Ecclesia is a governmental term. It literally means
“called-out ones” and was used by the Greeks to refer to the senate
or other political groups that were chosen by the “democrat,” or government.
In the Roman Empire, the senate—the ecclesia—was like the
cabinet in a modern democracy. The senate was the powerhouse.
These individuals were handpicked by the emperor to receive his
thoughts, his desires, his passion, and his intent. Their job was to
take the mind of the king and turn it into legislation that could be
implemented in the kingdom. In other words, they were to know his
mind and see that everything he wished was carried out. This meant
that they had to stay in close contact with him. They had to talk to
him, and he had to give them information about what he wanted in
the kingdom.
The fact that Jesus used ecclesia to describe the body of followers that He was establishing tells us two things. First, the word
church itself is a political rather than a religious term. And second,
this entire discussion about keys and about binding and loosing is
not a religious but a political discussion.
In effect, Jesus was saying, “In the same way that Caesar is lord
of his government, and has created his senate, his ecclesia, his cabinet, I also will build My cabinet on the fact that I am the Christ, the
“anointed king,” the Lord of lords and Son of the living God.” He said
to Peter, “Upon the ‘rock’ of your confession of who I am, I will build
My government. I will build My senate, My cabinet, My administrators who will carry out My wishes and My will.” So Jesus established
not a religion but a political force.
The ecclesia, therefore, is a secret group entrusted with secret
information critical for the operation of the Kingdom. This group
will be so powerful that even the “gates of hades will not overcome
it.” Another way to translate that phrase is, “the gates of hades will
not prove stronger than it.” Even hell itself will not be as strong as the
ecclesia that Jesus is establishing
What is this “secret information” that Jesus gives His cabinet? He
says, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever
you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose
on earth will be loosed in heaven.” He gives them—gives us—the keys of the Kingdom, not the keys to the Kingdom. As Kingdom citizens, we are already in the Kingdom; we don’t need the keys to it.
What we need—and what Jesus has given us—are the keys of the
Kingdom—the keys that will unlock the power of the Kingdom and
make it work in our lives. Kingdom citizens and only Kingdom citizens have these keys. Citizenship in the Kingdom is a prerequisite
for getting them.
What this means is that we who are Kingdom citizens are supposed to be operating on a level that blows other people’s minds. We
should have access to a power that mystifies those who are not yet
in the Kingdom. We are supposed to be living life at a certain level
where we are tapping into resources that others cannot explain.
KNOWLEDGE OF THE SECRETS
The key to keys is not having keys. The key to keys is knowledge,
knowing what the keys are for and how to use them. On another
occasion Jesus told His “cabinet”:
The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has
been given to you (Luke 8:10a).
The Kingdom of heaven is not a secret society, but its keys have
to be learned. A secret is anything you don’t know, especially if
somebody else does. Miracles fall into this category. A miracle is
something that humans cannot explain, an event or occurrence that
seems to defy the laws of nature. These men had seen Jesus walk on
water, heal the sick, raise the dead, shrivel a tree by speaking to it,
calm a storm, multiply bread, and many other “miraculous” things
that were beyond the ken of human experience.
But to Jesus, none of these were miracles. He said, “These are no
miracles; I’m just using keys. I know how to put them in the locks,
and they are unlocking prosperity, unlocking healing, unlocking
peace, unlocking authority. Watch Me and you will see the Kingdom at work, and also how it should work for you. My Father has given
you the knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom. I will teach you
how to use the keys.”
Jesus left no doubt that the Kingdom was supposed to work for
His ecclesia just as it worked for Him, for on the night before His
death He told them:
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do
what I have been doing. He will do even greater things
than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do
whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring
glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My
name, and I will do it (John 14:12-14).
Jesus’ ecclesia (which includes us) was going to do the same
things He was doing—and more—because the Holy Spirit who
would come after. He was gone would teach them the keys of the
Kingdom and how to use them. One significant key is embedded in
this passage: the key to opening the “warehouse” of Heaven. The key
that opens that lock is prayer—asking in Jesus’ name—and whatever
and anything we ask will be done. That is a wide-open promise, but
it is not a way to gratify our own selfish wants and desires. We must
use the right key. We must ask in Jesus’ name—according to His will
and in line with His purpose. That is what will open Heaven’s floodgates.
The twelve disciples of Jesus had already seen this key activated
in unforgettable fashion the day Jesus fed five thousand people with
fives loaves of bread and two fish. The crowd had been with Jesus all
day listening to His teaching. Now it was late in the day, and they
were hungry. Jesus’ disciples suggested He send them away into the
villages to get food, but Jesus has another idea. He was preparing to
teach them how to use a key:
Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them
something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread
and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to Me,” He
said. And He directed the people to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to
heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He
gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to
the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were
left over. The number of those who ate was about five
thousand men, besides women and children (Matthew
14:16-21 emphasis added).
Jesus used this situation to test His disciples to see if they picked
up on the secrets. He said, “You feed them.” That was the test. They
should have asked, “Which key do we use?” Instead, they said, “All
we have is….” They were limited by what they could see. But in the
Kingdom of Heaven we walk not by sight but by faith. The lesson
Jesus wanted them (and us) to learn is that when you know the keys
to the Kingdom secrets, you will never again say, “All I have is….”
Look at the progression: Jesus looked up toward heaven and
gave thanks. He put in the key of prayer and unlocked the warehouse. Then He broke the bread, gave it to His disciples, and they
distributed it among the people. It should work for us the same way.
Through prayer in Jesus’ name (the key), we unlock Heaven’s warehouse. The King Himself draws forth from its abundance and gives
it to us, and we then give it to others.
But we have to know the key that opens the warehouse. That
knowledge is Christ’s promise to us: “The knowledge of the secrets of
the kingdom of God has been given to you.”
SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF KEYS
Knowledge leads to understanding. Once we know the principles behind keys, we can understand how they work in the Kingdom.
There are several principles that define the properties of keys.
1. Keys represent authority.
If you possess a key to a place,
it means you have authority in that place. Suppose your
boss entrusts you with a key to the store or the office. By
doing so, he shows not only that he trusts you but also
t that he has delegated a certain amount of authority to
you. The key to your house means you have authority
there. The key to your car gives you authority to drive
whenever you want to. Christ says, “I am giving you the
keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. I am giving you authority in heaven, the same authority I have.” What an awesome gift! Few of us have done more than just scratch the
surface in learning what this means.
2. Keys represent access.
A key gives you instant access to
everything that key opens. The secret is in knowing what
the key opens. The keys of the Kingdom of Heaven give
us immediate access to all the resources of heaven. But
we have to know how to use them. So often we limit ourselves by trusting or believing only in what we can see
with our eyes or reason out with our minds. A Kingdom
mind-set completely changes our perspective.
When a pagan king sent his army to capture the Hebrew prophet
Elisha, the prophet’s servant was terrified one morning to find the
army surrounding the city.
“Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” the servant asked.
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are
with us are more than those who are with them.” And
Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.”
Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked
and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all
around Elisha. As the enemy came down toward him,
Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike these people with
blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha
had asked (2 Kings 6:15b- 18).Elisha’s servant was frightened by what he saw around him, but
he didn’t have a key. Elisha had a key, unlocked heaven, and brought
down an angelic host to protect them. The prophet tapped into a
principle that took him to a system that made that pagan army look
like toy soldiers by comparison. When you have the keys of the
Kingdom, you have no lack and no crisis because the King is greater
than them all. Jesus said He would teach us to walk in that kind of
authority, access, and confidence.
3. Keys represent ownership.
Possession of a key gives you
de facto ownership of whatever that key opens.
Therefore, when you possess the keys of the Kingdom of
heaven, you have ownership of heaven on earth. Jesus
said, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in
heaven.” In other words, you own on earth whatever is
going on in Heaven. This means that you should never
judge how your life is going simply by your circumstances.
Suppose you get laid off from your job. It would be easy to get
scared and stressed out because you have a family and bills to pay
and no money. That’s your circumstances. As a Kingdom citizen
with the keys of the Kingdom, however, you have ownership of heaven on earth. You can be confident and even rejoice in the prospect
of a bright future because you have a source of supply and provision
that those outside the Kingdom cannot even conceive. So go have a
prosperity party! The King is preparing to bless and prosper you
from a completely unexpected direction. When you “own” the
resources of the King, you are never destitute.
4. Keys represent control. If you possess the key to something, you control it. You control when it opens, when it
closes, and who gets access to it. A key helps you control
time. In other words, you decide whether to open it up at
8:00 or 10:00 or 6:00 or whenever. This gives you control over when something comes. If you need something
now, you operate a key.
One day the Hebrew prophet Elijah met a poor widow gathering
sticks at the town gate. This was during a severe drought. He asked
her for a drink of water and a piece of bread.
“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t
have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a
little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home
and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat
it—and die.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home
and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of
bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and
then make something for yourself and your son. For this
is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘The jar of flour
will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry
until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.’” She went
away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food
every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did
not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken
by Elijah (1 Kings 17:12-16).
The truth of the widow’s circumstances was that she and her son
were about to starve. Elijah approaches and makes a bold, some
might even say selfish, request: “I know you don’t have much, but
feed me first and then yourself and your son. Trust in the Lord; He
will take care of you.” This was not selfishness. Elijah was offering
the woman a key. Once she took it, she had control. By faith and
obedience she unlocked heaven’s larder and brought down for herself and her family supernatural provision that sustained them until
the drought ended. Her entire life and mind-set shifted from the circumstances of want and privation to a Kingdom perspective of
unlimited abundance.
5. Keys represent authorization. This is similar to number
1. Authorization means to be given the authority to act
in the name or in the stead of whoever gave you the
authority. “The boss authorized me to do this….”
Possession of keys means that you are authorized to act
in the name and authority of the one who owns the keys.
By giving us the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus
gives us the authority to influence Heaven. He has
authorized us to act in His name and on His authority to
request whatever we wish that is in accordance with His
will and purpose.
6. Keys represent power. Whoever gives you keys gives you
power at the same time. This is similar to control. You
have control—power—over whatever you possess the
keys for. If you know how to use the keys, whatever they
unlock is at your disposal. The keys to your house give
you the power to come and go and to allow or disallow
others to enter. When Jesus gave us the keys to the kingdom, He gave us power in Heaven. Whatever we bind on
earth affects Heaven; whatever we loose on earth affects
Heaven; whatever we close on earth, Heaven closes.
Do we really have that much power as Kingdom citizens? Yes.
The King does not want us to live as victims of the earth’s system, so
He has given us the ability to tap into a realm that is invisible but
absolutely real and can literally affect the physical earth. This is why
Christ was able to live an abundant life in times of crisis. He had
power from Heaven. And He has given that power to us.
7. Keys represent freedom. When you have keys, you are
free to go in and out. You are free to lock and unlock,
to open and close. The keys of the Kingdom give us
freedom from fear and all the other limiting emotions
of an earthly system. I used to wonder why Jesus was so
carefree, so calm, and so in control no matter what was happening around Him. It was because He had the key
of freedom.
One day Jesus was asleep in the back of a boat while His cabinet
(some of whom were fishermen) sailed it across the Sea of Galilee.
As happens frequently on that body of water, a severe storm blew up
suddenly. The storm was so fierce that even the experienced sailors
aboard feared that the boat was going to sink. How could Jesus sleep
through such a crisis? Their lives were in danger, and He was snoozing in the stern!
The disciples went and woke Him, saying, “Lord, save us!
We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why
are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds
and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were
amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the
winds and the waves obey Him!” (Matthew 8:25-27).
Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” In essence
He was saying, “What’s the matter? Where are your keys?” Then He
took out a key, locked up the storm, and it stopped. In amazement,
the disciples asked, “What kind of man is this?” Just a man with keys.
The keys of the Kingdom are the keys to ultimate truth, the
knowledge of which brings true liberty. Jesus said:
If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free (John 8:31b-32).
By “teaching,” Jesus is not referring so much to Scripture verses
as much as the principles, laws, and precepts contained in those
verses. Freedom comes in knowing the truth. Truth alone is not
what sets you free. What sets you free is the truth you know. The
keys of the Kingdom can bring you into the knowledge of the truth.
SEVEN CHARACTERISTICS OF KEYS
1. Keys are laws.
They are fixed, reliable standards that
never change. When used correctly, they always work.
2. Keys are principles.
When Jesus spoke of “the keys of the
Kingdom,” He wasn’t talking about literal physical keys to
open physical locks. The keys of the Kingdom are principles, systems that operate under fixed laws. When He
gives us the keys, He gives us the principles by which the
Kingdom of Heaven operates. We gain access to the systems that make the Kingdom of Heaven work. And once
we learn the laws, the system, and the principles, all of
heaven will be available to us.
3. Keys are systems.
Every government runs on systems: the
social system, the economic system, the political system,
the educational system, the telecommunications system,
etc. Knowledge of the systems and how they work is a
key to power and influence. Control the systems and you
control the government. Disrupt the systems and you
disrupt the government. Destroy the systems and you
destroy the nation. That’s how powerful systems are.
Even more, that’s how powerful knowledge can be.
The systems of the Kingdom of Heaven are beyond the reach of
those outside the kingdom and are in no danger of being disrupted
or destroyed. Kingdom citizens, on the other hand, have access to
those systems and can bring the influence of Kingdom systems to
bear in earthly situations. That is why Kingdom citizens can rest
confident in victory and success no matter what circumstances may
suggest. So the most important thing any of us could do is to make
sure that we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.
4. Keys activate function.
A car operates on gasoline. The
“key” of gasoline activates the function of the car.
Without gasoline, the car will not run no matter how many other keys you have. Likewise, a radio with no
receiver cannot fulfill its function of converting radio
waves into audible sound waves for you to hear. The
“key” of a receiver is missing, and without it, the radio is
only an empty, silent box. The box may be pretty, the
glass clean and shiny, but it cannot fulfill its purpose
because the key to activate its function is not there. To
me, religion is like that attractive radio or that stylish
but gas-less car that does not work. Like them, religion
may look beautiful and impressive on the outside with
all its regalia and traditions, but it has no keys and therefore lacks the ability and the power to activate Kingdom
function.
The keys of the Kingdom activate Heaven so that we can fully
enjoy our rights and privileges as Kingdom citizens. This is far more
sure and secure than depending on the systems of the world for our
enjoyment. On this point, Kingdom ambassador Paul counsels:
Command those who are rich in this present world not
to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which
is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment
(1 Timothy 6:17).
The keys of the Kingdom allow us to enjoy all the rich and good
things of God without measure.
5. Keys initiate action.
Just as the key to a car initiates
action by starting the engine, the keys of the Kingdom,
when we know how to use them, initiate action in
Heaven.
6. Keys are the principles by which the Kingdom of God
operates.
Not only are keys principles, but specifically,
keys to the operation of the Kingdom. They give us
access to the blueprints, the schematic, the flowcharts so that we can understand and appropriate the inner workings of the Kingdom of Heaven.
7. Keys cannot be substituted by feelings, emotions, wishful
thinking, or manipulation. If you are locked out of your
house without a key, no amount of begging or pleading
or wishing will make that door open. If your car is out of
gas, you can sit behind the wheel and dream and will all
you want for it to move, but it will stay right where it is.
Religion is built on feelings, emotions, wishful thinking,
and manipulation. It is different with the Kingdom. The
Kingdom of Heaven operates on keys. You can wish and
feel and beg and plead all you want, but without the
right keys, you will still be locked out of all the things
God promised you because feelings don’t open doors.
Keys do.
In the world’s system, you get ahead by killing, robbing, hurting,
manipulating, climbing up on people, using people, stealing, gambling—any way you can. But in the Kingdom of Heaven, everything
is reversed. To get ahead, you must do the opposite of what you do
in the world. Instead of getting, you give; instead of hoarding, you
release; instead of grabbing, you give up; instead of hating, you love;
instead of every-man-for-himself, you show first regard to others.
Yes, this is counterintuitive, but that is the way God’s Kingdom
works.
THE COUNTERINTUITIVE NATURE OF KEYS
It is this very counterintuitive quality of the Kingdom of heaven
that makes it so hard for the world to
understand. The Kingdom of
Heaven and the kingdoms of this world operate by completely opposite principles. People raised in the world’s system cannot comprehend on their own the truly otherworldly nature of God’s Kingdom. This is why Simon Peter could not recognize Jesus as the Messiah
except by divine revelation.
This clash of systems is vividly illustrated by an encounter Jesus
had one day with a rich young man who was interested in getting
into the Kingdom.
As Jesus started on His way, a man ran up to Him and fell
on his knees before Him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what
must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call Me
good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God
alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do
not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a
boy.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you
lack,” He said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come,
follow Me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad,
because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and
said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter
the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:17-23).
Once we get into the Kingdom and start functioning properly,
we inevitably become prosperous. Prosperity is a natural product of
Kingdom living. But we must live by the standards of the Kingdom
in order to prosper in the Kingdom.
This rich young man had problems with Jesus’ conditions
because they ran counter to everything he had ever heard and
believed about success and prosperity. He simply was not prepared
for the counterintuitive command of Jesus to part with everything
that he thought made him “somebody.” This is why Jesus said that it
is hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God. The keys, the
principles, the systems of the Kingdom are opposite to those of the
world, from where they acquired their wealth. In other words, the opposite nature of Kingdom keys makes it difficult for many people to understand the Kingdom. This young man
had grown up in a world where you get by taking. He could not
understand the principle of a Kingdom where you get by giving.
Additionally, it is the power of ignorance of Kingdom keys that
can destroy us. Scripture says:
“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea
4:6a).
Because of ignorance of Kingdom keys, this rich young man did
not know how to become richer, so he chose to hold onto wealth
that literally was killing him rather than enter into wealth that could
give him life. Coming into the Kingdom of God neither makes you
poor nor requires you to become poor. But you have to know the
keys.
This rich man thought he was rich, but was really poor because
he did not understand the nature of true wealth. So he went away
sad.
A key principle of the Kingdom of Heaven, on the other hand,
is this:
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and He adds no
trouble to it (Proverbs 10:22).
Once you get the keys of the Kingdom and learn how they work,
the blessing of God will bring you wealth without sorrow. And He
can do it in an instant if He is so inclined.
Another factor in the difficulty people have in understanding
the Kingdom is the danger of the fallen nature of human reasoning.
Man’s rebellion against God resulted in a corrupted mind and conscience. The way most of us in this world pursue success and
wealth and try to get ahead is completely contrary to the principles
and laws that God designed into creation. But we are too blinded
by our corrupt minds to see it. Like the rich young man, we assume that you must do certain things to succeed—climb the corporate
ladder by walking on people’s heads and stepping on their hands,
hurt them, use them selfishly, scheme against them, betray them,
lie, cheat, steal—whatever it takes to be a millionaire before the age
of 40.
Then Jesus comes along and says, “If you want real wealth and
real success, get rid of all of that. Give it back to the people you got
it from and follow Me.” The attitude of willingness to part with it all
is as important, and perhaps more so, than the actual act.
Remember, in the Kingdom of Heaven we are stewards, not owners.
Because of our fallen nature of human reasoning, the principles
and keys of the Kingdom of God are completely foreign to the way
we have been trained to think. That is why the first word Jesus said
when He came to announce the Kingdom was, “Repent.” Change the
way you think.
Principles work but are not always understood. The rich young
man simply could not see how following Jesus’ instructions would
get him what he wanted. He could not grasp the principle. The keys
of the Kingdom work, but sometimes even after we learn how to use
them, we don’t understand how they work. They just do.
Principles are established by the manufacturer. Our Creator
knows His creation. God knows what is best for us. But because of
our fallen nature, we are dysfunctional creatures who believe either
that there is nothing wrong with us or that whatever is wrong we
can fix ourselves. Counterintuitive wisdom leads us to understand
that the keys of the Kingdom, the principles under which the
Kingdom operates, are also the keys to bringing the life, law, and
culture of Heaven to earth, even when human logic or reasoning
says otherwise.
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