Building the Church and Expanding the Kingdom as Kings and Priests - Joel Pollard

Jesus declared that “The Kingdom of God is within you”, meaning that it was already within reach and available for people to experience now, in this life. Luke 17:21 in The Passion says, “The kingdom is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s kingdom realm is already expanding within some of you”. In the Aramaic, the implication here is that God’s kingdom realm is a person, Jesus Christ. The reality of God’s kingdom appears when Jesus lives within us by faith. Paul explains in Romans 14:17 that the Kingdom of God is for now, and it consists of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The inheritance that we have in and through Jesus is for now, not for when “we get to heaven” but it’s a living inheritance for now, “on earth as it is in heaven”; we inherit everything that is ours as sons and daughters of the Most High. Not only is Jesus Lord over a Kingdom, but He is building a Temple, the House of God to dwell in, the Church! He’s building it made out of His living stones (sons and daughters) and in Matthew 16:18, Jesus told us that this Temple (Ekklesia) would be victorious and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. THE CHURCH IS NOT THE KINGDOM!!! To see this distinction, think of the Temple and the Kingdom in Solomon’s day. Solomon’s Temple was glorious, yet small compared with the Kingdom which encompassed the Temple and reached to lands far beyond it. Similarly, the Church is glorious, yet smaller than the Kingdom of God over which Jesus reigns. Why does the Church and Kingdom exist? The primary purpose of the Church is to be a dwelling place for God. Of course, there are other purposes, e.g. equipping, inner healing/deliverance, sending people out for ministry but the foremost purpose is to be a community of believers in whom God dwells. In contrast, the primary purpose of the Kingdom is to establish the rulership of Jesus Christ, and that’s why we pray out of Matthew 6:10, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” It is time for you to be released in to Kingdom. It is time to discover who you are! This is the time to arise in your own giftings! What does it mean to be a King and Priest? Jesus came into the Earth as both King and Priest. Now He sits at the right hand of the throne of God as King, and He is making intercession for us as the Highest Priest. He rules over a Kingdom and He is building a Temple. Through our inheritance in Jesus, we are Kings and Priests. Some of us may be called to serve within the church or it may be to expand the Kingdom of God into every area of society, every area of influence. We are the salt and light, hands and feet - Jesus unlimited. Marketplace ministry is not going to happen just because it’s a good idea. We must renew our minds and change our theology, allowing the paradigm shift to embrace the values which yield these compelling kingly motivations. This is not about how to be successful at your job. It’s about how to be successful at your dream, allowing the Lord to unveil the oneness of your vocation, your pursuits, your ministry, and God’s purpose for your life because working with God instead of performing for Him is fun, addictive, pleasurable, adventurous, joyful, meaningful, and rewarding. Holy Spirit, help us shift our mindsets. Take us from a place of “religious” to “relational” motivation and keep returning us to our first love. Amen! Love, Joel