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FROM THE PASTOR Pastor
Randy Barnett, Oklahoma |
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YOU ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD The Word of God tells us that God is Spirit
and that His realm is a spiritual realm. That seems to have little relevance
until you realize that you have become a partaker of His divine nature (II
Peter 1:2-4) and therefore it applies to you too. The instant you were born
again you transferred into a different (a higher) realm of existence. That is
when your wonderful life in Jesus was launched, but you need to know that is
also when the war began! There are two kingdoms: the kingdom of
Satan and the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the best place to be.
That is where the family of God enjoys all of the benefits of their covenant.
That is where the laws of faith operate and where the powerful promises of
God are fulfilled. That is the place of intimacy with the one, true God. But
Jesus is trying to bring understanding to His disciples by showing them the
other side of the coin, so to speak. It is important for the disciples of
Jesus to know why they face the challenges they do; why persecution happens;
why adversity seems to always be present especially when they are about the
Father’s business. The truth is this: the world hates Jesus, and it hates
anyone and everyone associated with Him. Why is this true? It is true because
the evil one is the ruling authority; he is the god of this world. He lives
to counter God and to undermine the truth because he understands that anyone
separated from the truth (see John 17:17) has no hope.
Every one of us who loves Jesus and who
stands in covenant with God faces a real battle. The battle is within us. The
battle is to live above the world’s system and thereby enjoy the wonderful
benefits of the Kingdom of God. Our problem is that we still live in an
earthly body and still possess an earthly soul (our mind, our will, and our
emotions) and our human nature is still inclined toward evil because of its
fallen state. Read Romans 7:13-25 for insight into this dilemma. In this
passage Paul reveals how this inward struggle is something he too faces. He
says he wants to do what is right and he wants to please God, but he finds
that oftentimes he does the very thing he does not want to do even when he
knows it is wrong. Does this sound familiar? Of course it does. I too
struggle at times with things like this just as you do. Each of us fights
this inward battle. Knowledge of the two kingdoms is
critically important to you. By understanding this concept, it will enable you
to stand strong in the confidence of your salvation even though you fail God
by sinning. It will also motivate you to rise above the earthly limitations
of the world’s system into the supernatural blessings of God found in His
kingdom.
Read Colossians 3:9-10 at the right.
Paul uses the terms “old man” and “new man” to describe what took place when
you were born again. (see also II Corinthians 5:17-21) You became a new
person; you switched citizenship from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom
of light. Notice what Paul writes here, he says, “…the new man who is
renewed in knowledge…” We infer from this statement that there is a
condition that you must meet if you are to fully enjoy all that God has
promised you. The condition is that you must be renewed. This renewal is an
action of choice on your part. You must fill your mind with the knowledge of
the Word. Such knowledge is not something that is automatic to the one who is
born again. God provides truth; He gives you His Spirit who is your Teacher
of the truth; and then He expects you to study and to learn, thereby growing
in truth. As this happens, you see the manifestation of God’s promises and
you enjoy your citizenship in this wonderful Kingdom of God. Randy
Barnett Ministries – www.rbmin.org Covenant
Global Church – www.covglohurch.com |
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