TWO KINGDOMS COLLIDE
Prayers That Move Mountains
Chapter Two
When God created the world, He created a very temporary place. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, "For we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are unseen are eternal." So we find that from the beginning there were two kingdoms. One kingdom we can see, and one kingdom we cannot see. Because we don't understand this, we spend our entire life chasing after things that we see, but the things we see have no lasting value. One day everything we see will be burned. In fact, when I read 2 Peter 3:7-10, it makes me think that this earth itself will become hell, and we are spending all of our time and money and energy pursuing worthless things. Once we understand this concept of two kingdoms, I think we will understand a lot of what Jesus said, and I think our focus will change.
1 John 2:15-17 says, "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." Can you see this? If we love the world and all that it offers, the love of God is not in us. We cannot have both kingdoms. They are diametrically opposed. The kingdom that we see is full of pride and lust. When we have our eyes on the kingdom that we see, every choice we make will be self-centered. We are the god of this universe. It is all about me. We cannot see past ourselves. Our worth depends on what others think about us, and we can be manipulated and we can manipulate others. Anxieties, fears, frustrations, inadequacies, insecurities, feelings of worthlessness and failure, rejection, abandonment, and condemnation rule our world. And if the enemy doesn’t get us there, stubbornness, pride and arrogance take over and rule us. We judge others and others judge us, and this judgment brings condemnation.
That’s were the “Good News” comes in. There is another kingdom, a kingdom we cannot see. This is a kingdom that can break the power of our selfishness. When we submit our lives to the authority of our God and His King, freedom comes. Peace comes. Joy comes. In this kingdom it does not matter what people think about us, what matters is what God thinks, so this kingdom is safe. It never shifts. Judgments cease. God then teaches us how to lay down our pride and our power, and we become like children who run to our Father for help. Worry and fear leave, and peace enters. It is our Father’s delight and pleasure to give good gifts to His children, so He lavishes His great love onto us.
God said, “Anyone who wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” To enter this unseen kingdom, we will begin to deny ourselves. That's a new concept. We will turn our back on what we want to do and start being obedient to what God wants us to do. This leads to peace and freedom. Who would have ever thought that. But we have to know that the direction we are headed now is not the direction that others are going. Even though we try to share the “Good News,” most people will not understand, and if we want to still fit in with them, it will not work. We will not be friends with the world. James 4:4-10 says, “You adulterers and adulteresses! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again; if you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? God is passionate that the Spirit He has placed within us should be faithful to Him. And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the LORD, and He will lift your up in honor.”
We cannot have divided loyalties. We have to choose: God or the world. So the war begins. Two kingdoms collide - the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. If we choose to believe the lies and live in darkness, we will die, but if we choose to walk in light and truth, we will live forever. The choice is ours, and that was God’s plan all along. He is not forcing us to choose Him. He is not forcing us to love Him. He is not forcing us to worship Him. But as we come to know Him and His great love for us, we cannot help but love and worship the One who gave so much for us. No one can take that choice from us, and we will reap the benefits of that great love.
PRAYERS THAT MOVE MOUNTAINS
LORD, You know me. You know the depths of who I am. I need Your help. Deliver me LORD from the love of the world. Deliver me from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Deliver me from my selfish ambitions and my bitter envies. Deliver me from my bitterness and hatred. Deliver me from my covetousness and greed. Deliver me from my stubborn pride. Take it out of my heart, LORD. I am guilty of wanting what this world has to offer. Will You forgive me. Now I choose to shift my gaze. I choose to turn my back on my selfish desires. Will You help me? Give me strength. Give me courage. Give me patience. Equip me for the battle. Make me steadfast and un-moveable. Give me an intense desire to know You. Teach me Your ways and show me Your paths that I might walk in them. O send out Your light and Your truth and let them lead me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. LORD, lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil. Expose the lies. Destroy the works of darkness that are in me. Save, deliver and heal me to the utmost, and make me wholly and completely Yours. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. AMEN
_______
LORD, take away my desire to be accepted by the world. Don’t let the world’s opinions move me. I don’t want a divided heart. Help me to find my worth in You. Show me who I am. Help me to understand how fearfully and wonderfully I am made. Open my eyes to see how important I am to You. Deliver me from feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy. Help me to be everything You created me to be. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. AMEN
1 John 2:15-17 says, "Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." Can you see this? If we love the world and all that it offers, the love of God is not in us. We cannot have both kingdoms. They are diametrically opposed. The kingdom that we see is full of pride and lust. When we have our eyes on the kingdom that we see, every choice we make will be self-centered. We are the god of this universe. It is all about me. We cannot see past ourselves. Our worth depends on what others think about us, and we can be manipulated and we can manipulate others. Anxieties, fears, frustrations, inadequacies, insecurities, feelings of worthlessness and failure, rejection, abandonment, and condemnation rule our world. And if the enemy doesn’t get us there, stubbornness, pride and arrogance take over and rule us. We judge others and others judge us, and this judgment brings condemnation.
That’s were the “Good News” comes in. There is another kingdom, a kingdom we cannot see. This is a kingdom that can break the power of our selfishness. When we submit our lives to the authority of our God and His King, freedom comes. Peace comes. Joy comes. In this kingdom it does not matter what people think about us, what matters is what God thinks, so this kingdom is safe. It never shifts. Judgments cease. God then teaches us how to lay down our pride and our power, and we become like children who run to our Father for help. Worry and fear leave, and peace enters. It is our Father’s delight and pleasure to give good gifts to His children, so He lavishes His great love onto us.
God said, “Anyone who wants to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” To enter this unseen kingdom, we will begin to deny ourselves. That's a new concept. We will turn our back on what we want to do and start being obedient to what God wants us to do. This leads to peace and freedom. Who would have ever thought that. But we have to know that the direction we are headed now is not the direction that others are going. Even though we try to share the “Good News,” most people will not understand, and if we want to still fit in with them, it will not work. We will not be friends with the world. James 4:4-10 says, “You adulterers and adulteresses! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again; if you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? God is passionate that the Spirit He has placed within us should be faithful to Him. And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the LORD, and He will lift your up in honor.”
We cannot have divided loyalties. We have to choose: God or the world. So the war begins. Two kingdoms collide - the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light. If we choose to believe the lies and live in darkness, we will die, but if we choose to walk in light and truth, we will live forever. The choice is ours, and that was God’s plan all along. He is not forcing us to choose Him. He is not forcing us to love Him. He is not forcing us to worship Him. But as we come to know Him and His great love for us, we cannot help but love and worship the One who gave so much for us. No one can take that choice from us, and we will reap the benefits of that great love.
PRAYERS THAT MOVE MOUNTAINS
LORD, You know me. You know the depths of who I am. I need Your help. Deliver me LORD from the love of the world. Deliver me from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Deliver me from my selfish ambitions and my bitter envies. Deliver me from my bitterness and hatred. Deliver me from my covetousness and greed. Deliver me from my stubborn pride. Take it out of my heart, LORD. I am guilty of wanting what this world has to offer. Will You forgive me. Now I choose to shift my gaze. I choose to turn my back on my selfish desires. Will You help me? Give me strength. Give me courage. Give me patience. Equip me for the battle. Make me steadfast and un-moveable. Give me an intense desire to know You. Teach me Your ways and show me Your paths that I might walk in them. O send out Your light and Your truth and let them lead me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. LORD, lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil. Expose the lies. Destroy the works of darkness that are in me. Save, deliver and heal me to the utmost, and make me wholly and completely Yours. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. AMEN
_______
LORD, take away my desire to be accepted by the world. Don’t let the world’s opinions move me. I don’t want a divided heart. Help me to find my worth in You. Show me who I am. Help me to understand how fearfully and wonderfully I am made. Open my eyes to see how important I am to You. Deliver me from feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy. Help me to be everything You created me to be. I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus. AMEN
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