Sermon Summary: Pastor Liz’s sermon highlights the essence of true lordship and God’s kingdom. She challenges us to consider the difference between mere membership in God’s kingdom and fully living under God’s lordship. True lordship means allowing God to be the primary authority in our lives—not merely as a guide, but as the sovereign who shapes our values, choices, and actions. This sermon emphasizes that the Church exists to demonstrate and establish God’s kingdom on earth through witness and active submission to His rule, rather than attempting to “Christianize” political systems. Instead of viewing Christianity through cultural or political lenses, the sermon calls believers to renew their commitment to advancing God’s kingdom with resolve, aligning every aspect of life under God’s authority.
Full Transcript…
So I wanted to ask those who have been walking with the Lord for over 50 years. Would you please stand?
I’ll say. Standing. Sorry. I know you’ve been standing a long time already.
We’re old. I know those who have been walking with the Lord for over 40 years. Would you please stand also?
Listen. Okay. Those of you who are seated, you need these people. They have a lot of time and experience and wisdom and bruises and scars. They can help you. This is the body of Christ. It matters. Yeah. Thank you for standing. Okay. Yeah. I’m just looking at all of you today. I just it’s really strong on my heart today.
We’re talking about the overcoming church. This is how it happens. It happens one generation praising the Lord to another generation and imparting truth into them. And the next ones must receive. Otherwise, we just start all over again, and we’re spinning our wheels and the kingdom doesn’t move forward. This right here is how Kingdom moves forward. You guys can sit down.
Thank you.
Thanks. I never use them, but I. It’s always. People always think I need them, so thank you. I should use them, but I just. Whatever. Okay. It feels better to have the tears running down my face. I’m.
I yeah, I love you too. Whose are that? Thank you. Yeah. So much more I could say on that. I just. There are some things that. Are important to me to impart. And that’s honor is like. Right. The probably the biggest one on my list.
So. The word says to know those who labor among you. That’s not just referring about pastors. It’s not just referring to leaders. Those who are laboring, who have labored in the field for years and years and years and years, and I’m here to just, add my honor for you with the rest of everyone else and tell you one of the things that inspires me the most is when I see someone who’s walked with God for a long time, and there’s still passion for him.
They never lost sight of their first love. It’s always in front of them. I know there’s ups and downs, I get it. I know there’s struggles. I know there’s faith challenges. But when I see someone who spent decades of their life pouring into people, repenting, growing, learning, changing, and they still say, you know what? It’s worth it. And guess what?
As long as I have left, I’m burning for God. That, to me, is one of the most inspiring things you will ever see on this earth. So I honor you. I honor you for that.
Okay, here’s one of these. Now.
You guys know how it goes. It’s no surprise.
We are in this series of the Overcoming Church. If you did not watch pastor Bob open a vein and bleed out in front of you last week, you should. Because we need the sword of the word that cuts and slices apathy off of us, and complacency and self-interests and all the things that try to glob onto us. We end up carrying them around, not even realizing it until someone’s faith.
Someone faithful brings the word. Say that these things gotta go. So if you didn’t watch it, you should. We’re talking about what does it mean to be an overcomer? And I want to say that we are not overcomers because we build ourselves up and we feel like we’ve got enough knowledge and we have enough strength, and we have enough ability that now I feel like I can finally overcome.
If you’re waiting for that moment, you may be waiting far too long, because then it may come, and it will go as soon as you feel like you’ve attained. There’s a rude awakening for you. But we are not overcomers because we attain to some place, or we’ve accumulated enough knowledge, or enough skill or enough. Whatever the things are on the list.
We are overcomers because we are born of an overcoming nature. You have to understand that the Kingdom of God is an overcoming kingdom. It cannot be anything else. God is the one who overcomes. He overcomes and overcame all things. We, in agreement about this. And so because we are born of the same substance that he is, you are born an overcomer.
We born. Okay. We have like three people. Listen to me. This is important. It is who you are. It is your nature to overcome because you are not born of this earth. You die to that and you are reborn of the Spirit of God, of incorruptible seed, by the Word of God which lives and abides forever. It is who you are.
Whatsoever is born of God overcomes. Okay. So we are not trying to attain to something. We are simply trying to, bring our faith and our agreement to the Word of God. Does this make sense to you? This has to be like the foundational point of this overcoming thing. It is like we heard today. Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.It is a spiritual issue. Okay. And we bring ourselves into agreement with it through faith. That is how we apprehend what we have been apprehended for. Okay. We good. That’s first foundational point for today.
Pastor Shelly gave me some points here of assignment. No. It’s good. It’s good. We can talk about lordship. Continuing on from Pastor Bob’s message last week. Lordship. What is it and how does it apply to our culture today? There’s Greek lexicon. You guys going to get some Greek? Okay. Lord means he—to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding.
Do we get that? Yeah. Amen. I’ll say it again. He to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding.
This lordship issue is the primary issue. It determines everything else.
The statement is, if he is Lord of my life, that means I belong to him. He owns me.
Did you know that? Did you know? Yes. God loves you. He’s a father to you. He’s a friend to you. And he owns you, son. That concept is so offensive to our culture for lots of reasons. But this is the reality of lordship. When we’re talking about lordship, it means that he bought me. And he owns me. And he decides what happens with my life.
That is lordship. Anything less than that is another religion.
Okay. You guys all right today? I told my class on Wednesday, I’m like, I don’t have much fluff around me at this time in my life. I have like zero padding. So you’re just going to get it straight and raw—like there’s just times in my life. Sometimes I’m really good at smoothing things out. This is not one of those times, so I’m sorry you got me now.
But this is the truth. This is the truth. And I believe that the Lord wants us to really understand this. That whatever version of Christianity we have bought into that says, I have my life and I decide what happens, is completely against the true gospel of the kingdom of God, because the true gospel is I died to Christ, and he resurrected me.
He paid the price to be able to do that. Yeah. He paid for the right to own me. And so he gets to decide what happens with me. I don’t. It’s a very humble place to stand before the Lord. And it’s a very—hear this—a very freeing place to stand before the Lord. Because the gospel of the kingdom is not, “Hey, I found this cool guy. He’s this great king. He’s got lots of money, lots of gifts, and he’s going to give you what you want. He’s going to make you happy. He’s going to bless your life. Whatever you need, he’ll give it to you.” So come along. Let’s go meet this king because he’s got a lot for you.
So many times, the gospel is presented that way. Come to Jesus. He’s going to make your life wonderful. Come to Jesus. He’s got blessings for you. He’s got gifts for you. Is—I mean, is that true? We know that God is—he’s a good father. But we present this gospel of the King, the Kingdom, like, come get whatever you want.
Instead of, “Hey, friend, brother, sister, I found someone, and he is worth giving everything to.”
I found a way of living that’s worth giving up everything else that I thought was good. I found someone who’s so amazing, who’s so pure, who’s so righteous, who’s so much smarter than me, who’s so much greater than I am. And guess what? I get to come, and I get to lay down everything of my life so that I can find out what true living really looks like.
It’s worth giving up everything to get him and to learn what it is I was actually made for. Do you hear the difference in those things? We have to stop presenting God, the King of the universe, like he’s Santa Claus here to just give you what you want as you go on with your life. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is not just “Add Jesus onto your life, and he’ll make everything good for you.”
The gospel is actually to come and lay yourself down and put yourself on the cross and die to everything that this world has to offer you, and you will find true, eternal life that will satisfy your soul in the way that nothing else will. And above all, you will find friendship with God. You—and you will live in eternity close to him, with the one who made you and knows you, who knew your name before the foundation of this earth.
So, lordship—he owns us. He has the power of deciding. He is the possessor and disposer of a thing. That’s an interesting thing, isn’t it? All my life and times are in his hands.
Coming and going.
Lord is a title of honor. Expressive of respect and reverence. Yes, but with which servants greet their master—their master.
I know this, like, rubs us really bad the wrong way—American culture. “I have no master. We will have no king. No one owns me.” That is why the kingdoms of this world are opposed to the Kingdom of God.
Another definition of Lord is “the controller.”
The controller. Not a controller. Not when I decide to ask him his opinion.
For him to be Lord of my life means he decides everything.
Okay, you guys all right? So, lordship—what is it, and how does that work in our culture today? How does it work in our culture today? It’s not about the same way it has worked in every culture since the beginning of time, because I think sometimes as Americans, we have this idea like, well, other places have, like, kings and sovereigns.
They get it more. They get this idea of what it means to have a king. It comes more naturally to them. I think that lordship has been an issue since the very beginning. Lordship is an issue of the human condition since the beginning. We see it with Adam and Eve in the very beginning. “Who’s going to tell me what to do, what I can and can’t do?”
“I’m smart enough to figure this out for myself,” from the very beginning. You see the same thing with Cain, right? “Yeah, I know, God, you said to do it that way, but this is a better idea. I worked really hard for these things. I don’t know why you ask me for plants. I can give you meat. Seems like a good idea to me.”It is a spiritual issue. And we bring ourselves into agreement with it through faith. That is how we apprehend what we have been apprehended for. That’s the first foundational point for today.
Pastor Shelly gave me some points here of assignment. No, it’s good. It’s good. We can talk about lordship, continuing on from Pastor Bob’s message last week. Lordship—what is it and how does it apply to our culture today? There’s Greek lexicon. You guys going to get some Greek? Okay. Lord means “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding.” Do we get that? I’ll say it again: He to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding.
This lordship issue is the primary issue. It determines everything else. The statement is, if he is Lord of my life, that means I belong to him. He owns me. Did you know that? Yes, God loves you. He’s a father to you, he’s a friend to you, and he owns you. That concept is so offensive to our culture for lots of reasons. But this is the reality of lordship. When we’re talking about lordship, it means that he bought me, he owns me, and he decides what happens with my life. That is lordship. Anything less than that is another religion.
I told my class on Wednesday, I’m like, I don’t have much fluff around me at this time in my life. I have zero padding, so you’re just going to get it straight and raw. Sometimes I’m really good at smoothing things out. This is not one of those times, so I’m sorry you got me now. But this is the truth. And I believe that the Lord wants us to really understand this. Whatever version of Christianity we have bought into that says, “I have my life and I decide what happens,” is completely against the true gospel of the kingdom of God, because the true gospel is “I died with Christ, and he resurrected me.”
He paid the price to be able to do that. He paid for the right to own me, and so he gets to decide what happens with me. I don’t. It’s a very humble place to stand before the Lord, and it’s a very freeing place to stand before the Lord. Because the gospel of the kingdom is not, “Hey, I found this cool guy, this great king, who’s got lots of money, lots of gifts, and he’s going to give you what you want. He’s going to make you happy, he’s going to bless your life, whatever you need he’ll give it to you. So come along, let’s go meet this king because he’s got a lot for you.”
So many times, the gospel is presented that way. “Come to Jesus, he’s going to make your life wonderful. Come to Jesus, he’s got blessings for you.” Is that true? We know that God is a good father. But we present this gospel of the kingdom like, “Come get whatever you want,” instead of, “Hey, friend, brother, sister, I found someone who is worth giving everything to.”
I found a way of living that’s worth giving up everything else that I thought was good. I found someone who is so amazing, so pure, so righteous, so much smarter than me, so much greater than I am. And guess what? I get to come and lay down everything of my life so that I can find out what true living really looks like. It’s worth giving up everything to get him and to learn what I was actually made for. Do you hear the difference in those things? We have to stop presenting God, the King of the universe, like he’s Santa Claus, here to just give you what you want as you go on with your life. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is not just, “Add Jesus onto your life, and he’ll make everything good for you.”
The gospel is actually to come and lay yourself down, put yourself on the cross, and die to everything this world has to offer, and you will find true, eternal life that will satisfy your soul in the way nothing else will. And above all, you will find friendship with God. You will live in eternity close to him, with the one who made you and knows you, who knew your name before the foundation of this earth.
So, lordship—he owns us. He has the power of deciding. He is the possessor and disposer of a thing. That’s an interesting concept, isn’t it? All my life and times are in his hands, coming and going. Lord is a title of honor, expressive of respect and reverence, with which servants greet their master. I know this rubs us the wrong way in American culture. “I have no master. We will have no king. No one owns me.” That is why the kingdoms of this world are opposed to the kingdoms of God, the Kingdom of God.
Another definition of Lord is the controller. Not a controller, not when I decide to ask him his opinion. For him to be Lord of my life means he decides everything. So, lordship—what is it, and how does that work in our culture today? How does it work in our culture today? It’s not about the same way it has worked in every culture since the beginning of time. Lordship has been an issue since the very beginning. Lordship is an issue of the human condition since the beginning. We see it with Adam and Eve in the very beginning—who’s going to tell me what to do, what I can and can’t do? I’m smart enough to figure this out for myself from the very beginning. You see the same thing with Cain, right? “I know God, you said to do it that way, but this is a better idea. I worked really hard for these things. I don’t know why you ask me for plants, I can give you meat.” Seems like a good idea to me.
It’s an issue of lordship. I think this idea of, “Oh, if I was a citizen of England, I would understand what it means to have a king, and I would reverence them,” is not true. If anything, the countries that live under kings usually end up going to hate them because they rule so selfishly, so corruptly, and so wickedly. It probably actually hinders their understanding of what it means to have a good king. So this is not a cultural issue other than the culture of humankind, which is always pushing against authority, always pushing for independence in my life, always pushing against someone controlling me. It comes against the very core of your pride and maybe what you think your identity is. Lordship is the primary issue in our lives.
We’re talking about lordship and kingship, the kingdom of God—the kingdom of God is where God has supreme authority and dominion, not just in ideology but in reality. How do we catch that? It is one thing to say I’m part of the kingdom of God now. Positionally, is that true? Were you translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light? Yes. You’ve been born again, the source of the water and the spirit. You were translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. That is a true fact. But to say that we are operating as part of the kingdom of God requires not just our own opinion but the reality that he is Lord of my life, and he decides what happens in my life.
The Church of God exists as an instrument of the power and authority of God to establish and enforce his kingdom rule in the earth. Did you know that’s why you’re here? The church exists to establish the kingdom of God in the earth, the rulership of God, the lordship of God on earth. The reason why Word of Life Fellowship exists is to establish the lordship of God in the earth. Otherwise, we are of no consequence.
The kingdom of God demands full allegiance and non-tolerance of any other kingdom. No man can serve two masters. The kingdom of God requires absolute allegiance and non-tolerance of any other kingdom. Why? Because God is a tyrant and wants everything his way? No, because anything outside of the kingdom of God brings death. That is why he is not tolerant of it. He refuses death. He refuses to let his children abide in a death kingdom.
The reason he’s speaking to us about lordship is not because he wants to exert his power over you and has fun controlling every aspect of your life. He wants us to understand lordship because when we submit to his lordship completely, we step into true life, true freedom, true joy, peace, and righteousness—everything that the kingdom of God is. It is only through understanding the lordship of our Father.
Matthew 6:33 says, “Don’t worry about these things saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
To seek the kingdom of God, the kingship of God, above all else, and live righteously, is the expression of the kingship of God in your life. When he is truly King of your life, you will live righteously before him, and he will give you everything that you need. Matthew 11:12 says, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” This is not a political issue or violence against men and women, but for those who will really apprehend the kingdom of God, who will really enter in and live there as a citizen, there is a need for gumption, a passionate resolve to live in the kingdom of God.
I see people slipping into a passive state, thinking, “
I’m just going to live out my days, pursue this hobby or that, it’s good, and I still love the Lord.” This is not a condemnation; this is the fire of God, because the kingdom of God is available to us. And he’s saying, “But you have to grab it. You have to take it. There has to be some righteous indignation that rises up inside of you that says, ‘I will not just be content to be a good Christian and live a nice life and do nice things and love God.’ There is actually a purpose of bringing and establishing the rule of God in the earth today through my life.”
We need some violent people.
I can hear like danger, danger, danger.
Like our culture has worn us down so much in this area of like, don’t be extreme, don’t miss violent. We’re not violent. We’re peaceful. You know, like, I hear all the things. And right now they’re going in my mind. So I’m sure they’re happening to yours. We, the kingdom of God, the violent. Take it by force. There is effort.
There is war that happens.
Okay. I want to go off the rails here. But you can’t go to war with peace in your heart.
Not if you’re going to war against something that’s wicked. And I’m not talking about people. Yeah, you hear me? I’m going to expound on that in just a minute here. This is not violence against people. It’s not violence against people who are in alternative lifestyles and who are on the other side of the political aisle.
It’s none of that garbage. Jesus died for their lives, and he paid the same for them as he did for you. Yes, but the man of God comes with force and with power, and it occupies, and it takes over. It overcomes. Do you hear that? It takes over. Overcoming is not a passive thing. It means that there was territory that existed and belonged and was wrongfully occupied by a force of wickedness, and the kingdom of God overcomes it.
That’s not passive and nice and sweet. It’s a violent act done in extreme love.
Okay, I can’t say it again. Watch it. Watch the replay. All right, I hope I’m. I feel like I’m stretching you. And hopefully I don’t break you in the process, but do it. But we, I just I know from the heart of God he is trying to renew our minds. He needs to renew our thinking because we have been inundated with so much garbage about what it means to be Christian and what the church should look like.
Why are we letting the world tell us what the church should look like? Why are we letting any voice intimidate us to say the church should be this way and the church should be that way? And why isn’t the church doing this? Did the world design the church? I’m sorry, I don’t know where that came from, but there’s someone who…
This was someone’s idea.
Maybe we should ask him. What is the church supposed to look like? How is it supposed to operate? And what’s my place in it? All right, we’ll move on. But I want to. I want to emphasize this. This is not a political issue. I want you to hear this is important when we’re talking about the Kingdom of God.
We are not talking about Christianizing the American government. Are we okay with that?
It’s not a political issue. Any time a government has tried to institute Christianity, it did not go well.
You know what happened? Pollution came into the church because they just brought all their gods in and gave them the names of saints. Yeah. Did you know that? Okay. Acts one. Versus three. Got it. Six through eight, I don’t know. I’m not too far off here. Well, we’ll see. Okay. Acts 1:3 and verses 6 through 8, during the 40 days after he suffered and and died for Jesus.
Okay? He suffers. He dies, he comes back. He appears to the apostles from time to time. And he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the kingdom of God.
Where am I? Okay, so when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore? Listen to this, our kingdom.
Lord, has the time come for you to take over America? And establish our Christian kingdom here.
He replied, the Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But here’s his priority—you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
In other words, they’re asking him, Jesus, we see our nation here. It’s in a lot of trouble. Can you come in to set up your, our kingdom here? Don’t worry. You bring it in, and we’ll take care of it from there because we know we know what to do. So you set up our kingdom for us and we’ll rule it.
Jesus, because we know you have to leave, okay? And he’s like, wait a second, you don’t get it. That don’t worry about it. That’s for God to deal with. You establish my kingdom through your witness, through the power of the Holy Spirit in all of the earth. That is the priority of Jesus Christ—establishing his kingdom through what? The witness of believers in the earth.
So our goal is not to Christianize the governments of the world, rather to see nations, which is people groups. And I hope the Lord begins to break your heart for people groups, to see people groups be delivered from the tyranny of the devil and death, and to come into the freedom of the law of life. One day all kingdoms will become his kingdom.
You see that in Revelation 11:15: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” He will do it in his time, his way. But for now, it is our responsibility and privilege to establish the kingdom of God in the earth through witness and power, as we are submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
I’m going to end here for today. Okay.
Thank you, Pastor Liz. And then, Lord, we thank you for your word today. Lord, we thank you for the challenge in our own selves. Oh God, I thank you that you are challenging each one of us to make you Lord and what that really looks like. Lord, I pray that you would speak to us this week, that this word would not leave and just hit the ground, but it would go deep into our souls this week, Lord, that we would be able to encounter you in a new way, that we would deepen our understanding of what lordship is and what it looks like to put you as King in our own lives.
Introduction
In a powerful sermon delivered at Word of Life Fellowship Church, Pastor Liz challenged the congregation to understand what it truly means to live under the lordship of Christ and be active citizens of His kingdom. The message illuminated how the kingdoms of this world stand in contrast to God’s kingdom and how true freedom and purpose are found in complete surrender to His authority. The sermon encourages believers to move beyond passive Christianity and to seize the kingdom of God with boldness and resolve.
What Does It Mean to Live Under Lordship?
Pastor Liz introduced the concept of “lordship” by explaining that Jesus is more than just an occasional advisor or helper; He is our Lord, with full authority over every aspect of our lives. She described lordship as “not a controller…not when I decide to ask him his opinion. For him to be Lord of my life means he decides everything.”
This truth pushes against a modern mindset that often prizes personal autonomy and independence. From the earliest times, humanity has struggled with submission to God’s authority, as seen in the stories of Adam, Eve, and Cain. Pastor Liz shared, “Lordship has been an issue since the very beginning…who’s going to tell me what to do, what I can and can’t do?” Just as Adam and Eve questioned God’s command, so do we sometimes question His authority, preferring to do things our own way.
However, living under God’s lordship means accepting that His wisdom and ways are infinitely higher than ours. In doing so, we are promised a life marked by peace, joy, and purpose, as we “step into true life, true freedom, true joy, peace, and righteousness—everything that the kingdom of God is.” Surrendering to God’s authority, rather than constraining us, allows us to live in alignment with the divine purpose He created us for.
The Kingdom of God: A Call to Active Citizenship
One of the main themes of Pastor Liz’s sermon was the distinction between passive and active participation in God’s kingdom. She emphasized that believers are called to do more than simply identify as Christians. To live as true citizens of God’s kingdom requires us to pursue righteousness actively and to spread the reality of God’s rule on earth.
The kingdom of God “demands full allegiance and non-tolerance of any other kingdom.” This allegiance doesn’t mean rejecting or ignoring the earthly systems in which we live; it means that our ultimate loyalty is to God’s ways, values, and mission. As Pastor Liz explained, “The Church of God exists as an instrument of the power and authority of God to establish and enforce his kingdom rule in the earth.” We are here to embody God’s authority, to live in alignment with His rule, and to show others what it means to be fully under the lordship of a loving King.
Quoting Matthew 6:33, Pastor Liz reminded the congregation of Jesus’ words, “Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” In seeking God’s kingdom first, we align ourselves with His priorities and His righteousness, trusting that He will provide for all our needs.
The Power of Resolve in the Kingdom of God
Pastor Liz also addressed the urgency with which we must pursue the kingdom, citing Matthew 11:12: “The kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” This “violence” is not a call to physical aggression, but rather to a passionate, determined pursuit of God’s kingdom. It is an active stance, not a passive one.
“Overcoming is not a passive thing,” she said. “It means that there was territory that existed and belonged and was wrongfully occupied by a force of wickedness, and the kingdom of God overcomes it.” As believers, we are called to take an active stand against spiritual darkness, bringing God’s light into every area of life.
Pastor Liz cautioned that a passive, comfortable approach to faith risks missing out on the vibrancy and purpose God has for us. She urged the congregation to avoid slipping into a mindset of “I’m just going to live out my days, pursue this hobby or that…and still love the Lord.” Instead, she encouraged a spirit of resolve: “There has to be some righteous indignation that rises up inside of you that says, ‘I will not just be content to be a good Christian and live a nice life and do nice things and love God.’”
The Kingdom of God is Not a Political Agenda
Throughout her message, Pastor Liz clarified that the kingdom of God is not about aligning with earthly politics or attempting to “Christianize” any nation. Instead, it’s about bringing the reality of God’s kingdom into our lives and communities through faithful witness. She explained that when we try to establish Christianity as a political force, we risk diluting the message of the gospel: “Any time a government has tried to institute Christianity, it did not go well…pollution came into the church because they just brought all their gods in and gave them the names of saints.”
In the New Testament, when the disciples asked Jesus if it was time for Him to “restore the kingdom to Israel,” His response redirected them to a spiritual mission: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere.” Pastor Liz emphasized that our calling is not to establish a political kingdom but to be witnesses of Jesus Christ in every part of society, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Living Out Our Purpose as Citizens of God’s Kingdom
Pastor Liz closed with a stirring reminder of the privilege and responsibility that comes with belonging to God’s kingdom. Our lives, actions, and choices as believers are to reflect the authority, love, and holiness of God. This kingdom mission transcends political, cultural, or social agendas. As Pastor Liz affirmed, “Our goal is not to Christianize the governments of the world, rather to see nations…be delivered from the tyranny of the devil and death, and to come into the freedom of the law of life.”
The kingdom of God is both present and future. While Revelation 11:15 tells us that one day “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever,” we have the privilege and duty to begin establishing His kingdom here and now, through our witness, our love, and our dedication to His lordship.
Conclusion
Pastor Liz’s message calls us to a renewed commitment to God’s lordship. True citizenship in His kingdom is not a passive label, but an active, vibrant relationship. As we make Him Lord of every area of our lives, we participate in the transformation of our communities and the establishment of His kingdom on earth. Let us take up this mission with the resolve to live fully in His kingdom, bringing the hope and reality of God’s reign to those around us.