 Okay, good morning everyone and welcome to the course on the kingdom of God and kingdom builders. It's just so excited to have All of our in-person students back again. We actually missed all of you Even when we were having the short term Bible college here, it's kind of missed all your faces and you're You know just your presence here, but good to have you Back and hope all of you had a good holiday also Welcome to all our online students and our e-learning students Just so glad that all of you can join us from different parts of our nation and also from the nations of the world In this course, we will be studying to APC publications The first one is the kingdom of God and the other is Kingdom builders, so we will first start studying the kingdom of God and I posted the PDF on the stream page and In the for the e-learners It's in the course content the PDF copy is there available So you can make use of it even as you're listening to the video or you are joining online Of course our in-person students have the you know the The copy of this book with them So even as we delve in this course on the kingdom of God and kingdom builders It's my prayer that each one of us will be equipped to fulfill the kingdom mandate. What is the kingdom mandate? What do you think is a kingdom mandate? the Lord's prayer in the Lord's prayer Thy kingdom come that will be done on earth as it is in heaven Okay, so our aim is to see all of in all of you his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven Right where you are that God would use you Mightily so even as we are this learning community, you know, I encourage all of you to actively engage in discussions Please ask questions You know and challenge your understanding because it is through these interactions that we have that we truly grow and gain and You know receive deeper insights into God's kingdom Principles and I just know You know want to come here and teach but also learn from you So please feel free to discuss ask questions and share your thoughts Share your ideas so that I can also learn from you. Okay We'll have four assessments in this course two for each book So this book has about 11 chapters So maybe we'll do the first five or first six for the first assessment and the rest of the five or four for the Second assessment and then when we begin doing Kingdom builders we will have again two assessments which will divide between the half of the you know of the chapters that are there, okay Any questions anyone has for today? You know the online students if you like to have any ask any questions. I like you to please Post it on the chat section because Okay, so you can speak Maybe I can just hear it from my speaker. So that's okay We've removed this connection that we have with the the audio connection here connected to the You know speakers so you can go ahead and feel free to ask any questions Okay, before we begin we'll just pause for a word of prayer. Can one of you take the mic? Please and lead us in a word of prayer Can be the bike is your shri raga so yeah, yeah Dear heavenly father we come before your throne and we pray for today's class and as we are coming here to learn your word give us wisdom knowledge so that we can learn and When we will go when we will go in this world that We may build your kingdom God we surrender our soul our Heart our mind everything in your hand in Jesus name. We pray amen. Amen. Thank you So the kingdom of God is a major theme throughout the Bible When Jesus began his earthly ministry, he began by proclaiming The arrival of the kingdom of heaven. Okay, so how did Jesus begin his earthly ministry? Let me just admit these students Okay, yeah, so when Jesus began his earthly ministry You know He began by proclaiming that the kingdom of God has arrived or the kingdom of heaven has Arrived and during his final days just before his ascension He also thought about the kingdom of God and we see that after Jesus ascended or went back to the father in heaven You know, we see that the early church also thought and preach from a kingdom Perspective so we see that the kingdom of God is such a major theme or a major topic in the New Testament, okay, and the kingdom of God is the word kingdom of God is mentioned in the New Testament at least 150 times Okay, just as many times as we talk about who we are in Christ That means just as many times we talk about our identity in Christ so Kingdom of God is very important for us to understand Know and work out and live in our very every day life, okay So it is very important for us to understand the kingdom of God Understand the principles understand this whole concept of dimension of the kingdom of God So that you know, we can know work out and live our everyday lives from this Perspective that we belong to the kingdom of God, okay Now even before we look at chapter one, we need to understand that the where is the kingdom of God? Yes, the kingdom of God is within us, okay It is within us and we need to recognize that we each one of us our sons and daughters of the kingdom We are sown sown as good seeds into this world I'll explain what is the meaning of sown as good seeds into this world And in this study, you know, we'll it will teach us how to live and Operate out of a kingdom Perspective so even as we go through this entire APC publication this book It'll help us to you know Understand how we need to live and operate out of a kingdom of God Perspective where everything we do is an extension of the Kings domain here on earth Which means everything that we do we are actually Releasing the rule and the rain and the presence of God in and through our Lives, okay, and we will also learn how to fulfill the kingdom Mandate in our life and the kingdom mandate is to see his kingdom come and his will be done Right, you know through us right where we are wherever we are, you know to see his kingdom come and his will be done Through us so even as we talk about the kingdom of God, you know We are basically talking about the king of this kingdom and we're also talking about the domain of the King so two important things we'll be talking about is the king of this kingdom Who is the king of the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven? And we'll also be talking about the domain of this king. Okay, the word kingdom in The New Testament comes from the Greek word Basilea Which means royalty? rule rain a Rem of the kingdom So kingdom therefore refers to the rem of the or rem of Kings rule Rain or the Kings domain? Okay, so it refers to the domain of the king His rule his government and the reign of the king So basically when we're talking about the kingdom of God, we are referring to the rem or the you know The whole kingdom or the the part of the rem of his influence and the authority of his government, okay Now in the New Testament you will find two phrases the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Heaven okay, we'll find two phrases the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven now What do you understand by these two phrases the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven? Can we have some answers? When you think about the kingdom of God and Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God in various parables When he introduced the ministry, you know, he was talking about the kingdom What comes to your mind when you think about the kingdom of God or what comes to your mind? you think about the kingdom of heaven. You can need to take the mic. Online students, can we have some answers? What do you understand by these two terms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven? The kingdom of God, what I think is like where God, it talks about that it's God who reigns there, He rules. And kingdom of heaven is like where, where He rules. Where He rules, where it is. The kingdom of God, heaven is where it is. Okay. What else comes to your mind when you think about kingdom of God? A place that is so perfect and beautiful where the Lord, God Almighty is the king. Okay, nice. What else? Jesus said the kingdom of God is like, the kingdom of God is like. Okay. So what comes to your mind? Just think. What comes to your mind when you think about kingdom of God or kingdom of heaven? Mike. The parable that Jesus said like the kingdom of God is like wise man who builds his house on the stone that cannot be shaken, that cannot be destroyed. Okay. So basically when you think about, for Prince, when he thinks about the kingdom of God, he's thinking about the parables that Jesus thought to explain how the kingdom of God functions or the principles or how it works. Okay. Anything else comes to your mind when you think about kingdom of God? Online students, anyone would like to share? How is the thing go for where Jesus tells to Peter that I'll build upon this rock, like the church. The church is built on the rock and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Okay. Is the terms kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven different or do they mean the same thing? They're different. Okay. What is the difference? Okay. Before we go there, Jack in says the kingdom of God is God's authority and power being released through us on the earth. Good. Yes. Kingdom of God is basically God's authority, his power, his rule, his presence, you know, being released in and through us here on this earth. Thank you, Jack in. That's good. Okay. Anyone else? Is it on? Yeah. Kingdom of God is within our heart, actually. It has to, oh, yeah. It is within us and from to us, it is manifested or made known or expressed in the world. Okay. To others. Very good. Thank you. Yes, Sean. Can you pass the mic to Sean? Just check if the mic is on please. Okay. So you're talking about a difference between the kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven within us. It's released to the earth. Okay. To others. Okay. It only exists in heaven. Okay. Good thought. Thank you for sharing. Anyone else can tell me, how many of you think that kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven mean the same thing? It's different. Everyone thinks it's different. Rin is not too sure. Okay. Prince thinks it's the same. Sean. Okay. Smart. Sean thinks it's the same. Okay. Prabhu says God as a king where his will is done. Okay. He means that anything about kingdom of God, Prabhu thinks that God is the king and in his kingdom, his will is done. Yes. He exercises his will, his sovereign rule, his sovereign reign, his sovereign authority. Okay. Thank you, Prabhu. God is the only king. Even if it's kingdom of God, even if it's kingdom of God, I think it means the same. But the tongue that gives this. Okay. It's the same because kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven, the king is the same. Doesn't change. So smart, logical, understanding and reasoning. Yes. It's the same. Okay. But when you talk about God, you're talking about God the Father. But in talking about Jesus, you call them as the Lord, right? No, but even Jesus is God. Holy Spirit is God. There's no differentiation. Even if you call him Lord, in the Old Testament, Lord is Yahweh, right? Adonai, Lord. So they don't use the word Yahweh because it was very practical for them to use. So they use the word Lord. Adonai. So it refers to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. There is no distinction. Okay. Now, because in the New Testament, that's what it says, the title, that Lord is what you call Jesus and God is what refers to the Father. But in the Old Testament, because Jesus was man, right? Yes. He, God became man. The Son of man is referred to us. But who is Jesus? He is God. God incarnate who came on the earth. Yes. Okay. So actually, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are same terms, similar terms. Sometimes we unnecessarily trouble ourselves in trying to find or draw distinctions between these two words. But there really, there is no distinction that is very evident in the word of God. So these two terms, kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven are synonymous. They mean the same thing. The kingdom of God basically refers to who's kingdom it is. Like Ren said, it is God's kingdom. And Prabhu is saying God is the king of this kingdom. And like Jacken said, his authority, his power is being released in and through us. So basically, the kingdom of God is referring to whose kingdom it is. So whose kingdom it is? It's God's kingdom. And that is why it's called as kingdom of God. And the kingdom of heaven is basically referring to what? Where the kingdom is from, the origin. Where does this kingdom come from? Okay. Where does it come from? Heaven. And it's not from earth. Okay. So that's why it is called kingdom of heaven. And hence, they both refer to the same thing. It refers to the rule, the reign, the influence, the government of God in the hearts and lives of people. So it is God's kingdom that is in us. It's birthed in and through us. It is made manifest in and through us. And this kingdom is not from the earth. This kingdom is from heaven. Okay. So that's the way we are going to treat these two terms, the kingdom of God and kingdom of heaven because they're synonymous. We will be using it interchangeably. So don't, you know, get confused. They mean one and the same thing. Okay. Now let's begin by looking at a very interesting verse that is in the Bible. Let's go to Matthew chapter 25 and look at verse 34. Matthew chapter 25 verse 34. So can one of you please read Matthew chapter 25 verse 34? And for those of you who are you know, following in your books, it is there on the first page of lesson one. Can you read please? Matthew chapter 25 verse 34. Then the king says, we'll say to those on his right hand, you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world. Okay. Thank you. So here, you know, in Matthew chapter 25 verse 34, Jesus is basically giving us a picture of the end of days and he's talking about what here? He's talking about What is he talking about here? Okay. Basically, if you look the the verses prior, he's basically talking about the sheep and the goats. Okay. Prior to verses 34, you know, he's Jesus is giving us a picture of the end of days and he's talking about the sheep and about the goats and how at the end of the age, the sheep and the goats will be separated. Okay. And here's what will happen. As Jesus said in Matthew chapter 25 verse 34, he says, he will say to those on his right hand, come you blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom that is prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Okay. Now, this is a very powerful verse. There's a lot in this verse. So Jesus is basically saying, I want you to come and inherit what? Inherit the kingdom. And when was this kingdom prepared before the foundations of the world? Okay. Now, in the New Testament, this phrase, the foundation of the world is found 10 times in the New Testament. And one of these 10 times is found here in Matthew chapter 25 verse 34. We also know that the Lamb of God was yes. But what do we how do we connect the Lamb of God for the foundation of the world? He was slain before the foundation of the world. Okay. So but now here we are talking about the kingdom of God that was prepared even before the foundation of the world. And what it simply means is this, you know, that this was in the heart, the kingdom of God was in the heart, in the mind, in the plan and the purpose of God, even before creation began. Amen. Right. Okay. So it was not just that the Lamb of God was slain even before the foundation of the world, but God had purpose in his heart, in his mind. He had planned that even before the foundation of the world, he had this in mind that he would have a kingdom. Okay. So the kingdom of God is not something that God had planned in retrospect, but it is a kingdom that was something that he had always in his heart. It was in the intent of his heart, even before creation, even before he created everything, and even before the foundation of the world. Okay. So this means, or it means to us that one of the purposes of creation ties back to the intent or the desire of the heart of God. And what is that desire or the intent of the purpose that God had to create the world? What was God's intent, plan, purpose, one of God's intent plan, purpose for creation? To have a, okay, that's there. But in this context when we're studying, to have a kingdom, because that is what Matthew chapter 25 verse 34 says. Okay. It says, you know, inherit the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world. So the kingdom of God, what I said was it's not something that God had thought after he created the world. Okay. It was not something that came into his mind after Adam and Eve were created. It did not come into his mind or it was not his purpose of plan after he saw Abraham, or after he made his covenant with Abraham. It was not even that is a plan or a purpose or an intent that came into his heart and mind after he saw David, you know, and he said, Oh, you know, David is a king. So maybe I should think of having a kingdom. No, the plan of God having a kingdom was even before the foundation of the world, even before creation. So one of the purposes of creation, or one of the reasons why God even created the world is, you know, to have a kingdom. Of course, the other things are also there. You know, wanted us to have create a man in his image that we can have fellowship with him. But another reason why God created the whole world is created the whole of creation is so that he can have a kingdom. So you see how important the kingdom of God is in the heart and the mind of God. Okay. So sometimes we can overlook or undermine or underestimate the kingdom of God or the kingdom of heaven thinking that it's only what Jesus thought. It's only in his parables. But actually how important this whole topic of kingdom of God is. So some of you might be thinking, Hey, why this topic, you know, kingdom of God, kingdom builders, I don't think it's important. So some of you on the online, you know, I might be thinking this is not an important course. So, you know, maybe I'll just log in and not to listen to the lectures. But we see how important this is because the word of God says that even before the foundation of the world, it was the intent in the heart of God to have a kingdom. Okay. So it was something he wanted to have even before creation. It was the intent of God to have a kingdom prepared for whom? For himself? For us, for you and me. So the kingdom of God or the kingdom that God had intended or purpose to create was something that he prepared for us. Okay. Meaning that he wanted to have a kingdom of people. Okay. Not just the kingdom of heavenly beings of angels, but he wanted to have a kingdom of people, a kingdom of you and me. Okay. So what kind of people was God looking for? What do you think? What kind of people that God was planning to have in his kingdom? Who believe in Jesus? Okay. Who believe in Jesus? Let's make sure the mic is on. Who believe who believe in Jesus and love him, love the father as the king of kings. Okay. Love the father as a king of kings. Okay. What kind of people good sons and daughters is looking for sons and daughters? Very good. What kind of people is he looking for in his kingdom? Often when we think about a kingdom. Okay. Let me just admit Anthony. Okay. Often when we think about the kingdom, we think of what? Iraqi. Yes. We think of whom? A king. And who are the people? What are they called? Subjects. Yes. They called us subjects. Some of them even slaves and servants of the king. Okay. So when we think of a kingdom, we think of a king and we think of people as subjects of slaves and of servants. But the wonderful thing and the amazing thing is when God thought about kingdom, he did not think about, he created this kingdom for us. We are part of this kingdom. But when he thought about us, he did not think about us as servants, subjects or slaves. But just like Nina said, he thought about us as his sons and his daughters. Isn't that amazing? Right? Okay. So he said, what does he say in this verse? He says, you know, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. Look at Matthew chapter 25 verse 34. It says, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. So who inherits a kingdom? Sons and daughters, not slaves. You inherit your father's inheritance. You inherit your parents' inheritance or your forefathers' inheritance or property. It's not the slave or the maid or the watchman or if you have a driver, it's not they who inherit, but it's the sons and daughters. And that is why he says, I want you to inherit the kingdom. So inherit means what? Becoming heirs of the kingdom. Okay. So God's intent or the plan of his heart was to have a kingdom of people where these people would not be slaves or subjects, but there would be heirs of the kingdom. And that was in his heart even before creation or even before the world was created or even before the world began. So the kingdom of God is part of God's original intent, God's original purpose in all of creation. And God wanted to have a kingdom of heirs of people who will be kings with him in that kingdom and not a kingdom where we'll be subjects and slaves, but a kingdom of heirs. People will be heirs with God and co-heirs with Jesus Christ. Can you just imagine the kind of love that God, the great, amazing love that God has for us? The word of God says that his thoughts towards us are so great, are so precious, are so priceless. And this is what his thought is about us. His thought is that we are heirs with God. Can you imagine that? I mean, even when you listen to that, my hair stands up, you know, on my hands. It just blows my mind to think that God thinks of me as his hair. You know, when I don't even, when I can't even look at him, he lives in unapproachable light who no man has seen or can ever see. But he looks at me as his hair. He looks at each one of you as his hair and he, and we are co-heirs with Jesus Christ. Can you imagine which means, what does it mean that we are co-heirs with Jesus Christ? We own everything. What Jesus has done, we can also do, actually talks about that we are on the same level as Jesus. Equal as Jesus. Can you imagine that? I mean, you can't even just think how much God thinks about us, how much, what level he has brought us to. You know, he looks at us and he loves us just the way he loves his son. And I think at the beginning of this course, I want you to hold on to this identity, even as you are sons and daughters of the kingdom of God, you know, we believe so much the lives of the enemy. We are living such, you know, sometimes we live like a serve, we have a servant mentality. We don't have the son mentality. We have the slave mentality. You know, we think that we are so low. We are so down. We are, we are nobody. Sometimes we think we are so hopeless and useless. But if you look at what God thinks of us, you know, he thinks of us as hairs with him, co hairs with Jesus Christ. And that, you know, that he has given us this kingdom and, you know, we are part of this kingdom. And even as we look at it, I just want you to sense this whole, you know, privilege that you have, and also the sense of responsibility that you would need to work out and function in this kingdom. Okay, so keep telling yourself, Hey, you know, I'm a hair of God, and I'm co hair with Jesus Christ. Okay, every time the devil reminds you of your past, what you can't do, your fallenness, your sinfulness, remind yourself of who you are in the kingdom of God, what has been entrusted to you as, you know, sons and daughters of the kingdom of God. So now when we go back to the book of Genesis, okay, let's look at Genesis chapter one, verses 27 and 28. So we're looking at this with a whole new perspective. And what is this whole new perspective? God created the earth, one of his purposes, one of his intent was to bring about his kingdom. Okay, so we will look at this with this whole new idea with this whole new intent that God had in his heart. So look at what, look at God's creation, and you would need to see it in the light of what he originally intended to do, what did he originally intend to do? One of the intents of his heart was to prepare a kingdom of people who will be hairs of that kingdom. Okay, and now we see that even as this was the intent of God's heart, he begins to execute that intent, or he begins to bring about what his plans and the intents of his heart is. So in chapter one of Genesis, we see that God introduces the kingdom. Okay, did you ever look at it with this perspective? No? Okay, so let's look at it with this perspective. Okay, Genesis chapter one, verses 27 and 28. So one of you, can you read this please? Genesis chapter one, verse 27 to 28. So God created human beings making them to be like himself. He created them male and female, blessed them and said, have many children so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish and the birds and all the wild animals. I have provided all kinds of grain and all kinds of fruit for you to eat. But for all the wild animals and for all and for all the birds, I have provided grass and leafy plants for food and it was done. God looked at everything he had made and he was very pleased. Evening past and morning came. No, just so 27 and 28. Thank you. So here we see that God created man in his own image. The image of God, he created them male and female. And so he's talking to them. Okay, meaning he's talking to both men and women. So it's not just for men, but also men and women. And he blesses them and what does, how does he bless them? He says, brief fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. Okay, so here we see the kingdom being introduced right here in Genesis chapter one. How do we see that the kingdom is being introduced? We see it as when God says, have dominion. Dominion means what? Authority, rule, reign. Okay, bringing about the kingdom, the kingdom reign, the kingdom government, the kingdom presence, the kingdom rule. So he says, have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. So God blesses man and woman. And he says he wants them to subdue. That means I want you to have dominion. I want you to exercise rule, reign, authority, government, power. Okay, so God introduces his kingdom right here in Genesis chapter one was 26, 27 and 28. So he wanted to have a kingdom of people who would be hairs with him in ruling, in managing, in executing the government of the kingdom. And he begins to unfold his plans or the intents of his heart, even as he has created the world, even as he's created man and woman. Okay, so, you know, when God created man and woman, and he says, I want you to subdue or I want you to have dominion, you know, he's saying, this is your realm. Okay, this is your dimension of where you can have authority. You are going to be part of this kingdom, which I'm preparing for the people who will be hairs with me. Amen. No, I think this is very, very powerful, that the kingdom of God is not something that came suddenly up in the mind of God in the New Testament. But this kingdom of God was in the very heart and the plan of God from the very beginning. It was part of his original purpose and intent for you and me. And now that this has happened, you know, he's created the world. He is brought about men and women. He has given us the power and the dominion. He has introduced his kingdom. But what happens? Adam and Eve fell because of the fall. Okay, so the whole kingdom plan was interrupted. What do you think? God was disappointed? Or did he think, oh, oh, I didn't anticipate this. I didn't think that this would happen. Do you think he anticipated it? Do you think he knew what was going to happen? Yes, right. But interestingly, the Bible also says that Jesus was the Lamb of God who was slain before the foundation of the world, which means that the plan of redemption was already in place or already completed, done thing in the heart and mind of God, even before the creation of the world. Isn't that amazing? So God had this plan or the intent of his heart to have this kingdom. But right here in the beginning, we see that Adam and Eve fell. But even in spite of that, God's plan of redemption was also a done, completed thing in his heart and mind, even before the foundation of the world. So this is another amazing thing that we read. We come to know about God's plan, his intent and about the kingdom of God. So when Adam and Eve fell, God knew that this was coming. And he also knew that the plan of redemption was already in place and at the Kairos moment that will also come into fulfillment. But I want you to see this. The plan of redemption is not just to save you and me from sin. It's not just for God to rescue you and me from Satan's grip or Satan's power or Satan's authority. But the plan of redemption is to bring us back to that place of experiencing God's original intent, his purpose of the kingdom that he had prepared for people who will be his with him. So redemption was not just to redeem us from sin. Yes, that was one of the major plans of redemption to redeem us from sin, the power of sin, from being slaves of Satan to being under Satan, to being under his rule, his domain actually being under his rule, his authority. The plan of redemption also had another intent. It was God intending to bring us back to our original position or the original place that he intended for us. And what is that? It is to bring us back to a place where we will have dominion and authority that we will be his of God. Now there are many things that happened after the fall. But in this context, I want to bring our attention to just two things. There are many things that happened when Adam and Eve sinned. But in our context that we are studying about the kingdom of God, I want to bring two things to your attention. When Adam and Eve sinned and the fall took place, what happened in this context when we're seeing what happened? Just give him the Micah. The kingdom that was like the dominion that was given to man was passed on to Satan. Excellent, yes. So who did God give dominion and authority to? Man, man and woman. He said have dominion, subdue over everything. So like yeah, Jacken says we lost our original authority or dominion. Thank you, Jacken. So here we see that when Adam and Eve sinned, they gave over this dominion, this authority to the devil. And the devil or Satan gained control or he had temporary control over the earth. And secondly, yes, Sean. Even if you see in the beginning, earth was actually for Satan or Lucifer at first before, then it was given to us. Can you say that again please? At first if you see earth itself was when it was desolate and it was dark and that was actually for the God our intent for Satan to be in charge of that. No, we don't see this anywhere in scripture. We don't have this anywhere in scripture. Yes, we know the darkness covered the world but because God had not created anything. But yeah, Satan was a fallen angel. He was thrown out of heaven but doesn't say that he was here on the earth. Okay, yeah. I'll get back to you on that then. Okay. So we see that secondly, the man's concept of being a king. We are heirs of God. So we are actually kings of being heirs of God was marred. What do you say for marred? It was like shaken or it was distorted or it lost its original purpose and intent. Instead we became slaves. We become we become subjects of our enemy and therefore we have developed this mindset of slavery and a mindset of being subjects or being under slavery or being under authority. And that is why when we go into, you know, when we are born again sometimes we have the same mindset or mentality and that is why the word of God says we need to renew our minds daily because this is one of the areas. Okay, we'll stop here and we'll come back after the break and continue.