Riches of the Kingdom 2
(week 07/07)
Olubi Johnson
Last week we saw that presently the church as a whole is poor in the spirit because of our low level of revelation knowledge, understanding and wisdom.
In fact the early 1st. century church was richer than the church is at present. However, it is the will of God that the glory of this latter house: the 21st. century church, shall be greater than that of the former: the 1st. century church.
For this to happen we must desire and then get the riches of the Kingdom.
The riches of the kingdom refers to the deep revelation knowledge, understanding and wisdom that will bring us into the experience of manifesting the total dominion (kingdom means the dominion of the king) of God over sin, sickness, ignorance and poverty in our lives and to our generation.
Proverbs 3:13-16(NIV): 13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,14 for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
To get the riches of the Kingdom you must partake of the feast of the wisdom of God:
Proverbs 9:1-6(NIV): 1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. 4 “Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. 5 “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.
Now, there are two outstanding virtues you must posses and maintain to partake of this feast of wisdom:
Humility and love (i.e. the love of God in your character. Also love for God and His Word).
Proverbs 11:2: When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. NIV
Psalms 119:165(KJV): Great peace have they, which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
The two things that will hinder you from partaking of the feast of wisdom are:
Pride and offence.
Humility means submitting to the will of God when you do not feel like it, especially when it makes you look smaller than you think you are.
Pride is esteeming yourself more highly than you are: being wise in your own eyes instead of remaining small in your own eyes.
Proverbs 3:7(NIV): Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.
1 Samuel 15:16-19(NIV): 16 “Stop!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied. 17 Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?”
1 Samuel 15:22-23(NKJV): 22 Then Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”
God removed Saul from being King of Israel because of pride: he became wise in his own eyes and so stubbornly did what God said in his own way (not the way God told him to do it).
You overcome pride by exercising your will to do the will of God when you do not feel like it: accepting the Word of God as final authority irrespective of your feelings, traditions and experience.
One practical thing that exercises your will in humility is regular fasting: not eating, talking or doing what you like in order to give time to pray and seek God in His Word:
Psalms 35:13(NKJV): But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting;
Psalms 69:10(NKJV): When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting
This is why one of the rewards of fasting is receiving revelation knowledge (Isaiah.58.8).
In our article next week we will see how offence and stubbornness blinds the heart from wisdom using the examples of Ahithophel and John the Baptist, and how to overcome offence using love and the other things we need to do to get God’s wisdom.
