Kingdom Refocus, Part 2 by Pastor Philip Olubakin: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Reasons to be grateful

• The grace to see another year
• The grace to go out and come back every day, which is a miracle in Nigeria today
• Provision in the midst of financial crisis and increased rates
• Good health, which is underrated. One single medical crisis can drain all your financial fortune.
• All answered prayers, whether big or small. Don't let someone else's seemingly big testimony dwarf your own small testimony.
• The prayers he did not answer, because some open doors could have led to destruction
• His unconditional love, that he does not treat us the way we treat him
• The gift of church and a spiritual family, a home you can belong to

Revisiting the kingdom

Jesus only preached the gospel of the kingdom, nothing else. To understand the kingdom, it helps to understudy the deliberate, well-planned spread of Islam across western nations, their use of money and insistence on politics, and how unashamed they are of their faith while many believers are ashamed to even pray in their own office.

Number one: Change your mindset

The first attack of the enemy is to demonize desire. Satan makes you feel guilty for wanting something good, as if the moment you want something, God is against it. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be great, to be first, to be the best.

The disciples said to Jesus, "We have forsaken all and followed you. What shall we have therefore?"

Matthew 19:27

Jesus answered that they would sit on twelve thrones, and that everyone who had forsaken houses or family for his name's sake would receive a hundredfold and inherit everlasting life.

Matthew 19:28-29

Luke 12:32

"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." God wants to give you the kingdom before you even wanted it. It is the Father's good pleasure to see his children prosperous and wealthy.

Satan has demonized two critical things: wealth and politics. That is why many Christians are content being the one who serves in the back end, never desiring to lead.

When the twelve disciples saw Jesus walking on water, Peter said, "If it is you, Lord, I also want to walk on water." Jesus simply said, "Come." Jesus has not put any limit on your life. Peter was not chosen by Jesus, Peter chose himself. In a great house there are vessels of honor and dishonor, and vessels of honor pick themselves.

God has not put any kind of demarcation to say some people will remain small. The remaining half of this year, don't go for small things. Bite more than you can chew.

Number two: Change your priorities

Seek the kingdom first. Let every decision you make be driven first from a kingdom perspective:

• Where you choose to walk
• How you dress and how you appear
• How you talk to your staff and run your business
• Even the choice of who you marry

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Widow's mite cannot fund this ministry, and it cannot handle a scholarship fund. Every kingdom person must go for more.

A choice of spouse is a choice of a fellow parent. How will you raise children for God with this kind of person? We marry for kingdom and for duty, thinking of the next generation.

1 Samuel 13:14 / Psalm 89:20-24

God said of David, "I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him, with whom my hand shall be established." When God is looking for a king, he searches, and he doesn't look for a king on the throne, he looks for a king in the field, one who is serving.

How are you useful to the kingdom?

If you did not give birth to children, did not marry, did not do evangelism, and are not in the workforce, explain your usefulness. There is much expected of us. In some nations it is now an offense to preach publicly on the street, because Christians have had it too easy and don't see the need for involvement.

We cannot shy from:

• Politics and government
• Entertainment
• Academics and education
• Sports

Politics became a dirty game because people with clean hands took their hands off it.

• Lord, use me. Use me for your glory. Use me in this kingdom. Use my hands, my money, my influence.
• Use us for the expansion and promotion of your kingdom here on earth.
• Let me be a vessel of glory in your hands.