The Kingdom, Week 3

Tim Rivers | October 1, 2023

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My my, I'm so excited to be here and I'm excited that you're here. If you are a first time guest with us, we want to say welcome to Embassy City Church. We pray that you feel welcome, that you know that you are loved, and be sure to stop by Guest Central because that's our opportunity to get to meet you, to greet you, to put a gift in your hand and to offer you some of our special cookies, lemonade and lemonade. Yes, we do want you to drink the lemonade. Some of y'all going to get that.

So we've been in this series called The Kingdom and today is our third week and I'm very excited about this message today. I've really enjoyed honestly preaching this series and I pray that this series has been a strength to you as well, because if you're going to live a productive Christian life, you have to be aware of the kingdom, and I think a lot of times what makes the church at large somewhat sad is that there are many people that go through the motions of church but don't have a relationship with God. And it is more important for us to have a relationship with God that is strong and that is lasting than to go through the motions. Going through the motions makes us feel good, but having a relationship with God grounds us. So when the storm comes and it's coming and the wind blows and it's going to blow and the rain is coming, you are going to be able to withstand all those things because you're rooted and grounded in the kingdom of God and somebody say amen.

Amen. Grab your bibles. We're going to John chapter six, the book of John chapter six. While you're turning there, so the last two weeks, the first week we talked about understand the kingdom. The second week we talked about access the kingdom, and I'm happy to share with you that we had 20 people that made a decision and signed up for their next step to get water baptized. Oh, come on, you ought to be making more noise in that. The Bible says that all of heaven rejoices over one center that repent. You know how many people repent every day? That means heaven is literally turning up 24 7. This is why when we come to the house of God, I like to turn up because the Lord's just done too much for me. I can't keep it quiet. I'm sorry I tried it. It ain't great. Be quiet ain't great. I got to get loud about Jesus because if he gave his life for me, I can give my life right back. If he shed his blood, I can give him some praise. If he took the nails, I can clap my hands. If he had a crown of thorns on his head that I can lift my voice and give him praise, he's done too much for me.

John chapter six, verse number 22. On the next day, the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. Now, other boats from Tiberius came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum seeking Jesus. And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, rabbi, when did you come here? And Jesus answered them Truly, truly I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you for on him, God the Father has set his seal.

Then they said to him, what must we do to be doing the works of God? Jesus answered them, this is the work of God that you believe in him whom he has sent. So they said to him, then what sign do you do that we may see and believe you, what work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness as it is written. He gave them bread from heaven to eat. Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my father gives you the true bread from heaven for the bread of God, is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world? They said to him, sir, give us this bread. Always.

Oh man, I'm so excited about this message. My title for today is Benefits of the Kingdom, benefits of the Kingdom. Heavenly Father, we're so thankful that we're in your house. I pray that in the next few moments as we dig into your word, you would give us ears to hear, a heart to receive and a mind to understand what your word would say to us simple as to walk out of here different than the way we walked in that you will be done, that your purpose be accomplished in Jesus' name and everybody say amen one more time. Give Jesus some praise in this place. Benefits, we're all naturally wired to desire benefits from the moment that you breathe your first breath, you may not have known it but you were born wondering what is in it for me as a baby, you didn't decide to come into this world, your parents did, but soon as you arrived you were wondering, what do I get out of this deal? I know y'all are going to get cuddles and love, but what do I get as a baby out of being birthed? What are my benefits? And a benefit is an advantage or profit gained from something. It is an advantage or profit gained from something and we all naturally desire benefits. We naturally desire to know what is in it for me. Let me ask you this. How many of you have ever taken a job and not asked about the benefits?

You could even feel this the will of God until you hear the benefits. How many have ever said, you know what? I'm all in God. I'm about to do this. I'm about to take this job. And then when you hear the benefits package, you're like, God, I'm not sure that this is your will because my mentor said the will of God is always affordable. The reality is we will flip flop generally based on the benefits package besides the fact that we're wired toward wanting benefits. Our culture also promotes the idea that we should seek benefits that meet our expectations, wants and needs. And so what ends up happening is we start living life desiring benefits more so than the connection. So we'll make friends with benefits, we'll take jobs for the benefits, we will marry people for the benefits. We will buy the house because of the benefits. We will pick churches based on the benefits. And here's the thing, there's nothing wrong with actually wanting or desiring benefits. There's nothing wrong with having personal wants and desires, but lemme tell you something, in the kingdom of God, the kingdom doesn't bend and twist based on our preferences and wants.

We cannot approach the kingdom of God saying, I don't want get into the kingdom unless I know the benefits. Because if you have a mindset that says that I want to know about the benefits package first, then you'll always chase the benefits and not God.

In fact, the Unregenerated heart always seeks benefits that are opposed to the kingdom. The unregenerated heart always has desires and wants and needs and desires, benefits that actually pull you away from the kingdom. Let's look at what John says in one John chapter two, verse 15. Do not love the world or the things of the world. Remember, anytime you see this word world, it's talking about the kingdom of the world. So do not love the kingdom of the world or the things of the kingdom of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride of life is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

John tells us that when we are born in the sin and shape and iniquity, we come born into the kingdom of darkness. And when you're born into the kingdom of darkness, you are bent toward wanting the benefits of the world. You desire it. This is nothing new because let's go back to the garden. I always love to go back to the garden and look at Adam and Eve. When we look at the story of Eve's rebellion, why did eve actually rebel against the kingdom of God because of a desire for benefits? Think about this. Eve rebelled against the kingdom because she did a comparative analysis between what the benefits are that she received from God. You can eat of every tree, you're going to live in harmony with animals and your husband, you're going to be able to walk with me in the cool day. Those were the benefits of the kingdom. And yet there was another kingdom, the kingdom of the world, the kingdom of darkness that slithered his way into the garden and said, Eve, if you eat of the fruit, you'll be as God's yourself knowing good and evil. So now Eve has to decide between do I stick in the kingdom of God with the benefits I have or do I seek another benefit?

What draws us away from the kingdom of God is the desires to benefit our flesh. The problem with being motivated by benefits is that there will always be more alluring benefits. There will always be a younger man or woman. There will always be a faster car. There will always be a bigger house. There will always be a that pays more. There will always be a better preacher. There will always be you name it. So if you're motivated by just the benefits, you will always seek the benefits. In fact, today thousands of churches and preachers are preaching an incomplete gospel.

Pulpits are filled with people who are just telling people about the benefits of the kingdom and they're selling people short. They're going to tell you your breakthrough is coming, your blessing is on the way. Your finances are just waiting for you to snatch 'em up. Your healing is coming, your marriage is going to be fixed. But what happens if your marriage don't get fixed? What happens if your body doesn't get healed? What happens if your child is moving away from God instead of toward him? Because if you seek the benefits, you are always going to be chasing the benefits. And here's the problem, a lot of preachers, a lot of churches are selling people on benefits but never talking about the cost of admission. They're selling people on miracle signs and wonders, but never telling them that you will go through some hard times as a Christian, you will face some challenges and if you are rooted in grounded in benefits, you will miss the fact that you join a king. Dumb. Did you know that a kingdom is a kingdom? Did you know that a kingdom faces oppositions? Did you know that there are casualties in war? This is why the Bible says that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Wait a minute. Did you just say weapons?

Why else would you need weapons except for the fight? And I would be doing you a disservice if I preached an incomplete message and told you all about the benefits of the kingdom and not tell you that you may be called to take up arms. It's like a military recruiter telling a potential recruit about all the benefits that he's going to receive. Man, you're going to give free college, you're going to get room and board, you're going to get a stipend, you're going to get veteran benefits, you're going to get 10% off at Home Depot. You're going to, and you have so many people that are signing on the dotted lines based on the benefits that somebody told them. But what that recruiter failed to mention is you are joining the military and you know how many guys sign up for the military and then are shocked when they're getting deployed into a war zone. They're like, I didn't sign up. I signed up for the free college and now I'm dodging bullets. You signed up for the military. The same thing is true in the kingdom. When you join the kingdom, the kingdom faces oppositions because there's always other kingdoms of opposing the kingdom of God.

There will be some casualties, there will be some cuts and scrapes because when you're in the kingdom, the kingdom has to defend against invaders. The kingdom has to offend to gain territory. The kingdom always has to be sure to be ready for war. That Bible says put on the whole armor. Why else would you need armor? If all this is about is miracle signs and wonders? I know this ain't a popular message though, lemme tell you. It's a whole lot easier to preach about miracle signs and wonders as the benefits of the kingdom because it's alluring to people. But when you give people the reality that we don't join the kingdom because of the benefits, we join the kingdom because of the king of kings, your relationship with God has to be rooted in your relationship with God. This is why Jesus think about Jesus' recruiting strategy. Jesus does what he does and then when he gets ready to grab his disciples, he doesn't say, yo Peter, look at this pamphlet right quick on parchment in papyrus. Listen dog, you're going to walk on water. You're going to see blinded eyes open. You want to see lame legs leap, you're going to see the dead race, bro, you want to be part of the program.

Jesus simply says, follow me. No context, no benefits package. No discussion about what you're going to get out of it. Follow me. Oh, take up your cross and follow me. That's not a good selling strategy, but in the kingdom of God is counterintuitive right in the kingdom of God. Jesus said, let me tell you what the benefits are. If you want to be the greatest, you got to be least How's this for benefits? If you want to get ahead, you got to go low. If you want to be first, you got to be last. If you want to be a leader, you got to serve. That's the kingdom of God because the kingdom of God requires us to join without knowing what the benefits are.

But here's the secret of the kingdom. When you get in close proximity to kingdom, you will experience and see miracle signs and wonders. Why? Because there is a supernatural element to the kingdom that you cannot see. And so when Jesus shows up, he doesn't just show up with words, but he shows up with miracle signs and wonders. Jesus starts doing all of these miracles. He starts performing all these miracles. Whether he's turning water into wine or he's healing Peter's, he's doing all these signs and wonders and people are amazed by it. So they start following him. Here's the thing, you will see miracle signs and wonders, but let me tell you something, miracle signs and wonders are not for the benefit of the kingdom, but they're for the proofs of the kingdom. This is why you can have a miracle without being in the kingdom. And most of us were convinced about the power of the kingdom because something supernatural happened in our life before we joined.

But here's the caveat, we cannot chase Jesus because of the miracle signs and wonders because this is exactly what happened in John chapter six. Jesus has been performing all these miracles. Crowds are starting to gather around him, and then Jesus, he's sitting there teaching the people. There's a 5,000 men, not counting women and children, so about 15 to 20,000, maybe 25,000 people, they're all gathered there. Jesus is teaching them and somebody is like, I'm hungry. You've been preaching a while preacher I, I'm ready to eat. And Jesus says, Hey, what we got to eat? The disciples like, Hey, listen, we don't even have the money to feed all of these people much less. Get us a little something to eat. And Jesus says, well, what do we have? And some little kid who was a fan of Jesus is like, you can have my lunch.

I got two fish and five loaves of bread. So this kid offers it up to Jesus. And Jesus says, great, I'm going to use this to display the power of the kingdom. So Jesus begins to divide the fish and the loaves and he gives it to the disciples and he says, disciples, I need you to pass that out to the people. And 20,000 people were fed with two fish and five loaves of bread. And then Jesus says, yo disciples pick up the remaining fragments. And when they went and picked up the leftovers, there were 12 baskets leftover. Now, there's all types of theological conversations we could have around why they picked up 12 baskets. Maybe it was because Jesus was trying to show that when you serve others, I'm going to make sure that you're taken care of. It could be that Jesus said, listen, when I get ready to fill you with my blessings, you're going to be full. But not only are you going to be full, but you're going to be overflowing. It could be that Jesus was trying to tell them that when God does something in your life, he will do it exceedingly, abundantly. Above all that we are able to ask or think so that it just runs over. We don't know why, but Jesus was trying to display to them that there is power, supernatural power in the kingdom.

So then Jesus leaves there and he tells the disciples, yo, y'all go meet me on the other side. I don't know how Jesus did this, but somehow he ended up on the other side and the disciples are caught in a storm and Jesus is walking to them on water and they're like, what is going on? Jesus always got surprises. So we know the story. Peter's like, Hey, if it's you, Jesus bid me. Come on this water. And Jesus says, come. He walks on water. So now you have all these displays of supernatural miracles. It's no wonder then that the people, the crowd that saw and heard the kingdom that they would chase after what they perceived were the benefits of being in the kingdom. So they woke up and Jesus wasn't there. They said, where Jesus at? I'm hungry again. Where's Jesus? I need more fish. I need more healings. I want more signs. I want more entertainment.

So they find a way to get to the other side, and when they see they say, Jesus, how'd you get here? We were looking for you. And Jesus says, you are not looking for me. You are here because your bellies are full of loaves. You've gotten so full of miracles that you're seeking miracles and not the miracle worker. You are so consumed with the antics and the display of miracle signs and wonders that you are willing to cross the sea to get to me for more miracle signs and wonders.

Here's the problem. If you try to seek the kingdom just for the benefits, you will leave the kingdom just for the benefits. Can we talk about Judas? Yeah.

Judas, number one, he was a zealot, which means that he was very involved in a political scene of trying to overthrow the Romans and reestablish the Jewish kingdom as a physical kingdom. So when he hears about Jesus being the potential coming Messiah that was going to reestablish the kingdom, he said, I'm in. So Judas begins to follow Jesus and he sees all these miracles, signs, wonders, all the stuff that he perceives are signs that Jesus is about to reestablish an earthly kingdom that's Jewish. And yet when Jesus gets to the table and Judas realizes that Jesus is not going to do all these things that I expect him to do that are going to be beneficial to me, Judas sells Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver. Now, think about this. Not gold, not diamonds. Silver.

Why would he sell Jesus out for silver? Because he already had a money problem. Remember when the woman came with the alabaster box? He said, we could have sold this and made some more money. Every time I hang around you, Jesus, we making bad financial decisions. We are broke. We didn't even have enough money to buy us food, but soon as his perceived benefits were not met, he sold Jesus out. I wonder how many people sell Jesus out because their expectations aren't met. How many people will go to another church because they didn't get healing here? How many people run from crusade to crusade from one thing to the next, seeking these miracle signs and wonders seeking these benefits? The kingdom of God is the kingdom of God because it's ruled by the king of kings and our devotion to the kingdom can't be wrapped up intangible benefits because if it is, then we are going to make decisions just based on what we can touch and feel. Well, I didn't get my healing so I'm out. I didn't get my blessing, so I'm out. I didn't get the job, so I'm out. I didn't get that spouse. How did she end up with him?

I'm out. And so many people will make decisions about whether they want to be in the kingdom or out based on the tangible perceived benefits. What complicates it is a lot of churches will tell you that the benefits of being in the kingdom or all these blessings, let me tell you, God will bless you. God will heal you. God will do all manner things for you. But what happens if it doesn't happen? How many people have ever prayed for something and it hasn't happened yet? That's about everybody, right?

Because all of us know what it's like to pray for something that doesn't happen. We all know how to go through this relationship with God and be like, God, you know that I'm asking you to do this and why isn't it happening? Because God says, the benefits I actually have for you that are part of the kingdom are non-tangible. So you'd be wondering, all right then, what are the benefits of the kingdom? Well, I'm glad you asked. Let's go to Romans chapter 14, verse number 17. Paul breaks it down for us. He says, for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking. It's not a matter of tangible things. It's not a matter of filling your belly up. It's not a matter of meeting your own personal needs but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

The benefits of the kingdom have nothing to do with how many people receive a miracle. The benefits of the kingdom have nothing to do with how many people get financial breakthroughs, and I believe that God can heal you, and I believe that God can give you a financial breakthrough, but the greatest benefit that you get when you have access to the kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Why is this important? Well, let's define the first one. Righteousness. Righteousness literally means to be in right standing to be justified. One Corinthians six, nine says, or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither the sexual immoral nor adulterers, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunker, nor revilers, nor swindler will inherit the kingdom of God and such were some of you, but you are washed, you were sanctified, you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit and our God. The greatest benefit that you receive when you join the kingdom is that God justified you. You couldn't earn your own salvation. You were on your way to hell, and God stopped it and said, now they are righteous. They are justified. They're in good standing. When was the last time you gave God praise just for being saved?

If he doesn't heal my body, I'm still on my way to heaven. If he doesn't touch my mind, I'm still saved. If I don't get my financial breakthrough, I'm still making it to heaven. If I don't, I'm just excited that I'm righteous. You ought to get more excited about being saved than the things that you have because you couldn't earn that. You couldn't do it on your own, but Jesus came down from heaven. He bled and died on a cross. He was buried. He rose again. That's the greatest act of love. No greater love than any man than this that he would lay down his life for his friend and God justified us. The greatest benefit that you get from the kingdom is righteousness. Even when I don't act right, I'm covered by his righteousness. Even when I'm lying, he covers me with his righteousness. Even when I'm not doing the right things, he's still a right God. I can't get caught up in praising God for things that I receive that are tangible because I'm always going to want more, but if I get a love for Jesus just because he justified me, nothing I face can deter me.

I worship God because I've been made righteous. If he doesn't heal my body, I'm still justified. If my child doesn't get better, I'm still saved. If my marriage doesn't survive, he still justified me. If I don't get married next year, I'm still justified If how many of us would just get excited about being saved, just about being saved, just about being reconciled, just about Jesus snatching me out of the flames. That's a benefit. Righteousness. Well, not just righteousness, but peace. Peace is the absence of war. It means reconciliation. Philippians chapter four, verse seven says Like this and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, we'll guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. You ever have somebody go through the same situation that's not in the kingdom and tripping and you just, okay, and they ask you, why are you so calm? It's because I got peace that surpasses all. I don't even know why I'm this calm. I don't even know why I'm chilling. I don't even know why I get to sleep at night. I don't even know why I, I'm walking around with a smile on my face. Well, it didn't work out for you. I know, but I just got supernatural peace. It doesn't come from me. It comes from the kingdom and because I'm part of the kingdom, I get to rest in the peace. I can get peace in my mind

Because I'm part of, that's the benefit of the kingdom is that I can have peace in the middle of the storm. I can have peace in the middle of my decay. I can have peace in the middle of my struggle. I can have peace in the middle of the doctor's report. I can have peace in the middle of trying to discern and determine what to do with my business. I can have peace.

You can have peace. Did you know that as a beneficiary of the kingdom, you have access to peace? People have asked me often, how do you know something is the will of God? I tell 'em it's peace and they say, well, what do you mean? There is something about God giving you supernatural peace that doesn't make sense. You about to make a decision and don't have the money.

Why you got this piece? It surpasses understanding. I'm making this decision because I feel like the Lord told me. Why am I up here telling y'all that I'm praying for $1.2 million and not tripping because I got peace? When the Lord begins to tell you something, he'll also give you peace about it. Well, where's the evidence? You ain't going to understand?

It's peace that surpasses understanding and it will what guard. You know how many hearts are unguarded?

You can have supernatural peace. It's the benefit of the kingdom. Why? Because we serve the prince of peace. Peace to have peace means to not have war. If you have war, you need to ask God for the benefit of peace war in your own mind, and here's the thing, sometimes you're not going to walk in and do the things of God brave. You may be scared to death, but you can still have peace. You know how many things I do? Scared, trusting God, but scared, believe in God, but scared I believe, but help my unbelief. Right, but you can do that when you have peace.

Here's the third benefit of the kingdom Joy. Joy is not predicated on circumstances. Joy. The word joy means the emotion of great happiness and pleasure. Isn't it amazing that when the writer writes about this, he says, righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit for your charismatics, the righteousness, the peace and joy you receive is not from you. It's from the spirit of God in you. When you don't know what to do, tap into what you have inside of you.

Joy is not predicated on circumstances. You can have joy in the middle of turmoil. You can have joy in the middle of stuff that doesn't seem like you should be jumping. Why are they so excited? Because I have got supernatural joy. Here's what Psalm 1611 says to make known to me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy and at your right hand, our pleasure is forevermore. I'm actually a little grieved by how less joy there is in the church. There's like a heightened sense of awareness of trouble and turmoil. You want to know why? Because people are seeking tangible manifestations and when those tangible manifestations don't show up, they down and out, but I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart where? Down in my heart, where? Down in my heart. You need to start singing that Sunday school song again. Hey, yo, them kids are aware of something that we adults ain't. Why am I telling you about these benefits? Because I would be doing you a disservice if I painted this picture of the kingdom and the benefits of the kingdom of just being tangible things in your life. Do I believe those things can happen? Absolutely. Jesus said, the works that I do greater than these shall you do. What did Jesus do? Well, he did all these things and I believe we can operate in those things, but those are not guaranteed. You are not guaranteed to just have a plush life. You are not guaranteed to pray for somebody and immediately every single time they're healed. Walking in the kingdom requires faith, but you know what is guaranteed righteousness, peace and joy. Why are those things important? Because you can be like Joe and have everything taken away sitting there scraping boils off of you, having your friends ridicule you, having your wife turn on you and you can still have righteousness, peace, joy. What if it doesn't work out? What if you don't get the job? What if you don't get the healing? What if you don't get the breakthrough? What if you don't get the finances? What if your kid isn't coming back? What if you do end up getting divorced? What if your child is born with special needs? What if you have all these things you can still have righteousness, peace and joy.

Those are the benefits of the kingdom, and I would much rather have righteousness, peace and joy. Why? Because if it's just about healings, Lazarus did end up dying for real, for real. The second time, imagine being brought back to life and dying. Anyways, I'm sorry. That's not even part of my message. This is stuff that goes through my head, but if your whole relationship with God is just predicated on circumstance and blessings and blah, dah, dah, then when those things don't happen, it will threaten your devotion to God, but if your devotion to God is based on the fact that he's just king of kings and I've made this decision to follow him, you're going to have a wonderful life. I'm not saying free of struggle and temptations fights, but I'm saying in your heart, through the power of the Holy Spirit, you're justified through righteousness, you're reconciled through peace and you can smile through joy. I would much rather have those because the world didn't give it and the world can't take it away. This joy that I have, the world didn't give it, and the world can't take it away. This peace that I have, the world didn't give it and the world can't take it away. This righteousness that I have, the world didn't give it, and the world can't take it away.

This ain't going to make the top 100 most alluring messages, but I'm not here for clit. I'm here to help somebody get grounded in the kingdom because if you can get grounded in the kingdom, I'm telling you, you could face anything. Knowing that you're justified, knowing that you're reconciled, knowing that you have peace, and maybe you're in this place and you're going, I still need a miracle. Good, because when you get it, it's a proof of the kingdom, but I'm also here to tell you that if you don't get it, it'll be all right because you still got righteousness, peace and joy, righteousness, peace and joy, righteousness, peace and joy. When the boss is getting on your nerves this week, just tell yourself, I got righteousness, peace, and joy. When you get that report back that says you're not getting the house, it's all right. I got righteousness, peace, and joy. When those kids, I got righteousness, peace, enjoy when that spouses, I've been praying for 'em, God, but I got righteousness, peace, and joy. When you still going through chemo, I got righteousness, peace, enjoy what? I'm still having to go through. Dialysis. I got righteousness, peace, and what? I'm still having to take shock for insulin. I still got righteousness, peace. Enjoy what? I'm still single, bilingual and ready to mingle. I got righteousness, peace and God, please give me joy. It is your single person.

Thank you. Thank you.

Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the righteousness, the peace, and the joy that we have as benefits of the kingdom. Help us not to get caught up in chasing, eating and drinking miracle signs and wonders. Help us to recognize us as proofs of the kingdom and demonstrations of the kingdom, but help us to recognize that at a more deeper level, what will satisfy our heart and our soul is recognizing that you've made us righteous as the free gift that you've given us peace that surpasses our understanding and that we have access to joy that is not predicated on circumstances. I pray for everyone that hears this word that the seeds of your word would fall on good ground and that it would bear fruit in your name. I pray in the name of Jesus and everybody say amen.