Kingdom Impact from Bishop Ronald Powell on Vimeo.

Kingdom Culture – Kingdom Impact – A World Transformed

Kingdom of God culture is a war for dominion, kingdom against kingdom, values against values, truth against lies, and light against darkness.

You are in a spiritual war. Scripture confirms that you have spiritual authority to cast out devils, bind and loose, and use the Name of Jesus. Scripture declares, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). Strong holds are strongly fortified defensive structures. These structures are fortified belief systems known as kingdoms.

Christians are in a war for dominion, kingdom against kingdom, culture against culture, values against values, truth against lies, and light against darkness. Paul spoke of the war saying it’s not against flesh and blood but spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. These heavenly places are “commanding heights.” In other words, they are dwelling places where demonically influenced rulers reside, govern, and oversee their agendas.

Sometimes we forget that evil spirits teach. They have wiles, seductions, philosophies, beliefs, values, and world views. They pass these on to men that pass them on to others. When men gather around these demonically inspired teachings, they develop a kingdom. Kingdoms are recognized by culture. Cultures can conflict. The kingdom of darkness, for example, will conflict with the Kingdom of light.

The Kingdom of God conflicts with other kingdoms for dominion. The “type of conflict” may change depending on the city or nation you reside. I want you to start seeing yourself however as a kerux, an official representative of the Kingdom of God and well able to deal with kingdom conflict.

Embracing your ministry as a kerux representative will help you understand Christian culture, values and the spiritual warfare you are involved from a different perspective. Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles. He also described his calling as apostle and preacher,

“Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles” (2 Timothy 1:11).

The word “preacher” in Greek is kerux. The verb to preach is kerusso. Historically a kerux was an official representative of a kingdom sent by a king to convey his wishes, laws, values, culture and expectations. Without the ministry of a kingdom kerux it was impossible for people to understand how to transition their lives and society to match that of their king. So when the Apostle Paul described his call as apostle and preacher (kerux) you can understand better what he meant.

KINGDOM OF GOD CULTURE

Every kingdom has seven cultural elements including language, economic system, religion, social organization, customs and traditions, government, and arts, literature, music, and fashion. The Kingdom of God has the same basic cultural elements such as:

1. Language

Christians can be identified around the world by their language. We recognize other Christians because they believe, speak and take action based on the Word of God.

2. Economic system

Christians engage the economic system of the Kingdom of God by acting on Kingdom economic principles like the lifestyle of faith in God, giving and receiving, sowing and reaping, working hard, multiplying, producing, increasing, subduing and taking dominion.

3. Religion

The religion in the Kingdom of God is Christianity. A Christian looks only unto Christ, not the State, as protector, provider, king, lord, and savior.

4. Social organizations

Social groups consist of such things as local Christian churches, Christian schools, orphanages, medical clinics, and mission organizations.

5. Customs and traditions

Customs and traditions include baby dedications, Christian covenant marriages between a man and woman, water baptism, Communion, and Christian holidays like Resurrection Sunday and Christmas.

6. Government

The Church, family, Disciples and Kingdom of God are governed by the Word of God, biblical law, ordinances, sanctions and the authority of local church leadership and fathers as head of households.

7. Arts, literature, music

Within arts and literature, Christians have the Bible, Christian books and music.

KINGDOM OF GOD VALUES

Scripture says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). Every kingdom, including the Kingdom of God, has a culture. Not only do kingdoms have a culture they have values. Values represent the very fabric of culture and society. Throughout the world, we see a rapid decay of morals and an escalation of corruption and violence. This escalation of social chaos has much to do with the promotion of demonic kingdom values. As Christians, we have instructions for partaking in the divine nature of God and escaping corruption within a society as we put first Kingdom culture and values.

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:3-8)

To escape the degeneration of society scripture teaches you to embrace biblical values. Values are at the core of your soul. They define your understanding of right and wrong, good and bad, and determine how you see the world. Notice Peter uses words that describe Christian values such as faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

The spiritual warfare against principalities and powers can be seen in the warfare against Christian values. You are not just waging war against some unseen spirit but “the teachings of these spirits” that are promoted by people. In other words, spirits use people to advance their culture, principles, worldviews, and values. These are the strongholds we are waging warfare against.

When someone attacks you as a Christian what are they attacking? Is it your gender, skin color, social status, financial condition, family name, job type, education, faith, or religion? Or is it your Christian values? When you find yourself in conflict what’s the conflict about? I submit that it has much to do with the Christian values that you stand for.

Values can be shared with others and draw people groups together. Christian values are under attack. Cultural Marxism, for example, has attacked Christian values with political correctness. When Christian values conflict with worldly values you often hear accusations like you’re homophobic, intolerant, or judgmental. Marxists are masters at killing the messenger while ignoring the truth of the message.

The America we grew up in held to biblical values. Not anymore. That’s the America that was. Biblical values are under attack by God haters. These God haters have hijacked many kingdoms in our nation including media, Hollywood and schools. They promote their values in public universities, schools, government organizations, media and news outlets. These are the sons of Cain that didn’t want to submit to God but built in rebellion the first secular humanistic kingdom (Genesis 4:17). These reprobates are found in some writers, editors, producers, media people, bureaucrats, academics, entertainers, lobbyists, lawyers, policy makers, planners, artists, analysts, consultants, and even pastors of churches. They are the modern version of scribes and Pharisees.

Together we can win the battle of kingdoms. Our nation, our children, our families do not belong to Satan. Let’s have the same spirit as Caleb, “They are bread for us. Let us go up at once for we are well able!”