Citizenship

In John 18:36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this earth".  When Jesus began to step out in His ministry many people thought He would raise up an earthly kingdom that would challenge the Roman Empire.  But Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom, the church.  The Church is the kingdom of Jesus Christ, His word is our government and we are His citizens.  The church is the most powerful institution in the world today.  We don't have a lack problem, we have an identity problem.

We become citizens of this kingdom through our spiritual birth.  Whenever a child is born on American soil, his birth gives him automatic citizenship in this country.  It's the same way when we are born again.  My outward man was born in Hamilton Ohio.  But my inward man was born from above.  The born again spirit was birthed on Kingdom soil and his birth gives him automatic citizenship. 

As citizens of the kingdom we have civil rights.  Our civil rights are healing, prosperity, peace, joy etc.  These are things that I have a right to just because I was born into the kingdom and have become a citizen.  It's just like in America.  We have civil rights in this country that are ours because we have been born here and are citizens.  typically in the church we call these things promises and gifts.  But when you have a kingdom mindset they are your rights. 

Seeing these things through the eyes of citizenship is so much more powerful.  Because in most peoples minds you can associate failure and disappointment with promises and gifts.  We've had people promise us stuff and not keep their word.  We've had gifts taken back because we didn't do something right or when we opened them it wasn't what we wanted.  But when we think of civil rights we think of something that can't be denied.  We think of something that will be awarded in a court of law.  When we understand that healing, prosperity, peace, joy and all these other promises are things that the kingdom will not keep back from us we will put the devil under our feet and rise up.

Also, when you think citizenship it gets rid of religion.  Religion is man's way of getting to God.  Religion is do this and do that and maybe God will accept you.  Religion tells us we have to earn the blessings of God.  But the civil rights that I have in America are mine not because I earned them.  They are mine just because of my birth here.  It's the same way in the kingdom.  I have a right to healing and prosperity just because of my birth.  Not because I've done something that makes me worthy.  Now somebody before me worked and sacrificed for my rights in America, from the soldier shedding his blood to the congressman debating in the town hall.  But not me.  I just receive by my birth what they worked for.  In the kingdom Jesus worked for my rights.  He gave His life on a cross for all the blessings I have today.  So now by my birth alone, not by my works, I receive and enjoy my rights that Jesus died for!