Culture Of The Kingdom By: Dr. Pete Norris

Today, on Power in the World. Guys, come on. What's on the inside of us is the will to live. That's why when Jesus was in the garden, He didn't know how to die. You and I are so full of life. Life ought to be pouring out of us and not walking around discouraged and frustrated and looking like we've been run over and just don't have anything to be sucking a lemon. We ought to be some joy in our lives. Joy unspeakable and full of glory. Listen, get excited about what's on the inside of you. Get excited about what He's done and stop focusing on your problems. Your problems is not bigger than God. Welcome to Power in the Word. For most believers, our mind is controlled by the cares of life. The Word says that we should have the mind of Christ. So today, Dr. Norris shows us in the Word of God that our minds need to be renewed and transformed into a kingdom mindset that brings wisdom, peace, and success. You stay with us and be encouraged. We're going to get going here because we're going to talk about the kingdom of God. So I want you to understand tonight. You say, well, you talk about the kingdom all the time. Well, nobody else in the world is talking about it. Let's go to Matthew chapter 6. But seek first the kingdom of God. Now, where's the kingdom of God? In and out of us. Is it in everybody? Yes. And His righteousness and all these things. All these things will be added to you. Now, the word seek means to explore, search for. It means to go after.

And first means the principle or the chief thing. So in other words, it's the word proto in the actual Greek. So if I seek first, then what does that mean? It doesn't say seek Jesus. It doesn't mean seek religion. It doesn't mean seek stuff. It says seek the kingdom, and then all the stuff will be added to you. You don't seek the stuff. You seek the kingdom, and then the stuff will come. See, there's a lot of people seeking stuff. And you're not going to get the stuff until you understand the kingdom because the kingdom only functions by the principles of the kingdom on earth. Right? Ain't no farmer ever got a harvest if he didn't plant some corn. He can have all the seed he wants to in the barn, but if he don't put it in the ground, he ain't going to get nothing. Right? Think about it a minute. So how does the kingdom of God work? Well, Pastor, we give not to get anything back. That's not true either because Jesus sold his son to get a family. Was he not expecting anything back? He was just going to let his son die and not get anything back. That's the craziest thing I've ever heard. So if we'll seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and knowing that we're righteous. How many of you know you're righteous? 2 Corinthians 5.21. Him whom you know sinned became sin that you and I might become the righteousness of God. Look at somebody and say, I'm just as righteous as Jesus.

Hallelujah. I tell you, that excites me. To all these things will be added to you. Now look at 34. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, today, for tomorrow will worry about its own thing. The condition for the day is its own trouble. So he tells us, seek ye first the kingdom of God and don't worry about tomorrow. How many of you are worried about tomorrow? Most of you in here are worried about tomorrow. And the next day, and the next day, and then when you get 65, and then when you get 75, and then when you get 85, where are you going to be? You determine where you're going to be. Because, listen to me, God hasn't given you the grace for tomorrow's worries today. He's only given you grace for today. That's why new grace is every morning. Therefore, seek ye first. Well, Pastor, what does it mean? I want to be really real tonight and transparent. What does it mean to seek the kingdom of God? It means spending time with Him and understanding the way that He thinks. Because whatsoever a man thinks in his heart, that's what he is. The way you think, well, this is the way I was raised, then you don't understand the new creation. And, Silas, fill the room. Because the old guy and the old personality and the old concepts and the old things that was in your life, they're dead. That doesn't mean they're not going to resurrect. That means you can't give life to them. You can't feed them.

You can't talk with them, you've got to talk to them. So if I'm seeking the kingdom, what does that mean? That means I'm looking here to find the answers. I'm looking here to find the answers. If you want to know how to be a husband, well, here's the answer. If you want to know how to be a Dad, here's the answer. If you want to know how to be a believer, here's the answer. If you want to know how to be prosperous, here's the answer. If you want to know how to walk in hell, here's the answer. If you want to know how to be happy, here's the answer. Here's the answer. Here's the answer to everything in your life. This is the answer. When COVID came, this was the number one seller. For about 14 months, again. But nobody wanted it when COVID wasn't on the scene. This is how you're going to have your life force right here, guys. This Word has got to become you. And when this Word becomes you, then everything around you is going to change because you won't make the same decisions that you made before. Are you understanding me? So we've got to understand the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is a government. It's not a religion. You're not going to get enough faith to believe. You were born into enough faith to believe. So citizenship brings stuff. In other words, you're a citizen of heaven operating on the earth. But Matthew 6 and 10 says, Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it's done in heaven. But if you don't know how it's done in heaven, how are you going to do it?

And you have authority to do it in heaven because you're an earthly being in a heavenly body. Think about that just a minute. So don't follow God to get stuff. Seek the kingdom and the stuff's automatic. Stuff's automatic. Stuff's automatic. You ain't got to pray for healing. It's automatic in the kingdom. You ain't got to pray to get to heaven. It's automatic in the kingdom. You ain't got to pray to have joy. It's a fruit of the tree that you're living up. So think about it a minute. What is he talking about being a citizen of heaven? You and I are ambassadors in the earth for heaven. We're citizens of heaven. Paul said, I'm not from here. We haven't come to grips that we're not from here yet. We're so dominated by this that we don't understand that we're a heavenly being operating in a physical world and we have dominion and authority over it. Now, go with me to Matthew 19 and verse 27. And Peter answered and said, See, we have left all and followed you. And this is Peter talking. Peter was mouthy. Peter had a terrible temper. Peter would cuss you out. Peter denied he knew him. And then when he got somebody to preach, he said, Let's let Peter do it. What kind of grace has Jesus really got? Have we got a bunch of Peters in here? Yes. That gets mad and gets tore up and gets uptight and gets frustrated and whacks somebody's ear off, cuss them out and then pray for them. Amen? Think about it a minute. This is the Peter. He said, I've left everything to follow you. What? Therefore, what shall we have? How are we going to live here? Anybody ever said that? How are we going to live? I don't understand how we're going to make it in this world.

How are we going to live? Look at what 28 says. And so Jesus said to them, Surely I say to you, I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you will have followed me, will also sit on the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Now look at 29. Here's a powerful scripture. And everyone, I've been standing on this scripture for 20, 30, 35 years. 35 years I've quoted this scripture. It's in my Bible written everywhere. It's highlighted, it's highlighted, it's highlighted, it's highlighted. Why? I've done just that. Anyone who has left their houses, left their brothers, left their sisters, left their father, left their mother, I ain't left my wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, he'll receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life. Now it doesn't say anywhere that guy's going to get to go to heaven. But he said he's going to get a hundredfold when he leaves everything. Now think about it just a minute. What does that mean to you? Does that mean walking away from everything? Or does that mean leaving everything? He said, for my name's sake. He said, because of my name, if you leave everything, I'm going to give you a hundredfold. Now that doesn't mean a hundred times. That word means perpetual return. In other words, it's going to be coming, and coming, and coming, and coming, and coming, and coming, and coming, and coming, and coming, and coming, and coming forever. It means it's never going to around. And then you're going to inherit eternal life. It never says one time, and then you're going to go to heaven. Peter said, we've left everything.

He said, no, Peter, you don't understand. You've gained everything. Because now you've got the kingdom to follow you around. See, stuff's following you around, but you won't move fast enough to catch it. Stuff's wanting to bless you, but your head won't let it come to you. I'm being real now. You need to get this. God wants to bless you, but your head won't let you get it. Whether you believe in the law of attraction or not, it doesn't matter. It's true. You hang out with what you're going to be like. If you don't have somebody in your life that knows more than you, then you're hanging out with somebody that makes you comfortable all the time. If you're hanging out with somebody that makes you comfortable, you're not growing. Say amen or oh my. Let's go to Matthew 10, verse 7. Watch this. As you go, proclaim this message. The kingdom of heaven has come near. Now watch verse 8. Here's what he said to do. Pray for the sick that maybe they'll get better. He said, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give it away. Now, verse 8. This is the evidence of the kingdom culture. What is? The results and the signs that follow. He said, if you'll seek the kingdom of God, all these things will follow. What? Healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing those who have leprosy, driving out demons.

Freely you have received. Freely you should what? We are to activate a heaven culture on this earth. And if we don't understand. Listen to me. Jesus did not come with a religious fashion. He is not into religion. He was into a government. And the government will be upon his shoulders according to Isaiah. And that government in Isaiah chapter 9 was going to be upon his shoulders. And that government. would reign forever, he said. He was going to destroy the other kingdoms and this kingdom was going to reign forever. That was the kingdom of God. And he looked at them and he said, now, low here, low there, the kingdom's on the inside of you. Now activate that kingdom. Occupy until I come. And that's what he was talking about, the kingdom. He wasn't talking about going out and trying to win everybody in the world to Jesus. He wanted you to just go tell them what he'd already done for them and they could receive it from there. And if they just believe what he's done for them, they're saved and born again by the blood of Jesus Christ, because the blood of Jesus Christ is more powerful than any sin you and I can do. Amen? Now, watch this. I want you to see something. Go to Matthew 12 and verse 28. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon, epa, upon me. Jesus said, I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, surely then the kingdom of God has come upon me. I want to go down to Matthew 13 and verse 19. When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts. This is the seed sown along the path. In other words, think about it a minute. Jesus come and all he preached was the kingdom. And when he come back after the resurrection, he didn't heal one person, didn't lay hands on one person, didn't pray for one person, because it was illegal for him to function on the earth without a physical

body. He couldn't do any work on the earth without a physical body. Now, I want you to understand this. If you don't understand the kingdom, immediately your kingdom mindset wants to jump back to the religious thing. What about my serving? The world is... I get so tired of getting letters, and here's what they say. I tell you what, man, it's a privilege to serve Jesus. It's totally opposite. We're sons. We're not servants of the Lord. Amen? We are sons of God. There's a difference in a son. I don't know about you, but my son don't serve me. And Jesus said, I didn't come to be served, but I come to serve. So what did he come to serve us? He come to serve us life and give us life and life more abundantly. John 10 and 10. The thief come to steal, kill, and destroy, but I come that you might have life and have it more abundantly. Now, I want to stop right here just a minute, because I want to teach you a little bit. I want you to understand that God is the king or the ruler or the God of this world, the cosmos. He is not of the earth, because the earth is the Lord's according to Psalms 24 and 1. The Bible said, for God so loved the world, the cosmos, that he came into the world that whoever believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life. So his intention was designed for me and you to understand that the world system is where the kingdom functions. And he is the God of this world. The Bible said if they'd have known, they would not have crucified him. If they'd have known what? He was going to be after the resurrection. So you and I've got to discover what he is after the resurrection. Satan is in 24 times in the Old Testament, 11 times in the book of Job. He's 34 times in the book of in the New Testament, in the four Gospels and the epistles. How did he get so much power in the church? Because the church talks about how much power he's got. Well, I tell you, praise God. I've had a time with the devil this week. Praise the Lord. A devil gave me a flat tire. I ain't never seen a flat tire without a hole in it. Devil didn't have nothing to do with giving you a flat tire. You just got a flat tire because you hit a nail. Amen? Come on, let's stop giving the devil any kind of power and glory and talk about this resurrected Christ that's alive and authority and in power and ruling and reigning on the earth. Because the Bible said in 1 John 3 and 8, the Son of God come to destroy the works of the devil. He either ways defeated him or didn't. Think about it. We have given him so much

power in our lives. And we've given him so much authority. We've given him so much credit. Because here's the church, if they're not in a spiritual warfare, then they're not walking with Jesus. Jesus wasn't in spiritual warfare. He spoke to the devils and they flee. Now that didn't mean in the wilderness he didn't go through some stuff. Sure he did. But he conquered that stuff and come out with power and spirit. The power and spirit when he came out of the wilderness. Right? Where did he get the power from? The Bible says he was endued with power from on high. The Bible says me and you being endued with power from on high. The same Peter that cussed everybody out was filled with the Holy Ghost in the book of Acts. And spoke in tongues and didn't preach a message. 3,000 people got saved. The reason 3,000 got saved was because 3,000 died at the Mount of Sinai. When they touched it, when they touched the Ten Commandments, Jesus was just restoring everything that had been lost. He's restored everything to you that's been lost in your life. The Bible said if he can be found, he's got to restore sevenfold. Sevenfold. And he'll do just that, guys. He wants to bless you, but you need to stop. I'll tell you, I bless God. I love Jesus, but I'm going through some battles. Get over your battles. It's time to walk in Jesus. some victory and stop with the battles and depression and all those things that eats us alive because you know what we gotta get to a point at some place that, listen it's got Ephesians 4 27, you know what it says neither give place to the devil neither give place to it, now the word place is the word topos in the Greek and it means don't give him an opportunity don't give him no kind of figurative imagination don't give him anything to work with, he's defeated guys now he's either way defeated or we're fighting a losing battle he's defeated, he's been destroyed, he can't even accuse us anymore in heaven because God took the blood and went up to the mercy seat and placed it on the mercy seat he could walk to and fro in heaven and accuse Job but he can't do me and you anymore because Jesus died on a cross and descended and ascended up into heaven and placed the blood now the heavens are clean and he can't even dwell there, now heaven is invaded earth

don't give him a foothold in your life man and you're coming through that see guys we've been through some stuff but the things that we've been through is to show us how big God is, it ain't to destroy us I love first Corinthians 10 and 13, I must have quoted it two three hundred times at night during my battle days, now I don't mean I don't have some battles now, I do but I've learned how to fight the battles, I've learned it ain't my battle he's fought the battles for me, he's won but first Corinthians 10 and 13 says no temptation has overtaken you except such as common to a man but God is faithful who not allow you to be tempted beyond what you're able but with the temptation will also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it so you know that he can't win, he's not going to put more on you, he's going to take you out that's the only thing right there, that scripture right there kept me from committing suicide revelation is not cheap but there's some things you're not going to learn without a test and you cannot have a testimony without a test and the way that we think and the way we grow up brings us some of those tests it doesn't mean you ask for them, you don't know any way but those tests are you with me? So I want you to walk out of here, so Pastor Pete said just get over it that's not what Pastor Pete said Pastor Pete said when you get enough wisdom and enough knowledge of the things of God you'll rise above those situations and those thinking processes that you have because here's the thing guys, you're never gonna measure up to your own mindset, see you judge yourself based upon your ability instead of the ability of the spiritual realm of what he's given you but listen to me, we preach the effects of the kingdom instead of the kingdom, the effects of the kingdom is prosperity, healing, joy and peace these things are part of the culture of the kingdom, but I want you to understand something

when a king is over a kingdom, the representation inside that kingdom either honors the king's name or depletes his name, so we understand according and that's not the way religion works, but you and I are kings and priests on the earth so the way that we represent the kingdom is gonna be for his name's sake and watch this, I want you to see this go with me to John 14, 13 through 17 whatever you ask in my name, there it is, that name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son, look at verse 14 if you ask anything in my name, I'll do it is that pretty cut and dry? Why don't it happen? verse 15, if you love me keep my commandments 16, and I pray the Father and he'll give you another helper that he may abide with you forever, now look at verse 17 the spirit of truth whom the cosmos cannot receive because it neither sees him or knows him but you know him for he dwells with you and he will be in you the spirit of truth is on the inside of you, that's the Holy Spirit correct? Now that spirit of truth, he said whatever you ask in my name why did he give you the power of that name? Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that name, so why did he give you that name? He said whatever you ask in my name that will I do, I'll do it, I'll do whatever you ask in my name where did he get that name? I want to stop just a minute how many of you know that God and Jesus is the same person? How many of you know that if I say Jesus that's God on the earth, right? Correct? So we understand that that name means it's signifying God's name, right? Correct? So whatever you ask in that name I've put my spirit of truth in you that dwells in you

and shall be upon you and now whatever you ask in my name that will I do so why isn't those things happening in our lives? you understand that. Go me to John 16 23 now. In the day you will ask me nothing most assuredly I say to you whatever you ask the father in my name he'll give it to you. Whatever you ask my father in my name he will give it to you. Whatever you ask my father in my name he'll give it to you. Do you believe that? So why did he say it if it isn't true? Why are so many people asking for things and they're not getting them? First John chapter 2 verse 12. Watch this, this is a powerful scripture right here. I write to you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake. Not yours. Your sins are forgiven because it makes his name look bad if they're not. Did you see that? He didn't forgive them for your namesake he forgave them for his namesake. So all your sins, so when you stand up and say you know what my sins ain't forgiven, then you're tearing down his name. Because I write to you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his namesake. See his name is powerful and when you don't give that name that prestige that it deserves he's not going to function through those religious systems because he's a king. He's a king of kings and a lord of lords. So that means he's got some little kings and some little lords. And Revelation 1 and 6 says me and you are kings and priests on the earth. And Revelation 5 and 10 says me and you are kings and priests on the earth and we are going to rain on earth. Right? So where's the rain in part going to take place? When's it going to take place? When are we going to walk in victory? When are we going to rise above? When are we going to rise above?

When are we going to rise above? When are we going to talk in the right talk? When are we going to get away from the frustration and discouragement and disappointment and every day is a battle. I'm just trying to hold on. My goodness I've got problems here and problems there and problems here. Have you noticed some people have problems and just follow them around? It's a common denominator to that bad boy. Here's what I'm trying to say. If you do the same thing you've been doing you're going to get what you've been getting. And if you don't change what you're doing and think differently than you think most people, listen to me, most people are not bad people. I think something the Lord has given me is a pretty good gift. I can see good in everybody. I can see good in everybody when most people don't see good in everybody. Because I'm not looking for the bad in people. Because here's what I've discovered. If I'll feed your good, your bad will starve to death after a while and die off. But it's only when you talk about that bad all the time does it continue to live. You give life to your bad. That's how the devil's got so big in the church because they've talked about him for so long. But if you don't talk about him, I ain't talking about him because I don't like him. I lived with him for a long time. We slept together and had all kinds of times. Right? But when I got changed, my life changed. But for 15, 16 years, I wrestled with the devil every day because I didn't understand who I was. And you say, why do you talk about it so much? Because we haven't gotten it yet. If we had it, all the troubles we're dealing with wouldn't be troubles all the time. Think about it. You create, 90% of what you create, you create them yourself by the way you think, guys. And I'm not trying to be mean right now, but the way you think is going to determine what's the outcome in your life. And if you think wrong, you can't. Listen, people can't make wise decisions if they don't have any experience in their life but bad experiences. If you don't have the wisdom to make a wise decision, you can't make it.

That's why people make so many bad, terrible decisions financially. Why? Because we haven't had any training. So the decisions you're going to make is based on what you do. See, listen to me. But here's the thing. Your mind is the most powerful thing in the world. Have you ever seen people, they'll be on their deathbed and the will to live that's on the inside of them will be so strong that somebody coming from some other place will show up and then they'll die after that person shows up. But they waited until that person got there. Guys, come on. What's on the inside of us is the will to live. That's why when Jesus was in the garden, he didn't know how to die. You and I are so full of life. Life ought to be pouring out of us and not walking around discouraged and frustrated and look like we've been run over. And just don't have anything to be like been sucking a lemon. We ought to be some joy in our life. Joy unspeakable and full of glory. Listen, get excited about what's on the inside of what he's done and stop focusing on your problems. Your problems is not bigger than God. Go with me to Matthew 6 and 10. Your kingdom come, your will will be done. Your will will be done. Your will will be done. Your will will be done on earth as it is. Listen, if you don't do it, somebody will. I promise you. I've seen it. I've seen it before. People say, well, you know, Pastor, this is, this is, this is, you know, that, that happens and this happens.

What are we going to do? Here's what I've seen. Somebody show right up. Because what God's going to do, he's going to do. He'll get somebody to do it. If I quit today, he'd have somebody here next week. Because we get in that mentality like Elijah, you know. Elijah went into the cave and said, Lord, I'm all alone. He was running from Jezebel. He whipped all the men and now he's running from a woman. I don't quite get that, but anyway. He's in a cave and he said, Lord, I'm the only one you got. You know, I've been sacrificing for you. I've fought the battles and I've won. And now I'm running from Jezebel because she's trying to take me out. And God said, I've got 6,000 more like you, brother. Go to Matthew 24, 14. Now I'm almost through. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the cosmos as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come. Now guys, I want you to understand something here. We've taken this Matthew 24 and we've made it for today. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the cosmos and a witness to all the nations and then the end will come. Now, what ends he talking about here? He's talking about the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament. He's not talking about the end of the world because the world, I hate to tell y'all, but it's never going to end. I mean, I ain't trying to mess you up and tear up your little religious mess, but all the Democratic Party and the Republican Party and all those things that are fighting each other left and right, the kingdom of God is going to stand. I'm not getting tore up about any of that. I'm just going to keep my eyes on the kingdom and I'm going to preach the kingdom and I'm going to trust the kingdom and I'm going to believe the kingdom and I'm going to operate the kingdom and when all the world falls apart, I'm still going to be standing. Why? Because the kingdom is going to stand, man.

You hear me? The kingdom of God is going to stand, whether we're in it or whether we're not. I want to go to one more time. I want to go to Acts 28. Now I want to go to 30. Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house. He didn't have a house of his own. He rented a place. And received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concerns the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no more forbidding him, no one forbidding him. Now, I want to stop right there. So Paul lives there and he preaches what? I don't see anything about the end of time or eschatology or the Lord coming back. For two years, he just preached the kingdom of God, teaching him the things concerning the Lord Jesus with all confidence, no one forbidding him. If it was good enough for Paul, and that's probably what Paul preached, then what do you probably need to be listening to? People are looking for the answers and the answers are in the kingdom. Until you understand the kingdom, you're not going to walk in victory anyway. What I mean by that is as long as you're looking at a religious system, you're never going to have peace. You're never going to have joy. You're never going to have contentment. You're going to fight the devil all the time because you don't know what you believe. If the devil is defeated, then you're not fighting him. Thank you so much for joining us today at Power in the Word. All of us here at Harvest Fellowship Church want you to know that God is not mad with you, but he loves you so very much, and he has a plan for your life. Please feel free to contact us here at Harvest Fellowship Church at our website, HarvestFellowshipChurch.net. So until next week, please remember, there's power in the word.