SERMON TITLE: The three golden crowns

SYNOPSIS

The Church’s mission is to overthrow Satan’s kingdom by rejecting worldly compromise and operating in holy power.

TRANSCRIPT

Praise the Lord! And I say, peace be unto you, people of God.

I greet you in the name of the master Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Savior, Redeemer, King of glory, beloved people of God. The Lord Jesus Christ was sent by the Father—or, if you will, by the Triune God in agreement—to come down to Earth on a special mission.

That mission is one, to reconcile the world with the Triune God led by the Father. Number two, to save man from sin and end the oppression of the law of sin and death, thus preventing the consequent sorrow, disruption, and destruction of the intent and purposes of the Creator for humanity, creation, and the entire world. Three, to redeem man and creation from weaknesses, corruption, and decay and restore the fullness of power, beauty, and glory to man and creation, bringing all things to their former position and glory, that is position ante (previously). Number four, to overthrow and bring an end to Satan, man’s rebellion, disobedience, kingdoms, and world order, judging and destroying the systems of destruction, disorder, and wickedness, pain, suffering, and woes that have engulfed the earth, so peace and goodwill will reign on earth. Five, to rebuild, establish, and install the Triune God’s light and law, dominion and honor, worship and observance of God’s kingdom order on earth as prevails in heaven. In short, the kingdom of heaven will be established on earth. God’s absolute supreme sovereign reign and rule of all creation shall be the new thing.

For this cause of bringing heaven and earth under the absolute supreme and sovereign control, reign, and rule of the Father, Christ has built and established the Church and given her full authority and power under His order, supervision, and control, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. This means the Church’s establishment and mission works on earth are of the order, direction, purposes, and glory of the Father; the Church’s mission is of holy orders from heaven. The Church’s mission on earth, in effect, is to bring restoration of all things in both heaven and earth into the worship, honor, dominion, and supreme sovereign reign and rule and glory of the Father. Thus, the Church was given authority and power to break and overthrow Satan’s dominion, kingdoms, reign, and rule on earth. The Church was also given the key to heaven for redeemed and restored creation to enter, be acceptable in, and be established in the kingdom of heaven. You are a Christian today, and you can be a member of the kingdom of heaven; you have a key to enter heaven. You don’t need to die to go to heaven; you are in heaven today. The gates are open wide, and you can come and go anytime you want to have fellowship with God, even while you are in your bedroom.

A major problem today is that the church is being treated as a business. Some are making the church mission a business, expecting returns and profit from the anointing and the name of Jesus. My brother and sister, if you are one of them, you are in total disorder. To say that the anointing upon you and the power of the Word is just to give you money and power—that it is a business—is a hellish decision. The church is set to go against the gates of hell, but you have compromised with hell and are putting on its garment. Shame on you. There is a particular type of theology, very popular in the especially Pentecostal and charismatic community, that insists money, power, possessions, and property is evidence that you are successful. These people are only interested in the cares and concerns of this world. This is what chokes the seed, preventing it from maturing and bearing fruit. There is something diabolically wrong that has set in, which is why the Lord is concerned about the church coming back to a true holy position. The church’s authority and power is to confront the gates of hell and to offer the key to heaven. All your Christendom and power shouldn’t be to possess cash or to serve money.

Christ, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and the Church—that is, redeemed and born-again people of God established on Christ’s side—form a triumvirate. This great triumvirate’s ultimate aim is to make God the Father remain the only one God and to bring heaven and earth together under His kingdom, worship, reign, and rule. The key to operating in this power is a righteous working relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit, in obedience to the Word of God. Operating in this realm, where you are casting out demons with the Holy Spirit, is evidence that the kingdom of God has come and you are walking in heavenly kingdom glory terms.

The rewards for faithful service until the end are the three Golden Crowns:

1. The Crown of Righteousness: This is the basis for holiness and righteousness in worship and service. It requires consistent, non-changing, non-impeachable belief, faith, trust, and hope in, and obedience of God.
2. The Crown of Life: This is for a diligent and faithful life, maintained through consistent love, faith, hope, trust, and obedience of the Father, His voice, that is the Word of God. If you honor the Word, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, you have a crown of life.
3. The Crown of Glory: This is the reward of the new birth—entry into divine nature, grace, and glory. Walking, working, and performance with the Holy Spirit is the demonstration and proof of ministry in heavenly kingdom glory terms and realms.

Beyond the crowns, the Bible also reveals twelve distinctive categories of honor and glory for the children or servants of God. They are described after the twelve distinct precious stones or pearls on the twelve gates of the City of God (like Jasper, Sapphire, and Amethyst). These represent the distinctive features of standing beauty and glory for the works of individual saints and churches.

The path to glory is found by studying Christ’s encounter with the devil in Matthew chapter 4. Christ was sent to break, overthrow, and end the Satan-man rebellion, dominion, and kingdom order. Satan was prepared to offer Christ all the dominion and control of the world’s kingdoms if Christ would bow and worship him. Christ refused to take the bait. The challenges Christians face today mirror the choices Christ faced:

1. The promotion of self as God, controller, and determinator of your life and mission.
2. Working for self-honor and glory in the background of service of God.
3. Working on a Satan-man platform, accepting the offer of dominion in Satan’s kingdom order and glory on earth.
4. Diversion to purely human kingdom glory order by joining secular and academic groups for worldly validation.
5. Standing in God’s Kingdom Glory Order: Christ’s choice requires consistency, determination, and persistence in the rejection of self, Satan, and man’s kingdom reign and rule on the earth.

This earth is in captivity and needs help. If you have God’s help to break the chains of captivity, you must be consistent, determined, and stand with God even if the whole world turns against you. The Golden Gate Seminar will address these challenges in Jesus’ encounter with the devil as a basis of counsel and holiness unto God by the church.

Choose you where you belong: Satan, man, or God and His Christ order.

AMEN.