We would all like to be the hero of our story. We all want to hear, “Well done.” We all like the sense of his favor to fill our sails and to touch the miraculous on occasion, i.e., to confirm He is with us.
The problem is the resistance is real. It’s not easy. Opposition comes from our head trash, our traditional beliefs about what is possible, and the army of institutional goons in our mountain who want to keep us in serfdom, or at least don’t know any better?
Matt. 23:13-14 – But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. NASU
It gets worse – We’re fuzzy on where the door is and what’s on the other side. Entering the Kingdom has some traditional definitions – that lead to somewhere (or nowhere).
- Kingdom is salvation – so after I’m saved, I’m waiting for heaven or the rapture
- Kingdom is the church – a lifetime of sitting in pews, potlucks, and home meetings
- Kingdom is my message or gift – an army of stage preachers looking for their next victim
Where is the door, and what does it open? Jesus said it’s the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. “Heaven” – That’s what sons do. They “go” to their Father’s house. The Bible is full of talk about going to Zion. Jesus went up to, or into, a mountain seven different times. Transfiguration was the most notable.
The only problem is that we don’t have a theology that supports going to the courts or council of heaven, so we write it all off until after we die, or we make a theological position that is virtually meaningless. We’re seated in heavenly places, but none of us have a clue what it means!
Matt. 16:19 – I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” NASU
Where’s the prayer closet? – Your prayer closet isn’t in your house; it’s in His house! Sons “enter” His council in heaven.
Matt. 6:6 – But you, when you pray, go into (enter) your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. NASU
Going Public – You will hear secret things in the secret place, but you can let the mouse out of the bag. Our job is to go to our Father’s house (Zion, heaven, council), find the secrets in His heart, and bring them to earth. What you see in heaven will expose darkness (binding) and prophetically create new blessings on earth (Loosing).
Matt. 10:26-28 – So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. NIV
Prov 25:2 – It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. NASU
The strategy (purpose) – All creation is waiting for sons (Rom 8:19) because they are the seers and doers who know how to ascend to heaven and bring stuff back. Jesus pointed to David’s example as the norm for us. He entered the house of God (Heaven, not the church down the street), and he got the showbread (God purposes and works) and did it all in spite of the institutional resistance (mostly between our ears).
Luke 6:3-5 – Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions. NIV
Make sense? Kingdom is getting much clearer. We’re bringing heaven to earth in every mountain. You and I are invited to “your Father’s house” – yup, it’s in heaven. Yup, it sounds mystical. You won’t get there through your mind – it’s an experience of the heart. Just like salvation, we experience it first and explain it second. We recommend the Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser and Seers and Doers by John Garfield for the foundation. Your questions do deserve solid answers.
The practice – Kingdom is practical, both wisdom and revelation (Eph 1:17). I’m bringing back purpose, ideas, and boldness that can be implemented in the here and now. AKA a product that has value for other people and sells for a profit that people happily buy. Entrepreneurial is an important expression of spirituality – Evidence you went to the Father’s house and brought something back!
The Father’s council for sons is real and so much fun that, like David, we naturally want to give some to our friends. We’re “compelling them” to what? “Come into His house.” Not just salvation, not just the church down the street; we’re inviting them into their purpose, their mountain, and reformation of nations. It is a party with a tribe — sons who meet with the Father in the council.
Luke 14:23 – And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in (enter), so that my house may be filled. NASU
Binding and loosing – There is also a personal aspect of entering. The Father knocks and ‘enters’ our hearts. We too, can enter the hearts of people and bring them what came from the council. Like David, we can share the showbread with our companions.
- We can loose the books of people and welcome them in the Kingdom via the council and their assignment. We can prophetically tell them their story and invite them into their heroic role. No one is resistant to such an invitation – to become themselves and get in touch with what God has already written in their hearts.
- We can set captives free of deception or oppression by the enemy. We can bind the spirit that is influencing them. You will see specific strategies for specific people in the council and effectively watch it happen in heaven before it happens on earth.
Rev. 3:20 – Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in (enter) and eat with him, and he with me. NIV
If the Father is knocking on the doors of hearts, so are we. We’re bringing the good news of Heaven to earth; salvation, discipleship, purpose, products that have value, and a strategy for the nations. It all starts in the Father’s house with His sons in the council.
Nations and Reformation – Sons go to the council, bring back purpose, and translate it into a sustainable business that produces a product with cash flow. They do one more thing. Their business also has an infinite or eternal purpose statement. They and their business are aligned with what sons see the Father doing. What is that? The Father is inviting us to ask for the nations (Ps. 2:8) and to disciple the nations (Mt. 28:19). That’s the great commission of the sons who populate the council (the ecclesia). Reformation is all about the Father’s heart to redeem and bless entire nations.
Gentlemen, start your Engines – The practical ramifications are sons who have a purpose and express that purpose entrepreneurially to produce something of value. Those businesses don’t just exist to profit shareholders. The corporate vision reflects an eternal purpose unique to the CEO and the kingdom purpose of the business itself. Long term, that’s good for the brand, employee participation, and customer loyalty. Everyone resonates with people and businesses who reflect the Father’s heart of love for nations and people. It’s the just cause and higher purpose that resonates much more than spineless vision statements on the walls of most corporate hallways. It all starts when we use the keys to open heaven’s door and walk in.
You’re Invited (to the dance) – We’ve developed two online courses to bring prophetic and practical clarity to your purpose, vocation, or business and a success path to seeking the Father in the courts of heaven and the council. It’s an experience with the Father and a relational tribe that works.
Stories from this tribe are here.
The Heart Plan ($997) – (www.OnlineHeartPlan.com) will help you fish your purpose out of the deep waters of your heart and get it in writing. Watch the free videos. You can take this class anytime or wait for the next round, and we’ll go through it again as a group with weekly zoom calls. The Heart Plan is based on the ideas in Releasing Kings.
Prov. 20:5 – The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
Seers and Doers ($997) – (www.Seers-and-Doers.com) will help you navigate the courts and council of Heaven with your Father and the Spirit of Wisdom in a practical way. Start with Seers and Doers via Amazon.com.
Ps. 84:7 – They go from strength to strength, every one of them appears before God in Zion. NASU
Scaling up to a Wealth Mentality ($97) – is our newest self-help course. We think you’ll enjoy it. Great lead up to the Heart Plan.
