DEVELOPING A KINGDOM MENTALITY

[Albert Finch]

"For she said within herself, 'If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.'" (Matthew 9:21)

To touch God, we are to be properly positioned to endure the "press." The woman with the issue of blood pressed past the multitudes to "touch Jesus." As a result, she was made whole. This woman was desperate. She suffered with an unclean condition and none of those who were considered "unclean" were allowed within the city gates. This desperate woman moved beyond religious tradition, pressed past religious legalism, and reached out to touch the Lord for what she needed.

To fully develop a Kingdom mentality, we must press beyond religious mindsets and touch the hem of His garment. As a result, our minds can be healed, our bodies will be strong, and we can enter into our new season with the mind of Christ and His Spirit of might upon us!
The word "whole" in this passage is a Greek word, sozo, which is translated as "to save" -- also "to heal". Put simply, if we touch Him, we can be healed from issues of fear, physical infirmities, and the stronghold of death and destruction.

BECOMING HIS FIREBRANDS

The word "touch" in this passage refers to a "clinging to." It means "to fasten oneself, and adhere to." Once you pour out your heart to Him in intimate prayer, then you just cling and adhere to Him and not let go! Another meaning of touch is to "set a fire," and "to fasten fire to a thing.
This is how we can become His "firebrands" upon the earth and set our environment ablaze with His glory!

Only by clinging to Him and His direction, do we become empowered to make a divine shift and remain in proper alignment.

It is time for us to align ourselves with God's government and shift into our new season. However, to totally shift, we are must press beyond our circumstances and religious belief systems. We are being challenged to press beyond the pressures of our own abilities to make things happen, and press only to look to Him.

Many of us thought it difficult to touch Heaven, as if we had to do everything right and perfect. However, touching Heaven is very simple, just:
WORSHIP HIM, CLING TO HIM, AND NEVER LET GO!

If we do this, He promises to burn away everything displeasing to Him, and rekindle a fresh desire to serve Him.

A PARADIGM SHIFT IN OUR THINKING

Developing a Kingdom mentality requires a paradigm shift in our thinking. As we embrace the Kingdom message, many of us are challenged with RELIGIOUS MINDSETS, OLD BELIEF SYSTEMS, and OLD PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR. To truly embrace the new will require that we let go of the old. The only way for us to do this is to trust the Lord and attach ourselves securely as we continue to touch Him.

In 2 Corinthians 10:4, Paul addressed these strongholds and also stated that they were to be pulled down, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." The word "stronghold" is a Greek word ochuroma, which means a "fortress, a castle, or a citadel."

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)

This passage speaks of divine government, His government, of which there will be no end. Jesus came to establish His order upon the earth. As we gain further revelation of His divine attributes, our lives will realign with His purpose for our lives (our DESTINY in Christ). We need to allow His Spirit to "counsel" us because we cannot trust ourselves. We are limited to our knowledge of the past, and our mindsets can limit how we perceive God.

He wants to pour more anointing upon each of us. He is measuring our attitudes and belief systems to determine if our levels of faith and trust are acceptable to receive His new levels of power and anointing.

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