Kicking Butt and Taking Names

The final part of Chapter two is an exciting one!

Daniel is about to interpret King Nebby’s dream. If you need, take a moment and read over the dream in verses 31-34.

Basically, Daniels interpretation is telling of coming ages and kings and authorities. What those kingdoms are is debatable, but we’re not going to go there. We’ll stick to thing that we can really take home and put into action in our lives.

Slide down to verse 44.

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will endure forever.”

This Kingdom, dear ones, is the ushering in of the Kingdom of God.

So, what exactly is the Kingdom of God?

In the Bible it can be different things.
Heaven
The Church
Us
Israel
2nd coming

But, for our purposes, I want us to hone in on one thing: the Kingdom of God as Christ’s rule and authority over all things.

Matthew 4:23 says, “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.”

I’ve noticed that when Jesus came to earth he began exchanging Satan’s rule for His own. He would come in a heal sickness. Exchanging the Devil’s rule of sickness for His rule of health.

He would come in and drive out demons. Jesus came in and literally with a word would take back territories as His own. He absolutely would exchange Satan’s rule and claim it as His own. He did it in the lives of people. He did it in cities. He did it in the unseen heavenly places that will be reserved for us to see when we get there. He took back everything the Devil had stolen. And He did it with authority and POWER!

He did it in so many ways. He ushered in God’s authority over the earth, crushing every “kingdom” set up against His.

This Kingdom brought authority:
-over sin
-to give us the Holy Spirit
-to transform hearts and minds
-to release power in prayer
-to wage war in the spiritual realms
-to bless men with God’s rule
-to deliver us from bondage and set us free

The Kingdom prophesied by Daniel is here and now. As followers of Christ, we have the Spirit of Christ in us. The Bible teaches in Colossians 2:10 that we have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Having been given fullness in Christ is having the full portion of Christ’s Spirit in us. Meaning, He now has the power and authority over everything in our lives.

What does that look like practically?

His authority, His rule, His say so has done three things for us:

1. Supplied Victory over Death

Hebrews 2:14-15 “…he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

He conquered death! Death is not supposed to happen. That’s why funerals are so crappy and feel so weird. We were created as eternal beings. Giving us back life was one of His major reasons for coming. The final over death will be when he comes back and kicks butt on earth again! Can I get a “Whoop-Whoop!”

2. Supplied Victory over Satan

Again, Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 John 3:8, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the Devil’s work.” Again, I give a hearty “Whoop-Whoop!”

So, that means, everything the Devil holds over you, tries to lie to you about, and any stronghold you may be in…Christ’s authority has just taken away Satan’s authority. He no longer has rights to you because Christ’s Rule is in you. Let that sit in you. Internalize it. You. Are. Free.

3. Victory over Sin

Colossians 3:13-15, “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code with its regulations that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

“Whoop-Whoop!”

Anything. AN-Y-THING that holds sway over you that is not of Christ can be exchanged for Christ’s authority, bringing life, freedom, and purpose for us!

You. Are. Free.

Tomorrow: When You're God's Favorite!