May 10, 2026 - The Son is Rising Living in light of His Kingdom

We identify the kingdom of God as a present reality that calls us to active reign under Jesus as King. We insist that the kingdom is inaugurated now and will be consummated later; it arrives wherever God’s reign breaks into human structures, bodies, and relationships. We affirm that Jesus entrusted kingdom authority to his followers, commissioning us to proclaim the kingdom, heal the sick, and cast out demonic forces. We distinguish between authority and power: authority comes by commission, but power arrives by the Holy Spirit being poured out. We trace the pattern in Scripture — Jesus received the Spirit, faced inner testing, then ministered in Spirit-empowered authority; the first disciples received authority and then waited for Spirit-empowerment before launching mission. We refuse to separate forgiveness and future hope from present responsibility; being forgiven opens us to priestly service and to ruling in God’s name here and now.

We name a practical path to move from authority to Spirit-flow. We will prepare inwardly through fasting that creates space, examine and confess areas that hinder fruitfulness, feed daily on a Gospel chapter to orient our hearts to Jesus’ priorities, and then ask to be filled repeatedly with the Spirit. We commit to a forty-day season of seeking this poured-out Spirit, believing that disciplined inward change enables outward kingdom breakthroughs. We expect the kingdom to show through varied expressions: personal healing, deliverance from demonic hold, and systemic reforms that protect the vulnerable. We will adopt the posture of those who both wait for the Spirit and go in the authority given, allowing inner transformation to precede and empower outward action.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Authority is granted; power is poured We receive delegated kingdom authority from Jesus to act in his name. That authority obligates us to specific tasks, but the effectiveness of that authority depends on the Spirit’s outpouring. We will not confuse a title or commission with the sustaining presence that energizes obedience, witness, and the disruption of evil. [22:49]
• 2. The kingdom is already and not yet God’s reign has broken into history through Christ, producing patches of light amid remaining darkness. We live between inauguration and consummation, working to extend light while recognizing incomplete realities. This tension keeps us urgent in mission and patient in hope. [24:04]
• 3. Prepare inwardly to receive power Authority without interior formation risks ineffectiveness or misuse; the Spirit requires room to move in heart and habit. We will identify and repent of the patterns that block fruit, embrace solitude and Scripture as corrective, and allow testing to refine motives. Inner work creates channels for sustained Spirit power. [41:45]
• 4. Four practices for forty days A focused season of fasting, self-examination, Gospel feeding, and asking for the Spirit creates a rhythm that cultivates capacity for kingdom work. These practices shift attention from convenience and approval to obedience and dependence, producing tangible change in disposition and ministry fruit. Small, disciplined steps over forty days open us to an intensified outpouring. [55:42]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [17:13] - Invitation to prayer walks
• [18:17] - Series overview: personalize and participate
• [18:52] - Power to activate authority
• [24:04] - Kingdom already and not yet
• [30:24] - Healing and deliverance as kingdom work
• [36:57] - Jesus anointed with the Spirit
• [41:45] - From authority to Spirit power
• [55:42] - Pour again: forty day practices
• [63:42] - Commitment and closing prayer

1. What two things did Jesus give His disciples in Luke 9:1, and what specific tasks did He authorize them to do?
2. How does Acts 1:4-8 connect the disciples’ authority with the need to wait for the Holy Spirit’s power?
3. What does Revelation 5:9-10 say believers are called to be, and what future role does it describe for them?

1. Why might Jesus distinguish between authority (commission) and power (Spirit’s work) in Luke 9:1-2 and Acts 1:4-8? What risks arise if we confuse the two?
2. The sermon emphasized the kingdom as “already and not yet” [24:04]. How does this tension shape our urgency and patience in pursuing healing, justice, or spiritual breakthroughs?
3. In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus faced testing after receiving the Spirit at His baptism. Why is inner testing or repentance necessary before stepping into outward ministry?

1. The sermon challenged believers to fast in a way that “creates space” for the Spirit [56:38]. What daily habit or distraction could you temporarily set aside for 40 days to make room for prayer or Scripture?
2. Revelation 5:9-10 says believers are “a kingdom and priests” who “reign on earth.” What specific area of your life (work, family, community) needs you to actively “reign” with Christ’s authority this week?
3. The pastor identified “people-pleasing” as a hindrance to fruitfulness [59:24]. What recurring thought or behavior might the Holy Spirit be asking you to confess and surrender to align with His priorities?
4. How could reading one Gospel chapter daily (e.g., Mark 1) help you recognize Jesus’ priorities in your relationships or decisions? What time of day would work best?
5. The sermon linked systemic justice (e.g., ending slavery) to kingdom work [35:39]. What broken system or vulnerable group in your community could your small group pray for or serve practically?
6. Acts 1:8 promises power to be witnesses. Who in your life needs to see the kingdom’s “patches of light” through your words, actions, or prayers? How will you intentionally engage them this week?