Sunday Service||Kingdom People, Traits & Living || Pastor Yemi Joseph-Tarkon|| City of David Atlanta

Aug 09, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Pearl Worth Losing Everything For

The kingdom of God demands total investment. Like a merchant selling all he owns to claim one flawless pearl, believers must prioritize eternal treasure over temporary comforts. This radical surrender isn’t about loss but gaining unshakable identity. Every dollar, relationship, and ambition must bow to Christ’s lordship. What clutters your hands from holding the pearl? The kingdom’s joy outweighs every sacrifice. [59:35]

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44, ESV)

Reflection: What earthly security feels hardest to release for Christ’s kingdom? How might clinging to it dilute your witness as a citizen of heaven?

Day 2: Bridling the Fire Within

A tiny spark can ignite a forest. So the tongue—unchecked—corrupts relationships, careers, and destinies. Kingdom people speak life even when provoked, filtering words through Christ’s love. Gossip, crude jokes, or “keeping it real” often mask rebellion. True power lies not in unfiltered speech but in disciplined silence. What conversation today needs your intentional restraint? [10:16]

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:6, ESV)

Reflection: When have “honest” words recently harmed someone? How could pausing to pray first reshape your speech patterns?

Day 3: Marriage as a Battleground for Holiness

Fists and fury have no place in God’s kingdom. Spousal abuse—physical or emotional—betrays a heart disconnected from Christ’s tenderness. Kingdom marriages mirror Christ’s sacrificial love for the Church, where self-control guards intimacy. Late nights, unmet expectations, and stress test vows. Will you crucify pride to protect your covenant? [12:33]

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:25, ESV)

Reflection: What unresolved tension with your spouse tempts you to withhold kindness? How might serving them today disrupt the devil’s schemes?

Day 4: Running Naked from Temptation

Joseph didn’t negotiate with Potiphar’s wife—he fled, leaving his cloak behind. Compromise often comes dressed as opportunity. Kingdom people create escape routes: deleting apps, avoiding isolated spaces, or confessing struggles to allies. What “cloak” must you abandon to preserve purity? Sometimes survival means sprinting, not standing. [28:16]

“She caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me.’ But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.” (Genesis 39:12, ESV)

Reflection: What situation requires you to physically or emotionally “flee” this week? Who will hold you accountable to follow through?

Day 5: When Mercy Withholds the Knife

David held Saul’s life in his hands—and chose mercy. Vengeance masquerades as justice, but kingdom people trust God’s timing. Unforgiveness chains us to offenders; releasing them frees us to advance. What relationship needs your deliberate restraint? Sometimes the mightiest act is sheathing your sword. [34:43]

“He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.’” (1 Samuel 24:6, ESV)

Reflection: Who have you secretly hoped God would “punish”? How might blessing them instead align you with heaven’s economy?

Sermon Summary

The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and there is no better place to be than in the presence of God. Kingdom people, kingdom traits, and kingdom living all start with being connected to the right source, because a tree that is properly grounded will flourish, but a tree cut off from the source will wither. The fruit of the Spirit starts with love, and out of that one fruit other things begin to flow, because love will not destroy the body, hate the neighbor, or lose control in anger.

The kingdom of God has a King, citizens, laws, values, lifestyle, and consequences. Jesus Christ describes that kingdom like a pearl of great price, worth selling everything to obtain. The fishing net shows that everybody may come in now, but separation will still come at the end. The landowner shows that those who came early and those who came late are not to look down on one another, because the most important thing is to keep running the race. The banquet shows that God can invite the “special people,” but if they trivialize His call, He has a plan B, and even the lowly who enter must still wear the right garment.

Self control is a kingdom trait. Self control is the power to master desires, words, actions, emotions, physical habits, and sudden temptations. Lack of self control can make, break, or disqualify a person, because the works of the flesh do not inherit the kingdom of God. The tongue must be bridled, because saying “this is who I am” is not an excuse to set a forest on fire. Words must be seasoned with salt and must edify, not just empty everything in the mind.

Marriage becomes one of the places where self control is tested. Domestic violence is not a kingdom trait, and love does not beat a spouse. Business also tests self control, because kingdom people must be trusted with money, profits, and accountability. Church relationships must carry respect, purity, and honor, treating older men as fathers, older women as mothers, younger men as brothers, and younger women as sisters.

Sexual purity is kingdom living. Teenagers must not awaken love before it is ready, and young adults must know that dating is not marriage. Boundaries protect dignity, integrity, and the future. Joseph ran from temptation, and God stood by him. David refused revenge when Saul was in his hands. Moses lost entrance into the promised land because anger overruled obedience. Self control grows through entering the kingdom, surrendering to the Holy Spirit, reading the Bible beyond Sunday Sunday, moving with the right people, and practicing emotional intelligence.

Key Takeaways

1. Kingdom life has real boundaries The kingdom of God is not just lights, music, and a nice gathering. The kingdom has a King, citizens, laws, culture, and consequences, so belonging to it must show in a person’s lifestyle. A kingdom person cannot claim the name of the King and despise the ways of the King. [57:50]
2. The tongue can burn everything The tongue looks small, but James compares it to a little fire that can kindle a great forest. Self control begins where a person stops saying, “I will say it as it is,” and starts asking whether the hearer will be edified. Kingdom speech is not weak speech, it is governed speech. [70:16]
3. Purity needs practical boundaries Sexual purity is not protected by good intentions alone. Boundaries like avoiding exclusivity too early, refusing to treat dating like marriage, and keeping private temptation out of private spaces are acts of wisdom, not fear. Love awakened before its time can slow destiny, wound trust, and create consequences that last far longer than the feeling. [81:41]
4. Restraint leaves room for God Joseph ran from Potiphar’s wife and still suffered accusation, but God stood by him in the prison. Self control does not always prevent pain immediately, but it keeps the conscience clean before God. A kingdom person may be misunderstood for doing right, but heaven sees what people cannot see. [88:39]
5. The Holy Spirit empowers control Self control is not produced by mere willpower, because “by strength shall no man prevail.” The Holy Spirit was given because human beings cannot live kingdom life by themselves. The believer who admits the struggle, brings it before God, and keeps feeding on Scripture begins to change from the inside. [98:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[51:44] - Righteousness, Peace, and Joy
[52:45] - Kingdom People and Kingdom Traits
[57:50] - What Makes a Kingdom
[59:06] - Jesus Describes the Kingdom
[64:39] - Self Control as Kingdom Living
[65:23] - Flesh Versus Spirit
[69:28] - Self Control Over the Tongue
[72:04] - Self Control in Marriage
[75:45] - Integrity in Business
[76:33] - Purity in Church Relationships
[79:23] - Young People and Boundaries
[87:16] - Joseph, David, and Moses
[97:55] - Entering the Kingdom and Surrendering
[102:53] - Cultivating Self Control Daily

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” [01:05:23]

James 3:5-6
“So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” [01:10:16]

1 Timothy 5:1-2
“Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” [01:16:33]

Song of Solomon 8:4
“I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.” [01:19:23]

Genesis 39:7-12
“And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, ‘Lie with me.’ But he refused and said to his master's wife, ‘Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge. He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?’ And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her. But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me.’ But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.” [01:27:16]

Observation questions

In Galatians 5:22-23, what fruit of the Spirit are listed, and which one was given special focus? [01:04:39]
According to James 3:5-6, what pictures are used to describe the tongue, and what kind of damage can it cause? [01:10:16]
In 1 Timothy 5:1-2, how are believers told to relate to older men, younger men, older women, and younger women?
In Genesis 39:7-12, what practical steps did Joseph take when temptation kept coming against him? [01:28:18]

Interpretation questions

If the fruit of the Spirit begins with love, why does self-control seem to grow better in a life that is already being shaped by love for God, self, and neighbor? [54:53]
James says the tongue can set a whole forest on fire. What does that suggest about why careless speech is not a small issue in the kingdom of God? [01:10:32]
Song of Solomon 8:4 warns against awakening love too early. What does that mean in real life for teenagers and young adults who are trying to honor God without pretending temptation is not real? [01:20:50]
Joseph fled temptation and still suffered for doing right. What does his story show about the fact that self-control may not remove pain immediately, but still matters before God? [01:28:39]

Application questions

A kingdom has a King, values, laws, and consequences. In what area of life is it easiest to enjoy the blessings of the kingdom while resisting the ways of the King? [57:50]
“This is just who I am” is not enough reason to speak without restraint. When does the tongue become most difficult for you to control: in anger, in sarcasm, in gossip, or in telling “raw truth”? What would seasoned speech look like in that area this week? [01:10:45]
Self-control is tested strongly in the home. If there is tension in marriage or family life, what would restraint, gentleness, and practical help look like instead of harshness, withdrawal, or angry words? [01:12:04]
Integrity with money is a kingdom issue. Are there any habits in work, business, or finances where honesty becomes flexible when profit is involved? What would full accountability look like there? [01:15:54]
Purity needs boundaries, not just good intentions. What boundaries would be wise right now in dating, friendships, texting, private meetings, or online behavior? [01:21:41]
Joseph ran. David refused revenge. Moses lost much when anger overruled obedience. Which of those three examples feels closest to the present struggle: temptation, retaliation, or anger? Why? [01:27:16]
Self-control is not sustained by willpower alone. What needs to change in daily life so there is more room for the Holy Spirit, Scripture, the right relationships, and honest self-awareness? [01:38:55]

Sermon Clips

69s

#SurrenderToTheSpirit

“``So I'm talking to people who are already in the kingdom, but you're still struggling with one sin or the other. You're struggling with some of this fruit of the spirit that's been spoken about. You're trying so hard, but the bible says, by strength shall no man prevail. It it can only come when you surrender totally to the holy spirit. You say, how do I surrender to the holy spirit? You ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life. Because Jesus Christ left us the Holy Spirit when he was living. He knew we were not going to be capable of living this life without the help of the Holy Spirit. So he told the disciples, go to the upper room. Wait there for me. In this many days, I will pour out my spirit on you. The same spirit that happened in Pentecost is avail available to us today. You asked for the holy spirit to come into you. You can't do it by yourself. Only the holy spirit will help you to exhibit self control and the fruit of the spirit.”

43s

#SpeakWithGrace

“Sometimes we find ourselves saying, oh, I will say it as it is. Oh, this is who I am. You know, I I have to say all that is in my mind. I must say all you don't have to say all that is in your mind all of the time. Number one, you have to measure what you're saying with. How is the person you're saying it to going to receive it receive it? How is the person that you're saying it to going to be edified? The bible says we should let our tongue be seasoned with salt. So anything that you are saying does not edify the person that you are saying it to, you have lost that person. You don't have to say everything that is in your mind.”

51s

#DailyBibleDiscipline

“Now start on a new page with God. If you haven't been reading your bible, get into the habit of reading your bible. There's no way you will belong to this kingdom and be able to do the things of the kingdom without reading the bible. And Sunday, Sunday, we'll not cut it. You know, we come to church every Sunday. It's not enough. It's the personal time that you spend with God that makes all the difference. If you are struggling with self control, you go and look at scriptures that has to do with self control. You look for it and you read it. If you're dealing with anger, you go into the bible, find out what the bible says about anger and how you can resist anger. It's all in there in the bible. Sunday Sunday will not do it.”

44s

#LeaveVengeanceToGod

“David refused to touch the anointed of the Lord. He did not touch Saul that day. He had every opportunity. For some of us, some people will injure you, they will do things to you. All you want to do is revenge. The bible says vengeance is mine. People will do stuff to you that's not palatable. People will hurt you. But it's not for you to say, okay, I'm going to take my revenge. That's not a kingdom trait. That's not the trait of a kingdom a a kingdom somebody who belongs to the kingdom of God. You don't retaliate. You don't revenge. You leave it in God's hands.”

76s

#GodPromotesFaithfulness

“But guess what? God stood by him. And that's what we want. We want God to be able to stand by us. When we leave and people accuse us of things that we haven't done, there's a God in heaven that sees everything. He will defend you no matter what. So Joseph went to jail, you know, for something he did not do, but let's say he did it. Potiphar would have asked for him to be killed. But somehow, he knew that Joseph did not do it. But for safety reason, he sent him to jail. And in jail, what happened to Joseph? God prospered him. became the chief the guards could trust him with the other prisoners while he was in jail. Praise the name of the lord. Amen. Eventually, what happened to Joseph? He became the prime minister of Egypt. God promoted him. When you honor God with your life, with your decision making process, there's always a promotion that comes with it.”

72s

#LeadWithSelfControl

“He started the job well. Along the way, there was a lot of grumbling, a lot of murmuring. The people he was leading were always grumbling about one thing or the other. And every time they grumble, he would take it back to God. God will resolve it. You know? But this particular day, they were mumbling and grumbling. He hasn't learnt his lesson to be ignoring them. They were mumbling and grumbling and cursing and do all kinds of things to him. You know, he got so angry. God told him, speak to the rock. What did he do? He struck the rock, and that was the end of his ministry. That would not be our portion in the mighty name of Jesus. Self control. Self control. Self control yourself. Control yourself. And that was the end of it. So what God did, he took him to a high mountain mountain and said, okay. This is where I wanted you to lead the people to, but you can no longer go on the journey. He got disqualified right there and then, and that was the end of his ministry. He died. We will not die before we fulfill God's purpose in Jesus' name. Self control.”

36s

#FruitOfTheSpiritFocus

“And that's like an example to us. If you really want to be a life given spirit, you want to be a Christian, you want to be a child of God, you have to be connected to the right source. When you're connected to the right source, you flourish. And then he went on to talk to us about the fruit of the spirit. And we saw that the fruit of the spirit starts with love. It's actually one fruit. And out of that fruit, which is love, other things will flow. I hope we all remember that.”

63s

#DatingForCharacter

“Just in case you haven't heard it before, you're hearing it now. Dating is not a time for you to start having sex. Let me tell you what a kingdom person does when they are dating. It's a time to get to know this person. You know, what are the characters? What are the core values of this person? You know, is this person the kind of person I can live with? Is this the kind of person I can plan with? Is this the kind of person that can handle my children well? You're learning about the person, but once you introduce the physical physical part of it, nothing else makes sense anymore. You've just lost that opportunity and chance. So instead of learning about each other, you find out every single time you meet, all you do is just get physical. It's out of control. You can't control it anymore because you've allowed your boundaries to be broken,”

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