Matthew 6:9-10 “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'”
Kingdom thinking will lead us to pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done here on earth as it already is in heaven, and not just praying for revival in the church. Yes, we want to see revival in the church, but that is not the end of the matter. We want the revival to result in seeing His kingdom come and His will being done.
A kingdom mind-set will focus on seeing the kingdom of God manifested here on earth. Yes, we want to see healing and deliverance of individuals. But, even going beyond that to see manifestation of the kingdom in our homes, communities, states and country that affect the quality of life in all areas: socially, politically as well as economically.
With a kingdom mind-set Isaiah 61:3-4 takes on a whole new focus: “…and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
Again we look at the gifts the Lord has given to the church to bring about what He wants. The list below is not my own list, but it does seem to bring out what the Lord has given us so that His body might grow and become mature in the things of Christ.
Here is a mixture that we can look at:
Apostles: (GO) The apostolic ministry is a constant reminder to the body that our ministry extends to the ends of the world. Although we do not today have apostles in the sense of those “12” or “THE APOSTLE,” yet there is still the ‘spirit’ of the apostle; the missionary spirit. Those who embrace this spirit have a passion to “go.” It would also seem that along with this spirit is what I would call a ‘pioneer’ spirit. Paul expressed this when he wanted break new ground in preaching the gospel in the regions beyond.
Prophets: (Hear) Listening to God’s Word for a particular time and place marks the prophet’s ministry. A prophet’s ministry can take different forms, such as a Biblical exegete with a passion for the truth, or a person spontaneously inspired by the Spirit having a word for a local body of believers, or a nation’s leaders.
Evangelist: (Grow) Evangelist reminds the body that it is healthy to be growing just as it is natural for organisms to grow. Evangelists keep the body alive through a steady influx of new life entering into the church body.
Pastor/Teacher: (Care and Know) These are the ones who provide the care and concern for growth. The pastor/teacher might have the more relevant gift for equipping and strengthening than the others.
Also, along with these we have other support gifts:
Leader: Visionary and administrative. Vision leaders are the ones who recognize and anticipate what can be done. They are the ones who are transforming leaders. They know where they are going and how to take others with them. The administrative leader plots the course and guides the ship. Most usually he is the one who puts shape to the visionary goals of the ones who are the planners, strategists, and delegators in the body.
Exhorter: The exhorter is a motivator used by the Holy Spirit. He comes alongside and helps the person to realize his potential. He is an encourager giving out a challenge to rise above and beyond what we might think is our ability.
Wise: Another ingredient in a leader is wisdom. This is like a doctor who in examining the symptom and is able to make a wise diagnosis of the situation. We have each been amazed when all of a sudden there is a solution to a complex question or some difficult circumstance. People with wisdom seem to be able to penetrate to the heart of a matter and come up with a solution.