“Ambassadors for the Kingdom of Heaven”

With Ricci Johnson-Wilson

December 13, 2024

 

The last two times we were together, the Lord put on my heart to share the end from the beginning if you will. Genesis to Acts, all leading to the healing of the lame man at the Gate Beautiful in Solomon’s Temple.

I shared the experience the Lord gave me of the 10 Explosions for His Kingdom. These are ten arenas the Lord is about to influence in great measure. Then, I discussed the suffering the Apostles went through to birth the Kingdom of God here in the earth.

I touched on the process Jesus took the Apostles through to mature them from wanders to warriors after His resurrection. He spent 40 days unpacking the Scriptures from Genesis 3 to Malachi 3, revealing how He fulfilled every passage depicting His birth, life, death and resurrection. (Acts 1:1-5)

It was through His influence in their lives that these wanderers became warriors ready to be the ambassadors for the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.

Jesus left them with Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15, passages we know as the Great Commission:

What are those commissions?

Matthew 28:18-20

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

And then in Mark 16:15

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.

When Jesus met with them after His resurrection, He blew the breath of His Spirit upon them (John 20:22) and granted them the authority to represent Him and His Kingdom here on earth. They, being transformed by Jesus, lived their lives to fulfill this commission. They needed power to do so — Dunamis power, and in Acts 1:8, we read that on Pentecost, they received the baptism of Holy Spirit granting them the power (Dunamis power) of the indwelling of His Spirit to walk out that commission.

When we read through the book of Acts, we see the application of all that Jesus taught them in the four Gospels. For four books, 89 chapters, Jesus demonstrated the doctrines of the Kingdom of Heaven through His example, His teachings, His admonishments, reprimands, His love of them and those He served. Each lesson, each prayer they witnessed, every life they saw Him touch, every Word He spoke served to transform these wanderers into the warriors they needed to be to effectively represent the Kingdom of Heaven.

The book of Acts serves as a bridge from the Gospels to the Epistles. It demonstrates the application of Christ’s ministry and work on the Cross. It’s the fulfilment of the Great Commission. It is a powerful yet historical account of God releasing His Kingdom in the earth through His Ambassadors: the Apostles. The purpose was to birth the Ecclesia, the English word for the Church, represented by many congregations birthed under the Apostolic Age who would then, continue to release His Kingdom in the earth.

The Epistles we have the privilege of reading in the New Testament serve to further instruct, refine, purify, and ignite the individuals as well as the Churches as a whole. Some were planted directly by one of the Apostles missionary journeys.  While others were the result of those who were in Jerusalem for Pentecost in Acts 2 and having heard and received the Gospel message, then took it back to their communities. Other Churches came about as a result of the dispersion of the early Church members who lived in Jerusalem and were scattered abroad after Stephen was martyred and the persecution of Christians intensified (Acts 7-8).

The Apostles then continued to minister, strengthen, and develop them through letters (Epistles) and/or missionary journeys.

Let’s turn to the Ecclesia in respect to the Kingdom of God.

What is the Kingdom of God?

When we read through the Gospels, we see a repeated theme “The Kingdom of God” and “The Kingdom of Heaven.” These are mentioned 112 times in the Gospels! Luke alone speaks of the Kingdom of God 38 times. That’s significantly more than the other three Gospels. The book of Acts refers to the Kingdom of God 8 times. So, if over the course of 3 ½ years, the Lord teaches on His Kingdom 112 times, it seems that this should be something significant for the Church to understand and walk in, even today. Especially today.

I’ll prepare a message for January where I will speak on this in greater detail. For today, in a nutshell, the Kingdom of God encompasses His will, His plans, and His purposes. Jesus Himself said and implied that everything He did was to fulfill the will, the plans, and the purpose of His Father in Heaven. He lived out the Kingdom of God in every word and deed. 

In the Kingdom of God:

  • God is King
  • Jesus is the Son and Mediator
  • The Church AKA “the Ambassadors” would be His inheritance or “joint heirs”

Okay, if the Church is His inheritance, what mindset should the Church have? Should we reflect the Kingdom of Heaven? Or should we reflect earthly things? We’ve all heard the phrase “so heavenly minded they are no earthly good.” But should this really be our attitude? Should we not seek to influence the earth with Heaven in our every word and deed? Shouldn’t we strive to be so heavenly minded that we are able to provide true temporal and eternal value to those we encounter on this earth?

As the Ecclesia we are:

  • Ambassadors for Christ. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that we are ambassadors for Christ, and that we are to be reconciled to God. Not only that, as ambassadors, we are to help reconcile others to God.
  • Christ’s inheritance (Eph 1:11, Gal 3:22).
  • Fellow heirs with Christ (John 1:12, Romans 8:17)
  • His outstretched hands in the earth today. (1 Cor 12:27, Rom 10:15, Eph 2:10, John 13:14-15)

Should we not then, strive to live as though we are heirs and ambassadors for Christ and His Kingdom. If so, how then do we live our lives? Are we of this world? Do we have dual citizenship? Did David not say the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof? (Ps 24:1) Is it possible that David was looking to the fulfillment of all things, and that Jesus would come and restore Heavenly dominion in the earth? I spoke about this in detail last week. Isn’t the Great Commission given by Jesus to His apostles and ultimately, to us, the application of the restoration of that heavenly dominion here on earth?

John the Baptist cried out, Repent, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:2)

Jesus, after his baptism and testing, returned crying out “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 4:17)

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand my friends and we, according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:20, are its ambassadors. Jesus forged the path for us to walk while He was here on earth, and we must follow in His footsteps representing Him each step of the way.

Again, we are His inheritance. We are fellow heirs of the Kingdom of God. We are His Ambassadors. And as such, we are called to release His Kingdom in the earth and bear all that He did for the sake of His Kingdom.

How do we do this? How do we be His ambassadors? How do we release the Kingdom of God in the earth?

Consider the Ambassadors Trump is nominating right now. They will go and live in that respective nation as a representative of America. They will mediate between and even influence that host nation. They will build relationships as representatives of America—not the host nation or even themselves—but America. They will serve to protect any U.S. Citizen who travels there and work to defend and return them to America in a crisis. They will sign treaties and have full authority as a representative of America.  They will stand for America. They will honor our President, our country, and our citizens because they reflect us in all that they do. They are given authority to bring America and our President’s will into the relationship with that host nation. It’s a powerful position that must be upheld with integrity.

This is our call as well; we are heirs of a Living God, Ambassadors for Him and His Kingdom. We are co-heirs with Christ. So, we represent Him, not ourselves. Our job is to pursue Him in such a way that we might bring His heavenly will here on earth. We walk in that authority, we are endowed with the power of Holy Spirit, and when we speak we are doing so reflecting His Kingdom not our own.

Consider the Lord’s prayer, “Our Father, Who are in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” Our responsibility is to pray for His Heavenly will to influence the earth with His precepts, His ways, His purposes. All that we do should reflect His Kingdom.

We should ask ourselves every day: are we reflecting Heaven?

Last time I talked about Acts 3 where Peter and John, in the Name of Jesus Christ, healed the lame man at Solomon’s Portico. Let’s look at part two of that account.

That said, let’s look at Peter and John, as they rise up as Ambassadors for the Kingdom of Heaven:

Acts 4:1-31 And as they (Peter and John) spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 2 being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide. 4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, 6 and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Remember, as I shared last week, there was an appointed moment, etched in the annals of history, where a miracle so great, a man born a cripple, was to be healed on the spot, so thoroughly that he was leaping and dancing and praising the Lord. This was to be a catalyst to another mighty move of the Spirit! 5000 were added to their number that day as Peter’s words once again cut to the heart! Peter and John now have the opportunity to give the essence of that message to the highest court in their community.

13 Now when they (the pharisees) saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. 17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. 22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.

Taking all of this into account, understanding what earthly Ambassadors do, knowing that we are heavenly Ambassadors, as we proceed through the end of 2024, the year of Reclamation, and into 2025, the Year of Justice, I want to set some bullet points for us to consider in our daily lives. The Word of God has life application, and we need to apply that to our lives each and every day.

I want to give you 6 bullet points for us to glean from as we proceed as Ambassadors for the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth…we may not have opportunity in our lifetimes for some of these points, but the truth is, we should be praying for those who do. Our prayers are an essential part of releasing God’s Heavenly will into the earth.

Ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven must:

  • Be Bold in the Authority Granted: We may negotiate with the highest courts in the land, but it’s important to be bold in what God gives us. We are armed with the authority of God. If you remember, Peter once ran when conflict arose, but now, with the Authority of Heaven within him, he was emboldened by Holy Spirit to stand strong and speak on behalf of Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven. There’s a moment here, when Peter and John could have buckled under the pressure, but they were further emboldened to speak truth, even to those who had the power to imprison, publicly beat (which they do in Acts 5:40), and even stone them (which we see them do to Stephen in Acts 7).

 

Peter would never again deny Christ, he would face the council, he would face persecution, and ultimately, he will face watching his wife be crucified and then be crucified himself, so this boldness within him is very real. It can only be brought about by the work of the Lord in our lives, and the empowerment of Holy Spirit.

 

  • Submit to the Lord’s refining: These were “unlearned and ignorant men” the King James Version relays, but because of their time with Jesus, they’d been refined into effective ambassadors for the Kingdom of heaven.

 

  • Stay anchored to the Homeland through prayer. Peter’s (as well as the other apostles) prayer life quickly grew, and it kept them anchored to truth and open for revelation. Acts records thirty references to, or direct prayers of the Apostles and the early Church. In fact, there are over 330 either direct prayers or references to prayer in the New Testament. If Acts is the bridge between the Gospels and the Epistles, we learn through reading the book of Acts, that the support structure of the bridge is prayer, and the common thread throughout the Word is prayer, why would we, who arguably live in times just as tumultuous, not remain people of prayer? It’s here that we gain intimacy and oneness with our King. It’s through prayer that we learn the importance of relying on the Lord (King of our Homeland) for our strength, our words, and our messages. It’s here where we learn what His will and His ways are so that we can implement them in the earth. We are the vessels through which He brings forth His Kingdom in the earth. Staying anchored through prayer enables us to be effective vessels.

 

  • Report back the praises of God’s victory: the healing of the lame man opened the door for a revival. In addition, Peter and John had the opportunity to speak truth to those who’d persecuted Christ. Together, they celebrated the fruit of this amazing miracle – a man was healed, and 5000 men were added to the Ecclesia through the teaching that followed. Reporting back and giving God glory for what He has done, lifts the faith, encourages, and strengthens the body of Christ.

 

 

  • In difficult times, seek God for more boldness: we are never finished growing, we are never finished learning, and even as the Awakening expands and Revival spreads, we will always need to lean, trust in, and rely upon our Lord for the strength, courage, the empowerment of His Spirit to represent His Kingdom here on earth. When we seek Him for more boldness, He will bring the power, the authority, and everything we need to effectively represent His Kingdom, then we can work alongside Him to bring forth His heavenly will here on earth. In Acts 4:31, we see God respond to their prayer by shaking the place up!

 

Acts 4:23-30

23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

  • Remember Who you represent: Remember, we are citizens of Heaven, we have the privilege to walk this earth for a brief period and our goal must consistently be to expand the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth. Whether this is in the public square like Peter and John, or in the prayer closet like James who history records prayed so much, his knees were like elephant knees, we are working together to not just save America, we are working to pave the way for a move of God that will bring about a billion-soul harvest. Some will be mocked, persecuted, or even martyred for the sake of the Gospel, but God will use these things to glorify His Kingdom in the earth.

America, like this lame we talked about both last week and this, desperately needs the intervention of God to put us back on our feet. Without Him, we cannot fulfill the destiny He placed upon this nation. To go forth and spread the Gospel unto all the earth. The Great Commission is our Commission. As Ambassadors, as intercessors, our purpose to strengthen and stabilize this nation, to pull it back up on its feet, and weep and war to ensure the plans and purposes of the enemy fail, and God’s plans prevail!

In all the praise reports that we share at the beginning of our calls every week, along with the victories that we will witness in the coming days, let us never forget the importance of staying on course. One pastor said, “and since we’re not dead, we’re not done” and I completely agree with this statement. If we let up, the enemy will pounce. If we neglect to pursue God’s plans, as His ambassadors, the victories will begin to diminish, and we cannot afford this, we have a nation to save, and in doing so, we will impact the nations of the world.

Our ultimate objective is to break the back of Communism off America and as many nations as we possibly can so the Spirit of the Lord can freely flow across the land and set the captives free!  That is what the vision the Lord gave of the Eagle, the Flag and the 5 weights represents.

President Trump and his team will need the support of the Ambassadors of Heaven in the next several years, we have to stay the course.  I want to close by encouraging you to remain in one accord. In fact, that would probably be my point “7.” Don’t engage in internet conflicts, they divide to conquer. The enemy stirred up a lot of division in 2016, 2020 and he’s still at it. We need to remain in one accord to rebuild this nation.

I read an article about the Amish, 300 Amish moved a 10-ton barn, 900 feet in 20 minutes. Of course, I had to watch the video. It was a remarkable feat to witness. The unity was essential for them to stay the course and avoid injury to themselves and one another. They were truly walking in one accord. Is that not what the book of Acts teaches us in Acts 1:14, 2:26, 4:24, 5:12 and so on? Every time there was oppression, persecution, or doubt, they came together in one accord and sought the face of God for their answers. That principle is a key principle for Ambassadors. If we are so bold as do this, even if we do not understand things with our natural mind, pray for His Heavenly will to be done here on earth, and we know we will not go off course with our prayers.

Blessings & love,

Ricci Johnson-Wilson