Increase of the Kingdom
By Tudor Bismark
© 2014 by Tudor Bismark Ministries
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
ISBN: 978-0-9841940-3-2
ISBN: 9780989197878
Content Development by Sozo Publishing Group
Published by Sozo Publishing Group, sozopublishing.com
Printed in the United States of America by Tudor Bismark Ministries
Scripture taken from the King James Bible unless otherwise noted.
Scripture taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV® Text Edition: 2011. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
We dedicate this book to the Late Honorable Dr. Myles Munroe and Ruth, his wife and the Love of his life.
We had the wonderful and distinct privilege to minister with and share in the unique life of Dr. Myles and Ruth.
I had a brother RELATIONSHIP with Dr. Myles, myself being the younger brother. I learned so much for so long from him. His revelation knowledge on “The Kingdom” further embellished our teachings and our culture of “The Kingdom.” I cannot express enough in words how much that influenced our ministry and my own life.
Few in history in “The Body of Christ” have made such significant contributions in political, economic, social and religious circles as Dr. Munroe. It will take years for anyone to rise up and achieve the same levels of influence in these respective sectors as he has.
Dr. Munroe is/was a TRUE example and penultimate ambassador of “The Kingdom,” and for this we are eternally grateful.
Our prayer is for his son, Myles Jr., and daughter, Charisa, to be successful in all they do and to be blessed immensely.
Bishop Tudor Bismark
CONTENTS
Introduction
SECTION ONE: DEMONIC AGENDAS
Chapter 1: Ten Reasons Problems Emerge
Chapter 2: The Importance of Structure & Order
Chapter 3: The Importance of Relationships & Generational Planning
Chapter 4: Spiritual Depth & Understanding Seasons
SECTION TWO: KINGDOM INCREASE
Chapter 5: Kingdoms, Dimensions & Laws
Chapter 6: Progress, Force & Service
Chapter 7: Structure
Chapter 8: Gifts
Chapter 9: Generational Dominion, Faith & Unity
Chapter 10: Understanding Mysteries
Chapter 11: Revelation Knowledge
Conclusion: Be The Generation
INTRODUCTION
Increase of the Kingdom is a continuation of our messages and books on the Kingdom. Our first book released in the previous decade was The Kingdom in Motion, followed by The Order of the Kingdom. In ten years, the urgency of this message has only increased in my spirit, as I believe it becomes more and more timely with each passing year. I feel strongly about the message of the Kingdom; it is not a message about religion, but rather a message regarding experience that will eventually become a lifestyle or culture, shaping the world around us. Jesus taught about the Kingdom more than any other subject.
In this book, I will rely on three foundational scriptures, beginning with Isaiah 9:6: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” The second foundational text is found in Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” The third verse is found in the last book of the Bible, Revelation 20:1, and is the “anchor” throughout the book: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.” As is customary in my books, there will be many Biblical references throughout, but these three will serve as the foundation for this particular Kingdom message.
Isaiah is probably the most well-known of the Old Testament prophets, as well as the most significant. Much of his writing throughout the sixty-six chapters of his book pertains to the Messiah. Isaiah is filled with Messianic references—His message as well as His destiny and purpose. Chapters 1–39 reflect the temperament of the Old Testament, but the final 27 chapters, 40–66, are congruous with the New Testament books from Matthew through Revelation and are extremely relevant to the message of the Kingdom.
In Chapter 66 of the book of Isaiah, the prophet spoke of a nation being born in one day. Though interpretations abound, I believe this verse means that the Kingdom of God will be implemented in a specific season. Isaiah 9:6 tells us, “For unto us a Child is born and unto us a Son is given. And the government will be upon His shoulder.” Children are born and sons are given, and we cannot establish the Kingdom of God without government. The ruling government is the administration that establishes the laws and is given the power to legislate what happens in the country. Verse 6 of Isaiah 9 continues, “And His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.”
This book, Increase of the Kingdom, is based on the very next Scripture, Isaiah 9:7: “Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end. Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal, the zeal of the Lord will perform this.” We see here a significant prophecy regarding the increase of His government and peace; there will be no end to it, and upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, ordered and established with judgment and justice even forever. As the first coming of Jesus was prophesied, and it did happen, then we must also believe that the second part of this prophesy has come, will come and is coming. This is the point of our focus: The Kingdom of God within the earth is going to be significant.
As we begin to work with the Book of Revelation, I want to deal with a viewpoint which is eschatological in nature. Eschatology is the teaching of the last days and the return of Jesus. There are many schools of thought regarding the last days. One belief is that Jesus will rapture (catch away) the church, and, following the rapture of the church on earth, there will be a demonic reign of terror. Traditionally this belief has three divisions classified as: pre-tribulation (the church will be raptured before the Great Tribulation begins); mid-tribulation (the church will be taken before the most heinous of judgments are released); or post-tribulation (the church will endure the Great Tribulation). The Great Tribulation has been known as a period of seven years in which the wrath of God will be poured out upon the earth. Following the tribulation, Jesus will return with His Church and will set up a thousand years of peace on the earth, known as The Millennium, while at the same time, satan will be cast into the bottomless pit.
Another school of thought, which I tend to lean toward, is based upon a different Biblical worldview. This school of thought asserts that a generation will emerge upon the earth which will become so ingrained with Kingdom principles, with Kingdom behavior and Kingdom lifestyle that they will release in the earth the dynamics of the Kingdom of God and literally displace the power of the devil. He will then be replaced so powerfully that the culture of the enemy and the demonic, luciferian dogma will be powerless in the earth for a thousand years. It is from this viewpoint that I want to discuss Revelation 20.
John, the Revelator, said, “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.” The word “angel” is “messenger” or, in this instance, “apostolic messenger.” The Bible says in Matthew 16:13–19, “Peter said, ‘Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God,’ and Jesus said, ‘Flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you but my Father which is in Heaven.’ ” Peter, as the “apostolic messenger” was given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever he loosed on earth was loosed; whatever he bound on earth was bound. So Peter bound some things in the earth with the keys he was given.
Now we understand, “…an angel came down from heaven…” who was an apostolic messenger with the keys to bind things. He held the keys to the bottomless pit as well as a great chain in his hand. The chain here is the three-fold cord. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “now abideth faith, hope, and charity…”—the three-fold cord chain—the power of faith, the power of hope, and the power of love. He’s holding this in his hand; and he’s going to chain this devil, bind him, and remove the culture in the earth. Now watch—the generation emerges “and laid hold of the dragon, the old serpent, the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” The word “bind” here is not necessarily “tie” as when the apostle was told, “What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven….” This indicates that what comes out of the culture out of the prophetic mouth of believers actually binds a demonic system.
From the time satan deceived Eve to the time that Jesus came and bruised the head of satan, a period of 4000 years, satan ruled the earth. But as the believing generation arises, this demonic system is bound and cast into the bottomless pit. This doesn’t necessarily mean hell. Anything that’s bottomless means it has no foundation. So, satanic dogma has no foundation—he’s bound and cast into a system that has no foundation. He is cast into a system that keeps spiraling and going downward because it has no foundation.
Why? We are built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. A generation will emerge that’s built on the foundation of apostles and prophets; and once it does, the church will be established in a very significant way. The generation of the Kingdom people who are on the earth will be so convinced, so empowered with Kingdom principles that its behavior, its lifestyle, and its culture will literally replace demonic culture.
When Jesus came, He gave power to His church, saying, “Upon this rock, I will build my church.” For the last 2000 years, the church has been established in the earth. Now, please realize there’s a difference between the Church and the Kingdom. The Church is the legal and legitimate tool through which the Kingdom of God is established. Jesus preached the Kingdom; Paul preached the Kingdom; and all the apostles of God preached the Kingdom. It is clear in Matthew 24:14, “This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the earth; then shall the end come.” Until the gospel of the Kingdom is preached, the end is not coming.
A generation will emerge that will not only preach the gospel of the Kingdom but also they will live it, testify and spread it. And when that generation comes, everything we see of satanic influence, satanic behavior, everything we see as satanic, and every demonic stronghold will be displaced and will be cast into systems that have no foundations—the bottomless pit. Verse 3 says “You will cast him into the bottomless pit and shut it and seal him where he will deceive the nations no more for a thousand years.” The capability to “seal him” is by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us in Ephesians 1:13, “In Him you also trusted…having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.” It is the earnest or first fruits of our inheritance. This seal of the Holy Spirit, which is going to be the empowerment structure for believers, is going to keep the devil bound for one thousand years.
Most believers who are reading this book have prayed prayers of binding the devil and loosing things in the earth; however, the best way to make that happen is to begin to live the life of the believer. There are three ways in which we move the devil:
But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade. (ESV)
Our responsibility is not only to displace the devil but also to replace him. We must remove him completely by bringing the Kingdom of God into full manifestation.
First Corinthians 12 states we are all members of one body, and Christ is the head. The head is in place, but we as the body have not yet been the significant force He could work through. Ezekiel 37 describes the valley of dry bones which depicts a place of worldliness. The members of the body begin coming together as the prophetic word is released. Once this happens, the headship of Christ shall bring the increase of His government which shall have no end. The government is going to be on the shoulders of his body, the church, and it will displace the force of the enemy.
Following are ten points concerning the way the Kingdom of God functions:
Through the course of this book, each of these ten thoughts and ideas will be developed. Understand that the foundational truth these ten points rest upon is found in Luke 17. Luke 17:20 states, “And when He was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, ‘The Kingdom of God does not come with observation; neither shall they say, go here or go there, for behold the Kingdom of God is within you.’” The Kingdom of God does not come with observation, but rather it is within us and must be activated.
One of my favorite pastimes, especially when traveling, is to sit in airports and watch people. I was in Abidjan recently; and each morning, I would go out early in the morning to sit in the foyer of my hotel and just watch people. Now there are various peoples in the region who have been separated geographically by demarcations of the French and British. There are people from the same cultures or tribal groups who were separated several centuries ago; yet they retain similar behavior and mannerisms. The languages, however, in different regions are influenced by the culture.
As I observe them in the airport, it is easy to assume which country each person is from, but until I actually interact with them, I cannot know their country of origin for certain. I cannot determine their tribe or ethnicity simply by observation.
Jesus said the Kingdom of God is the same way—it does not come by observation, but by demonstration. We have been given the tools to activate the culture of God in the earth. When Jesus said “the Kingdom of God is within you,” He meant that the potential for the culture of God to dominate the earth is within every one of us. Within us is the potential to be successful, the potential to be prosperous, and the potential to bring elevation in the earth; and that potential was placed there by God. Understand, however, and remember: It does not come by observation; it comes when we activate the Kingdom of God within ourselves.
Increase is in us because the Kingdom of God is within us. Structure, order, and power are within us because the Kingdom of God is in us. Let’s look at the Kingdom message beginning with Adam who came into the earth as the son of God. If God is the King of the universe, what would you call the son? You call him a prince, Prince Adam. When a prince comes into a kingdom domain through birth, it means that at some point, the prince has the potential to become the king.
It’s unusual for a prince to be a king when his father is still alive. One of three things has to happen for that to occur:
God is King of the whole earth. He is King of the universe. When God birthed His son, Adam, in the earth, He gave dominion over the earth to Adam. He created the Kingdom of God on earth and gave Adam kingdom rights. All of the offspring of Adam since that time are princes and princesses. We are children of a Kingdom order. When Adam sinned against God, his kingdom was taken over by a demonic system.
According to Matthew 12, the demonic system is a kingdom of its own. In Matthew 12:25–50, Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. And if satan be divided against satan, how then shall his kingdom stand?” Satan’s kingdom is standing; and he is the king in his kingdom. He became a king by deceiving Eve in the garden and usurping Adam’s authority, and thus Adam became a slave in the devil’s kingdom. As a slave, you must pay tribute to the kingdom in which you belong, even if it formerly belonged to you.
For this reason, Adam and his children became slaves to the satanic kingdom, and we have been paying tribute ever since. When Jesus came, He came to restore His kingdom. In John 18:33, Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You the King…?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world….” In other words, Jesus made it known that he was not part of the Roman system, but of the heavenly system. Jesus is King of His Kingdom.
After Jesus died, and the Day of Pentecost birthed the Church, the monarchy was reestablished. Everyone that now becomes born again into the Kingdom through the Spirit is a prince or princess, ruling and reigning with Him in heavenly places. Matthew 4:17 tells us the Kingdom of heaven has arrived and has been established within the earth. Jesus preached the kingdom throughout the gospels with Acts 1:1–7 being the final thought—“To you, Theophilus, I’ve come to tell all the things that Jesus began both to do and to teach. How that after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples forty days and nights speaking to them in many infallible truths concerning the kingdom of God.” And He told them to go to Jerusalem and wait until they received power from on high. The disciples asked Him, “Will You restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?” He replied, “It’s not for you to know the times and the seasons that the Father has placed in His own hands.” In other words, the kingdom is going to be restored in its time; you go to Jerusalem and wait to be activated in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus began His ministry preaching the Kingdom which lasted until He was about to leave the earth. The last thing He spoke to His disciples was continued teaching on the infallible truths of the Kingdom. Let me give you this scenario: If I were leaving for a trip, I might ask a friend to come housesit for me. As Pastor ChiChi and I walk out the door, we’d give him instructions on caring for our pets, our cars and our home. Those would be the important tasks at hand that would need attention immediately. They are not details or directions for the months out in the future; they are the immediate instructions. Before Jesus left, His immediate concerns were to hand over His responsibilities to His followers, so what did He do? He continued teaching what He had always taught—the Kingdom message.
In Acts 28:30–31, the Bible says, “And Paul was in his own hired house for two years, receiving such to see him, and there he spent time, preaching Christ and teaching the Kingdom. That’s all Paul did. He preached the Kingdom.
What is the Kingdom? It’s a lifestyle; it’s a culture; it’s a spirit of dominion. It is a spirit that displaces demonic influence. The Kingdom removes satanic dogma, thinking and culture from our society—so much so, that satan has no room. For this to happen in our lives, we must make sure that we are empowered with the Kingdom message. We must fully understand that the Kingdom of God must be activated.
So the Bible tells us this: Jesus preached the Kingdom; Paul preached the Kingdom; and the apostles preached the Kingdom. Matthew 10:7 says, “Go you to the lost house of Israel and as you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand’.” For generations, the apostles preached the Kingdom message until the 3rd and 4th centuries A.D. when the Roman culture began to spread.
The word “apostle” is not a religious word; it’s not a church word. It’s actually a Roman word that’s used in warfare meaning “forerunner”. An apostle would go in front of an army to spy out the area and set up a strategic base for the army that was coming. Then they would send word back and say, “We are now ready to receive the invading forces.” Caesar was the first apostle in that era.
This apostle, Caesar, and his men were struggling with this new group that had no weapons and were following Jesus; they were empowered by love; and they were taking over everywhere. Their doctrine taught that there was a King, but the Romans couldn’t find this king because He had risen from the dead and ascended to heaven. They tried to find this King and began to arrest and torture Christians. They would beat them and say, “We know you’re hiding your King! Where is He?” Caesar knew that, as long as their King was alive, these people would be empowered. He believed that, if he could kill the King, the whole movement would scatter.
For three hundred years, they couldn’t find this King. Finally, it dawned upon those in Rome that this King they were talking about was some fictitious being in the heavens. At this point, Caesar himself decided he would join this group and become a Christian. When he did, he brought Roman culture and Jewish culture together with Christian culture and joined all of their symbols, including religious symbols and rituals. This made the whole thing legal under one universal church. This decision disenfranchised the message of the Kingdom.
When that happened, the power of the Kingdom was grossly impaired and broken. Instead of moving from apostolic and prophetic headship, religious leaders were appointed by the state. They were men that were not apostolic, but were appointed because they had favor—favor with Caesar and favor with the system.
When that church and system began, the message of the Kingdom became diluted until it was rarely preached. Access to the Bible became less and less. Fewer people knew the Scriptures. The Church at that time moved from being among the people into centers. The first church building was built in the 4th Century A.D.; and people no longer met in the marketplace or moved house-to-house sharing the message of the Kingdom. Instead, they met in a building, where church became a weekly experience, led by an appointed individual who talked in a language that the people didn’t understand. The Kingdom message was weakened, and deception crept into the church. Many satanic behaviors and symbols began to emerge within the body of Christ; and this continued for many, many centuries.
However, in more recent years, there has been a revival of the kingdom message, not as a denomination, but as a behavior. The Kingdom of God must be preached in all the earth. It’s God’s nature in the earth. It’s God’s nature here among us; so it is important that we understand that the Kingdom of God has come to be set up in the earth. The devil destroyed the kingdom message by introducing and emphasizing his own message. Now it is time to restore the message of the kingdom to the body of Christ and to the world.
A number of people have expressed concern that evil is so rampant in the earth that it will eventually take over. People think the nations will never turn away from idolatry. Drug addiction, sexual pornography, murder, religious persecution, growing anxiety, and discontent abound; indeed, it appears that we are not moving toward righteousness, but rather toward evil and destruction. However, do not be misled by what you see. Imagine that God’s Kingdom is like a computer. If a virus invades the computer, it is taken to a technician for repair. Perhaps he will simply load anti-virus software and remedy the problem. Or perhaps he will wipe the hard drive and begin again. Regardless, the technician will identify the problem, repair it, and restore the computer to be fully functional. Likewise, a generation of people will emerge with the Kingdom message indelibly printed on their hearts and streaming from their lips; and it will eradicate the cancerous sin virus intruding into God’s Kingdom. The Kingdom Generation will abolish the lies and deception of the enemy with the razor sharp truth of the Kingdom message. The family of man will be restored; and it will happen quickly. Simultaneously, we will experience a massive visitation from God; He will literally “pour out His Spirit on all flesh.” When this real authentic move of God comes, it will be a fulfilment of Habakkuk 2:14 saying, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
How will this generation emerge? In every human being there is a brain; within every brain there is a mind. Within every mind there is a belief system or a culture. Within every belief system there is a shaper. And with every shaper, there is an agenda. Every belief system has a shaper and every shaper has an agenda.
Romans 10:17 tells us that, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” It’s impossible to please God without faith. But you cannot have faith until you hear; and you cannot hear the way you are supposed to hear if you have been shaped a certain way. All those who hear my messages or read my books hear the same word, but that doesn’t mean they are hearing at the same level, or even hearing the same message. We understand things according to our perception; in other words, we understand according to the way we have been shaped.
For example, when we say, “You must prosper,” someone here will say, “It’s about time we heard a message on prosperity.” Someone else will get angry and say, “They only talk about money in that church.” They both hear the same words, but their shaping produces a different response to the words. It is my responsibility as a church leader not just to lead people to salvation, although that’s the first step. My responsibility is to teach people how to hear because if you hear the right way, you can do the right thing.
The first section of this book will cover the demonic agendas that affect our perceptions and shape our thinking. It is imperative that we recognize these agendas that often appear as commonplace problems within the body of Christ. Once they are identified, we can begin removing these issues in order to replace them with Kingdom theology. The second section of the book will address the way the Kingdom functions, taking you step-by-step through the methodology necessary for a Kingdom mindset.
Please stop now, dear reader, and ask the Lord to give you wisdom and understanding before your proceed. If we are to be the generation that will bring the Kingdom of God, a substantial mind shift must occur. It is always difficult to embrace a new paradigm, because once your mind is set, it is a challenge to use your mind to change your mind! Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit will renew us through the transforming of our mind through the truth of God’s Word!
CHAPTER 1
TEN REASONS PROBLEMS EMERGE