Page 6 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

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Keeping in mind the self-sacrificing pattern of this earthly presidential race for the prize of the White House, let

us now consider a different “race to be run, and a prize to be won” that is set before every born-again follower

of Christ: ““DDOO YYOOUU NNOOTT KKNNOOWW TTHHAATT TTHHOOSSEE WWHHOO RRUUNN IINN AA RRAACCEE AALLLL RRUUNN,, BBUUTT OONNEE RREECCEEIIVVEESS
TTHHEE PPRRIIZZEE?? RRUUNN IINN SSUUCCHH AA WWAAYY TTHHAATT YYOOUU MMAAYY OOBBTTAAIINN IITT.. AANNDD EEVVEERRYYOONNEE WWHHOO

CCOOMMPPEETTEESS FFOORR TTHHEE PPRRIIZZEE IISS TTEEMMPPEERRAATTEE IINN AALLLL TTHHIINNGGSS.. NNOOWW TTHHEEYY DDOO IITT TTOO OOBBTTAAIINN AA
PPEERRIISSHHAABBLLEE CCRROOWWNN,, BBUUTT WWEE FFOORR AANN IIMMPPEERRIISSHHAABBLLEE CCRROOWWNN.. TTHHEERREEFFOORREE II RRUUNN TTHHUUSS::

NNOOTT WWIITTHH UUNNCCEERRTTAAIINNTTYY.. TTHHUUSS II FFIIGGHHTT:: NNOOTT AASS OONNEE WWHHOO BBEEAATTSS TTHHEE AAIIRR..
BBUUTT II DDIISSCCIIPPLLIINNEE MMYY BBOODDYY AANNDD BBRRIINNGG IITT IINNTTOO SSUUBBJJEECCTTIIOONN,,

LLEESSTT,, WWHHEENN II HHAAVVEE PPRREEAACCHHEEDD TTOO OOTTHHEERRSS,, II MMYYSSEELLFF SSHHOOUULLDD BBEECCOOMMEE DDIISSQQUUAALLIIFFIIEEDD..””
11CCoorr..99::2244--2277

Paul uses the depiction of the Greek games of his day as an illustration of a higher race and a higher prize set

before the believer:

“NOW THEY DO IT TO OBTAIN A PERISHABLE CROWN, BUT WE FOR AN IMPERISHABLE CROWN.”

This same principle can (and should) be applied to the presidential race for the prize of the White House. The
prize is temporary, perhaps as much as eight years and then the process begins all over again for this
“perishable crown.” Then all the tireless, zealous workers and volunteers must align themselves once more
behind a new candidate of choice in pursuit of yet another “perishable crown.”

All of this is fine for citizens of an earthly kingdom such as America, but Jesus tells His followers:

“MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. IF MY KINGDOM WERE OF THIS WORLD, MY SERVANTS
WOULD FIGHT...BUT NOW MY KINGDOM IS NOT FROM HERE.” John 18:36

Paul, who was a Roman citizen by natural birth, places his citizenship
in Heaven by means of the new birth: “FOR OUR CITIZENSHIP IS IN HEAVEN...” Phil. 3:20

This is an important concept to consider, for we too have earthly citizenship in America by means of natural
birth; but also have a heavenly citizenship by means of the new birth. Why are we not declaring the heavenly
citizenship above the earthly one? Why do so many Christians become obsessed with the race that
determines who ends up in the White House? This is not the race or the prize Paul is setting before the
believer! Let us consider another “house” which should be a fanatical obsession for the people of God:

““TTHHUUSS SSAAYYSS TTHHEE LLOORRDD:: TTOO TTHHEE EEUUNNUUCCHHSS WWHHOO KKEEEEPP MMYY SSAABBBBAATTHHSS,, AANNDD CCHHOOOOSSEE
WWHHAATT PPLLEEAASSEESS MMEE,, AANNDD HHOOLLDD FFAASSTT MMYY CCOOVVEENNAANNTT,, EEVVEENN TTOO TTHHEEMM II WWIILLLL GGIIVVEE IINN MMYY HHOOUUSSEE
AANNDD WWIITTHHIINN MMYY WWAALLLLSS AA PPLLAACCEE AANNDD AA NNAAMMEE BBEETTTTEERR TTHHAANN TTHHAATT OOFF SSOONNSS AANNDD DDAAUUGGHHTTEERRSS;;

II WWIILLLL GGIIVVEE TTHHEEMM AANN EEVVEERRLLAASSTTIINNGG NNAAMMEE TTHHAATT SSHHAALLLL NNOOTT BBEE CCUUTT OOFFFF..””
IIssaaiaiahh5566::44--55

THE
WHITE HOUSE
The perishable prize of who gets in
“THE
the White House is a subtle “A NAME BRIDE
AND
substitute for the imperishable prize A PLACE” OF CHRIST”

of a special place in “NEW JERUSALEM,
the House of God! THE CITY OF MY GOD”

“PERISHABLE CROWN” We all become “sons and daughters” “IMPERISHABLE CROWN”
by means of the new birth.

God is offering something higher:

“...I WILL GIVE IN MY HOUSE AND WITHIN MY WALLS A PLACE AND A NAME
BETTER THAN THAT OF SONS AND DAUGHTERS...”

We only need to look to Jesus’ words in Revelation to see this amplified for us:

“HE WHO OVERCOMES, I WILL MAKE HIM A PILLAR IN THE TEMPLE OF MY GOD, AND HE SHALL
GO OUT NO MORE. AND I WILL WRITE ON HIM THE NAME OF MY GOD AND THE NAME OF THE
CITY OF MY GOD, THE NEW JERUSALEM, WHICH COMES DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM MY GOD.

AND I WILL WRITE ON HIM MY NEW NAME.
HE WHO HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAYS TO THE CHURCHES.” Rev. 3:12-13

The Christian’s priorities in life should not be like those of citizens in an earthly kingdom. The issue for us is not
to be a Democrat or a Republican fervently trying to get our man (or woman) into the White House! This is not
our race, nor is it our prize! If you are sad or mad because of who won this last earthly race and prize, then you
are following the wrong race for the wrong prize! Politics is a substitute for what God is offering His people!