THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

 

Marcella Ward   March 18, 2026

“As members of the Kingdom of God, we each have an important role. This kingdom is not just for us to observe; it’s for us to engage with actively. We are called to be stewards of God’s love, ambassadors of grace, and messengers of hope. When we understand our roles, we embrace the privileges and responsibilities that come with being part of this divine community. By living out our calling, we can effectively demonstrate the values of the Kingdom in our everyday interactions.”  (30 Powerful Bible Verses About The Kingdom Of God Full Commentary  Pastor David Updated on: August 20, 2025)

Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. NIV

2 Corinthians 5:20    We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. NIV

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. NIV

1 Peter 2:9   But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. NIV

 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” –Matthew 28:19-20-NIV

“In 1975 Loren Cunningham (founder of YWAM) and Bill Bright (founder of Campus Crusade) developed together a God-given, world-changing strategy about how to put this bible verse into practice. They concluded that in order to truly transform any nation with the gospel of Jesus, we must reach out to seven different spheres of society:” (The 7 Mountains of Influence by Dorina Betz)

1.      Religion

2.      Family

3.      Education

4.      Government

5.      Media

6.      Arts/Entertainment

7.      Business

As long as Christians stay within the four walls of their churches, the world is not threatened.  Jesus didn’t stay within the walls of the Temple.  He went out to reach the people and teach them about the Kingdom of God which He said is within us.  How can a world know about God unless we go out and preach it in whatever venue or capacity we can. 

We are the light of the world and Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  NIV

There are many in the Church who are waking up as we see across the country in our streets with massive revivals taking place; in the colleges, where there are many revivals taking place; in school board meetings; in social media; in courageous conservative reporters; in movements such as Flashpoint, Turning Point and so on.

 It appears that many believers are waking up to the fact that the 7 Mountains of Influence have been hijacked by the world and the devil.  Are we supposed to just sit back and let evil have its way or should we practice what we preach?

Jesus practiced what He preached.  He went about preaching about the Kingdom of God.  We are supposed to pick up the mantle and follow the great commission by infiltrating and taking over the culture and the mountains of influence. 

THE CHURCH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!!

Marcella Ward    March 18, 2026    Author of “Stolen Identity: Plan of the Evil One”

 

 

                                                         GOD’S KINGDOM IS IN POWER

Marcella Ward July 31, 2024

What is God’s Kingdom and what is the power that God speaks about?  Have we missed God’s message throughout the ages because we have not obeyed His Word and therefore become a Church that is powerless?

God’s Kingdom Is Within You

²⁰ Some of the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the kingdom of God come?”

Jesus answered, “God’s kingdom is coming, but not in a way that you will be able to see with your eyes. ²¹ People will not say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ because God’s kingdom is within you.  Luke 17:20-21  (NCV)

WHAT DID JESUS MEANS WHEN HE SAID, THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU?

“Jesus’ answer was that the kingdom of God was not coming in the manner the Pharisees were expecting. The kingdom would not be inaugurated with spectacle or splendor; there would be no great and magnificent leader who staked out a geographical claim and routed the Romans; rather, the kingdom would come silently and unseen, much as leaven works in a batch of dough (see Matthew 13:33). In fact, Jesus says, the kingdom had already begun, right under the Pharisees’ noses. God was ruling in the hearts of some people, and the King Himself was standing among them, although the Pharisees were oblivious to that fact.

There are three popular interpretations of Jesus’ words in Luke 17:21 that the kingdom of God is within you (or among you): 1) the kingdom of God is essentially inward, within man’s heart; 2) the kingdom is within your reach if you make the right choices; and 3) the kingdom of God is in your midst in the person and presence of Jesus. The best of these interpretations, it seems, is the third: Jesus was inaugurating the kingdom as He changed the hearts of men, one at a time.” (Got Questions: “WHAT DID JESUS MEANS WHEN HE SAID, “THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS WITHIN YOU?” March 13, 2023)

I Corinthians 4:18-20  (Peter’s response to the Corinthian Church)

¹⁸ Some of you have become proud, thinking that I will not come to you again. ¹⁹ But I will come to you very soon if the Lord wishes. Then I will know what the proud ones do, not what they say, ²⁰ because the kingdom of God is present not in talk but in power. ²¹ Which do you want: that I come to you with punishment or with love and gentleness?  (NCV)

ACTS 1:6-11 NIV

 ⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES AT PENTECOST

ACTS 2:2-4   NIV

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

MATTHEW 10:8   NIV

⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Have we become a powerless Church?  How many churches do we see that welcome the powerful Gifts of the Holy Spirit?

9 SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:  1 Corinthians 12:4-11

1. Word of wisdom
2. Word of knowledge
3. Gift of faith
4. Gift of healing
5. Working of miracles
6. Prophecy
7. Distinguishing between spirits
8. Speaking in tongues
9. Interpreting tongues

 

Before Jesus was taken up into Heaven, He gave us, as believers, authority to heal, cast out demons, and use the 9 Spiritual Gifts that would be given on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles which included 120 gathered in the Upper Room waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:2-4)

GOD IS NOT DEAD AND NEITHER IS THE BODY OF CHRIST!  The Gospel, the Good News, is present here today because Jesus lives in each believer. 

ROMANS 8:11  NIV

¹¹ And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

THEREFORE, AS CHRIST LIVED IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, SO WE MUST LIVE IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRT SO WE CAN BE A WITNESS TO THE WORLD AND GIVE GLORY TO ALMIGHTY GOD!!

Marcella Ward    Author of “Stolen Identity: Plan of the Evil One”

www.solaceinGodsworld.blogspot.com