Kingdom Principle:   Faith is the foothold of the Kingdom  –  it is by faith that we discover a Disciplined Body, Developed Soul and Directed Spirit.

1 Samuel 15:34 – 16:13 Psalm 20 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17 Mark 4:26-34

If you try to figure out the difference between the reign of Saul and David – the core issue is faith – it is a matter of the heart. From the beginning to the end of Saul’s story, it was “man” whom he feared rather  for David is was in God he placed his trust.

If you have the faith as small as a mustard seed  – you can move a mountain.  (Matt. 17:20) In fact is says that nothing is impossible for you…. This is the reality of the Kingdom of God. The Complete and total rule and reign of God where nothing is impossible.  Hebrews 11:6 says “without faith it is impossible to please God” and in Hebrews 11:1 – faith is defined as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Let us put our Faith and Trust in the Name of the LORD our God.

God is the author and perfect of our faith, and faith is given as a gift, the question for us today and in the Kingdom of God is has your faith taken root in your heart.

Faith rooted in your body – believes in what is seen and what one can do with their own effort. This is the thinking of the world. (He who dies with the most toys – wins) Faith that is rooted in your soul (and mind) is the effort to believe in the possibility of change. This faith brings you to work for the good of self and others. Faith that is rooted in your spirit (and heart) is the belief in God’s provision and purposes for your life beyond what you can say or do to make it true.  It is God who gives faith as a gift, where we plant that faith determines the fruit of the seed.  As seen below – faith must take root in all areas of one’s life to produce the crop of the Kingdom.

Faith that leads to a Disciplined Body is faith the restrains the hands of a person before they foolishly commit and offense. A disciplined body lays a foundation of obedience for one’s life. If you cannot discipline your body then your faith will have little success being expressed in this world.  The “fruit” of this faith is the “ability” of the believer to follow all that they believe in to be true.  Your Body is a temple – may it serve the King well.

Faith that leads to a Developed Soul is faith that reaches for that which is right and good.  A discipline body can restrain itself from committing a crime, a developed soul no longer desires to commit a crime.  If faith does not develop your soul, your life is a constant struggle to do the “right” thing when what is right is a moving target. Saul constantly desired to do what was right – but he was constantly guessing how to do such an action for he failed to have a Directed Spirit. Your soul is a gift to this world, as you are a gift to the world.

Faith that leads to a Directed Spirit is faith that is rooted in the Kingdom of God, where the King’s reign and rule are the governing direction of life. While there is right and wrong in the world, the rule of the Kingdom supersedes even this law. (This is where Jesus constantly ran into conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees. Their faith was clearly that of the Body and Soul, but failed to be directed by the Spirit.)

We see this growth in the seed of the parables in  Mark 4. It is by faith that the seed grows without the work of the farmer or the seed – somehow rather it is from the soil…. The soil is the gift of God as faith.

Much like grass, faith grows where you water it. Often we are tempted to look at other’s faith and wonder how or why ours is not like theirs – hence the grass being greener on the others side. Know that faith also grows where it is tried and tested. This is to feed the “grass” much like our trials produce in us a source of faith which cannot be overlooked.

Faith is the foothold of the Kingdom.  The other type of foothold spoken of in the Bible is the one which the devil takes hold. (Eph. 4:27) Where in faith we discipline our body, develop our soul and find our spirit directed by the King, the devil will have no foothold by which to hold to us. Therefore invest and “water your faith” for the sake of the Kingdom.

Discipline the Body – Drink Water in Faith – Jesus is the Living water.  Exercise in Faith – Paul say’s beat your body  so not to be disqualified from the gospel.  Get enough sleep  – We are to find our rest in Him.

Develop the Soul – Forgive.  Be Forgiven. Embrace your God given identity; discover your God given purpose. Weep & Mourn, Sing & Dance. Choose to do something that you always wanted to do. Choose to give up something that you love but can do without.

Directed Spirit – Pray and Ask the LORD. Read His Word and Meditate on it Day and Night. Participate in a Community of Faith where the body and soul are not crowned with earthly glory.

Earthly glory in my opinion is a great stumbling block of the organized church today…. (body glorified – how much people serve and give, service is seen as duty, the holy-ones are those who are  untouchable based on war wounds and battle scars for the church  , soul glorified – how gentle and contemplative people are is goal, tolerance and morality are sought,  the holy-ones are those who are untouchable based on inner knowledge and stature.)