I listened to a pastor once who said we were to usurp the kingdom. I remember thinking at the time there was something wrong with that word, as I had never heard it before. I looked it up when I got home and realized he did not make a mistake in his word choice, the word choice described perfectly what was going on in that church as they were power hungry and would do anything to retain it. To usurp something means, “to seize and hold (a position, office, power, etc.) by force or without legal right: The pretender tried to usurp the throne.” Without legal right is the key here. The pretender was definitely trying to usurp the throne that did not belong to him nor does it belong to the evil one who was behind this coup. In a coup the rightful heir to the throne was usually killed or chased off. We can see this with Jesus and the followers of Christ who have been killed but as always God’s plan will prevail because we have a saviour that lives and reigns, fulfilling the promise to David. Even today there are false teachers, preachers, apostles, prophets and evangelists trying continually to usurp the kingdom and power. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.” Satan wants to take the kingdom away from you that has been rightfully given to you as a Christian. 1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. We need great discernment in our day but the good news is that we as believers are part of a great promise. Galatians 3:29 “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Ephesians 3:6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.” To be a believer we must adhere to the whole gospel not just the parts we like or feel comfortable with. This passage describes what has led us to this point of desolation in the church. 2 Kings 22 states “Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.” We cannot call ourselves believers if we do not act in accordance with all that is written. I often ask how can we call the message preached the gospel if the messenger does not preach the whole counsel or actually believe all of it. For those who believe there is a great promise but since we are not seeing much of scripture fulfilled, the only answer is that those who have gone before us and us now have not believed. Again this is why we call on God to revive us again.

            Since we are rightful heirs to the throne, we are given authority to retain that throne. Jesus said Matthew 28:18 “to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Luke 9:1 “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” Luke 10:19 “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Mark 16:15 “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well. 19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Unfortunately many do not accept these words above, which have left the church powerless. We also have many leaders who have fallen to the temptation for power offered by satan but in the end they are also left powerless, at least according to the scriptural definition of power not the world’s as worldly power offered by satan. Luke 4:5 “The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” Jesus does not give us the power of the world but the power to overcome the world. John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 1 John 5:1 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” In order to say we are believers we must believe his word.

            We must be very careful because there is still much usurping going on in the church. The rightful heirs are being pushed aside. You can see this by going to a church business meeting where authority has been usurped. There is a lot of fear mongering and intimidation. Most people are afraid of asking questions or they don’t show up thus giving a yes vote by not being there. The unfortunate part is that there is usually enough minions around that will stand behind the leadership even if their approach is unbiblical. This is another case of the blind leading the blind. You will find question asking will get you cast aside or pushed out. They will do anything to retain the power. We are seeing controlling type of leadership all across North America. They have accepted satan’s offer for power and will sign away their souls to retain it.

            A really good example of this is found in 2 Kings 8:25. “In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 He followed the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was related by marriage to Ahab’s family.” You can see this on the chart I gave you about the kings. http://www.vtaide.com/gleanings/Kings-of-Israel/kings.html In my bible the pages covering 1 Kings 15-17 talk about Nadab, Basha, Elah, Zimri, Omri and Ahab are described as evil kings of Israel. They did evil in the eyes of Lord and some of them did more evil than the kings before them. Take a look down the right side and you will see the how evil the kings were.

            Today I want to talk about Athaliah who usurped the throne of Judah. First of all look at her lineage. Athaliah, was a granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. This means there is a connection to Jezebel. 1 Kings 21:25 “There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.” If you look on the right side of the chart I linked you to, you will see the evil kings of Israel and that is where she came from through marriage. Earlier her son was killed (Jehu was to destroy the hosue of Ahab) and she was furious enough to murder. 2 Kings 11:1 “When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. 3 He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land. She had usurped the throne away from the rightful heir or so she thought.

2 Chronicles 23:1 “In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. Jehoiada said to them, “The king’s son shall reign, as the Lord promised concerning the descendants of David.” This is really important to see because God always keeps his promise to David but we must remain faithful to the covenant. “16 Jehoiada then made a covenant that he, the people and the king would be the Lord’s people. 17 All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.” Then 11 Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!” 12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went to them at the temple of the Lord. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!”

            The enemy has usurped leadership and given much worldly power in the church today. There cannot be peace when the enemy is ruling.  2 Kings 9:22 “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?” The same is happening today. We are the rightful heirs to the throne. Once we are aware of the enemy,  we will pray to take the land once again and rule with the authority Jesus has given us but we must repent, tear down and renew the covenant and stand firm once again on the whole counsel of God. In God’s perfect timing he will keep his promise to David and the rightful heir will once again rule. 2 Chronicles 23:21 “All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword.”