The Last will be first is one of those many counterintuitive statements about the Kingdom of God, just like the greatest leader among you is the servant. God’s invitation to His end-time Kingdom Feast is secured for all nations through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. A place at the table has been prepared for everyone who understands this Good News and chooses to come to His great banquet. (Luke 14:16-24)
Read MoreIn God’s Kingdom, there is only one King but many followers. These followers are both Jew and Gentile from all the nations. Perhaps one of the best definitions of the church is given to us by Howard A. Synder from his book The Community of the King. He said we are most rightly identified as followers of Christ.
Read MoreWhen we enter another’s story, we begin to understand each other’s way of life. It is at this level that the Apostle Paul focused his efforts among the non-Jewish nations. Paul said it was not only his privilege to share the Gospel but also his life with others. (I Thess. 2:8) Too often we tend to emphasize teaching and training over serving and learning. Yet, it is in serving and learning that breakthroughs will come.
Read MoreHow is our witness for Christ? It’s important we know because this is why we were created. The passage in Acts 1:8 gives us our marching orders to be witnesses for Christ wherever we are in the world. It is this very area that the most intense spiritual warfare will take place. In the end, either we will be a witness for Jesus, another spirit or our own beliefs.
Read MoreTo walk in the favor of God and man is to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Jesus is the original apostle or ‘sent one’ from God. (Heb. 3:1) God’s favor for ‘sent ones’ is multiplied by the ‘spirit of adoption.’ It says of Jesus that He grew in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52) Finding favor with people is being approved by them. This positions us with acceptance and influence at spiritual and heart levels.
Read MoreApostles are those who are sent by God. It’s important, then, to consider the ‘spirit in which we go and are sent.’ Are we bearing witness to the life and presence of Christ wherever we go? Our lives will be a witness; the question is a ‘witness for whom?’ We want people to receive and be impacted by the spirit of Christ in all that we do.
Read MoreDarkness flees in the very presence of light. John the Baptist knew this. He was a messenger of Jesus who ‘was not the light but a witness to that light.’ Jesus is the light of the world, and only His light overcomes darkness. (John 1:5) So, the essence of spiritual warfare is ‘bearing witness to the light of Christ.’ (John 8:12)
Read MoreGod has hidden His Son among the nations. His light is casting shadows in places where the revelation of Christ is yet to unfold. Do you see the shadows of Christ among your people? As Jesus is ‘lifted up’ He will draw all nations unto Himself. (John 12:32) The Good News is Jesus. He is the light of the world. (Luke 2:29-32)
Read MoreEat, drink and be merry! There’s truth in this phrase. How we dine impacts relationships with God and others. The Apostle Paul said our dining with others should not cause relational barriers for people or people groups to encounter Jesus. In the Old Testament (OT) food was an issue, but in the New Testament (NT) the significance of dietary laws has changed and allows us to encounter all people at the table.
Read MoreIt’s interesting, Jesus as the Messiah, though single, was called the Everlasting Father. This is because He was full of ‘apostolic passion.’ The father heart of God for the nations is one that is dominated by love. God views life and all nations as a father. One who protects, provides and disciplines. Apostolic passion is what you’re willing to suffer for so that others and specifically the neglected will come to know their God as father. Simply put: a ‘sent one’ is being like a ‘father.’
Read MoreAre you on the Lord’s side? That’s the most important question to ask in spiritual warfare. When the Israelites went into the Promised Land, they encountered an angel with a drawn sword at Jericho. “Are you for us or against us?” they asked the angel. The angel responded, “Neither. I am the Commander of the Lord’s army. Take off your shoes for you are standing upon holy ground.” (Joshua 5:13-15) It doesn’t matter who’s on your side, if you’re not on God’s.
Read MoreThe Apostle Paul exhorted the Romans to know God’s goodness and severity. (Rom. 11:22) These are His ‘twin natures,’ and it’s important we understand both. Young Lucy in the Narnia series was learning this. She asked Mr. Beaver, “Is Aslan safe?” Mr. Beaver answered, “No, he’s the king and a lion; of course, he’s not safe, but he’s good!” Paul says being trained in discerning good and evil matures us. This is crucial in spiritual warfare. Choosing wrongly can lead to wandering, drifting, diminishing, depleting -- a withering lifestyle that ultimately destructs.
Read MoreHow well is your tongue tamed? The art of language helps us understand spiritual truths. So, our speech is important. Our words can determine whether we are aligned with the Kingdom of Light or the kingdom of darkness. Though small, our tongue carries within it the power of life and death, blessing and cursing. (Prov. 18:21)
Read MoreThough much warring begins in the mind, God’s battle strategy is to engage the heart. “Above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” (Prov. 4:23) The issues of life come from the heart – the place where God’s truth aims. Oftentimes, Jesus hid His truth within stories to be understood at a later time. The enemy, on the otherhand, wants you to lose your own story altogether which is destructive and disorienting.
Read MoreWhile battles rage around our identity, great fury is unleashed over our testimony. The two are intricately connected. The history of our encounters with God becomes the expression of our identity in Christ. Both our witness for Christ and our identity in Christ form the solid foundation of our faith. We become His living stones. (I Peter 2:4-5)
Read MoreHave you noticed the raging battles around our identity? Knowing who God is, who we are, and who our enemy is, keeps our footing firm on solid ground. When storms arise, Jesus is our lighthouse, the One who speaks peace to our souls. He rescues us and has good plans prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10). With every battle we overcome, our testimony strengthens as we continue trusting in Him. Any misplaced trust is sinking sand.
Read MoreJesus did not entrust Himself to everyone and neither should we. Though we fight not against flesh and blood (meaning physical only), our spiritual battles are mainly relational in nature. (Eph. 6:12) Oftentimes this Scripture verse is misunderstood. Consequently, we ignore the possibility of the demonic influencing the relational realm, when in actuality the demonic is sometimes hiding in relationships. The Kingdom of God is relational, so it makes sense that the enemy would hide there.
Read MoreFires within burn the hottest. They test our spiritual lives and bring impurities to the surface. As the dross is removed, our faith is purified and our witness for Christ is matured. That’s what God is after: purity and maturity. His glory is best seen when Christ in us is being fully formed. (Col.1 28-29) Though we’re never a finished work on this side of heaven, we press on towards Christlikeness -- always learning and growing. (Phil. 3:12-15)
Read MoreMost of us would rather bottle-up than break. Yet, it takes a broken vessel to release the fragrance of Christ. Brokenness is one of the preeminent signs of God releasing the apostolic ministry. When we learn, like the Apostle Paul, to embrace humility, we become a great threat to the evil one. “The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite spirit.” (Ps. 51:17) Only when others encounter the life of Christ in us do we become living epistles -- letters of Christ read by those around us. (II Cor. 3:1-6) Broken vessels release their content; unbroken ones withhold it. Our witness is released through brokenness.
Read MoreMaybe like me, you are happy to participate in sports but are more of a trepid spectator when it comes to body building. It’s one thing to exercise the body, another thing to sculpt it. When it comes to the Body of Christ, however, there is no place for spectators, only participants. We are all Bodybuilders. Throughout our whole lives we are being sculpted into the image of Christ by the indwelling Holy Spirit. (I Cor. 3:11-12) We are meant to display God’s glory and make His image visible – tangible – in the earth. We do this in relationship with God and others, and great spiritual warfare surrounds this purpose.
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