The Power of the Church
I’ve been turning the radio off a lot lately. It seems like the stations I listen too are all caught up in determining why they lost the election. Why do they think they will convince voters of the error of their ways when the people who voted against them probably aren’t listening to their show, and even if they were they wouldn’t be persuaded by political arguments?
The answer for America is not about getting this group or that group to side to the right. There is only one organization strong enough to stop America from falling into the abyss, and its strength does not come from the number of voters who agree with it.
I am talking about the church Jesus spoke about in Matthew 16:18 when He said that the forces of hell would not be able to hold it back. We need to stop backing up from the outcome of this last election. America is walking in darkness that will continue to blind it until the lesson of Isaiah 6:9-13 is fulfilled (see my post “I’m Sorry America”), and that is not something we are going to be able to change with political arguments, however the power of the church is not connected to the whims of worldly politics.
Jesus’s last command before He ascended into heaven was for us to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20). Christians like to misquote this passage in verse 18 as giving heaven’s authority to us, but that isn’t what Jesus said. All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus Christ, not us. God knew better than to give His authority to us, because we are imperfect humans who would have already turned it over to evil if it was ours to turn over. But what Jesus gave us wasn’t authority, it was a command.
What we really need to understand about authority is by obeying His command we aren’t using any authority that we have, WE ARE USING HIS AUTHORITY. If a king tells one of his servants to prepare a banquet, what do you think would happen to other servants if they failed to follow the direction of that servant in carrying out the king’s order? By giving the order the king gave his servant “king’s authority” to fulfill the order. By Jesus giving us a command, He gave us “KING OF KINGS AUTHORITY” to fulfill that command.
If you want to turn a nation away from the abyss, that is the key. If you want to shatter the forces of hell, that is the key. If you want “all authority in heaven and on earth” to be on your side, that is the key. The solution to saving America is to make disciples of its people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:18-20).
While we are making disciples we are able to drive out demons, speak in new tongues, and heal the sick (Mark 16:17-18). While we are making disciples we are protected from snake venom and deadly poison (Mark 16:17-18). While we are making disciples we are able to overcome all the power of the enemy and the enemy is not be able to harm us (Luke 10:19). The greatest power in the universe comes out of the church that obeys Christ’s command.
How do we make disciples? The same way that Jesus did. We have four gospels filled with detailed examples of how Jesus made disciples. Everything that Jesus did was discipling. Jesus wants us to do everything that He did, that is why He gave the command. He wants us to heal the sick, set free the captives, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, raise the dead, preach the gospel, confront the “Pharisees”, forgive the sinners, bring forth the blessings and the favor of God the Father, and if necessary even to give up our own lives for the sake of others (Revelations 12:11). Jesus commanded us to do these things. hell cannot stop us from doing these things because when we do them, WE ARE WALKING IN JESUS CHRIST’S AUTHORITY.
Do not despair at the consequences of America’s sin. Change those consequences, by making disciples.
James :)
The answer for America is not about getting this group or that group to side to the right. There is only one organization strong enough to stop America from falling into the abyss, and its strength does not come from the number of voters who agree with it.
I am talking about the church Jesus spoke about in Matthew 16:18 when He said that the forces of hell would not be able to hold it back. We need to stop backing up from the outcome of this last election. America is walking in darkness that will continue to blind it until the lesson of Isaiah 6:9-13 is fulfilled (see my post “I’m Sorry America”), and that is not something we are going to be able to change with political arguments, however the power of the church is not connected to the whims of worldly politics.
Jesus’s last command before He ascended into heaven was for us to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20). Christians like to misquote this passage in verse 18 as giving heaven’s authority to us, but that isn’t what Jesus said. All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus Christ, not us. God knew better than to give His authority to us, because we are imperfect humans who would have already turned it over to evil if it was ours to turn over. But what Jesus gave us wasn’t authority, it was a command.
What we really need to understand about authority is by obeying His command we aren’t using any authority that we have, WE ARE USING HIS AUTHORITY. If a king tells one of his servants to prepare a banquet, what do you think would happen to other servants if they failed to follow the direction of that servant in carrying out the king’s order? By giving the order the king gave his servant “king’s authority” to fulfill the order. By Jesus giving us a command, He gave us “KING OF KINGS AUTHORITY” to fulfill that command.
If you want to turn a nation away from the abyss, that is the key. If you want to shatter the forces of hell, that is the key. If you want “all authority in heaven and on earth” to be on your side, that is the key. The solution to saving America is to make disciples of its people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:18-20).
While we are making disciples we are able to drive out demons, speak in new tongues, and heal the sick (Mark 16:17-18). While we are making disciples we are protected from snake venom and deadly poison (Mark 16:17-18). While we are making disciples we are able to overcome all the power of the enemy and the enemy is not be able to harm us (Luke 10:19). The greatest power in the universe comes out of the church that obeys Christ’s command.
How do we make disciples? The same way that Jesus did. We have four gospels filled with detailed examples of how Jesus made disciples. Everything that Jesus did was discipling. Jesus wants us to do everything that He did, that is why He gave the command. He wants us to heal the sick, set free the captives, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, raise the dead, preach the gospel, confront the “Pharisees”, forgive the sinners, bring forth the blessings and the favor of God the Father, and if necessary even to give up our own lives for the sake of others (Revelations 12:11). Jesus commanded us to do these things. hell cannot stop us from doing these things because when we do them, WE ARE WALKING IN JESUS CHRIST’S AUTHORITY.
Do not despair at the consequences of America’s sin. Change those consequences, by making disciples.
James :)
posted by AskAboutGod | Friday, November 16, 2012
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