Ruling and Reigning With Christ

Was God's plan through Jesus Christ simply to get us saved and taken to heaven? Is that all God had in mind? Continue reading below or check the audio message at this link.

God’s Plan

Eph 1:9-10  God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. (NLT)

Eph 3:10-11  God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)

Heb 10:12-13  But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.  (NLT)

Col 2:15  …He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Mat 28:18-20  Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

The stage was set at Calvary for the kingdom of God to once again reign in both heaven and on the earth. Victory was secured! Jesus reclaimed the birthright that Adam lost. 

So “why” the Church if God's victory was complete at Calvary?

To Joshua, the land was promised and allocated to Israel, so what else was needed? Jos 1:3  Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 

The catch?

        Deu 8:1 "All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers." The Israelites had to "possess" the land, not just "own" it.

Joining the revelation given to the Church with the example of Israel taking the promised land, it seems we can draw a couple conclusions:

-        The word of God, and in particular the new testament…new covenant…is a description of God’s “will and testament."

-        He left it to the Church to Administer what was written in His will

-        Administrator > Executor; the person appointed to ensure that a deceased person’s will is executed according to the instructions in the will.

Administrator is a fairly passive word…

When players on an NBA are being abused by a player on the other team, what do we call the person put into the game by the coach to protect the team’s players? The Enforcer!.

Given that our enemy’s goal is to steal, kill and destroy, God appointed the Church to be His enforcer, to disrupt the enemies plans, thwart the enemy's destructive agenda, and enforce God's desire to "save that which was lost".

The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

Col 1:18  He is also head of the body, the church; Col 2:9  For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form; Col 2:10 "and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority"

The church is called to enforce God’s will on the earth!

Mat 16:19  "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." 

o   Binding and Loosing

o   Forbidding and Permitting

The Elijah problem:

After the Carmel confrontation with Ahab's false prophets, Elijah traveled to Mt Horeb and hid in a cave on God's mountain. But God wasn't ready for Elijah to pull back; instead He sent Elijah back out of the cave to complete his calling. Elijah had to come out of his cave; out of hiding:

-          So even though he revealed the true God at Mt Carmel and destroyed the false prophets...

-          He did NOT enforce God’s rule; no regime change; no removal of evil presence among the people

So God sent Elijah back to finish his appointed work. What was the result?

-          a new king in Syria

-          a new king in Israel

-          a new disciple…Elisha; a way for God through Elijah to multiply His work (double)

Enforcing His rule requires the Church to war against God’s enemy

Be Strong, Put on God’s Armor…

Eph 6:10-12  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

2Co 10:3-6  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

The Weapons of our Warfare

So what are the “weapons of our warfare”?

• Listening (Mark 4:23-25, Jas 1:22). We have to know His ways and not just His acts. We need to be active listeners, doers of the word and not just hearers.

• Prayer (Phil 4:6). John Wesley once stated that "prayer is where the action is". Our prayers create a channel for the flow of God's Spirit - His transforming Spirit to move.

• Praise (Psa 22:3). God is enthroned on the praises of His people. Praise lifts us above our circumstances and invokes God's presence.

• Decree/Declare (Mar 11:22-23) We must speak God's word, knowing it carries His authority and power. We are executors of His will and need to act accordingly.

• Testify (Rev 12:11). It is by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony that we overcome. 1 Chron 16:23-24 urges us to "; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.  Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples"

  
  

We are called to war against principalities and powers, the true enemies of God.

-          So, we must be trained and equipped

-          And we must use His weapons to enforce His will on the earth

When we enforce His will on the earth, heaven responds with power we can only imagine.