Can someone positively affect the world by the work of the Holy Spirit? Would that necessarily mean that a person must be a missionary or an ordained minister to do so? So why are we not seeing the fruits of transformation in our lives? Let me try to answer some of these questions.
First of all, I believe we have misunderstood the Great Commission and given that calling to specific set apart believers. Jesus came and did the things of the Kingdom and told us to do the same. For most of us, that sounds like we have to get into a missionary training, get a visa and move to a far away country where the people don’t speak our language, the culture is new to us and the local people need to know Jesus. Yes, that is a kind of missionary work, but it is far from what the Great Commission meant and the public it was spoken to.
Jesus called all those who believe in Him to participate in the Kingdom of God and this is the absolute reconciliation of all things to the Father. It is in the nature of Jesus’ sacrifice and the purpose of the Cross to heal the connection between men and God, the restoration of purpose and truly the return to the original plan. In the beginning, God had in mind for His children to reign with Him. He gave domain to Adam and Eve, He told them to fill the earth and rule over it. That was taken from us with what Saint Augustine classified as the original sin, and we have seen throughout history the decay of men caused by sin.
In the redemption plan we were introduced back where we, the lost children of God had backslid, we were then realigned through the mystery of salvation. Salvation that takes us back to the place we were once removed, a place of favor and intimacy with the Father. Therefore, many Christians expect this to be the end-goal of our journey here on Earth, but that is a serious limitation to the work of the Cross and we must experience all the benefits that Jesus made available to us.
Once we understand that the plan for Eden is now back and in place, we know we are not to simply wait for an afterlife Kingdom of Heaven, instead we certainly have to take a hold of the position that we are called to now, so we can live fully aware of God’s desire to claim back possession of the world and make Jesus King in our lives. That process starts with our salvation experience and it continues as we develop the salvation that is within us. What that unlocks is that some are called into ministry, or at least how we like to call ministry, but all are called into destinies. Destiny in God is living out dreams and life as participants of the Kingdom of Heaven, redeeming every aspect of the world to Him. Rather you are working in your local church, a missions base or in the market place, your destiny is a journey, and it includes walking with the people of God and releasing the reality of Heaven on Earth.
What the world desperate needs is for you and I to be the Church, that the Jesus in us is the hope of Glory. We need ordained ministers and we need business leaders empowered by the Holy Spirit. We need missionaries in Africa and South America and attorneys and doctors powerfully affecting each area of influence of this world so we can see the kingdom of this entire world becoming the Kingdom of God and His Christ. You and I are highly privileged to be join heirs with Jesus and the answer to the world.
If you would like to make a financial contribution to Jonathan Costa, Click Here.
