Mat 6:9-10 AMP Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name. (10) Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We recently looked at scriptural discipleship, but what is the purpose? Why are men who are disciples in Messiah left on earth in this age, and not immediately taken from this death, into paradise? We have a commission to fulfill, but what is this commission really about? Why are we to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, and teaching them to follow Jesus the Messiah?
In the text quoted above we find the answer, as Jesus shows us the foremost thing we are to pray for. First he draws our attention to having a real relationship with God, even the Father. We are to pray to the Father. The first (in priority) thing we are to pray for is, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
So, this commission we have, and this relationship with God we are in is all about the Kingdom of God coming on and in earth as it already is in heaven. That is, what is spiritual and eternal reality is to become earthly reality. We see this foretold in the book of Revelations. Isn’t the whole point of those Revelations John received that heaven would come to earth, and earth would become like another heaven, with God dwelling with us?
We are never told in Scripture that during this age we will see the completion of this or that if we only believe and pray this prayer that heaven would come to earth instantly in every way. If that were the case, the first century disciples would have called heaven to earth in such a way that the earth would be new, the wicked fully judged, and Messiah reigning already over the nations. But, we can partake in our part, which is an exciting adventure!
In fact, the Son of God is not getting up from his seat on the throne with his Father in heaven, until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. Who are his body, which includes his feet? We are.
Eph 4:11-16 AMP And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. (12) His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church), (13) [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. (14) So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead. (15) Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). (16) For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love.
So, we have a part to play, and it is VERY important! Most of modern Christianity does not get this. Because they have missed the whole point of why we are still here and what the commission is really all about (not getting people into heaven, but heaven into people), the church mostly has been powerless and fruitless. Remember, numbers aren’t how we tell success for the Kingdom.
A church can work hard and gain 10,000 converts, but if heaven is not coming to earth, first with men truly being born of the Spirit, and the rest of heaven’s works in that man’s life afterward, then the fruit isn’t of the Kingdom, but of man’s works, which will perish in the fire.
1Co 3:13-16 AMP The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. (14) If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward. (15) But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. [Job 23:10.] (16) Do you not discern and understand that you [the whole church at Corinth] are God’s temple (His sanctuary), and that God’s Spirit has His permanent dwelling in you [to be at home in you, collectively as a church and also individually]?
After telling us the works we do will be tested, we get a great hint at the end concerning how to be sure we do the kind of works that will pass the test. Be the temple of the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit, doing the works of the Spirit. These are the only eternal works that will last, because they come from heaven, being given by the Spirit from heaven. They are not natural works done by religious men, but supernatural works done by men anointed by and full of the Holy Spirit.
If you are a disciple in Messiah (Christ – The Anointed – even Jesus/Y’shua), your purpose is to be a vessel God uses to bring heaven to earth, advancing the Kingdom of heaven against the kingdom of darkness of this world. The heavenly light must shine through us, and our works must be those of the Kingdom, heavenly and supernatural. What have you been participating in that is supernaturally overcoming the kingdom of darkness, advancing the Kingdom of God against it?
How sad that one day many religious preachers will stand before the judgment throne for believers and find their reward lacking. They’ve built big churches with fancy buildings and had large budgets, but they weren’t really advancing the Kingdom according to God’s standard.
Psa 127:1 AMP A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. EXCEPT THE Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; except the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain. [Ps. 121:1, 3, 5.]
One of the greatest weapons Satan (Hebrew meaning “adversary”) has used against believers in Messiah to this day has been lies causing people to fear seeking the supernatural, or to think such is not for today. Most Christians to this day go to churches full of dead ritual and liturgy and fear any association with seeking the gifts of the Spirit and “strange” manifestations that may happen. Take speaking in tongues for example; to this day most professing Christians are afraid of this experience, though for Peter, John, and the like it was a good experience, not one to be feared or avoided.
1Co 2:10-16 AMP Yet to us God has unveiled and revealed them by and through His Spirit, for the [Holy] Spirit searches diligently, exploring and examining everything, even sounding the profound and bottomless things of God [the divine counsels and things hidden and beyond man's scrutiny]. (11) For what person perceives (knows and understands) what passes through a man’s thoughts except the man’s own spirit within him? Just so no one discerns (comes to know and comprehend) the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (12) Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. (13) And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit]. (14) But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. (15) But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. (16) For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ (the Messiah) and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. [Isa. 40:13.]
This is why I had been praying as a young Baptist youth pastor, who independently of any involvement with Pentecostal of Charismatic churches or people, had experienced the baptism like they had in the book of Acts, and supernatural things began to happen in my life and ministry. Because I was surrounding by unbelieving believers, who say they believe in Jesus, but are skeptics about the things of the Spirit he sent from heaven to be with us, I longed for fellowship with other believers who had and were continuously seeking more of the things of the Spirit in their lives.
It seems crazy to the natural minded person, but to the one who puts on the mind of Christ, the works of the Holy Spirit are more valuable than any earthly jewel or precious metal. We seek the things of the Spirit as a highly esteemed treasure. When we receive these things of the Spirit, to the outside observer, we are the fools and crazy ones. Oh that their eyes of understanding would be opened!
I’ve seen it again and again in testimonies of men doing a great work of God these days; you get a Baptist man who loves the Word like I did and do, filled with the Holy Spirit (finally) and you’ll have someone who will do mighty works for God. Many of the leading Spirit-filled ministers who have led great revivals and renewals today were once Baptists like me.
We were born of the Spirit through the Baptist ministries because they focus on that, and don’t do a bad job of spreading the Gospel concerning the grace of God and the new birth. But they generally stop there, like it all ends (the searching and receiving) once one is “saved.” Then they end up in a perpetual “go to church” and do some religious works kind of living. They have a mentality that one gets all they need when they are “saved.” This is not biblical and is detrimental to one’s spiritual growth.
But, once you get a Baptist preacher to understand that the work doesn’t stop with the new birth, that there is much more of the Holy Spirit to experience in our lives, and to be used by God supernaturally to touch the lives of others, we are in for an exciting adventure together following after our Teacher, being his disciples.
The goal cannot just be getting people “saved” as so many Evangelical Christians think! It must be that we long to be like Christ, both in love and in the display of the Kingdom power to change lives and the world around us, for Father’s glory! If our living is not about the Kingdom coming on earth as in heaven, maybe we’ve fallen for the lie of getting saved and waiting to go to heaven, which is completely backwards from God’s plan, and thus we can know thereby that it must be a satanic doctrine.
Is it any wonder that those who believe that “get to heaven” doctrine the most are those generally found lacking any heavenly power and activity in their lives and ministries now on earth? They are not submissive to allowing the Holy Spirit to bring heaven to earth through them, because that is not what they believe in. Their whole focus is getting people saved so we can all get to heaven. Backwards, backwards, backwards!
It is all another attempt to create a man-made stairway to heaven. In the end of the Book I’ve read through many times, I see the King returning to earth, and eventually with the new heavens and earth, the Father even dwells on earth from Zion with us. I don’t find the “get to heaven” doctrine anywhere in Scripture, unless by heaven we mean a paradise existence, which we will have after the resurrection, on the earth.
Dear brethren, your purpose is not merely to get saved and then die and go to heaven some day. Your purpose is to show forth the glory of God now, following the example of our great Shepherd, following him wholeheartedly, manifesting his Kingdom on earth as in heaven. Then, when your body perishes, the hope of the resurrection is yours, and you rightly expect to be raised in perfection and immortality to dwell forever with and in the service of the Lord of lords and King of kings, who will reign on and from earth (over all creation).
If you know that you know you are born of the Spirit, let your undying seeking be for the supernatural gifts and works of the Holy Spirit to be in your life, so that you may be one used to advance and build the Kingdom on earth as in heaven. This is your purpose, and it is a very exciting purpose – much more exciting than the religiously minded view we have today of our purpose and commission. As usual, God’s real plan is much more exciting than Satan’s counterfeit he has convinced many Christians to believe in.
We have this promise to remind us that our seeking is never in vain.
Luk 11:9-13 AMP So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. (10) For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened. (11) What father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? (12) Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? (13) If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!
Amen!
