Ministering: Pastor Seyi Osanyinbi
The most paramount thing on God’s mind is His kingdom not the church. The church is only a means to an end. In the past weeks we have considered that the kingdom is coming to the earth and the church is the means to achieving that. We have also looked at examples and the characteristics of our enemies. However, we need to understand why we are in the kingdom at this time. Therefore, the purpose of God for raising the church will be my focus for today. We need to change our thoughts from the existence of some weapons somewhere and start thinking about the church as the weapon of warfare.
Joel 2:1-10
Theologians say the army described here is not a description of a natural army but that of a spiritual army that God will raise. God needs an army but not the natural one we are used to. This army will also fight in battles not requiring the natural armory we are used to. Usually, before a man is given weapons in an army, he must be trained and before he is deployed, he must know what he has been called to do. To successfully fight in battles, you must have an indepth understanding of what you have been called to do. Furthermore, we need to understand that major armies of the world prefer men who are not married because they do not have to worry about wives and children; they have no other responsibility other than war and they can afford to live anywhere and endure anything. Likewise in spiritual warfare, people need to understand why they should be single minded and be ready to lay their lives down.
In one particular religion, people give up their lives to be suicide bombers because they were told that it was a surer way to heaven, with promises of access to virgins and all pleasures you can imagine. The problem we have in Christianity is that we have not been given enough reasons to want to die for our faith. People are still scared of being injected with needles when they are sick talkless of having a knife placed on their neck with a threat to renounce Jesus. Unless you have enough reasons to stand, you will cave in to the demand and pressure of the present times. Esau was hungry and at that point his birthright meant nothing to him. He was willing to give it away for a meal. Esau swore to selling his birthright, thinking he was only playing games but later when he sought for it with tears, God did not answer him. His father would have wanted to give it to him still but I believe heaven helped Jacob get it. You need enough reasons to be a part of this army. Let us look at the things God wants to achieve with His army.
Revelation 10:7
Every new move of God is heralded by an angel. Therefore the sound of the angel as stated here will be the initiation of an era which is the bringing of the program of God to an end and we must be sensitive to know that time when we get there. From Genesis 1:1 to this point, God has been unfolding a programme. He has been working out a complex programme. He has revealed some of His plans to people like Abraham (Genesis 18:17) and we are supposed to come into the knowing of what God is doing now (Luke 21:34). We are gradually seeing the initiation of the one world religion. The falling away is just starting. The man of sin will soon be revealed. Spiritually speaking, dangerous days lie ahead. Times when no one had lived before and it will take dependence on God to survive at those times(2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).
The agenda of God can be viewed as it deals with three fundamental areas on earth namely the nation of Israel, the Church and the the gentile world. Israel is going towards a disappointment, their military and politicians will fail them and usher them into an era known as “Jacob’s trouble” but the ultimate agenda for the Church is to provoke Israel to return to their God (Romans 11:11-15, 18-30). This is the greatest agenda on God’s mind for the church. The coming back of the nation of Israel is dependent on the church provoking them to jealousy (Romans 11:11, 31-32). A Jew is not motivated by the gentiles’ miracles. They saw Jesus, and with all the miracles that He did, they still asked that they be given a sign that He had the approval of God like Moses. If Jesus could not convince the Jews with a miracle or sign, then the Gentile Church cannot. They practice ultimate racism, claiming that “they are sons of Abraham” which makes them think that they are far superior to the Gentiles. We must get to that point where Israel will see that truly sin no longer has dominion over us (gentiles). I challenge you to begin to seek God’s face about this promise (Romans 6:14). There is a glory we must long to see. Moses carried a glory that faded but we carry one that cannot (2 Corithians 3:9). We will be able to show the Jews that we handle that glory when we must have crucified the flesh (Romans 8:19). Presently, we are still struggling to cast out demons, but there will come a time when we will not force them out but they will themselves leave at the appearance of God’s sons. At this time we would have come into the full position as the heir (Galatians 4:1).
The world has not recognised us because we ourselves have not understood who we are. When we know who we are, we will have the right expectations. Our generation may need to change its expectations too because God will not do for us beyond what we ask. Without receiving the promise, there will be no rest. The promise will also not be given on a platter of gold, we will have to wage war to obtain it.
We see Paul tell us that his life pursuit was to apprehend the glory for which Christ apprehended him (Philippians3:10-14). There is a glory that is connected to knowledge which is connected to understanding and this dictates how you live on earth. Your life adjusts to the knowledge you have. Eternal life is a kind of knowledge, it is a kind of life just like carnality. Unfortunately, people talk about it but they cannot explain it. Eternal life is just another life you are supposed to live naturally. Your actions and reactions are birthed by the kind of life you live. Your old life must be crucified and you then be given a new one. The technology of taking the old and killing it and putting on the new is what the church needs to discover. Then we will begin to experience the quickening power of the Spirit in our mortal bodies. The earlier the church learns this truths the faster we will grow. The ultimate warfare is for us to come into sonship.
Hebrews 4: 8-11
Finally, we need to consider this thought in rounding up this topic. To ‘labour’ means to struggle. This is a justification for this warfare. You cannot enter just by strolling in. It is a matter of life and death. Satan will do anything it takes to prevent you from coming into this understanding but you must also gird your loins and be ready for battle. It is not all about casting out of demons but to apprehend that for which you were apprehended. Although, in the process you will face demons and will have the need to cast them out but it is not the main goal. We must keep our focus on why we were redeemed and for that course we must fight.