Mission Over Power

Life has purpose. You have meaning!

As we discuss the spiritual battle we all face, the is part of being God’s people, we must be reminded of this truth. Life is valuable. Each person we will ever come into contact with has value and was created in the image of God.

We need to have compassion.

In a world where compassion is running on empty and where it is easy to be against so many things and people we cannot lose sight of this truth. Jesus said these words you will read in the devotional this week.

Matthew 9:36 NIV

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

We are to be like Christ, in all ways.

As we discussed last week the main goal of spiritual warfare is to be obedient to Christ. As we obey Jesus we will start to look more and more like Him. As we interact with his word we will start to act like him.

Our first weapon: prayer.

Notice that Jesus proclaims a couple truths as he calls us to prayer. Prayer does not change God but changes us! One of the tools of our enemy is to isolate us from tapping into the power of prayer. A church which is not fervently praying is a dead church. It may be filled with people but it will not last. The prayer is not just for the needs of those on the inside but our prayers must be for the harvest on the outside.

We have a mission from Jesus.

We are not just called to pray but we must realize, and prayer helps do this, that we have a mission to complete. Our mission is to go be a worker of the harvest.

Our next weapon: serve others.

The disciples were to heal the sick and cast out the demons from those in the cities they went to. Boiled down to the foundation of what the task was they were to “serve others”. In a similar passage from Matthew we read the cup of cold water given in this battle is important. Churches must never forget we exist not for the needs of those of us on the inside, though they are important, but for those who have yet to come into the kingdom.

Another weapon: proclaim Jesus’ kingdom.

This week we have been reminded of kingdoms and monarchies with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and the crowing of King Charles III. With Jesus’ ministry the new kingdom has been initiated and is upon us. The culmination will happen in the future but it is already here. I believe in the Kingdom of God being as others call it, “already but not yet” present among us.

The battle is about the Kingdom of God.

The phrase “kingdom of God” is a loaded phrase. It is hard to grasp at times and one which got Jesus in trouble many times. We are messengers in this “new” kingdom. It is not about us.

We must guard against pride.

Pride can be very subtle. In our passage we see how if it was left uncheck the disciples may have been on the slippery slope. Look even the demons submit to us in your name. Yes they knew the source of power but soon the enemy can get us to think it is about us! It is not about us, it is about Jesus!

Rejoice in Jesus!

We will either be in Jesus and His Kingdom of in the kingdom of this world. A non-decision is still a decision. Our tasks is to remember Jesus’ kingdom.