This week I want to share some bold thoughts consistent with Kingdom thinking with you.
Jesus did not leave the Nations in the hands of Politicians. Jesus left the nations in the hands of His disciples. Think on this for a while.
Mat 28:16 -20
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
True disciples of Jesus influence Nations
The Greek word translated Nation is ‘ethnos’ which means a multitude of individuals or people groups of the same nature or genus associated or living together.
We see Jesus in the scripture above, alone with his eleven disciples on a mountain handing over the nations to them.
Jesus told them, “All power (the Greek word translated power in verse 18 is exousia which means authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth, and on the back of this, I mandate you to go and make disciples of all nations.” All nations are supposed to be our disciples. You have a calling from God that has to influence nations. You cannot afford to be irrelevant. Your destiny is to influence nations; you cannot remain small in your thinking. It’s time to wake up to the task at hand. How much of the Word must you know? How often and how long must you pray? What must be the depths of your impact, if you must disciple nations?
Success: a tool for influence
Anyone who becomes successful in the Kingdom of God will influence nations. Kingdom success therefore is a tool for influencing nations. God needs you to be successful in the Kingdom because of your assignment to disciple the nations.
Setting a new National Agenda
Verse 20 says ‘Teaching them (all nations) to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…’ (Emphasis mine). No nation was excluded by Jesus. There is no territory that cannot be invaded by the Kingdom of God. Whatever the nations were doing before these disciples got there was supposed to change. You and I are supposed to change national focus, shift national aspirations, elevate national thinking, redefine national values and influence national culture.
If you are a teacher of the nations then you must know more than your students (the nations). It means whatever Jesus has taught you the nations have no access to, until you bring it to them. Your personal knowledge of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit sets you up as a teacher.
Without empowering believers and committing to continuous capacity building the church will be unable to carry out its destiny of influencing the nations. Any church or assembly that has lost focus relative to its destiny to influence nations has become a sophisticated entertainment centre. We have had enough entertainment in church; it’s time to train believers to influence nations. It is time to increase in the revealed knowledge of God. You must be a leader and teacher in a knowledge area, delivering impossible solutions to the nation(s) you are called to influence and shape.
Rule and Subdue the Earth!