Kingdom Assignment

Jesus’ description of the last days sounds like our present time: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. ⁷ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:6-8)   It could be tempting to hunker down and wait for Jesus’ arrival, but Paul gave sage advice in Ephesians 5:15-16, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Certainly, presenting the salvation message of Jesus to those who don’t know Him is imperative, but we must also take to heart His command to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19).  This is a step beyond making converts that teaches God’s unconditional, transforming love that should prompt a response in people to obey His Word.  To successfully disciple others, our lives should model Jesus’ purity and holiness, living in His healing and freedom.  After all, discipleship is better caught than taught.  So, how do we most effectively prepare ourselves for this great assignment?

I believe it involves two processes.  The first is constantly moving towards Jesus through reading His Word and spending time with Him in prayer.  The second is determining what stands in the way of accomplishing the first and addressing it.  Building a relationship requires time in that person’s presence getting to know him.  While devotionals can be very helpful, they are the result of someone else’s time with Jesus which gives us “second-hand Jesus”, rather first-hand revelation through the Holy Spirit.  Prayer, as a matter of time with Him, is intimate conversation as well as intercession.  When we find it challenging to invest the time or even have the desire to do so, there is likely an obstruction that needs attention.  Identifying the obstruction(s) usually involves what I term as doing a ruthless self-inventory.

A self-inventory requires putting aside all pride to judge ourselves (thoughts, words, emotions, behaviors) against God’s standards.  Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:31 AMP, “But if we evaluated and judged ourselves honestly [recognizing our shortcomings and correcting our behavior], we would not be judged.”  This is our opportunity to assess what does not line up with God and discover the reason behind it.  Anger, bitterness, resentment, hurt feelings, and other negative emotions usually point to a need to forgive one or more people.  Identifying stress, anxiety, depression, control issues, condemnation, fear, doubt and more are indicative of personal wounds that often originate in childhood.  Those are more complicated, but Jesus, Who has known us since before time, also knows the way through because He is the Way, our Healer and Redeemer.  “Jesus said, ‘If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

The importance of us doing this work is best illustrated in a flight attendant’s preflight instructions to put on our oxygen masks before attempting to help others, such as a child in our care, with theirs.  Wounded and struggling Christians can hardly help themselves, let alone others.  But with Jesus as our literal breath of life, we can accurately say, ”I am not who I was, and I am not yet who I will be.  But I am becoming in Christ.”  His grace permits us to be authentic people of Christ, wearing His countenance, and shining His light.  The result is carrying out our Kingdom assignment even as we are being changed into His image.  Who, but God, would have orchestrated a plan that so richly blesses all simultaneously?!