As we have watched the Kingdom come in the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, one might be tempted to ask, “So what?  What does that have to do with us today?”  I am so glad you asked!  You had better buckle your seat-belts for the answer!

Proclaim and Demonstrate

Jesus sent out His disciples to proclaim and demonstrate the Kingdom of God the same way He did.  Notice what He said to the seventy-two as He sent them out.

“Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’”  Luke 10:8 – 9 ESV

Their proclamation was to be accompanied by demonstration as the demonstration confirmed the proclamation.  God’s dominion was breaking in upon them, and things change when the Kingdom comes!

Lest someone is tempted to think this was just for them back then, Jesus extends this same privilege to all believers in John 14:12 – 14.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”  NLT

The significance of Jesus going to be with the Father was that He would send back the Holy Spirit to empower us to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8).  Because of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and because the Holy Spirit has come, our ministry can be accompanied by proclamation and demonstration as well.

The Equation Changes

In practical terms, this means the equation changes any time you and I enter a situation.  That which was formerly impossible has suddenly entered the realm of possibility.  Because we have been given the authority to ask in Jesus’ Name (as His representatives), our lives become a bridge over which the realities of His world can be brought into this one.  We, today, can see the Kingdom come as God answers believing prayer!

A Kingdom Mindset

Our only problem has been that our thinking is too small in these areas.  We need to get a Kingdom mindset.  This means we need to expect God to extend His dominion whenever we ask Him to in Jesus’ Name.  Perhaps we need to continually pray a prayer prayed by the great missionary statesman E. Stanley Jones:

“O Christ, my channels are open.  May the Kingdom come through me this day in everything I do and say.  Then I will be the agent of the answer.  I will be the Kingdom — in miniature.  Amen.” [1]

As God begins to answer this prayer, we will find ourselves truly ministering and living in the Reign.

M

[1} Dean Merrill, E. Stanley Jones, The Way, (Minneapolis, Summerside Press, 2011), http://summersidepress.com/Products/ChristianLivingDevotionals/TheWay/ tabid/303/Default.aspx (accessed July 20, 2012).