My wife and I have entered our 25th year of being in full time ministry together, and what a journey it has been. Yet, in all that He has led us through and all He has empowered us to do for His kingdom, we have never felt the sense of urgency in our spirits as we feel now to encourage and equip believers all over the world to know who they are in Christ Jesus. Believers who know who they truly are in Christ, become focused on their purpose and together join forces to accomplish the work the Spirit of God has quickened them to do.
Together, we become powerful partners with a common purpose, determined to push back the tide of darkness with the glorious light of God's presence that shines brighter and stronger than any prevailing force.
We are ambassadors for Christ...
In order to do this, we have to embrace the words of the Apostle Paul, recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "...Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ.". Paul wasn't suggesting what type of believers we should strive to become, rather, he was stating a fact of who we are, while we occupy the earth.
In earlier, colonial times, the King of England would send an ambassador to a foreign land he had conquered, with the full intention of representing the culture of England, establishing its laws and regulations and the king's influence and interests. That ambassador was in fact the king's representative and would be given the full authority of the king himself to enforce and maintain a strong presence of the kings purpose in that land.
To make this possible, that ambassador had to be fully aware of what the king of England's plan and purpose for that colony was. He had to be able to think and speak and act as the king would over His own kingdom back home.
Now history tells us that the intensions of the king of England, concerning many of his foreign colonies were not necessarily good or for the benefit of the people living in those colonies, but rather to serve his own ambitious aspirations. However, when Paul calls us ambassadors of Christ, he is reminding us of who we represent on this earth and what our purpose is. We are ambassadors of an all loving, all powerful God, Who has given His only Son to reconcile us to Himself. He is a God Who has only our best interests at heart and always works everything to our good as we love and trust Him. He is a God that has plans to give us a hope and a great future in Him, in spite of any challenges that may threaten to hinder His purpose from being fulfilled in our lives.
So, when Paul calls us Christ's ambassadors, he is assuring us of our identity being in an all knowing, all powerful, God Himself. According to the Word of God, we are born of God and do not belong to this world. Instead, our spirits have been recreated into the image of Christ's Spirit and belong to the kingdom of God. Earth is not our home or our final destination, we are in fact His representatives here, given the full authority to carry out His Divine purpose of love, healing and restoration to a world desperate for His saving grace.
Our responsibility, as ambassadors, is to know the will of God, through studying His Word...
This is why it is our responsibility to be ambassadors who are completely informed and aware of our Heavenly King's thoughts and intentions. The only way to know His will is through studying and meditating on His Word.
Philippians 2:15 says, "...you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world, Holding out [to it] and offering [to all men] the Word of Life".
As ambassadors of Christ, we offer the world life and light by giving them the Word of Life. Yes, that is the reality of the person of Jesus as well as the written Word of God that was inspired by the Spirit of God Himself. His Word in our lives is wisdom and peace, life and light.
Jesus said that He has overcome the world, He has conquered it and given us the authority and responsibility to carry out His will on it. We are here to push back all devilish resistance to His purpose by operating in the power and wisdom of His Spirit within us. This can only be accomplished by us paying close attention to the Word of God and allowing it to become the final authority in our lives. It has the power to renew our way of thinking to His - bringing unity of purpose.
Conformity to the Word of God brings unity...
Unity does not necessarily mean conformity to each other's methodology, however, it does mean conformity to His will which is the irrevocable Word of God! Being born of the same Spirit and having our minds renewed to His Word will bring about a unity that guarantees His blessing!
When believers all around the world begin to understand who they are in Christ, unity comes and with that, a blessing unprecedented and powerful enough to withstand any evil opposition. We become partners, full of purpose and living on purpose, to fulfil the will of God on this earth.
