God's Commission Restored

God’s Commission Restored

Text: Acts 2:22 KJV

Introduction: Jesus could not heal the sick. Jesus could not deliver the tormented from demons. Jesus could not raise the dead. To believe otherwise is to ignore what He said about Himself. In Jn 5:19, Jesus said: "The Son can do nothing." Nothing in the Greek has a special, unique meaning, it means nothing! He had NO supernatural capabilities whatsoever. Though He was 100% God, He chose to live with the same limitations that man would face once He was redeemed. Jesus became the model for all who would embrace the invitation to invade the impossible in His name. He performed miracles, wonders and signs as a man in right relationship to God...not as God. The point we need to understand here is that if Jesus had done these things as God, then they would be unattainable to us. But because He did them as a man, I become responsible as a redeemed child of God to pursue after His lifestyle. If the Church could grasp this nugget of truth, a full restoration of the ministry of Christ in His Church would become a reality.

No doubt there were distinctions between the humanity of Jesus and those who followed closely after Him during His earthly visit. The two most important distinctions were:

(1) Jesus had no sin to separate Him from the Father.

(2) Jesus was completely dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit working through Him.

To His followers at the time, these distinctions forced their complete reliance upon Him and upon His relationship with the Father and Holy Spirit. But, there is a difference now. Because of His death, burial and resurrection, as well as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, these distinctions no longer exist. The blood of Jesus takes care of the sin that once separated man from God and the giving of the Spirit enables believers to have and display the same power that Jesus had. What I am talking about here is Kingdom power and authority.

To get a clearer understanding here, we need to go back to the Garden of Eden. We need to discover God’s original commission and purpose for mankind. Man was created in God’s image and placed into a place of complete beauty and peace. There he was told to "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it." God’s plan was for man to eventually populate the earth with God-lovers and rule that earth for the glory of God it was to be like heaven on earth. All seemed so perfect, but one problem existed. Early in Genesis we discover that Satan has rebelled and been kicked out of heaven. God could have destroyed the devil on the spot but He chose to defeat this darkness through His delegated authority - those made in His image who loved Him by choice. The stage was set for all of darkness to fall as man exercised his godly influence over creation. But instead, man fell.

Understand something here, Satan didn’t attack the Garden violently and take possession. He couldn’t. He had no dominion there. God had given dominion over the earth to man. When Satan suggested eating the forbidden, he was simply encouraging Adam & Eve to come into agreement - a partnership, if you will - with him in opposition to God. By doing so, they would give him their power and dominion over the earth. This agreement enabled Satan to kill, steal and destroy. Even today, Satan is empowered through man’s continued agreement with him.

At that moment, Adam forfeited his right to rule and God kicked into play His predetermined plan of redemption for mankind. God’s plan of rulership for man never ceased. Jesus came to bear man’s penalty for sin and to recapture what had been lost. Through the victory gained on the cross, believers become victorious. It is time for us to come to the place where we have the desire and the will power to invade this earth with the power of heaven.

We need to begin by understanding:

1. We Are Born to Rule

A. In redeeming man, Jesus retrieved what man had given away.

1. From His place of triumph, Jesus declared: "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore..."

2. Jesus was saying in effect: I got it all back, now go use it and reclaim mankind.

3. This fulfilled the promise Jesus made to His disciples when He told them: "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven."

4. The resurrection of Jesus Christ brought about this complete restoration to a place of rulership.

B. Sin brought consequences upon humanity.

1. Disease, sickness, afflicting spirits, poverty, natural disasters, demonic influences.

2. The victory of the cross brought victory over these consequences.