THEME: WINNING EUROPE FOR CHRIST 

PREAMBLE 

Thanks be to God for the new day. The Divine Ark and Redemption Mission Machine is in port. The time for engagement and enlistment begins with this morning’s session. The topic is WINNING EUROPE FOR CHRIST. We can see from the program that the organizers would have us consider the topic from the broader view of THE CHURCH IN MISSION. The understanding here is that we are not raising a violent battle cry different from and inconsistent with the church mission in the world, to wit Europe. 

Indeed, the theme is the core business of THE CHURCH IN MISSION, winning peoples, nations, and gathering back creation unto God for His Kingdom glory on earth. Yesterday, we ended by stating that the Church in Europe has a formal state and national recognition in many of the countries. That the Queen of England for example, is in one sense, a reigning monarch under God the creator who is the God of England. She has a place of significance in the Church as well as in state, in the peoples ruling house and court – Parliament. Therefore, beloved, feel secure and confident in your spirit and mind. We are the people of God. Be assured in your spirits, hearts, and minds that you are safe from any spiritual, political, or cultural molestation, particularly in modern secular pluralistic Europe. The Church has a place, must have a place and therefore must have a voice like all peoples and groups in Europe. She cannot be sidelined, nor in any way subjugated in a free society – Europe.  

That is to say, the Christian faith has equal right and must have equal opportunity like all other philosophies, theories, and faiths concerned with human life, social engineering, social order, and human destiny in general. As for the gods, the Lord God Jehovah, Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master is the Father of all spirits. His power and authority is above all.  His place, authority, and power is reserved, in fact untouchable in the heavenlies. He is the sovereign and supreme Spirit-Power in the universe. We are gathered here for enlistment and equipment as soldiers of the Cross, the Lord’s Army in Europe for Europe and the world. Our Commander-in-Chief is the Lord, God, and King of the universe—Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. Jehovah is also His name. Relax, yet embrace yourselves for the church mission on the whole is a battle. It is a warfare. 

First, it entails God’s bid to save souls, second to reconcile the world, and third to redeem men, peoples, nations, and creation, and fourth to quell rebellion and disobedience, destroy the works of the enemy and overthrow the kingdoms of the world and transform world order as established by Satan and man, spirits, and powers in accordance with the will, law, commandments, reign, and rule of the Creator. Fifth to re-establish God’s total control, dominion, sovereign, reign and rule on earth—The God Kingdom Order. The above-mentioned constitutes the Operational Theatres of church mission. All involve violence—kingdom violence if you may. The truth is that all have been provided for and subsumed in the Great Commission. Christ and with Him is the Church to conquer, take-over, and transfer all kingdoms and creation back to God. 

Christ has won the victory and declared the task as accomplished. It is finished, He said on the Cross. Hence, He announced His assumption of supreme authority and power over the earth/universe at the commissioning of the Church (Matthew 28: 18) “Therefore Go” is the order from above to the Church. “Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the age” is the full assurance of security and hope. It goes without saying that the Army of the Lord is no more and cannot but be a victorious and conquering army. To win, take-over, and possess nations, peoples, and the world for God the Father is an accomplished spiritual reality. All that is required is to go forth, to proclaim the good news of salvation, reconciliation, and redemption, and make declarations and pronouncements regarding the new order under God in and after Jesus Christ. Fear not, O thou Zerubbabel, fear not, soldiers of the Lord’s Army.  

 

INTRODUCTION 

Yesterday, in our discussion of the state of Europe, we identified three important pillars in Church Mission in the nations 

a. Church Building – Matthew 16: 13-19; 28: 18-20; Acts 2: 40-47; Ephesians 4: 11-16 

b. Kingdom Building – Isaiah 9: 6-7; Matthew 24: 1-14; 6: 9-13,33; 16: 19; Romans 14: 17, etc 

c. Nation Building – key scripture: Isaiah 62: 10; 42: 6-7. The rebuilding of nations and society under God – Haggai, Ezra, and Nehemiah, Psalm 33: 12; Is. 42: 6-17; 61: 1-6; 11: 1-12; Psalm 122, etc 

The above three areas constitute the prime platform for the church mission enterprise. The fullness of the vision and mission, it is sad to say, is virtually lost to the church. It has been ignored, indeed abandoned, by the Church in the world. Because of this lack of vision, the church has not sought for knowledge, power, Divine authority, full direction, and assistance for the fullness of mission. Accordingly, some aspects of church mission such as pertain to Kingdom building, and to some extent, nation building do not receive open support in the body. 

We must mention in this connection that the word, The Church here signifies, denotes, and embraces the Church Body of all churches, of clergy, laity, men, women, adult, and children who all must be discipled to know, understand, and be equipped to undertake Church mission everywhere in the world, in time and space. We can declare that, to a large extent, the assets of the Church and people of God are for this purpose to win souls, nations and the world for God. In short, to establish The Christ Victory in real terms and glorify the Lord and King Jesus Christ. 

Now, because of the broadness of the mission, it is inevitable that there will not only be distribution of labor, with inevitable assorted callings, power, anointing, and placements in the body in time and space in the world. There will also be spiritual networking set in place by the Triune God—ordered by Christ Jesus the Son, Head of the Church, arranged and supervised by the Holy Spirit (John 17: 18; Acts 1: 8; 1st Corinthians 12: 1-7; Ephesians  4: 11-12) Jesus shall reign wherever the sun is a famous song. It is truism. 

 

WINNING NATIONS FOR CHRIST 

From the above, we can discern that the significance of Church Mission is fully understood, comprehended, accepted, and set in place in our hearts and minds.  As the scriptures reveal, the Most High God can through church mission reconcile, deliver, heal, and redeem peoples and nations from the powers holding man and peoples in captivity in darkness and death, in sin, weakness, and perversion and in spiritual, social, and cultural oppression, dominion, and destruction. The Church has authority and power to change and transform the rebellious and disobedient world order under Satan and man and bring all reality under subjection to God and Christ.  

For this cause, Christ was revealed, came, made the supreme sacrifice and having conquered and won victory over sin, death, and Satan has sent out His Church with the word and ministry of reconciliation and the gospel of salvation, redemption, and restoration and God Kingdom order on earth. With this in view, winning nations for Christ can be said to imply three major activities:  

i. The Proclamation of the Gospel of Salvation, Reconciliation, and Human Redemption (Matthew 28: 18-20; Acts 2: 22-41; 4: 8-12; 2nd Cor. 5: 7-9; Eph. 1: 3-12; John 1: 12-13). Apostolic, Evangelistic, Prophetic and Pastoral Missions.  

ii. The Proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Matt. 4: 6-17, 23; 6: 9-13, 33; 24: 14; 28: 20; Rev. 14: 6-7; 11: 15). Apostolic, Prophetic, Evangelistic and Warfare Missions.

iii. The Establishment of the Church and the people in God, in the truth, love, light, law, commandments, and ways of God as well as in the Spirit, knowledge, and power of God (Isaiah 2: 1-5). The Church has a duty to uphold and defend the Christ and the Christian faith in society and nations (Phil. 1: 27-29; Jude 3; 2nd Cor. 10: 5). A realm of apostolic engagement with the theology, doctrines and practice of the church as well as philosophies, theories and ideas floating in society and the world.  

Each of these three pillars of church mission involve and will inevitably demand warfare – prayer, intercession and warfare and also watchman activities to maintain the truth, purity, integrity and beauty of the Faith and Way of God within the church and society, so also the stature of Christ, the holiness of scripture and God Kingdom order on earth. It will be appreciated in this regard that without proper discipling and teaching, holy, righteous and faithful standing of the Church, there can be no hope for effective winning of nations for Christ. 

 

THE NATIONAL GATES OF POWER, AUTHORITY, AND GLORY  

(Matt. 16: 18; Is. 62: 10; Luke 10: 18-19) Isaiah 62: 10 directs us to confront the gates, cast out stones, build high way, raise the banner of the Messiah. Yesterday, we mentioned three important gates of national stature, which the church must of necessity, confront and engage with Christ and the truth of the Gospel – The spiritual gate, the political gate, the religious gate. 

 

A. THE SPIRITUAL GATE 

The spirits and powers having dominion, ruling and oppressing nations, peoples, and creation—they kind of wield dominion and controlling powers over creation giving some ‘semblance’ of power over natural forces, not excluding death. The Church has power to cast out the powers, deliver people, and set captives free (Matthew 16: 18; Is. 61: 1-3; Matthew 12: 28). This is a battlefield to quell rebellion and disobedience, the kingdoms of Satan and man (Matthew 4: 4-8; 2nd Corinthians 10: 5; Ephesian 6: 10-12). This is a field of deep prayer and warfare, apostolic and prophetic engagement. 

 

B. THE POLITICAL GATE 

The Political Gate is comprised of Kings, emperors, governments, philosophers, and politicians, with their allied economic, social, and cultural forces and arrangements, control societies, the lives of people, the political and social order and the destiny of peoples and nations.  

The philosophies, theories, systems, structures, and arrangements of political, social, and cultural order are the works and dictates of men, sometimes of spirits/demons. Technology plays a part, but the ruling philosophies and ideologies dictate the main spirit- and mind-set and add to that even consciousness of peoples about themselves, socio-cultural arrangements, and world order.  Now, these are realms of battles. The philosophies, ideologies, and ideas on human nature, societal, and national affairs are realms of divisions, unrighteous, and unjust practices, exploitation, and oppression, wickedness and man’s inhumanity to man. The Church stands for God, peace, righteousness, and justice in the nations. And as the Bible says: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sins is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14: 34)  

It was in this regard that the great 18th-century debate of Faith verse Reason caused such havoc to the church mission. The question whether human life, civic order, and civilization lie in the domain of Faith in God—and thus the claims of Scriptures—or whether human reasoning power is the all sufficient solution and saving power? In this debate, Philosopher Kant of Germany came to wield much influence on thinking, on politics, government, religion, and life. Others—like Hume, Hobbes, Spinoza, Rousseau, A. G. Wells, etc—found a canvas and played their part to break Europe’s faith, trust, and hope in God and the scriptures.  

Although Kant’s idealism seemed to have been intended to save the Christian faith, it did not provide sufficient power to save or redeem the loss of “faith in the FAITH.” The seeds of decay sown in the 18th century have germinated and overgrown. Human reasoning and human self-assertive propositions have been found more acceptable to people than trust in God. Thus, the standing of Christ as Son of God, Saviour, Lord, King, and the truth of scripture as Word of God, Life, and Power for salvation and as true record of things and of factual events, all have become deep areas of contention and battles for the Church for centuries. Today, there are so-called theologians and philosophers who debate over Christ’s sayings, doings, miracles, and all in the Bible. This too is a realm for engagement by faithful theologians, apostles, prophets, and teachers of the Church. 

 

C. THE RELIGIOUS GATE 

Apostolic, Prophetic, and Evangelistic engagement—along with sound pastoral teaching and exposition on life and society—all faced challenges in the great debate of Faith versus Reason. The consequent rejection of God, Christ, and the Word of God has created a kind of spiritual vacuum which came to be filled as it were by the promotion of human spirit and mind power, the mind and reasoning power of man as the basis of hope. Yet nothing can truly fill the void. “The so-called enlightenment drama, the return to darkness exalted.” Men who reject God and put their faith in the human reasoning power many a time end up wretched calling upon God in agony in the end. It is reported that Kant did confessed God in the end. That is to say, religion, which for our purposes can be interpreted as Faith and Hope in God, has an abiding hold on the souls of men. The human soul-spirit yearns inwardly in response to the inbuilt Divine presence and consciousness, which fools only deny to their chagrin. 

To be sure, the human soul in its true essence is an extension of God, who is Spirit. The inner consciousness and yearnings for connection confirm this. It is not surprising, therefore, that many in scientific Europe have gone over to Eastern religions, in a bid to reconnect and quench the inner yearning or find meaning and rest in life. It is here that the Christian Church herself has to maintain the truth and purity of her internal connection, consistency of trust, faith, and hope in God and His Christ and the worship of the Creator alone. Christ taught, ordered, and ordained this as the way (John 4: 21-24). 

 

THE STATE OF THE MODERN CHURCH 

It may be worthwhile mentioning that the “modern” church in Europe and many parts of the world is by and large a church of 

a. The lack of Vision, Spirit, and Knowledge of God and Christ 

b. A Deep disconnect with Christ, His light, power, and strength, a church of deep spiritual emptiness and hence, full of compromise, hypocrisy, and spiritual adultery almost to the extent of denying Christ Jesus the Saviour, Redeemer, and King. 

c. The lack of Authority and Power. Many reject and/or neglect the power and ministry of the Holy Spirit, trusting instead in human reasoning power and insight in human affairs. But human spirit cannot and will not be able to overthrow the human spirit. This is not tenable both spiritually and philosophically. 

The modern church needs deliverance from its human mooring, self-delusion, and unfaithfulness not just revival. It also needs to be arrayed well for spiritual warfare and kingdom battles.  It is with this in mind that we stated that the three main pillars of Church Mission involve and demand warfare.  

d. To present and declare God and Christ as God, Saviour, Redeemer and as God, King, Lord, and Governor over peoples and nations 

e. For the proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in the midst of principalities and powers, reigning and ruling philosophies and political lords, economic giants, social and cultural magnates, and religious gurus.  

f. The liberation and deliverance of people’s soul-spirits, hearts, and minds from Satanic dominion and the ruling spirit-and mind-set and culture of subservience, fear, and control. 

g. For the deliverance of human beings, other creatures, and whole cultures from the dominance of demonic hosts and state (human) initiated oppression. 

 

WINNING NATIONS – A HEAVENLY SPIRITUAL AGENDA 

It may be seen that winning nations for Christ is a deep heavenly agenda—a spiritual proposition which can only be undertaken by Divine revelation, wisdom, power, Divine direction, unction, and supervision. The Christ heavenly reconciliation, salvation, and redemption mission needs special heavenly input, power anointing and authority, direction and Holy Spirit accompaniment and Divine process as a whole. (Matthew 3: 16-17; John 3: 34-35; 14: 10-13 KJV). It is this that makes winning nations for Christ essentially a kingdom warfare mission. It demands vision, authority, power, and direction as well as the Word, Fire, and Presence of God. 

The warfare involved is bound but to be broad and all-embracing. It involves engagement with every gate of human existence, spiritual, and social reality, national life and national affairs with Christ and His government and Kingdom order. Hence, the vision and mission announced by the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 9: 6-7 saying: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (NKJV)  

The mission heralds the Christ Government and Kingdom Order in the nations. The Father, in this direction has conceded and granted Christ the full power and authority to reconcile, deliver, redeem, judge, rebuke, build the kingdom and rule the world on His behalf until He finally hands all things back unto Him the Father, that the Father be all in all. Until then Christ shall reign wherever the sun shines. (Revelation 11: 15)  

The Father sent the Son with this in view (1st Cor. 15: 24-28; Eph. 1: 9-12). When Christ  completed the initial assignment of reconciliation, redemption, resurrection, and restoration of glory to man and captive creation, the Father granted Him right, authority, and power to establish the Church, raise disciples and an Army, and send them out to proclaim the victory won, declare God’s/Christ’s ownership and dominion over creation, and establish the kingdom (John 17: 1-6, 18-19; 20: 21-23). The Kingdom has come. Christ’s reign and rule has begun. Hallelujah! 

 

CONCLUSION 

The Church Mission is to win nations and peoples for Christ. This is a heavenly agenda that can simply be described as God’s plan for quelling rebellion and disobedience of man, for casting and pulling down all strongholds against God, the knowledge of Him, and His will, law, dominion, and control over His own creation. This simply states is a spiritual proposition. 

In this regard, the nations are but a bucket in the hand of God. They cannot fight or resist the Divine firepower. Nor can they resist eternally God’s intended restoration of His dominion over the earth. This is the inevitable end of creation. On the other hand, the Divine mission is a mission of love, to save souls, deliver creation, restore peace and glory, and establish creation in perfect peace and harmony with God, so the earth be full of the knowledge and glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Unfortunately, rebellious Satan and disobedient man who have taken dominion over the nations and are oppressing peoples would not let go easily, their inevitable and imminent end notwithstanding. It is this that has made winning nations for Christ a matter of deep warfare at three major fronts in the nations: 

i. The spirit power gate 

ii. The political power and social order gate 

iii. The religious gate 

All the gates are of systems of rebellion, disobedience, usurpation, oppression, dominion, and control of men and creation by Satan and wicked man. The Christian Faith is a Divine initiated redemption system—it is not a human or any spirit religious system. People of God, there can be no gainsaying that winning Europe for Christ will involve the battles we have so far discussed, particularly so when Europe has once tasted the goodness of God and turned against it.  Who will believe? Who will join the Lord’s Army in Europe? The mantle fire is hot. The Church in Europe will need that extra vigilance to break not so much the power of Satan as the condition of human surfeit and self-delusion. The truth, however, is that the Church is on a Victory March. Hallelujah! 

 

Let us enter the ARK and REDEMPTION MISSION MACHINE.