Mere Missions

126 • M ere M issions : M oving F orward to M ultiply

spread the message that victory has been accomplished and to lay down your “arms” and join the winning side – the Kingdom of God. It’s the message of the Gospel and the message alone that opens the door into the entrance of His forgiveness, kindness, compassion, blessings – in this world and the world to come. The severity of the present times and the reality of eternity demands proclamation. We are running out of time. There is only one power greater than the one who has the whole world in his power (1 John 5.19 – “We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”) and that is The Gospel (Rom. 1.16). We have been entrusted with the Gospel, suffer for the Gospel, to go and preach the Gospel, immortality is brought to light through the Gospel (2 Tim. 1.10). A legitimate goal to bring him honor and glory is that all of creation would hear the good news of God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. All must have an opportunity to know the gospel, all must have representation in the Church of Jesus Christ which is to be gathered from the nations (Acts 19.10; 1 John 2.2; John 3.16-17; John 1.29; Mark 16.15-18, Matt. 28.19, Luke 24.47, Acts 1). The world is our battle ground. C. S. Lewis wrote, “There is no neutral ground in the universe: every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.” What is being claimed and counterclaimed? Is it territory? A “domain?” Yes and no! Yes, all of creation is the Lord’s as the rightful King and Lord but it is more than that. It is also, and primarily, the souls that are trapped and in bondage to Satan and his domain like prisoners of war trapped in a concentration camp. He is the prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2.2). He has usurped that which is rightfully God’s. All of creation is the Lords for He created all things (Rev. 4.11). There will come a day when all of creation will be restored to the fullness of God’s domain