By Tom Shanklin

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:15-18)

Verily, verily, I say unto you He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me… (Acts 1:8)

The Bible speaks powerful words concerning the believer. The believer, not just the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, are called to do the work of the Lord on the earth. You, as a believer have been called by the Lord to do the works of Jesus upon the earth.

This is part of the process of the church coming out of Babylon. We must realize that the people of God are God’s instrument on the earth . . . not just the “clergy.” The Amplified version of Ephesians 4:11-12 says that God’s intention for the fivefold ministry gifts was “the perfecting and full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people) [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church).”

Every born again believer has been called into the ministry. You may not have been called to be a missionary in Africa, but you have been called to the ministry (that is the service) of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Body of Christ we have placed certain people on a pedestal and said that they were our ministers. We’ve said that they have access to God, that they could hear from heaven, that they could be our priests. But this sort of thinking is contrary to the New Testament. The Bible says that we are all a “royal priesthood, an holy nation.” The Bible says nothing about a certain class of people called to be priests over the people, rather it says, “Ye are all brethren” and “Whoever would be great among you, let him be your minister (servant).”

The fact is: we have all been called to be ministers. The Greek word translated “minister” in the New Testament is “diakanos,” the same word translated “deacon” or servant. In Acts 6, the when the apostles appointed seven “deacons” for the church in Jerusalem, they said, “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry (diakonia) of the word.”

They were saying, “We will be servants in the Word.” The seven deacons were servants in the natural business of the church; the apostles were servants in the Word. We are all called to be servants. One is not more important than the other. Your part in the Body of Christ, whether it’s cleaning toilets or ministering the Word, is equally important. We are all part of what God is doing in the earth.

Divine Equipment

Because God has called us, He has equipped us. He has provided us with an anointing to do His will on the earth. We have been given authority in Jesus’ name to accomplish His will on the earth.

Today, God’s will is being accomplished through local churches. God is expressing Himself through local bodies of believers, committed and bonded together to see His will come forth in the earth. We are battalions of soldiers sent forth to enforce the will of God on the earth. Through unity, faith and the power of the Holy Spirit we are literally changing the world in which we live. We are the salt of the earth. We are a light set upon a hill.

In Ephesians 1:15-23, the apostle Paul enumerates a prayer which he has been praying for the saints at Ephesus and for the whole Body of Christ. Through this prayer and through the heart of His apostle, the Lord expresses some of His deepest desires for the Body of Christ:

15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

Did you notice what the Scripture said?

It said Jesus is the head of the church. The church is “His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” We, the people of God are the very expression of Christ on the earth. Through us, God is filling the earth with His glory.

Throughout all the ages, God has promised that He would fill the earth with His glory. In Numbers 14:21, God told Moses, “But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” The glory of God is the presence of God. In the time of Adam’s innocence, man literally lived in the very presence of God.

Through sin, however, man lost his right to live in God’s presence. That is why God sent His son, Jesus, to restore us to a right relationship with Him, so once again we could live in His presence.

Have you ever sensed the presence of God? Do you know what it is like to be filled with His glory?

God’s presence is within every born again believer. II Cor. 6:16 says, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

God lives in you through the new birth. You are His portable temple. In Solomon’s day a great temple was built to house the presence of God. But today, under the New Covenant, you and I are literally carriers of the presence of God.

Think about the glory of God being like radiation, as if, when you were born again, a uranium deposit was placed within you. You began to be a container for the glory of God. Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and through continually being filled with the Spirit, you learn to release this radiation everywhere you go.

Think of it. You are a container for God’s glory. Everywhere you go, you take the glory with you. Everyone you contact is coming in contact with the living God within you. You are a blessing in everything you do . . . in everything you touch . . . because the Greater One is in you.

This is why Paul prayed that the eyes of your understanding would be enlightened. You see, most Christians are totally oblivious to the spiritual realities. They have not yet discovered who they are in Christ, the authority and power which they have in Jesus’ name.

In Eph. 1:18-19a, he said, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know…”

(a) what is the hope of his calling…

(b) and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints…

(c) and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe….

“The hope of your calling” is that God’s glory might be expressed in the world. “The riches of the glory of his inheritance” is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is all the Christ nature which has been delivered to you. You have inherited God’s glory as your family right. “The exceeding greatness of his power” is the mighty power of God operating through the believer.

These are powerful things.

The Devil doesn’t want you to find them out. If he can keep you from them, he can keep you defeated and weak. If you find them out, you’ll put him to flight. God’s glory will be revealed.

Say, “Dear Lord, open my eyes. Help me to see who I am in Christ. Help me recognize my power and authority as a believer.”

You see, the church has been deceived. The church has been taught false doctrine. The power and authority of Christ has not been placed into the hands of a few, but we are all called as priests unto our God . . . as Devil chasers . . . as glory carriers . . . as men and women of exploits. Sit no longer in the throws of mediocrity. Rise up and be all that you can be in the army of the Lord. You have been given power. Signs follow you. You are an able minister . . . more than a conqueror. You have been given authority to do the works of Jesus on the earth.

Authority in His Name

What is the basis of our authority? How is it that we as believers have this mighty power?

Notice what Paul said in verse 19b-22a: “…according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet.”

What is the basis of our power and authority?  “The working of his mighty power, which he wrought (or worked) in Christ, when he raised him from the dead.”

The basis of our authority is not what we have done, or how good we are, but rather what was accomplished when God raised Jesus from the dead. When God raised Jesus from the dead He sat Him (Jesus) at His own right hand, far above all principality, power and dominion. In Eph. 6 we find that we are in a wrestling match with these wicked powers of darkness. But through the resurrection, the Lordship of Christ has been established over them. He has put all things under His feet.

The problems of the world . . . the sin, the sickness, the poverty, the death and destruction   . . . are all a result of the operation of these wicked spirits in the heavenlies. Demonic forces have been loosed upon the earth to destroy humanity.

Happily, however, God has provided the solution through Jesus Christ. He has established His will through the resurrection of Christ. Jesus became the firstborn from the dead; He established a new race of people, born in His image, born to do exploits, born to defeat the forces of Satan and bring the establishment of a new order in the universe.

Wow!

Really, you say?

Yes, God is doing a mighty work in earth today and you and I are part of it. We are the army of the Lord and our local churches are the battalions. God’s will is being expressed. God’s will is coming forth in the earth through earnest believers united to see His purposes accomplished, united in the power and strength of the living God to do exploits for God.

When Jesus was risen from the dead, God established His throne in heaven. “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” (Heb. 1:8) The throne is established. No one can ever dethrone Jesus. Satan will never be able to change what God has done. It is done. It is finished. Jesus has accomplished His work. He died for the sins of humanity and was raised again for their justification. He has taken His rightful place of authority and has given that authority to us for use on the earth.

God then said to Jesus, “Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” (Heb. 1:13) How long was Jesus to sit at the right hand of God?

“Until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

God is presently in the business of making Jesus’ enemies His footstool. By God’s eternal and unchangeable decree, this dominion has already been established. Every knee shall bow to the name of Jesus. Yet this dominion must be exercised.

Heb. 2:8 explains it this way: “Thou hast (past tense) put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.”

In other words, it’s been done, but we don’t see it.

Someone says: “That doesn’t make sense.”

Well, the natural man receives not the things of God, they are spiritually discerned.

Heb. 2:8 is faith talk. God sees it done. He says it is done and that settles it. Sooner or later everything and everybody will have to bow to His divine decree. But right now, we don’t see it. From our perception, from our point of view, the Devil is still playing havoc with the human race. But God has a plan.

Notice He said, “…until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

In Eph. 1:22 we learned that Jesus is the head of the body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. Now, let me ask you a question. If Jesus’ enemies are to be made His footstool and we are the Body of Christ, where do you suppose that places us in relation to His enemies?

Above and not beneath.

You see, you and I, my brother and sister, are called to exercise dominion over demonic forces, over principalities and power, over spiritual wickedness in high places. We are the ones God is using to make Jesus’ enemies His footstool. God is using the Body of Christ to teach the Devil a lesson. God is calling for the Sons of God to rise up in their God-given authority and take the Kingdom for Jesus.

Daniel 7:18 says, “But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”

Whether you realize it or not, you have a part in the ultimate purposes of God. You are God’s threshing instrument. You are His man of war.  As you yield to the Spirit of Christ within you, you are helping bring forth the Kingdom of God on the earth.  You are bruising Satan and exalting Jesus as Lord.

As you allow Him to be Lord of your life, you become a carrier of the glory of God.  As you receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit, you receive power to be a witness in all the earth.

The time has come for the Body of Christ to dedicate itself to the cause of the Kingdom of God as never before . . . to let Jesus be Lord and Master and to take the Kingdom by force.  Truly you are the church, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.

Now, Jesus is on the throne.  We are His expression on the earth.  One day He will come back and reign for 1,000 years.  Until then, we must “occupy till He comes.”

Let’s rise up and take our rightful place, enforcing Satan’s defeat in us and in the earth.