We believe that Jesus has called us to an amazing adventure. At
Mission 17:11, we have come to know Jesus as the leader of the greatest epic of all time and are eagerly pursuing Him to know Him and be part of Jesus’ program of redeeming and delivering mankind from Spiritual death and darkness through His adventure. We have heard the calling, are taking action, and are leading others to do the same. What that means is that we see that Jesus’ messages are not mere theory, or a buffet of options; but that Jesus has called us all to take a journey of blessings that requires us to act on His teachings, trusting His character and His plans. This is not some elite calling, this is The Calling. Jesus is calling all people everywhere to join Him. Much is made of the importance of “right teaching” and right belief in the teachings of Jesus, which is called Orthodoxy, or right doctrine. We agree and understand that it’s essential to “rightly divide the word of truth”
(1). What is less commonly discussed is the importance of Orthopraxy, the need to rightly practice the truths we receive from Jesus.
Jesus taught us that it’s essential to be doers of the Word, not hearers only
(2). The book of James is dedicated to the truth that we must be careful not to merely listen to the word, and so deceive ourselves; we must do what it says
(3). There is no adventure in being passive learners, inactive believers, with minds full of knowledge about things we have never experienced. Our calling is to be engaged participants, partners in Christ’s work, no matter who we are and whatever our level of training. We are expected to become practitioners of a spirituality system, and all of it’s methods we can master. There are many who offer advice and historical teaching in the name of Jesus, who do not do what He says. There are many who will condemn sinful acts and evil done in our world, yet they forget that the Word says If you fail to do what you know is right, you are sinning
(4); and as we all learn from Jesus, sinning brings darkness and destruction to our souls.
Jesus did not demonstrate casting out demons, and give his original followers authority over demons, so that we may have nostalgia about such a time, yet complain about how demons are taking over our world today. He wants us to take authority over evil forces in our world today. He wants us to deliver men and women from the powers of darkness now. He wants us to take the authority He has given us and do exploits by His Spirit, and in His name, as He taught..
Is this some new teaching? Not at all. This is what the Apostles of Jesus, who were His approved ambassadors, taught is the business of all believers. We do not seek to create a new sect or subset of Christianity. We believe there is only One Body, One Spirit (of Christ), One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism and One God and Father of us all
(5). We believe our calling is to lead people to rediscover that bold and daring adventure that many seem to have forgotten! To reconsider that the condition of this world has been committed into the hands of the People of Jesus, for us to destroy the Kingdom of Darkness and deliver people out of it. We have no other calling.
The right fight, is how Jesus fought: We are called to rescue the lost, warn the sinner, deliver those in bondage, and take back the captives from the forces of evil. No, not by human force or by carnal weapons. Friends, that is the way of the devil: to get us warring and fighting one another. That would be doing the devil’s work for him. That’s not the work of Christ! Our calling is, as has been since Peter, James and John watched Jesus ascend into heaven: to make disciples, that is to say dedicated followers of Jesus, baptizing them in His name and teaching them what He taught the original followers
(6), which they wrote for us in the New Testament. The same as was done by the spiritual power and spiritual authority that the emissaries (Apostles) of Jesus used in the first place. This calling of Jesus is a call to engage a powerful foe. The calling is not just to us here at
Mission 17:11, but to the entire global church: to get back to the business we were called to do, in the real conflict, fighting against spiritual forces of evil in the realm of the spirit, so that we can deliver people out of that darkness
(7). How many talk about wanting to be warriors to make things right in the world, but who would never spend an entire hour in prayer for their community? Our calling is to get in the fight, with prayer, with truth, with commitment, against spiritual forces in high realms of spiritual authority.
Some will kick back against the calling, saying well that sounds like a works-oriented teaching. Not all. No one has spiritual authority apart from the Grace of God. There is power to do nothing apart from the Grace of God. We believe fully that we are both saved by grace through faith
(8); and gifted, empowered & sanctified by grace through faith
(9). We also believe that this amazing grace is to make us bold in the calling, to give us a sense of urgency and a fearlessness about being warriors of the Spirit – as witnesses, as people of devoted prayer, as calling people to repentance while there is still time to receive this gift of grace
(10). Now is the time to engage, like never before.
Here at Mission 17:11, we absolutely believe that salvation is by grace through faith, and that doctrine matters. But Orthodoxy is only true when it is lived out in Orthopraxy (right actions). The church is never meant to retreat from the battle. We are meant to engage the forces of darkness at every level in the Spirit realm until the day Jesus calls us home. If you are looking for a better understanding of the basics of how to take on this epic Adventure of Jesus, and become a true apprentice in the workshop of the Master builder of the household of faith, then check out our new book, “
The Jesus Adventure – Journey to Spiritual Freedom“.
Scriptures referenced in this message are:
- 2 Timothy 2:15
- Luke 6:46-49
- James 1:22
- James 4:17
- Ephesians 4:4-6
- Matthew 28:18-20
- Ephesians 6:12-13, Matthew 16:17-19
- Ephesians 2:8-10
- Galatians 3:3
- Romans 11:25, John 9:4
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