Spiritual warfare: the conclusion

By Jim Durkin

The command of Jesus is twofold, firstly, worship God in spirit and truth, and be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ by allowing God to work in us so thoroughly that we are transformed. Secondly, God calls us to world evangelism. Both must take place simultaneously, and our spirits must be set on the fulfilment of these purposes of God. In some churches, these purposes have not been sufficiently emphasized, so they do not fulfill their purpose. If each one wins one, the whole world will know Christ in one generation. However, it’s been around 1800 years, and many areas of the world are yet to be evangelized.

The gospel has been used as a vehicle to serve our own selfish desires. There must be a radical desire to refrain from this worldly desire to use God’s Word for material comforts. We need to continually ask God how we can serve Him wholeheartedly, with the twofold purpose in mind.

The church’s offices, apostle, pastor, deacon etc., are all being redefined by the Holy Spirit. There is a true unity of the spirit where the twofold purpose is concerned. In the past, the church’s aim for the new believer was that the person would be a lifelong member of that church. However, now there is a constant emphasis on what God wants for their lives. They are learning the Word, learning to witness and being empowered to follow God’s will. The church leaders must now use these strong people and send them out, rather than try to keep them within the church walls. This allows the gospel to be spread in the community and eliminates the rigid hierarchy, allowing the younger people to participate in the church.

The business and the job are mere tools that allow us to carry out the primary aim of being conformed to Jesus Christ and the task of worldwide outreach. Through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can witness for Jesus and support the work of God. This is a step-by-step process, and when we are fully dedicated, we will see tremendous growth.