July 2008 Newsletter

THE GENERATION OF SONS IS ARISING!

An exhortation by Nicholas Jackson written on our return from seven weeks in Africa.

Having the same spirit that was in Caleb and Joshua

It is time to roll away the reproach of Egypt from us (Josh.5:9). It is time for a deeper circumcision by the Spirit (Phil.3:3, Col.2:11); to enter the Spirit of Sonship like Caleb and Joshua (Num.14:24, Deut.32:12); to go after the inheritance like Elisha with Elijah (2Kings2:1-12). It is time to understand Messiah’s inheritance and take all the promises of God which are “Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (2Cor.1:20).

Gentiles are fellow heirs

We Gentiles are fellow heirs with the Old Testament saints and members of the household of God (Eph.2:19). We who were far off have been brought near by the Blood of Jesus who has broken down the middle wall of partition that separated us (Eph.2:13-18). We are fellow heirs and inheritors of the promises. To us also now belongs the adoption as sons (Rom.9:5) – to all who are of the faith of Abraham (Gal.3:6-9, 26-29).

Fill the earth

Adam’s commission was to “fill [replenish] the earth” (Gen.1:28). He was not told to occupy one piece of land in the Middle East! He was commissioned to FILL THE EARTH!

Noah was commissioned to “fill the earth” (Gen.9:1). God made the promise to Abraham to give him the land and that “all the families of the earth would be blessed through him” (Gen.12:3, 13:5). God said to Moses “As surely as I live,” says I AM, “the WHOLE EARTH will be filled with My Glory” (Num.14:21).

The nations are the inheritance

Psalm 2 says that the Messiah, the Son of God, has “the nations for His inheritance, the ENDS OF THE EARTH for His possession” (v.8).

In Joshua’s day the wicked were driven out in order to give the people of God their inheritance from Jesus. So also will it be at the end of the age: “The Son of man will send out His messengers [Gr. ‘angelos’] and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend and those who practice lawlessness.” (Matt.13:36-43).

Jesus commissioned the apostles to “make disciples of all the nations” (Matt.28:19) and to bring the nations “to the obedience of the faith” (Rom1:5). “And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light [the city], and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it” Rev.21:24.

“A Star shall arise out of Jacob and a Scepter out of Israel” (Num24:17). “The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between His feet, until SHILOH comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” Gen.49:10.

JESUS IS GOD

“And truly, without controversy, great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifested in the flesh; Justified in the Spirit; Seen by angels; Preached among the nations; Believed on in the world; Received up in glory!” (1Tim.3:16)

Messiah is the Son of God (Matt.16:16). The Great King is God in the flesh! The Word became flesh! (Jn.1:14) God rules through the Man He has appointed: “He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained” – even Jesus the Messiah of Nazareth – and He has proven this by raising Him from the dead! (Acts17:31)

The Kingdom of God

Jesus answered Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” Jn.18:36.

The kingdom of God is righteousness [which comes by faith, Phil.3:9], peace [which comes by faith, Rom.5:1] and joy [which is our strength, Neh.8:10] in the Holy Spirit (Rom.14:17).

“Do not fear little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” Lu.12:32. God had promised in Daniel 7 that “the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High” v.27. “A judgment was made in favour of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom” v.22.

Messiah died for us

But God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Messiah died for us (Rom.5:10). Our Kinsman-Redeemer came! (Ruth 2:20, 4:9-22). Jesus, the Messiah, who was the seed of David according to the flesh and proven to be the Son of God through the resurrection (Rom.1:3-4), is our Kinsman-Redeemer. “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption [placement] as sons” Gal.4:4-5. Jesus died to make us sons, His heirs who would receive the kingdom as the inheritance.

God has come to save His people, to purchase a people separated to Him; a people to whom He can give the kingdom of God in the earth! A people who will look after His possession, who are being created in His image and His likeness (Eph.2:10, Rom.8:29, 12:1-2). This recreation takes place in our lives as we receive “the spirit of a renewed mind” and are being “renewed in knowledge after the image of Him who created him” (Eph.4:23-24, Col.3:9-10).

If we endure, we shall also reign with Him (2Tim.2:12a)

It is time to renew covenant with the God of Israel “for you have not yet resisted sin to the point of shedding blood” and “you have not remembered the exhortation given to sons” (Heb.12:4-5). We need to endure chastening and allow God to deal with us as sons.

It is time to arise – it is time to take the land, “for the city [nations] to be filled with this doctrine” (Acts5:28). There is no room for the faint of heart. Radical obedient love is required. “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb.12:3). Our King endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb.12:2). We are “to run with endurance the race that is set before us” v.1.

Fight the good fight of faith  

Jesus is Alive! We must be born from above! We must continue to have the good confession on our lips – declaring who we are and where we are from, even as Jesus did (Jn.18:36-19:11). We are sons of God, inheritors of the promises, kings and priests who have been given charge to take the land, to inherit the earth.

It is time for “the righteous to shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear let him hear” Matt.13:43.