The daily denial of self and the continual focus and discipline required to maintain a desire that breaks hell and sets up heaven is enough for any man or woman to be forged into the image of Christ.
It is the refusal to be conformed into the image of Christ which causes the disparity that we see between a powerless sinning “believer” and a believer following in the footsteps of Jesus.
In some cases leadership is to blame for the traditions that have made the Word of God of no effect in believers. In some cases, it is the believer himself who knows to do what is right, but does not do it.
Whatever the case, a path lies before us, and if we choose the path that leads to life, the suffering involved will stand us up and remove the softness and weakness of heart, mind, and character required to do the work of a disciple of Jesus.
As we are being conformed into His image, moving everyday towards a greater brightness to the full dawning light of the mature man, the image of Christ, we have access to (if we desire them) giftings of the Spirit. What we lack in the manifestation of the fullness of the Spirit, God has made up with gifts of the Spirit. When stirred up, these gifts are powerful manifestations of power and miraculous ability that enable us to do our jobs as believers, as sons of God.
Doing our job is what’s important. Miraculous ability is what’s important. Jesus died as the once and for all sacrifice for sin in order that we would become righteousness, able to be in-dwelt and filled to overflowing with His Spirit. His Spirit is the promise of the Father, and the Spirit will lead us into all truth. Truth brings freedom. Truth brings a demonstration. And truth brings with it the manifestation of God through His people. The mystery held in reserve throughout the ages, Christ in us-the hope of Glory. A lasting and permanent glory. A manifesting and present glory that provides evidence to the fact that the kingdom of God is at hand.
Our job is the liberation and training of all peoples to become glorious sons of God walking in the footsteps of Jesus, carrying out His mission, proclaiming His message, displaying His power unto the liberation of the created realm. We are presently engaged in a violent grappling with hell over the dominion of the planet. Hell has been defeated, but it is not giving up without a fight. The fight that we wage however, is the fight of faith.
Faith is to believe and to believe is to be fully convinced of God’s Word, able to perform it and see it performed. Believers are able to do the Word of God. The doing of this Word is the function of the believer. We have been made able to disciple the nations. We have been made able to usher in His return. No thing shall be impossible to us in our endeavor to go into all the nations.
Our going is His ministry through us. Unless we go, His ministry is not fruitful. But the fruit we have been called to bear is the fruit and evidence of His life in us. We are healers, dead raisers, destroyers of demonic oppression, cleansers of chronic wasting diseases. We are the highest rank and order of being on the planet, and we are here to take it by force. Our spiritual violence will result in peace on earth and good will toward all men. Our going will result in His coming when the earth fully welcomes righteousness again.