Jesus came to release heaven on earth and He has called us to join Him in that mission.

That is why in the model prayer He gave us Jesus told us to pray and declare, “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

We need to understand that this was not some nice, flowery, philosophical prayer to inspire and soothe people in trouble. This was an apostolic commission. This is our assignment on earth – and all of heaven is backing this prayer and anticipating its fulfilment. So we should be compelled to pray and declare, “Your Kingdom come…” and then help make that happen. This should not be an optional task if we are a true disciple of Christ wanting to embrace the mission of Christ. This assignment is at the absolute centre of who we are. It’s at the absolute centre of why God has left you and me on this planet – because God has wonderful plans for this place.

Tragically however, too much of the Church’s theology and focus in my lifetime has been wrapped up in the dysfunction of this world and its ultimate end. Many Christians actually get this strange, perverted sense of encouragement when disaster happens. There is a weird sense of affirmation that comes on some people in a crisis or when a tragic event occurs because they believe ‘the end is near.’ The end of what? Are we disciples of Jesus Christ or not? There is no end to His Kingdom and our purpose is to advance His Kingdom on earth!

So why would anyone who claims to embrace Christ’s mission be focused on anything other than His glorious kingdom and leading people to Him? Why would any disciple of Jesus want to re-arm Satan by focussing on what’s wrong in our world? Because that is exactly what we are doing when we allow our minds and hearts to be captured by anything other than the mission of Christ and advancing His Kingdom.

Let me ask you: Who did God put in charge? Let me ask that again: Who did God put in charge? It’s an easy answer: JESUS. So How did Jesus model dealing with storms? How did Jesus model dealing with disease? What did Jesus do to confront corruption? How did Jesus transform humanity and bring about change? Was it by focussing on people’s sin? Was it by campaigning against the moral decay in society? Was it by pointing out what is wrong with the world? Was it by preaching doom and gloom to a broken people? No! Jesus modelled something for us that is as simple as it is profound. Jesus spent His days among us doing one thing primarily: He released the reality of God’s world in this world. That was His mission and that, my friends, is our divine assignment – releasing heaven on earth. That’s at the core of who we are.

Everything we do every day of our lives either contributes to that outcome or it takes us and others away from that outcome – there is no middle ground. Our assignment is to release the reality of God’s perfect kingdom of light and life and liberty into the brokenness, dysfunction and darkness of this kingdom. Every moment of every day we walk this earth, that is our assignment. That is the lifestyle to which God has called us. My job and your job every day is to release heaven on earth.  For far too long I believe we have confused our destiny with our assignment.

Our DESTINY is to dwell in heaven alone. Our ASSIGNMENT is to bring heaven to earth first.