Mobilize Your Mission

Two pivotal milestones bracket your life. Following the creation of the heavens and the earth came the first—the fall of man. When Adam broke trust with God, he essentially handed Satan his keys to the earth (now broken).

The second milestone occurs when Jesus returns to reclaim what is his and, sadly, discharge all who’ve rejected him. Your life is being lived out between these milestones—in a world under enemy rule. My friend, whether you realize it or not, you were born behind enemy lines. Stop! Consider the implications. How does this change the way you look at . . . everything?

Imagine yourself a baby coming into the world amidst an epic battle. Ongoing for thousands and thousands of years, the world has grown numb to it. How would you know a war was raging, your life hanging in the balance?

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. The Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 4:4)

Taking no chances, your enemy does anything and everything to keep you in the dark, from establishing a connection with God. “Do whatever makes you feel good . . . eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you’ll die!” he persuades. He promotes sin as it carves a path of destruction, around and even through your life. Though a sense within knows the fallacy, living in the immensity of it all, you’re prone to succumb, resolving to do the best you can.

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:20)

In the vastness a knock echoes. Jesus’ heart longs to connect with those born behind enemy lines, to regain the special “Intimacy” he intended before the fall of Adam tore them from him. Their minds blinded and neglecting his knock, most remain lost. Unsaved, they’ll never know who their creator made them to be. They’ll never be assigned the Mission he had for them. At best they can serve worldly causes. Good perhaps, but not great, nor enduring. Having no connection with God, call them MIA.

Bravely resisting the enemy’s taunts, you open the door. Boom! A penetrating break through enemy lines creates a magical reconnection. Saved! Instantly you’ve become a citizen in the Kingdom of God, under the rule of Jesus Christ. This adds a significant twist . . .

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. The Apostle Peter (1 Peter 2:11)

While born again, you’re still behind enemy lines, a foreigner. This ups the ante. Now answering “What am I here for?” carries great significance . . . and danger! Our enemy does not rest. “I must keep the saved ones preoccupied, lest they cause more damage. I’ll raise doubts, make them fearful, and persuade them to be religious and self-righteous. . . . Yes, the guise of good will keep them from becoming great.”

In the face of fear, worry, and challenging circumstances, seeking a moral life seems good. A vast majority live on, saved, but never really appreciate the gravity of their position. Dormant, they are alive but produce little if any fruit. Sure, from time to time they may wonder, “Who did God make me to be? And why does he have me here?” but life gets in the way and the desire for comfort dominates. The enemy grins, having locked them up.

O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. King David (Psalm 63:1)

Yet, a flickering light remains in a few who grasp the significance of the battle. They understand what’s at stake. They see the plight of the lost and the idleness of the body of those saved. They thirst for deeper Intimacy with Jesus. Their souls cry out, “Who did you make me to be, Lord?” “What is it you have me here to do?” They are ready to fulfill their role in Jesus’s plan to reclaim his Kingdom. Wide awake, they step up to Mobilize their Mission.

Reflect: How thirsty am I for deeper Intimacy with Jesus? Am I one of these few? If so, read on . . .

Pinpointing Your Mission

Think of SEAL Team 6 receiving their orders from the top, a seemingly impossible Mission to be carried out behind enemy lines and fraught with danger: Capture Osama bin Laden. This models the form of your Mission: A Kingdom assignment from Jesus himself that you will carry out behind enemy lines, an adventure fraught with danger. Uniquely designed, trained and gifted, you are the one perfectly suited to do it. No one else can!

Not to be confused with your Purpose (the reason you exist), your Mission is the assignment to fulfill while behind enemy lines. Once in Heaven, your Mission will be over—Mission completed—while your Purpose will continue throughout eternity. Settle the distinction: Mission is finite, Purpose is eternal. Praise the Lord! Can you imagine being in Heaven with no Purpose? That would be a nightmare!

Your God-given Mission will be bold, active, concise, and focused on changing lives (starting with your own). Set a goal to make it crystal clear and deeply meaningful to you. Concision (seven words or less) is essential so it remains memorable and top of mind always.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18)

Most importantly, it will have an eternal vantage point. Echoing Jesus’ priorities, it will be infused with his charge, yet it will be uniquely yours, unlike anyone else’s.

Have you pinpointed your Mission yet?