The context and environment of any story always gives you major clues to the characters in the story.
For example, if I say The 100 Acre Wood (the context and environment of a story), the characters would be...
Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger…
If I say galaxies far, far away, then you know we are talking about...
Jedis, the Dark Side, Death Stars and Storm Troopers.
Dodge City and the O.K. Corral…
Middle Earth…
You get my point.
Each of these “places”, each environment, brings a context to the story and therefore what the characters are like and the way the characters are to live within that particular story. Every once in a while, a character is transported into a different world and the story seems to turn to that character adapting to his or her surroundings. Nothing could be more true for us and yet very few believers ever step up and adapt well to the true (albeit not new) surroundings.
If we are unaware or naïve, well, what happens to characters in any story who live that way? They are either casualties, become victims, are captured or they die.
We live outside of the Garden, we live in the in-between of Christ’s comings. We fell, and God comes in Jesus: first coming to rescue, redeem and restore. And what of the story when Christ comes again? Look at the context of the story:
And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True (trustworthy, loyal, incorruptible, steady), and in righteousness He judges and wages war [on the rebellious nations]. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many royal crowns; and He has a name inscribed [on Him] which no one knows or understands except Himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, [dazzling] white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword (His word) with which He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He will tread the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty [in judgment of the rebellious world]. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 19:11-16 (AMP)
What kind of story are we in?
If this is how Jesus is coming back then the posture of the story we live in, the context of the Larger Story in which we find ourselves right now, is no less than War!
We desperately NEED to be oriented, able to rightfully, accurately, truthfully discern what is going on around us and absolutely become skilled at discerning what is going on inside of us. There is an unholy trinity: Satan and this Fallen World operating on the outside and the brutal False-Self/Flesh and its operation in our inner world.
It’s time we step out of naïve and into awareness that leads to healing. The Holy Spirit giving us eyes to see and ears to hear so we can engage with whole Hearts into this battle and what it is all about...Life! Living wholehearted in the Kingdom of God whose citizenship has been bestowed on the sons and daughters of God and therefore Christ’s power and authority given to us in which to walk:
Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (AMP)
Jesus gives us, sends us out with His power and authority. That must mean we're going to need it! The question is: do we know how to wield it?
It was Phillip Yancey who wrote about this great revolutionary man in his book , The Jesus I Never Knew,
You don’t kill Mr. Rogers or Captain Kangaroo…a nice guy.
Phillip is right, you don’t kill someone for being a nice guy, you kill someone on a cross who is a threat, who is your enemy, who is in the way of your position and threatens your power. Quite a plot unfolded against Jesus. And to imagine it was all according to the Father’s plan of revolution!
Our Life with God is violently opposed and The Warrior’s Way is needed to not only survive but to live abundantly and fully, playing our part in the Larger Story. Like everything in this life, we learn it, we learn how to play our part from the one who is in control of both the context and the characters. Let the training begin!
How would you describe the story in which you have been living?
How do you see the Gospels?... as a great revolution filled with battle, warfare and the death of the one leading it? (which led to His resurrection by the way)
What if you had a power and authority in your life, in this story and never or seldom have wielded it? How would you feel? What would you do?
