Discipling Nations
Pr. Abu Bako, July 2013 Geneva, GILPP
Matt 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matt 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
If we talk of baptism of nations, did we read: Baptising nations? Go and do what? Making disciples and disciples of all nations. We can talk about all identifiable people groups. But even in terms of nations as of people organized body of people having a common agenda, it is still applicable here. Why? Because we know according to
Exod 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn:
Israel is my first born, even my first born son. And if you do not let them go, I will kill your first born. It is not an individual first born in Egypt, it is the first born of every Egyptian household. Meaning, this was a national phenomena. If it comes to God, a nation is an identifiable entity. He sees the nation as an individual entity rather than a number of human beings. In that case, if God is saying we disciple nations, he is not just talking about the individual human beings, he is talking about the nation being thought what it is supposed to be. He also says baptising them in the name of the father.
The first thing, we have to baptisze them into the fatherhood of God. Because baptism comes from the word baptism (βαπτίζω baptizo) which is derived from the word baptizo which is also derived from bapto (in Greek). Simply put, it means to be fully overwhelmed of, to be dipped into, to be fully submerged to become wall to wall. That means that the fatherhood of God, the nature of the father would have taken over that nation. This means, we are supposed to be the expression of fatherhood for the nation. It means if God is to be seen by the nations, when we go in and disciple nations, we would begin to express fatherhood. And the first thing a father has is: LOVE.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
What is he[1] saying in essence here? That everyone of us should get to the point that we can carry a nation like fathers can carry the nation.
Gen 25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If [it be] so, why [am] I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. Gen 25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [are] in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and [the one] people shall be stronger than [the other] people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
Rebekah asked the Lord, what is happening in me, what is this, what is this happening to me? What did the Lord say? You are pregnant with two nations!
More to this in
1Thess 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father [doth] his children,
1Thess 2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
The nature of God is so that you can be father and mother at the same time. Therefore you can say to one another: You are pregnant! You can be the masculine expression of God and the feminine expression of God.
Isa 65:9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah people to take possession of my mountains. My chosen ones will take possession of the land; my servants will live there.
God is the one who brings the moment of birth.
Isa 66:9 “Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?” asks the LORD. “Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?” asks your God.
Isa 49:15 Can a woman forget her baby who nurses at her breast? Can she withhold compassion from the child she has borne? Even if mothers were to forget, I could never forget you!
That means that God is both, a father and mother. God expects you to father a nation. The essence of a true father is that he is ready to lay down his life for his children. This is why most fathers and mothers are ready to go hungry for the sake of their children. How many of us are ready to love the nation we came from to that extent? Are we ready? Realise, that without love it is not possible for you to take a nation! You might have successful programs and that is all you might end up with. We are tempted to measure our success with how many people attended a program, how much money came in. We are not any more evaluating of how much of the nature of God we have imparted. I could come here, if the purpose of this message is to impress you, the I have missed it. One prayer I have on my heart: Lord help me to become a channel of love, so that you can love people through me. Even if nothing else is remembered, let my love come from my heart and touch each heart. This is the most important. I want you to know, from the depth of my heart that I love each one of you. I may not even know you by name but my question to God is: I want whatever you want for that life, more than anything else. It does not matter what I try to do, it will never measure up to what you want to do.
So He said: Go and make disciples of all nations. It means that we are supposed to make nations disciples of Jesus. We start baptising them in the name of the father. In the book of Acts, when someone gave his life to Christ you baptise them (the water baptism). Now we read: Baptising the nation in the name of the father and of the son. Now as the aspect of son-ship, I have already quoted
Exod 4:22 You must say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Israel is my son, my firstborn,
where it says Israel is my son. There is the son-ship of nations. It takes only sons to be able to disciple sons. You cannot help somebody to become a lawyer if you are not a lawyer. You cannot mentor an architect, when you are not an architect. You must become that what you want to produce, before you are able to produce yourself. If you want to be able to disciple a nation, you must become a nation ourself. This is why we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people…. according to
1Pet 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
So, as a nation, according to
Matt 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Matt 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
It says that because you do not produce the fruit, the Kingdom is taken away from you and given to another nation. Another nation. What nation? It is the nation that Jesus is now building that is now discipling nations: It takes a nation that now disciples nations! The reason why, God, actually at the beginning, he wanted Esau to be the one to disciple other nations. But now he has decided to up this whole thing by making it a nation that he has put together in Christ, a nation that now is capable to disciple all the nations. Baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son (this is what I mentioned about son-ship of nations). We revisit that:
Isa 51:16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people. That means, God wants to actually change the face of the earth, changing the nations, changing the earth, changing even the heavens, using the word, his own word, in your mouth. Isa 51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. Isa 51:18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. Isa 51:19 These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? Isa 51:20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.
V18: God wants to actually change the face of the earth, changing the nations, changing the earth, changing even the heavens using his own word in your mouth. Of all the sons she has brought forth, there was none to guide her. Of all the sons she has brought up. That means, of all the sons she has brought up, there was none to take her by the hand. It means, that every nations is looking for sons to take her in to her destiny of son-ship. Israel the first born, another, the 10th born, but it still is a son. It means we have to take every nation into son-ship.
Matt 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
That means the Gospel of the Kingdom is what God wants to use for us to disciple nations. Then the end shall come. Now the question I want to ask: Is this the Gospel we are preaching? Is it the Gospel of the Kingdom we are preaching? Because if the Gospel of the Kingdom is just about what Jesus said. I hope you do not misunderstand me. I believe in Jesus, I became a believer in Jesus Christ in 1967. So by God’s mercy I have walked with the Lord through some years. The point I am making here, is that Jesus was not preaching just: believe and receive! He was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. Might be I should start with
Matt 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, Matt 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
John the Baptist was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. He came to say: Repent, because the Kingdom of God is near, is at hand! And then
Matt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Jesus came preaching: Repent for the Kingdom of God is here. That means, they came to preach the Kingdom. Put differently, they were talking about a new form of government, a superior form of government. Then
Matt 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
He went through the cities, the villages, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.
Luke 8:1 And it came to pass afterwards, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, Luke 8:2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
He was preaching in every city, every village – the Kingdom of God, in every city, every village!
Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. Luke 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
What did he then tell his disciples say to preach? The Gospel of Kingdom of God. It means what we are supposed to be preaching is the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God at the end of the day? The Kingdom of God is the dominion of God. The word King – dom is composed of God (King) and dominion! Meaning the kingship in a domain. That is why we need the Lordship of Jesus in our families, communities, towns, nations, We need the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This is the kingship aspect. But his dominion must be in every domain. It is not one or the other, it is both. His dominion in our life, his dominion in our families, his dominion in our mentalities, world views, in our governance, in our money system, his dominion also in our educational system, in our media, in arts sports and culture. It is all important in his kingship but it is his Kingship and his dominion in every domain. So, the Kingdom has to do with the domain of of the dominion of God. But we must see his rule in the realm of each person in at least three areas; the spirit, the soul and the realm of the physical. So we must see his rule in for each human being in the realm of the spirit, we must see his rule in the realm of the soul (which has to do with our mind, our emotions, our will, our intellect, our conscience, mentalities, mind set, relational skills). My question, is he King in my relationships? Do I relate to Mike, or Hal the way God wants me to relate to Hal, irrespective of the way how Hal relates to me? How Hal relates to me is between God and him, but how I relate to Hal needs to reflect how God expects me to relate to Hal: If I respect the rules set by God in the realm of relationships. The rule of God in every realm is what we need to know if we want to talk about the Kingdom of God. So, every sphere of influence where we are active is an expression of the Kingdom of God. It concerns not only the influence of the Kingdom but also the expanse, the instant of the impact: So that is the time the Kingdom of God has come. But not only that, it also concerns the extent of that impact – the extent of which the Kingdom of God is operational in my life. So it concerns all the domains of dominion, the spheres. What I have said basically is: We are talking about the Kingdom of God, of its expression and impression and the instant of the impact. So what we are talking about is that we have the 7 pillars of the Kingdom of God in place. The 7 pillars are the King, the throne, the foundations of the throne, the sceptre, the council of elders, the messengers and then finally the subjects. I said, as we are talking about the Kingdom of God, there is a King, and a king without a throne he could not be operating, then also you need foundations of that throne for stability and without a sceptre you cannot rule. The elders are there for the king to have the staff of officers, you then need messengers to carry whatever decrees are made (spiritual and physical) and finally, a kingdom without subjects is not a kingdom!
The purpose of the Kingdom is impacting and influencing every sphere, every domain, every instant of operation and all of society. Different people are using different terms for the spheres: Sometimes they are called domains, sectors spheres, gates or sometimes mountains. Different people have different numbers: You have 7 mountains, 12 gates …. About 1980, God introduced some of these things to me. I try to remember if it was a dream or something I heard, I began to think about it and came up with 8: Family, believe systems (comprising our understanding of God, how we relate to each other even as people who are all believers; they have to do with mentality, mindset, tradition…). Then you have governance, government and leadership, as I am talking to leaders you understand the differences. Then you have the economy, which has to do with management of resources, then education (the 5th sphere, mountain, gate … ), which has to do with skills and values, of the society, which need to be acquired, accumulated and transmitted. Then you have the 6th sphere of science and technology, then the aspect of the media, and then you have art sports and culture (8th domain).
If we are going to disciple nations, we need to be sons. In essence you are talking about ..… who will take their initial positions as sons
Ps 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ps 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give [thee] the heathen (also translated as nations)[for] thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth [for] thy possession.
That means, if we are asking for a bottle of water, for houses, for outfit, for any other thing; we are still children, because children ask for bread. Jesus said that:
Luke 11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if [he ask] a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
So we are always asking for what to drink, what to eat, what to wear – this is what we do and all refugees do! Refugees normally have few needs. What do they ask for? What to eat, what to drink, what to wear, shelter over their head, they ask for security and transportation. If you crystallize your prayers and they are only addressing these subjects, I am sorry, you have a refugee mentality! That is what refugees ask for – sons ask for nations, children ask for bread. Which nations are we asking for? With due respect to everybody, I would be the first to admit, that none of us knows it all. I do not know it all, please bear with my infirmities. The point I am making here is, that many of us have ended up sometimes just asking for “nothings”, unless we have clear indications from God normally we shall go for nations! This is what the Lord is expecting from us, as sons are to ask for nations, because
Matt 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.
the Kingdom of God is the will of God being done on earth as it is already in heaven. When he want it, where he want it, how he want it. Not the way you feel, not the way you think, not the way it is most pleasurable for you. Forget whatever you are thinking, it is not about you, but all about him. His Kingdom is where the sons of God are as a seed birthing nations.
Isa 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isa 9:7 Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Let me ask a simple question: Are you a gift? Or are you just born to add to the number of mouths to feed on earth? Because, when you become a son, you become a gift to the nation. What am I saying? As a gift to the nation, the nations now sees you as somebody who can take her into her destiny. The nation sees you, for example, when you become somebody who is a blessing to the nation, everybody wants to identify with you. As against if you are just adding to the mouth’s to feed. If you are really looking at this, what you want to say: God I ask you to help me to be a true son.
In Isa 9:6 – and the government shall be upon his shoulder – that means, that you are not a son yet until you take responsibility! We are still a child, it does not matter how big, because children always thinking of positions and possessions.
Isa 22:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: Isa 22:21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. Isa 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. Isa 22:23 And I will fasten him [as] a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house. Isa 22:24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. Isa 22:25 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that [was] upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken [it].
If you look at this text, it says: You will not be called a miracle worker, you are a miracle. You will not only be somebody who is the champion. Then he goes on to talk about the five of eternity , it trans-generational in his thinking, then going on talking about all the other aspects, including the aspects ta
hat you will be called a peace maker not just somebody who si peaceful. Because you are actually producing, laying foundations for many generations. That is why in Isa 9:7, it says, that you are sitting on the throne and you order it and put systems in place.
Father, I pray that you will help everyone who has yet to be called with a robe of son-ship. Remember the prodigal son? When he came back and he finally now came to himself, and he realised it is not about possessions or positions, he even was raised to take a lower position. What happened to him? The father came and put a robe on him. The robe of son-ship. He said: Bring the robe, because the robe of son-ship is there for each one of us. My prayer this morning is, that each one us will enter to be qualified for the robe of son-ship. It does not mean that we are not children of God, but to become a son you need to the depth of place where you are totally sold out doing his will not yours! Then he goes on to say, I will also make him a father to the inhabitants: Fathering not only a city but also a nation. This is the responsibility aspect and the responsibility of the son Jesus Christ that will be committed to our hands. He said, of Jerusalem and of Juda, meaning that if you are still a part or only your own household you are not yet a son. Because you are supposed to father a city and a nation. Isa 22:22 – that is a different thing all together. There are basically about 36 keys of?? I discovered so far one … 18 of them basic or if you want to go to the list number that are mentioned by the name “key” there are 9 in scripture, they are mentioned: Key of death, key of life, key of this and other. So you have the staff of authority as key. You know, the right to exercise authority, because it is all authority in heaven and on earth that was given onto the Lord Jesus that now may be.
I want to read to you the meaning of the word ecclesia – every ability, every strength, every judicial power, everything that has to do with running a nation, being in control – I have given you to go and to run the nation according to my patterns. Oh, but are we supposed running the nations?? Yes according to
Ps 115:16 The heaven, [even] the heavens, [are] the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men (other translation : the sons of men). I do not know about you, but this is my understanding: It was not fallen men that was given the control of the earth. It was loyal men. Because the moment he fell, he was driven out of the garden. But it seems we have given that to now fallen men what belongs to our father (it does not necessarily mean that God cannot use a Cyrus or any of those people!).
Let us pray: What is it that you heard from the Lord? I realise that I was to touch also
Lord, according to your word in
Gen 41:45 And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over [all] the land of Egypt.
you say, Joseph and Egypt and Africa at that time had become the treasury of your glorious rest in terms of the ability for us to perform that fuction of being the treasury of your glorious rest. Have everyone here to become like a Joseph, to become the one that can bring hope to our generation. Lord, there are many ways we can do it, even in terms of education. Help us to become people that can express more and more the reality of your Kingdom.
Prov 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Help us to treat nations like the children that we are growing into sons, that we will become sons in reality. Father are there areas in my life, my brothers life, my sisters life, that are not showing son-ship, that not showing maturity, that are not showing the fruit of the spirit love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, from this day, help us that we will operate in that. I declare concerning everyone here, that we would be the best sons you had in this particular season. We are going out of this place with joy.
Isa 55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap [their] hands.
because the whole creation is waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God (Rm 8.19) – in the name of Jesus, Amen.