Heaven Bound

Why don't followers of Jesus just go to Heaven when they are saved? This is the question often asked and seldom answered. Jesus said:

“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” (John 17:15)

Jesus did not come to collect a group of people and jet them to His Kingdom. He came to give a message of hope to all of His creation. This message was not bound to a time or place but was for all people for all time.

As we await our blessed hope, we are to occupy and wage a war against both sin and the power of evil. We do not huddle in fear as ones that have escaped the enemy, fearing that he will return and again take us hostage.

We wage a war, not with weapons of this world, our war is not waged for a kingdom of this dispensation but in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus said:

“My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (John 18:36)

The weapons were given to us by the Spirit of God.

The Apostle Paul said:

“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.”(Rom 14:7-9)

The war we wage is for the lost souls of the living so He would be Lord in life and in the death of people in His creation.

We are the Lord’s and we are here for a purpose. We cannot withdraw from the world. We must engage the enemy of the cross with the hope of the gospel of Jesus. We are empowered with spiritual weapons to take the people who are held captive by sin and death and deliver them to the feet of Jesus and whereby grace they will be received. 

As Jesus walked the earth He made disciples that would take the message to the world as He found it. Jesus taught the 12 to whom would deliver the gospel to their generation and said those 12 disciples, the ones who watched Him return to the Father:

 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Act 1:8)

It is God’s will that you, as a follower of Jesus who have been gifted with His Spirit, to be a witness where you live, where you travel and to the places you will never think you would go.  Are you living out God’s purpose for your life?

Jesus saved you and you have a purpose in not entering Heaven upon salvation…but to be a witness of the grace and mercy you received upon hearing the Gospel of Jesus. Live each day that you remain outside the veil of death that ends your mission on earth serving the purpose you are here.