CBM Summer '03 Newsletter

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM

Charisma Magazine carried a powerful and scriptural article on deliverance by John Eckhardt. The following month they published a number of "Letters to the Editor" lambasting Dr. Eckhardt and the article; a reflection of the gross ignorance of some pastors and Christians on the validity and importance of deliverance as a genuine facet of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

Jesus declared, "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" Matt. 24:14. There is only one Gospel, and it is the Gospel of the Kingdom. It is the complete Gospel which includes salvation (John 3:3,5), deliverance (Matt. 12:28), anointing (Acts 1:3-5,8) and healing (Matt. 9:35; Luke 10:9). Any Gospel that does not include these elements is "another gospel" (II Cor.11:4), and is other than or less than the gospel that Jesus commissioned. The Gospel of the Kingdom includes the Gospel of grace through faith, but it includes more than salvation to eternal life.

Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom from the very beginning of His ministry (Matt. 4:23), and His last days on earth were devoted to teaching His disciples "the things pertaining to the kingdom of God" Acts 1:3. The Gospel that He preached was always authenticated by signs and wonders: the healing of the sick, deliverance of the demonized, the raising of the dead and other supernatural works. He did these things by the power of the Holy Spirit, which power is still available to us today as Christ promised in John 14:12.

Deliverance is living proof that the Kingdom of God is present and in operation, for Jesus declared, "If I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you" Matt. 12:28.

Where there is a kingdom there is a King, and there is government with its dominion and authority. The King is supreme, and He delegates authority to others to act in His behalf.

King Jesus has ALL authority. "All power [authority] is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore..." Matt. 28:18, 19 That is, "Go in My authority." He delegated His authority to His disciples: "Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the Kingdom of God, and to heal the sick" Luke 9:1,2. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" John 14;12.

God's intention is that the message Jesus preached and the supernatural ministry that He performed be carried on by His Church. After His death, resurrection and ascension we read in Act 2:43, "Many signs and wonders were done by the apostles". The Kingdom of God was still being manifested among them, in spite of the fact that Jesus was no longer physically present.

In fact, as the Gospel of the Kingdom began to be preached throughout the world, its message continued to be verified through miracles, wonders, marvels and signs. Philip, for example, preached, "The things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ", and "The people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did, For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice came out of many that were possessed with them, and many taken with palsies, and they that were lame, were healed" Acts 8:, 7, 12.

Paul also preached "the Gospel of Christ", the same Gospel that Christ preached during His earthly ministry, and Paul testified, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ" Romans 15:18, 19.

The Kingdom of God is to be manifested today by means of deliverance. Deliverance is the first of five signs which should follow every believer. "In my name shall they cast out devils" Mark 16:17-18. Those who oppose deliverance by objecting that a Christian cannot have a demon, are not casting demons out of anyone, in spite of the clear Word of God that the casting out of demons is a primary sign that should accompany the preaching of the Gospel.

Even many churches that claim to be "Full Gospel" are not engaged in deliverance. The majority of conservative evangelical churches are limited to the preaching of salvation. Pentecostal churches, in addition to salvation, minister healing and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Most churches still omit deliverance. Instead of casting out demons, they engage in counseling and rehabilitation programs that promote so-called "inner healing", which in most cases is based in humanistic psychology.

Deliverance has not only been ignored by many, but it has been resisted, reviled and forbidden by churches commonly considered sound in the faith. Why? The devil hates the deliverance message and ministry since it is the only one that offers freedom from the bondage and oppression of evil spirits.

Jesus declared that the end of the age would not come until the Gospel of the Kingdom is preached throughout the world with supernatural signs and wonders. Let's be a part of this!

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