WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “CO-LABOR” WITH GOD?

As children and heirs of God, as kings and priests that serve God and His Kingdom, we have been given dominion, authority, and responsibility to spread His Kingdom—the Kingdom of Heaven—on this earth.

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’.” Matthew 28:16-20 (NRSV).

What Jesus commanded His disciples, He has commanded us also to do. As believers, we are also His disciples.

“These twelve [disciples] Jesus sent out after instructing them: ‘…And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give’.” Matthew 10:5,7-8 (NASB).

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (NRSV).

As we go, doing what Jesus has commanded us to do and has given us authority to do, we are spreading the Kingdom of God, participating or co-laboring with God for its growing into its fullness. He has given us dominion, authority, and responsibility to do so.

“And He said: ‘How can we illustrate the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to describe it? It’s like a mustard seed that, when sown in the soil, is smaller than all the seeds on the ground. And when sown, it comes up and grows taller than all the vegetables, and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade’.” Mark 4:30-32 (HCSB).

Each time we take a step to do what Jesus has commanded us to do, to spread His Kingdom and put His Kingdom first, to participate in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to this earth, we are acting in faith. Even if we see our faith as tiny as a mustard seed, when we obey, and we plant that seed, it will grow exponentially. We are participating in growing the Kingdom of God on this earth.

Co-laboring with God to bring His Kingdom to earth in its fullness is not just a suggestion. We have been empowered to do it, and we have been given the command to do it. Therefore, if we are going to establish a spiritual Kingdom of God on this earth, keeping our eyes focused on God and putting His Kingdom first in our lives, we need to be vigilant and we need to be purposeful to do it. In other words, we are in a spiritual battle that has already been won, but God has given us the authority and responsibility to bring the realization of it to this natural world. We do it by being proactive.

God does not ask us to fight in a battle for which we are not equipped, or a battle that He has not even won for us. It is finished. As our minds are enlightened to this truth, who we are in Christ as heirs of God and as kings and priests of His Kingdom, we will realize and believe His power working in and through us, to complete the purposes He has for us for His Kingdom on this earth.

He is our Head that has dominion and authority over all things, and we are His body walking in that dominion and authority on this earth.