Chapter 3 - The Gospel Proclamation.

The Gospel is of first importance. It introduces people to the Kingdom of God and its liberating power. Preaching the gospel brings people INTO the Kingdom, teaching enables us to live and grow in it. Satan's main attack is against the gospel for: "IT IS the POWER of God unto salvation" (Romans l:16). It must be defended from distortion. 

Paul said: "I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him who called you INTO THE GRACE OF CHRIST(the true gospel is of grace) UNTO ANOTHER GOSPEL which is not another, but there be some who trouble youand PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we've preached to you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again - if any man preach any other gospel to you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:6-9). Paul had to defend the gospel of grace (that entry into the Kingdom is free, the blessing is received by faith) against the corruption (leaven) of legalism (you have to obey certain laws before you qualify) In church history satan also distorted the gospel by reducing it to forgiveness only. It came to be believed that supernatural things (like healing, deliverance, the Baptism in the Spirit) had passed away after the lst century. Thus the church lost it's power by not preaching the FULL GOSPEL. 

Even 'Bible-Believing' churches today preach such a reduced gospel that Jesus and his disciples would hardly recognize it as the gospel they preached.

Since the gospel 'is the POWER of God unto salvation (Romans l:16) we must recover understanding of what it is and how to preach it. This is the aim of this series. The true Gospel is not just forgiveness and rebirth but deliverance from the power of sin, satan, sickness, poverty - it proclaims full restoration. 

There can only be ONE unchanging Gospel although it has various names (e.g: 'The Gospel', 'Word of God', 'Word of Christ', 'Gospel of the Kingdom', 'gospel of peace', 'gospel of grace', 'gospel of salvation') 
'I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach to them who dwell on the earth, to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.' (Rev l4:6) 
'THIS GOSPEL of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.' (Matthew 24:14). Therefore, we must preach the same message Jesus preached (He is our first example) then we will see its power. The Gospel is the announcement that the Kingdom of God, with all its powers, is at hand.

We have seen that Jesus preached the Good-News of Jubilee. This was based on the great EXODUS JUBILEE. Israel, through their own sin, had lost their freedom, possessions and health under the oppression of another Kingdom (Egypt) Likewise, all mankind, since Adam's sin, is under the power of the kingdom of darkness (sin and satan). We were poor, in fear of death and under slavery to another power. In Moses, the Kingdom of God came on the scene to release Israel. God told Pharoh: Let my people go that they might worship Me. In a clash of Kingdoms God's power overwheimed Egypt. The Passover Lamb was slain, and Israel walked out free, healed and prospered. They walked out of the dominion of darkness into the Kingdom of God and into a covenant and inheritance with God. God then instituted the Jubilee (Leviticus 25) to reinact this event. It was a year of grace and liberty - a picture of man's ultimate redemption in Christ- our Passover Lamb (l Corinthians 5:7). Thus He purchased our SALVATION, which is communicated to us through the preaching of the Good-News that 'it's Jubilee time'. We believe the gospel and are set free to worship God without fear.

As Moses told them they could go out free when the Lamb was slain; as the Jubilee trumpets proclaimed it after the Atoning sacrifice -so it was prophesied (Isaiah 6l:1-4) that one day the Messiah would proclaim the Jubilee of Jubilee's - the salvation of man from sin, sickness and satan, based on the sacrifice of the Son of God (Isaiah 53)! 

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me;.. He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor...to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." 
(In each case those who believed the message acted on it and walked out free from the curse of darkness into the blessings of God's Kingdom.) 

In Luke 4:14-21 and 7:20-23, Jesus claims to fulfil this prophecy as the Messiah. His preaching ministry was the proclamation of Jubilee. He entrusted this Jubilee-Gospel to his disciples and now to us (2Cor 5:17-6:2). We are to preach THIS GOSPEL saying: "behold, NOW is the ACCEPTED (Jubilee) TIME; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2Corinthians 6:2)

2 MAJOR KEYS to understanding this GOSPEL (which are 2 sides of the same coin)

KEY(1) THE POWER QF HIS WORD: It is the preaching or proclamation of the gospel that causes the power to be present.

The WORDS of the Gospel contain the anointing or power. The Word has the power to bring itself to pass. (Luke l:38) Thus,it is the preaching or proclamation of the gospel that causes the power to be present, it brings the power of God online -to save, heal, deliver, fill and restore. The power is in the word. When you receive the word you receive the power (to heal, save..) And when you act on the word you release the power. 

'For I am not ashamed of THE GOSPEL of CHRIST: for it IS THE POWER of God unto salvation' (Romans 1:16). 

We know preaching brings faith to the hearer for 'faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the WORD OF CHRIST.'(Romans 10:17). 
But it also causes God's ' POWER to be present: 'As he was TEACHING (the Word) ... THE POWER OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT TO HEAL THEM (Luke 5:17) 'This day, is this ... fulfilled IN YOUR EARS' (Luke 4:21). Only when the Jubilee trumpet sounded was the power (grace) present and available for people to claim their freedom.

When a church only preaches a partial gospel it robs its people - for the power is made present through the words preached. If healing is preached as available then healing power will be present. You will get the manifestation of the part of the gospel you preach. If healing is not preached but is a matter of doubt (maybe God will, maybe He won't) then no healing-power will be made present. That's why many churches are dead - they don't preach healing or the fullness of the Spirit and so God's power is not made present for the people. To preach a false or comprimised gospel has serious consequences. How dare we change the gospel! Woe to us if we do not preach THE GOSPEL!

KEY(2) THE WORD OF HIS POWER, 
The bottom-line, climax or finale of the Gospel proclamation is that: 'God's power is present now to save and heal you'. 
The gospel declaration is: 'the POWER of God is here for the salvation of all who believe' (Rom 1:16).

THE GOSPEL is not preached until you say: 'God's healing and saving power or anointing is here now for you.' 
We need boldness for this. Everything else we share of salvation and the anointing is to lead to this climax. For example we say: 'Jesus died on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins and to purchase our healing. He rose on the 3rd day and is alive forevermore. HE NOW OFFERS US THE FREE-GIFT OF ETERNAL-LIFE and HEALING.'

The summary of the message Jesus preached everywhere was: 'THIS DAY, is this scripture (Isaiah 61) FULFILLED in YOUR ears' (Luke 4:21). Jesus was saying: I am anointed NOW with healing and saving power for YOU. God's power is present for your healing and freedom, if you are needy, brokenhearted, oppressed etc.' 
The whole message is aimed to build a foundation so that they would believe the good-news that God's Power was present and available for them. The Jubilee trumpet declared God's Grace was here and available TODAY to go free.

'As he was teaching , there were Pharisees... sitting by ... and THE POWER OF THE LORD WAS PRESENT TO HEAL THEM' (Luke 5:17). How did Luke know the power was present? No-one was healed yet. His comment implied the power was not always present. I believe it was because Jesus had declared it to be present to heal them. However only the one who believed it received healing.

At Pentecost Peter's sermon reached it's climax by declaring God's Power (the Holy-Spirit) was present (Acts 2:33). This is the meaning of 'The Gospel or Word of CHRIST' - it is the announcement that: 'Jesus is the CHRIST. He is ANOINTED now for your salvation. The Anointed and His anointing is present to heal you.' This is the Gospel !

We see this in Jesus'ministry. Jesus and his disciples preached the GOSPEL of the KINGDOM: 
Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching...and PREACHING the GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.' (Matthew 4:23, 9:35).

He went throughout every city and village, PREACHING and SHOWING the GLAD TIDINGS of the KINGDOM of God (Luke 8:1).

'He said 'I MUST PREACH THE KINGDOM OF GOD too ther cities also: for therefore am I sent.' (Luke 4:43).

'He sent them to PREACH the KINGDOM of God and to heal the sick.' (Luke 9:2, 60)

What is the GOSPEL of the KINGDQM? "The KINGDOM OF GOD is not meat and drink; but RIGHTEOUSNESS, and PEACE, and JOY in the Holy Spirit" (Romans 14:17). We could add- it is HEALING, LIFE, FORGIVENESS etc. The Good-News of the Kingdom to those under the dominion of darkness, (feeling like God's Blessing and Kingdom is far away) can only be that'God's Kingdom and power is here now to release you.'

'Jesus came into Galilee, PREACHING the GOSPEL of the KINGDOM of GOD, saying, 'THE TIME (Jubilee) is fulfilled, and the KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND: repent ye, and believe the gospel. (Mark 1:14,15). 
'At hand' means - 'the Kingdom is here, God's power is within reach, salvation is yours for the taking, it's at hand, reach out and take it!'

"From that time Jesus began to PREACH, and to SAY, 'Repent (change any thinking that's based on the premise that God, help, salvation is far off) for the KINGDOM of HEAVEN IS AT HAND!" (Matthew 4:17)

"Heal the sick that are there, and say: 'The KINGDOM OF GOD is COME NIGH UNTO YOU" (Luke 10:9,1 1) 
"As ye go, preach, saying, 'the KINGDOM of HEAVEN IS AT HAND'" (Matthew 10:7) 
"The Kingdom of God is come unto you" (Matthew 12:28)

To preach God's Kingdom is to declare it (healing, joy, forgiveness etc) is present, available, at hand. It's doors are open. If you believe it, you can walk out of the power of darkness into the Kingdom of light. As in the Exodus God's power overwhelmes satan's power and there is nothing he can do to stop your freedom if you believe and receive.

'The law and the prophets were until John: since that time (Jubilee) the KINGDOM of God is PREACHED (as present and open) and every man presses into it.' (Luke 16:16).

'From the days of John the Baptist until now the KINGDOM of heaven suffers violence (a better translation is: 'forces itself on men's attention' - by the gospel), and the violent take it by force (or 'the forceful ones lay hold of it') ...He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 11:12-15). Faith will act as if the word is true and take hold of the Kingdom power and blessing.

What a privilege to be entrusted with the gospel! By it we can make God's power available for people's salvation. As Christ's ambassadors we declare like Jesus: 'The Kingdom of God is among you (here, in your midst)' (Luke 17:21) It was present in Jesus and projected through his words. 

Thus we too announce the Kingdom has come and thus make its powers available to all under the sound of our voice. We bring the Kingdom on the scene in our person and extend its power over all who hear us preach the gospel, for we are authorized to do so as AMBASSADORS of the Kingdom. Thus we make it possible for them to lay hold of their salvation. We cause the Kingdom to be at hand bv preaching that it is at hand. The KEYS of the Kingdom are the gospel-words given to us. (Matthew 16:19). 
Through them, we have the power to open the doors of heaven, so that people can enter and receive its blessings.

KEYS 1 and 2 are two sides of the same coin and are equivalent if we assume that the power is in God's Word to fulfil itself (Luke 1:38).

KEY 1 says that preaching the Word makes the power present for the hearers, for the power is in God's Word to fulfil itself. Therefore the word must be that: 'the power (Kingdom) is present for you hearers' = KEY 2 (and vice versa)

We must back this Word up with evidence so that people can believe it, and then also teach them how to respond to it (how to release their faith and receive that saving power).