Our Jurisdiction:
Where We Stand
Samuel C. Ward
(Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965,
1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Explanatory insertions
within a scripture are enclosed in brackets. Author’s emphasis indicated in bold.)
I was in the kitchen doing something and the TV was on in the family room. I heard a man’s authority challenged and he boldly fired back, “I’m a Texas Ranger! Wherever I’m standing is my jurisdiction!” I nearly ran through the wall. Holy smoke—the only way to improve on that was to say, “I’m a son of God Almighty . . .”
 
“Wherever I’m standing is my jurisdiction.” That sounds like God talking to Joshua doesn’t it?
 
Every place upon which the sole of your foot shall tread, that have I given to you, as I promised Moses. Joshua 1:3
 
Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. Joshua 1:7
 
Have not I commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
 
“Every place . . . wherever you go.” Joshua had jurisdiction wherever he was standing. He was deputized by the Lord. Listen to Jesus talking to his followers before the ascension:
 
Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be). Matthew 28:18–20
 
He did not say “go then to church and make disciples of all the visitors that happen to come into the building.” If meetings in buildings are where we worship God and talk to Him, then logically, when we are not meeting in buildings, we are not worshiping and talking with God. Therefore, normal life becomes a hindrance to our fellowship with God. Then it would seem that our jobs, our family life, and our social life are all in competition with our spiritual life and our time with God. Then we might say, “I’m so busy with the kids or with my work that I never have time to go to the place of worship and fellowship with God. “Go to the place of worship?” The place of worship is wherever we are. The place to talk to God (and listen to God) is wherever we are.
 
There is no place in our lives where God is not there also.
 
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death . . . thou art with me. Psalm 23:4
 
There is no place that we can go where He is not with us.
 
Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee from Your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there [Romans 11:33]. If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:7–10
 
Joseph as a boy [young man] was sold into slavery. He was a slave in an Egyptian household.
 
But the Lord was with Joseph, and he [though a slave] was a successful and prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all that he did to flourish and succeed in his hand. Genesis 39:2–3
 
 So Joseph pleased [Potiphar] and found favor in his sight, and he served him. And [his master] made him supervisor over his house and he put all that he had in his charge. From the time that he made him supervisor in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the Lord’s blessing was on all that he had in the house and in the field. Genesis 39:4–5
 
Later Joseph was unfairly put into prison.
 
And Joseph’s master took him and put him in the prison, a place where the state prisoners were confined; so he was there in the prison. But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy and loving-kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the warden of the prison. And the warden of the prison committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatsoever was done there, he was in charge of it. The prison warden paid no attention to anything that was in [Joseph’s] charge, for the Lord was with him and made whatever he did to prosper. Genesis 39:20–23
 
Because Joseph fellowshipped with God wherever he was and his witness was clearly evident to all around him, he was eventually [released from prison and] chosen by Pharaoh to rule all of Egypt and save the line of believers that would eventually lead to Jesus.
 
God sent me before you to preserve for you a posterity and to continue a remnant on the earth, to save your lives by a great escape and save for you many survivors. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Genesis 45:7–8
 
God does not send us to go hide in churches. God sends us everywhere to manifest his love and power and will to all the nations. We are to enjoy the intimacy of His presence because our Father is with us wherever we are. Where is our jurisdiction? Wherever we happen to be standing.
 
So when Jesus said go make disciples of all the nations, where did they go? They went to work, they went to Wal-Mart, they went to Costco, they went to bridge club, they went to school, they went wherever they were led or had to go or wanted to go and they made disciples. They did not sneak around the market place. They owned the ground they walked on and manifested Christ in the marketplace. When they were there, the Lord was always there with them.
 
And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it). Mark 16:20
 
It does not matter if we are hauling garbage, leading a large commercial enterprise or taking care of a family at home, wherever we are standing is our place of witness and of worship and fellowship with God and He is with us.
 
And whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus and in [dependence upon] His Person, giving praise to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17
 
Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23
 
As we do this and seek His guidance, we will not be disappointed. Our activities will be times of spiritual growth and learning because we keep Jesus at the center. We converse with Him in our hearts and keep our eyes focused on Him. He not only empowers our ministries but also our work and play. The choice should never be either do these activities or walk with the Lord. We are to walk with the Lord IN all our activities and acknowledge Him in all our ways.
 
Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. Proverbs 3:5–6
 
So let’s pin on our badges and act like we own the joint. We have the jurisdiction, wherever we are.