• The 'marketplace' is where people conduct their daily activities. It compromises of business, industry, education, and the government sector.
A. Establish God's kingdom
We train our members to demonstrate the 'kingdom of God', which is God's kingly presence, at where they work and conduct their businesses.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Luke 11:2b NKJV).
• Christ taught us to pray for God's authority and purpose to manifest on the earth as it is in heaven.
• At wherever we are preaching and ministering, God will manifest His authority and power through us against demons and diseases (see Luke 9:1-2).
• Christ promised His disciples to expect greater manifestation of God's authority and power than in His own ministry (see John 14:12-14; Mark 16:15-18).
1. Authority against demons
The Church is authorized and empowered by Christ to storm the gates of hell.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven (Matthew 16:18-19 NKJV).
• 'The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it' means the demonic realm can never defeat the Church.
• Upon believing Christ as the Savior (see verse 16), believers are given spiritual 'keys' which signify spiritual authority.
• 'Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven' means as you use your spiritual authority on the earth there are effects of stopping and setting free occurring in the spiritual realm.
• We have the authority to stop evils from spreading, and to allow God's purpose to rule on earth. We carry the kingdom of God with us wherever we go.
2. Confront demonic powers
Establishing God's kingdom on earth requires confronting the kingdom of darkness.
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12 NKJV).
• Satanic powers are trying to hinder the expansion of God's kingdom all over the world but they can never defeat us (see also Matthew 16:18-19).
• It is necessary to confront demonic power to release sinners to believe in Christ. The power of God will destroy the works of Satan and transform their lives.
• The same power encounter and transformation should also take place in their circles of influence. First, in the family, next in the neighborhood, and eventually all over the city.
• Paul was called to open the eyes of sinners for them to turn from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to God, in order to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance in Christ (see Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:13).
• Paul taught the Word of God in Ephesus for two years and a major power encounter took place. An extraordinary miracle led to a large number of people who were deep in occults had been set free. They publicly burnt their demonic books. As a result, all of the people who lived in the Roman province of Asia heard the Word of the Lord (see Acts 19:10).
• Of the forty major supernatural actions recorded in Acts, many of which were dramatic power encounters, thirty nine took place at the marketplace (see Acts 3:1-10).
• Satan and his demons influence unredeemed business, media, and government circles in most cities. God's power is desperately needed in those places.
• God has positioned the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers along with the entire army of disciples in the marketplace to take the world back to Him.
• Every ministering Christian has the responsibility to tread all over the city daily to push back the demonic frontier (see Joshua 1:3).
B. Gospel in marketplace
Christ compared us to leaven, light, salt, and seeds. These things infiltrate, shine, preserve, or sprout in the world to fulfill their destinies.
1. Church at all places
The kingdom of God is manifested at where the common folks gathered.
• Christ recruited His disciples whom He named apostles at the marketplace.
• The Church was born on the streets, on the day of Pentecost, as the 3,000 men believed Christ in an open-air meeting rather than inside a religious building.
• A steady stream of signs and wonders accompanied the apostles' preaching of Christ at the marketplaces.
• First-century Christians had church at homes every day, several times a day (see Acts 2:42). They congregated even during mealtimes (see Acts 2:46).
• Gentiles (non-Jews) did not meet in the synagogues; they gathered in public forums, business places and plazas—in the marketplace. Paul, Peter, John, James, and Philip, turned those public forums into places where the presence and the power of God became evident to the lost in the city.
2. Preach to all people
The kingdom of God manifests through our relationships with people.
For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17 NKJV).
• The kingdom of God has effect on our interpersonal relationships. It produces righteousness, peace, and joy to give a horizontal—human to human—impact (see also Romans 14:16, 19, 21-22).
• As Christians of the first church conducted their daily activities in marketplaces, they also preached the gospel and ministered. Witnessing for Christ at work was their lifestyle.
• In the marketplace, your assignment is to make Christ known and minister to the people there.
• Make prayer the backbone of your work and business routine. As you believe God will show up to intervene in your work and business, the better each project will turn out. When the non-Christians see how well you did when deals were done the ethical way, they will trust you more.
• As you preach the gospel to every person in your circle of influence, you have introduced the process of transforming the marketplace.
C. Transform marketplace
At where you are operating in the marketplace, declare a territorial commitment to lay pressure on the realm of demons until you reach spiritual transformation.
• Joseph started as a slave in Egypt but ultimately he ended up running the empire.
• Daniel was deported to a foreign land but became the chief person in charge of all the affairs of state.
In Luke 10:1-20 Jesus turned from the hostile environment towards the promising harvest, and recruited seventy disciples to change the spiritual climate over the entire region.
• He asked them to overcome their negative feelings, to seek out 'wolves' (which frequently speaks of strangers) and to (1) speak peace to them, (2) fellowship with them, (3) care for their needs, and (4) proclaim the kingdom of God (see verses 3, 7, 9).
• Following these steps, they had defeated every demon (see verse 17) and hence Satan lost his position of power over the region (see verses 18-20). They brought transformation!
1. Speak peace to them
Speak peace to your job or business, thank God for it, and accept it as His starting point for the spiritual transformation process (see verse 5).
• Joseph had to forgive his brothers who sold him to the slave market. Daniel had to accept the fact that he was taken away from his homeland by his enemies. Esther had to marry a king she did not choose to, and love that man who had no affection for her people.
• When you make peace with your job or business, you can neutralize the evil elements that have created strife between people and their works. You allow God's blessings to extend to your job and business.
2. Fellowship with them
Love your current job or business, and let it embrace you.
• As the disciples just ate and drank what the 'wolves' could put before them, their relationships had improved substantially.
• As Joseph respected the system of slavery, he could serve his masters with full diligence. Esther esteemed her position as queen and could host a guest whom she knew was so evil and sought to destroy her own people.
3. Care for their needs
You can make things better at work, especially those things that are not doing so well.
• Christ told the Seventy to heal the sick in the homes of those with whom they had fellowship.
• God bestowed blessings upon Egypt, Babylon, and Persia on account of Joseph, Daniel, and Esther.
• Cover your work or business with prayer. The more you want God to intervene, the more He will show up to give better results. When improvement is the result of a divine intervention, you can point your bosses, partners, associates or employees towards God. People will want to know more about Him.
4. Proclaim the kingdom of God
When you speak peace to your job, embrace it, and improve it, you will bring the power of God on the areas that require miracles.
• When you bless the workplace and put a canopy of prayer over everything that is under your responsibility, you will see significant improvement in the spiritual climate.
• The kingdom of God will expand in your workplace, bringing in extraordinary results to your work, and give renewal to many lives. People will notice the difference and you will have the opportunity to testify for God.