You know it is very tempting to read Psalm 110 and think in futuristic terms, because David was speaking of the manifestation of the Christ in the future. Well, that future is NOW. Today is the Day of His Power and your situation can turn around for good if you believe.
All of Your peace. All of the healing You bought for me. All of Your manifest provision and abundance, to accomplish the job You have entrusted to my care. That Your people may know You Jesus. And that they may know the Father. That they may appreciate the dept of Your great love with which You loved them. That they may find hope, love and peace in You. All of You Jesus. Until my job is done.
He lives in us, inhabiting us with His glory; His power grace, radiance demonstrated in brilliantly orchestrated marvellous works and deeds. Never will He be alone anymore; we are now His glory. The same glory as of the Father, seen in the Son, now in us.
The same power at Pentecost that turned the disciples into changed men…. changed and charged for exploits to the marvel and amazement of onlookers…
While it may seem like our momentary subconscious negligence of the all-time workings of grace in us is a bad thing, we can actually rejoice with the realization that we are all-time champions
Friends, in the day of the Lord’s power, things, situations, circumstances, turn around for good
Do you believe God has called you to minister His Word but somehow you are not exactly sure if you are ready? Whether your call is as an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and/or Teacher (Ephesians 4:11), I believe that after becoming aware that you have a call, the next important thing is to know when you are ready. To be ready, you have to have gone through a preparatory process.
God is the One who calls us, He is the One who assigns each of the 5 ministry gifts.
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”
Ephesians 4:7-8 NKJV
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,“
Ephesians 4:11 NKJV
As we see in Ephesians 4:12-13, God gives these gifts for the good of the Body of Christ.
“for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;“
Ephesians 4:12-13 NKJV
These gifts are actually offices and roles. So God doesn’t just give us the gifts, He prepares us to function effectively and efficiently in the different offices. I believe though, that God chooses how best to accomplish this, depending on the assigned office. For example, Peter did not have the same preparatory experience as Paul.
Through the Gospels, we find that Jesus walked His disciples through a preparatory process. Teaching, Coaching, Mentoring, Field Work (sent them out 2/2), Faith Exploits, etc, then He Breathed on them before the actual baptism in Acts 1:8. So Jesus groomed the 12 disciples Himself, they went through stages of preparation. Paul had a different preparatory experience.
Preparation for ministry cannot be by-passed. We just have to be sensitive as to how God is leading us by working closely with and obeying the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes really, we may not know what stage of preparation we are in and whether it is Time. In this blogpost, drawing from Acts 10:38, I share 5 signs that indicate readiness to function in these offices. Note that these may not be the only indicators, but I believe they are key.
Acts 10:38….
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV
The Holy Spirit is God’s SPECIAL Gift to the Church (the body of Christ).
“I am writing this letter about those who are trying to lead you into the wrong way. Christ gave you a special gift. You still have this gift in you. So you don’t need anyone to teach you. The gift he gave you teaches you about everything. It is a true gift, not a false one. So continue to live in Christ, as his gift taught you.”
1 John 2:26-27 ERV
The first evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit is Speaking in tongues.
“And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.”
Speaking in tongues is not the only job of the Holy Spirit in us.
The Holy Spirit is our;
Helper (John 14:16, 15:26), Teacher (John 14:26), Guide (John 16:13), Companion (John 14:16), Comforter (2 Corinthians 1:4), Intercessor (Romans 8:26). He Witnesses Christ (John 15:26).
The Holy Spirit manifests the Fruit of the Spirit in us (Galatians 5:22).
The diversity of Manifestations we see in the Body of Christ are from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12: 8-11).
In a recent blogpost “When God Anoints You” I shared some major things that happen when someone becomes anointed of God.
To be anointed, as used in Acts 10:38 is to become consecrated for an office or for a service. To consecrate, is to become formally dedicated or ordained for a purpose.
Notice from Acts 10:38 that this anointing is administered directly by God…..it says…..”how God anointed Jesus”
Traditionally, sometimes a priest, prophet or a dedicated vessel carries out the physical act of pouring oil on someone.
Acts 10:38 says God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit; the Special Gift we received from Jesus. This is the only form of anointing recorded of Jesus in the Bible. There is also no mention of the disciples being anointed with oil into service. They were simply prayed for by laying on of hands (Acts 13, Acts 6).
This Special anointing with the Holy Spirit is what prepares us for every good work/service.
“As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But just as His anointing teaches you [giving you insight through the presence of the Holy Spirit] about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as His anointing has taught you, you must remain in Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him].”
1 John 2:27 AMP
When anointed with the Holy Spirit, we operate fully in the Spirit of the Lord.
“The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord .”
Isaiah 11:2 NKJV
Power is inherent strength (ability) and expressed strength (might). Jesus’ power came from the Holy Spirit.
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV
And Jesus said that’s how his followers, disciples are to receive power.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 NKJV
He relinquished His authority to His disciples.
“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 NLT
Power is therefore very necessary for fulfilling your call; …
To witness boldly.
To teach
To make disciples
To perform miracles, signs and wonders.
You will never know how much power that is at work in you until you put your faith to work (selah).
Having a job title/description appropriately identifies you and also clarifies your role. It gives you focus. Jesus came as Saviour/Messiah of all and He went about doing good and healing all.
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV
“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:11 NKJV
Paul was an apostle, there is no doubt about that. His various letters to different Churches/groups attests to this (Colossians, Thessalonians, Ephesians, Hebrews, etc).
“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,“
I Timothy 1:1 NKJV
One of Jesus’s admonitions to Peter was to ‘feed my sheep‘ (John 21:17). That wasn’t about physical food, but the Spiritual food of the Word. Peter’s office was to teach about Christ-The Word.
Which of the 5 Ministry Gifts is yours? Have you located your office? Be a good steward of the gifts and talents entrusted to your care (Luke 19:11-26). Trust God enough to launch out. Don’t bury your talents.
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV
Paul was sent to the Gentiles.
“For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,”
Romans 11:13 NKJV
You may be sent to a local Church, to a nation, tribe, people or on a global mission. Who is your target audience?
Secondly, what area of grace are you primarily appointed to operate in?; faith, love, hope, prosperity, leadership, etc. (I think this kind of connects with who you are).
Thirdly, each of these 5 Ministry Gifts is a leadership role. Have you ever thought about that? Are you ready to lead? If you want followers then you have to be ready to lead. Are you ready for influence and responsibility?
Jesus having come on earth as man, could only accomplish His work because “God was with Him”
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38 NKJV
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NKJV
As for you, the anointing [the special gift, the preparation] which you received from Him remains [permanently] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But just as His anointing teaches you [giving you insight through the presence of the Holy Spirit] about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as His anointing has taught you, you must remain in Him [being rooted in Him, knit to Him].”
1 John 2:27 AMP
Without the Vine, the branch can do nothing.
So, what stage of preparation are you in right now? ?.
That is the same question I am asking myself? ?
May The Lord Bless and Keep you ❤
When people ask; “how are you going to make it?”
Tell them; “The Lord God will do it“.
“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.”
Genesis 12:2 NKJV
“I will open rivers in desolate heights, And fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, And the dry land springs of water.”
Isaiah 41:18 NKJV
“Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19 NKJV
I, The Lord God Almighty, will do it.
Medicine is a professional discipline having different specialties. To rise to the status of a Specialist in medicine you must undergo some professional exams plus minus a residency training. This is the usual career path in medical practice.
As a young doctor I started asking questions about administration and management in Health. This is not a common pathway for doctors to rise to the top. But as far as I could see, clinical practice wasn’t my thing. Yes! I prayed, prayed and followed my heart, glad I did.
Generally, success is defined by power, wealth or prestige. People reckon you as successful if you have made good enough profit to be considered wealthy, if you occupy a position of power or if you have earned or become conferred with a prestigious role.
Often there is a lot of emphasis on hard-work, sharpening skills, grooming talents more than on chasing one’s passion, especially if such passion has not been known to bring prestige, power or profit.
In this blogpost series, we’ll be exploring ‘ways of increase with God’. And we’ll be answering some key questions as we go along; ‘should a Christian rely solely on God’s grace and not work hard?.’ ‘Is the message of prosperity as popularly preached in some Christian circles unrealistic?’ We’ll also look at essential Christian virtues for sustained divine increase, as well as enumerate killers of increase/growth in a Christian’s life.
The first way of divine increase with God to consider is;
Service is a springboard to success and greatness. Service simply means doing something for others voluntarily or for a fee.
Eight years ago, I was randomly selected by the Commissioner of Health in my State to work in a committee with top shots in the healthcare sector at the time. Then I was appointed the welfare officer. Being the youngest member of the committee (in every sense) the greatest challenge I faced servng in that role was insisting that members earned their stipends. I acquired enemies that tried to hunt me many years later ?. But that’s not all that happened, many months on, one of the older ladies in the group, picked me to work with her as part of the management team in a newly established health board, a role that brought me to limelight in that area of healthcare delivery in the State. Years later, she said she chose me because of my dedication, hardwork and commitment as welfare officer in that committee we worked together at the time.
God deals with His children in different ways. As a Christian, God may endue you with strength and wisdom to serve and He provides opportunities for you to climb the next rung of the ladder by putting your gifting to use through serving.
The kind of service that would pull from your strength and gifting and bring divine increase will have to be selfless, conscientious, plus or minus an immediate or obvious personal gain. This can be service to humanity; done out of the fear of the Lord, or service done to God as an act of gratitude or show of love.
Our example of selfless service from the Bible is Joseph. As a mature man at 30 years, Joseph began serving in the court of Pharaoh the King of Egypt. The story of Joseph the son of Jacob spans over many chapters of the first book of the Bible, Genesis. We’ll look at a few;
“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh King of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and travelled throughout Egypt.” Genesis 41:46. NIV
“The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered and lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Portiphar put him in charge of his household and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. Genesis 39:2-5. NIV
If you are reading this blogpost and you are currently serving an ‘Egyptian master’ I urge you to stay where God has planted you because therein lies your increase. Or at least spend good time in prayer asking God’s direction before jumping out. God does not make mistakes. You may just be on a divine mission just like Joseph. Your service could be God’s opportunity to you to spring to the top for His divine purpose.
Interestingly, another person we see in the Bible that had great resilience for service is Jacob, Joseph’s father. Jacob served to get the love of his life, Rachel.
“So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.” Genesis 29: 20. NIV
Indeed, service can buy you prestige, power, profit as well as take care of your passion 🙂
In the next part of this blogpost series, we’ll look at key virtues for divine increase, some of which Joseph possessed.
Stay with me.
