By Rev. Thomas H. Buchanan
I recently had time to listen to a lot of different ministries while on vacation. God began to deal with me about what we do not do as ministers that He really wants us to do.
When we look at our church congregations and even some of us pastors, we wonder why we are constantly defeated. It can’t be for the lack of the word of God because most of us have many Bibles. It can’t be for the lack of prayer because we are constantly asking God for help in our defeated situations. It can’t be because of the lack of preaching because those that get preached at the most seem to be the most defeated.
So where then does this bondage and continued defeat come from and why? While trying to discuss what God was showing me with a close Christian brother, his assessment came across to me that I was just to critical. This bothered me for some days as I struggled over whether to write it down or not. If these words are for no body else but me, then so be it.
As I began to listen to preacher after preacher, God began to show me something that I had never seen before. Yes, there were large crowds, yes, there was a lot of congregational responses, and yes, there was a lot of moving assumptions, stories, and performances, all of which have their place but God wants us to be aware of another aspect of ministry. As I was listening I began to see that most messages concentrated on telling the listeners about how problematic their past has been or how problematic their present situation is and that God’s solution is that God will intervene at the end of the message and deliver them when that minister prays over them. This is a very common action on our part as ministers and seems to have some life changing effects.
Being a minister now for some years I see that much of what we do or say is short lived at best. Sometimes it doesn’t even get out the door before their reality destroys what we try so hard to reveal to them. Once the emotions and socializing have ended, and the re-enforced situations of their lives have been brought to the fore front once again and the simple God solution expressed, we still struggle. Many times those that are most responsive are the most defeated and never seem to overcome anything. While a rare few are never defeated no matter how bad their reality may be. So what is the difference?
The difference has to do with what God was showing me. The word of God says that His people (Christians) parish (defeated) because of a lack of knowledge, not praying, preaching or even Godly intervention. Is it simply knowledge gained through education and our mental abilities? No! Then what knowledge is it?
Most messages deal with salvation, sanctification, and some of the six foundation blocks mentioned in Hebrews 6: 1-2. We have been programmed to think that God is going to do whatever we have need of. This is only partially true. There is a tremendous amount of knowledge we need to be taught that explains and shows usOUR ROLE in being an over-comer.
First we need to get knowledge about who we really are. Our Christian birth right allows us to have communion with God, to operate in His faith (learned confidence in God), to have authority over the works of Satan, to understand that we are ambassadors operating with the anointing and power of the one who gave us the authority which results in signs following.
Secondly we need to have knowledge of our job description. In order to understand a job description, we need to understand where we are working. We are now in the Kingdom of God taking the victory to the Kingdom of Heaven which means God owns all, controls all, in us all, and His word cannot be changed ( how a kingdom is different from a democracy). Now that we know we are in a different kingdom, what is the will of our new king for our lives? This question is so overwhelming yet so simple. The footsteps of a righteous man are ordered of the Lord. Footsteps only take place in the instantaneous present tense, and cannot be guided unless we are making footprints.
So the will of God for your life is to do all you can TODAY. Otherwise we will stay defeated while living in the past or trying to live for some better day tomorrow. Now that our understanding has been enlightened (Ephesians 1: 18) as to where we are and what God’s will is, we can proceed with a job description.
Our job description must first start with unity of the Faith (Ephesians 4: 13). Without unity we are a house divided against itself and we will fail. Our job description is found in Ephesians 4: 11. Commonly referred to as the five fold ministry. Now you say “I don’t fit in here anywhere.” Oh! But you do. All of our lives are teaching the lost and the words we say are no different than a preacher’s words which are to instruct and edify the hearers. This will result in fruit (Gal.5: 22-23) that will remain.
Thirdly we must understand that God has not only enlightened us as to who we are, and a job description that is a result of word stability, but He has given us the same tools to work with that He had. This is why He said we could do what He did and greater works. These tools are found in I Cor. 12: 8-10 (gifts of spirit). These tools, along with the whole armor of God, are to establish us (Rom.1:11). To be established does not mean all will be perfect, but that the hardships of life can’t defeat us and we will be able to help others overcome by the word of our testimony.
SUMMARY
I feel God was trying to show me that we are not instructing people with the knowledge necessary to overcome and stay an over-comer. What we are doing is getting them dependent upon us and our spiritual job fulfillment endeavors. This makes us spiritual crutches and them spiritual cripples. What God really wants us to do is mentor, not just preach at, with the expectation that our mentored should surpass us. I do realize that our own pride may not want this, but it is what God wants us to do. The items listed here can be taught on extensively.
This brief essay is not meant to be exhaustive, just enlightening. It is not just the knowledge of our short comings we must deal with, but how to begin the successful application of this knowledge so we cannot be defeated again. This is achieved by: instruction, motivation, show ( mentor), practice (mentored doing in our presence until they are confident).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT;
Blessing someone is to speak a creative word that will create what is need.
Not being defeated or depressed occurs when we realize that things are temporary and recognize that the solution is just ahead .
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