Encouraging, Empowering & Equipping Ordinary Christians To Live Powerful Missional Lives!
When it come to joining Christ on His mission and seeing a church planting/disciple making movement ignite there is often one essential but overlooked principle that needs to be considered. Watch this video to learn what that principle is and then consider how we can most effectively incorporate it. Leave your thoughts as a comment.
In the last post of this series SUITING UP FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE I wrote about Knowing Who’s Not Your Enemy. The reason for that post is because to often we think that people are our enemy and the cause for such terrible difficulties that we experience during spiritual warfare. But people are not our enemy. As we found out that those same people we used to believe were our enemy were in fact the ones we came to liberate. All people before they come to faith in Christ, according to the Bible, are lost, slaves to sin and blinded by Satan. And they are the reason why we are still in this world. Every time we share the Gospel with these people they have an opportunity to experience freedom in Christ. THEY’RE NOT OUR ENEMY - THEY ARE THE ONES WE’VE COME TO RESCUE!
However, we do have a very real and dangerous enemy and we should not take the threat lightly. We need to know of him and about him. The one we know about our enemy the better we can anticipate his what to expect from him, specially during spiritual warfare. Take a look at who the Bible describes is our enemy.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)
According to William Barclay, the great New Testament theologian, this verse indicates that the Apostle Paul view our enemy as a very sophisticated and organized system of evil that Satan has constructed to rule this world. There are rulers, there are authorities, there are powers of darkness and there are spiritual forces from the heavenly realms. In verse 11 we read that our enemy is the devil who likes to scheme against us. In verse 16 we read that our enemy is the evil one who is shooting flaming arrows at us.
So who is our enemy? It is none other than Satan and his demonic forces that rule this world on a temporary basis. Satan and his forces are powerful and organized and they certainly do not like those who follow and obey Christ.
The Apostle Peter also identifies Satan as our enemy,
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
In this verse Peter emphasis that we should view Satan as a real and dangerous threat by admonishing us to stay alert and sober minded. And why? Because our enemy is always looking for an opportunity to catch us with our guard down so he may attack.
Peter describes the devil as that of a roaring lion seeking to devour his prey. There are two things I want you to mediate on about the devil.
First, Satan is a powerful foe. The reason why we call lions the king of the jungle! And that’s because they are strong and able to over power most other animals. They are very high up on the food chain and don’t really cower from their opponents. Satan is the same! He is powerful and if not taken seriously can quick overpower us.
Second, Satan is a predator. Lions prey on others animals. They don’t grow crops or produce their own food. They feed off of less powerful animals. Satan too is like a predator just waiting to ponce on an unsuspecting person and destroy them. Satan
Satan is not our friend. He is our enemy and he hates us. He does not have our best interest at heart. He will lie, cheat, and steal all to get you in a position where he can ponce on you.
Does the thought of Satan being your enemy cause you to worry at some level? Do you know of other brothers or sisters in Christ who seem to struggle with worry? Then check out this great new book on how you can join Christ on His mission without worry. Hit the link below to get more information:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10 (NIV)
After the word, “Finally” the following sentence indicate the one essential ingredient necessary for experiencing victory in spiritual warfare over Satanic attacks. This is not just a good suggestion that might be consider but essential element that necessary for overcoming the enemy during spiritual battle. Failure to utilize this ingredient is doomed to failure whereby you are defeated by the enemy. In other words, you can’t win over Satan unless you include this essential ingredient. THAT’S WHY IT IS CALLED: ESSENTIAL!
What is this essential ingredient that is so necessary in gaining the victory ins spiritual warfare? It is strength! Our enemy, Satan, is a strong adversary and it is essential that we are stronger than him. Satan is a formidable adversary that requires us to be even more formidable. When a soldiers engages in hand to hand combat it is usually the one who is the strongest that prevails. So, it is imperative that we know that we have much greater strength than our enemy, Satan, if we are going to be victorious in overcoming him during our times of spiritual battles.
In this verse we are told that we need to gain our strength in two areas. I say two but to be honest they are both from the same thing. However, you can’t avail yourself to the second area unless you first receive the first area. What are these two areas of strength:
What does the verse say,
“Finally, be strong in the Lord …”
The spiritual strength that allows us to experience victory in spiritual warfare comes from us being Strong “In The Lord”. There are two important things to notice from this sentence.
First, Our strength for overcoming spiritual warfare emanates from Christ himself. Christ is the source of the necessary powerful for gaining the victory in spiritual warfare. Listen to what the Apostle John says in 1 John 4:1-4,
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (NIV)
In this verse the Apostle John is talking about not believing every spirit but to test them to see if they are of God or not. Spiritual warfare has a lot to do with deception. Satan will use false prophets that sound real good but are not of God. John calls this the spirit of the anti-christ.
But then in verse four John makes three powerful points . These three points should provide hope to all of God children, especially those of His children who are intentionally engaging in the mission of our Lord. What does he say? He says,
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (vs. 4).
First John says: That we who follow Christ are from God. Because of Christ;’s death, burial and resurrection and our faith in Him as Lord we now belong to God. God is our master and our Lord. Satan no longer has any claims over us. We have been bought back by God. We now belong to him.
There’s an old gospel hymn I grew up singing. It’s called NOW I BELONG TO JESUS written by Billy Speer. Listen to the lyrics and let their message sink deep into your heart and soul.
(v. 1) “Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,
From Him no pow'r of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul;
Now I belong to Him;
(Chorus) Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.
(v. 2) Once I was lost in sin's degradation,
Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,
Now I belong to Him;
(v. 3) Joy floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,
Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me
His precious blood, He came to redeem,
Now I belong to Him;
We truly are from God! Why? Because God bought us, owns us through the precious blood of Jesus when He died on the cross. Here’s a clear Biblical principle that we need to get very clear in our mind: Because Jesus bought and paid for us through his death on the cross, his burial and his resurrection from the grave, we now belong to him and as such everything we need, including the power to be victorious in spiritual warfare, is provided to us from him.
Second John says: We have overcome them: Who’s the “them” he is talking about? It’s the evil spirits that it referred to just a few sentences earlier. Here’s a most important fact that we must understand in both our mind and our hearts. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection and through our faith in Christ as Lord, we have already become the victors. The war has already been won. While there still may be some individual skirmishers still going on the - the war has already been won. Because of Christ we no longer need to fear death, the grave or even sin. THE VICTORY HAS ALREADY BEEN WON BY CHRIST!
Finally John says: The one who is in us is greater than the one who resides in the world. Through our faith in Christ, Christ baptized us into the Holy Spirit and now through the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives Christ himself is living His life, not only in us but also through us. The strength we need to prevail in spiritual warfare is the same strength that Christ used to overcome Satan and now through the Holy Spirit Christ himself lives in us and Christ who has already defeated Satan can do it again but this time through us.
There’s an amazing story of what happens when you try to engage in spiritual warfare without having Christ in your life. It’s found in Acts 19:11-20.
There were seven sons of Sceva living in Ephesus during the time of the Apostle Paul and his missionary journey into Ephesus. These seven sons of Sceva had seen and heard about how the Apostle Paul healed the sick and casted out demons and, for whatever reason, wanted to do the same but didn’t have a personal relationship with Christ. Then one day these seven brothers found a demon possessed man and tried to command the demon to come out of him. Then the demon responded back to them,
“Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?’ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” (v. 15, 16 NIV)
Here’s a lesson we can learn from this story. If you don’t have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, you don’t have the power to overcome in spiritual warfare.
Did you read what the demon man said to those seven brothers right before he gave them pound down? He said, “… Jesus I know and Paul I know about …”
Don’t let his statement escape you too quickly! He said that he knew Jesus. Of course he did. Demons are nothing more than fallen angels who followed Satan in the great rebellion. That demon had seen Jesus, the Son of God, before He was born of a virgin, in Heaven sharing the Glory of God the Father. This knew exactly who Jesus was and feared him.
But then the possessed man said a second thing: I know about Paul. The Apostle Paul was on this demons radar. He knew about him, he had heard the spiritual rumors about Paul, probably from other demons and he also knew that he didn’t wanted to mess around with Paul because Paul was a born again, Spirit filled with the life of Christ being lived out through him. Though he had never personally encountered Paul, he knew he didn’t want to because of Jesus who lived in and through him. You see this demon knew that Paul had the power to defeat him because he had Christ living in him.
But for these seven sons of Sceva this demon also knew that they were not Spirit filled and Christ didn’t live in them and as a result they had no fear of them. 7 to 1 meant nothing to that demon possessed man. Why? Because that demon knew that no mortal man could defeat him, only the person who is strong in the Lord by having the Lord himself living in and through him.
So if we are want to be victorious in spiritual warfare we first need to be strong in the Lord. Our walk with Christ needs to be strong; our prayer life needs to be strong in Christ; our desires and will need to be submitted to Christ.
SECOND AREA OF STRENGTH: IN CHRIST’S POWER!
Now we need to refine our focus to one specific area of being in Christ and that is to be also “In His (Christ’s) might power. In other words, we need to make sure that when it comes to spiritual warfare we are utilizing the power of Christ and not our own power.
Well then one has to ask themselves this very important question: If one is in Christ is it possible to attempt to do things (like spiritual warfare) in some other strength like our own?
And the answer to that question is an resounding
“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” Galatians 5:13-17 (NASB)
In these few verses in Galatians we see that it is not only possible for Christians to live a life of sinful desires but that it is something so probable that we are admonished to guard against it. Please understand, being tempted to live a life in the sinful flesh is part of spiritual warfare.
But there is a remedy to becoming over whelmed with spiritual warfare and that is to intentionally choose to live a life by the Holy Spirit, to be filled by the Holy Spirit, or to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. These verses are very clear, if we are walking in the Spirit we will not carry out the desires of the sinful flesh or another way of saying it is that we will not over overcome during spiritual warfare. We will be the victor!
Listen to what God says to Zerubbable through the prophet Zechaiah about the kind of power necessary to accomplish the Lord’s work and experience victory,
“So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LordAlmighty.” Zechariah 4:6 (NIV)
Today, as we look at joining Christ on His mission we are going to look at the idea of being thrown curveballs and how to handle them. But what exactly is a curveball?
A curveball is a breaking pitch that has more movement than just about any other pitch. It is thrown slower than a fastball and curves downward before reaching home plate. It is used to keep hitters off-balance. When executed correctly by a pitcher, a batter expecting a fastball will swing too early and over the top of the curveball.
The curveball pitch is so well known in American culture that the phrase "throw a curveball" has emerged as a common expression. Like the goal of pitchers when throwing the pitch, the expression "to throw a curve" means to trick someone with something unexpected.
Again, the goal is to keep a person off balance with the hope of them making a mistake. Satan loves to use life experiences as curveballs with the intent to keep God’s people off balance and to slow them down in joining Christ on His mission. But we need to remember that while these curveballs are unexpected to us they are not unexpected to God. Not only are they not unexpected to God, they are planned and used by God for His purposes.
When it comes to living a life that is pleasing, honoring to God and on mission with Christ, life has a funny way of throwing us some crazy curveballs. The adventure of following Christ wherever he leads is filled with lots and lots of unexpected turns that the need to be prepared is for them is evident.
Biblical Examples Of Unexpected Curveballs Thrown At God’s People
· Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego certainly didn’t expect to be thrown into a firey furnance.
· Joseph didn’t see coming that his brothers would sell him as a slave.
· It wasn’t on Moses’ radar that his own countryman would threaten to turn him in for killing an Egyptian after the Egyptian had abused a Hebrew slave and then would spend the next 40 years tending sheep.
· Peter had no idea how idea how extreme the pressure to deny Christ would be on the night he denied Him three times.
· And the Apostle Paul had absolutely no idea that his passion and desire to go preach the Gospel to those in Asia would be stopped in its tracts by the Holy Spirit and then redirected to go into Macedonia.
So, how do you prepare for them and respond to these curveballs when they materialize?
Read what James 4:13-15 says,
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.’ ‘Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring - what your life will be! For you are like a vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, ‘If the Lord wills we will live and do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.”
· Is reprimanding Christians who have a faulty worldview about life and how they relate to God.
· Lists 5 characteristics of people with this faulty worldview:
They make their own plans about tomorrow: “Today or tomorrow we will go …”
They plan on arriving at a particular destination: “… we will go to such and such a city …”
They plan to spend a specific amount of time there: “… and spend a year there …”
They intend to engage in a specific plan of action: “… and engage in business …”
They intend to experience some specific results: “… and make a profit.”
No, that’s not what James is saying exactly! In verse 15 he is going to say it is appropriate to plan and act upon that plan. So, what’s the problem then?
“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring …” (v. 14a)
“… what your life will be! For you are like a vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.” (v. 14b)
“Instead, you should say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that …”
“Men make their plans but God directs their paths.”
Proverbs 16:9
“They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia; they had been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. Passing by Mysia they went down to Troas. During the Night Paul had a vision in which a Macedonian man was standing and pleading with him, “Cross over to Macedonia and help us!’ After he ad seen the vision, we immediately made efforts to set out for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
Acts 16:6-10
From these verses we need to ask two very important questions!
2 Two Questions:
1. What was preventing them from sharing the Gospel in Asia and Bithynia?
On both occasions the scripture made it clear that is was the The Holy Spirit preventing them from entering those locations. Even though Paul’s intent was good and God honoring it wasn’t God’s timing for the Gospel to enter into Asia.
2. What was it that caused them to enter into Macedonia to preach the Gospel?
Again the answer is God. While it wasn’t God’s timing for the Gospel to go into Asia it was God’s will for the Gospel to come into Macedonia.
This is a perfect example of God’s people making their plans but allowing God to direct their paths.
“But as it is, you boast in your arrogance …” James 4:16a
Boasting in the right thing is not bad and that would be boasting in Christ and His work. But to boast in your arrogance is to boast in yourself and in what you believe you have achieved. But the truth of the matter is that whatever we have achieved is only done by God through us. So to boast in yourself is to think more highly of yourself than you should, for we can do nothing in our own self but only through Christ who strengthens us.
“… All such boasting is evil.” James 4:16b)
To use a phrase that one of my fine Christian college professor used to use: “It Would Behoove Us” to learn that all self promotion and boasting is evil and filled with pride. As God’s children we are called to humility - not pridefulness.
“So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.” James 4:17
If we know that we should conducting our planning with God’s will first and foremost in our minds and hearts but do not do it, the Bible is real clear - it is a sin.
If we are implementing our plans but unwilling to alter that course when God is trying to redirect us - it too is a sin!
We prepare for life’s curveballs by make plans based upon what we think to be God’s will. We do this through prayer as we seek God for his will to be revealed.
Don’t get frustrated about it or worry over it just expect it to be part of the process of God, as our Good Shepherd, leading us from green pastures to green pastures.
Just as the Apostle Paul wanted to go into Asia to preach the Gospel but was prevented by the Holy Spirit but then at night in a vision sees a man from Macedonia asking them to come over there, concludes that God was redirecting them to go over there, so we too can expect God when he closes one door to open up another door. But we have to be looking for it in order to see it.
Curtis Sergeant
I pretty excited to share that my new book LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY has received a powerful recommendation/review from Curtis Sergeant.
Here's little bit about Curtis which will explain why I am so honored to have his recommendation.
Curtis has served our Lord in some very powerful positions. Here are a few:
He is the founder and lead trainer for MetaCamp. A group to train people to live out powerful missional lives.
He has served with E3 Partners as Director of Global Strategies and Vice President. E3 Partners is a mission agency intended to ignite church planting movements all over the world.
Director Of Church Planting at Saddleback Community Church.
Served with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in the following positions: Associate Vice President For Global Strategy; Strategy Associate For East Asia; Global Strategy Coordinator & Church Planting Trainer; and Strategy Coordinator.
This guy has served our Lord faithfully for the purpose of saturating our world with the Gospel of Jesus.
Here's what he has to say about LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY:
"Jay's book follows a similar pattern to many of Paul's epistles, with the first half consisting of theology and principles and the second half being practical application. The second half is culture-specific. The first half is universal in application. The first half is timely and much-needed in our day. It provides a critically important perspective which has come to be alarmingly rare in recent years. Its message is simple but not easy. It directly confronts the idolatry of comfort and convenience in current expressions of Christianity. It challenges us to live the abundant lives the Lord intends for us to live, the life of a disciple, the life of a servant rather than one who is to be served. It is worth reading for one's own growth and passing on to the disciples we are making. I recommend it." ~ Curtis Sergeant
It is my sincerest desire that this book helps God's people to shed the worry that plagues them to join Him on his mission of making disciples of the whole world.
If you are a Follower of Christ and worry holds you back from joining Christ on His mission or holds you back from doing anything that you know God wants you to do, then it’s time to get rid of that worry and begin to live a worry free life. GET YOUR COPY OF THIS POWERFUL BOOK TODAY & LEARN HOW!
Please feel free to share this message with you friends on Facebook & Twitter.
My very good friend Pastor Billy Galloska has taken the time out of his busy schedule to write me a very wonderful but honest endorsement for my new book LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY.
Pastor Billy is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenns Ferry, Idaho. I love the way he works with his congregation to intentionally equip them live powerful missional lives that brightly shines the Light of Christ in their part of this dark world through making disciples for Jesus Christ. He and his wife, December, have a powerful testimony of God's transforming power. Billy understands the needs of ordinary christians and what it takes to empower them to share Christ. I greatly value his endorsement and what he has to say about my new book, LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY.
Take a few seconds and read what he has to say about it.
"Worry is a part of every life. Even as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ we can experience worry that sometimes cripples our work. It is no wonder then that ordinary Christians find themselves in the midst of worry that cripples them from sharing God's love in their part of this dark world.
Author Jay Moore uses Living on Mission in Spite Of My Worry to show that even in our worry God can and does empower us to inspire and connect with people in our part of this dark world to share the good news of Jesus when we seek His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Jay has not only hit the mark with this book, he has driven it home. If you have become crippled by worry, whether you are an ordinary Christian or you are a minister, this book is a must-read that will not only keep you reading but make you want to hit the neighborhood halfway through!"
Pastor Billy Galloska
First Baptist Church
Glenns Ferry, Idaho
Photo by Niklas Hamann on Unsplash
No matter how you cut it, life is filled with trials, tribulations and difficult times and as a result people tend to worry and fret over what will become of it all. But for those who are Followers of Christ who are actively and intentionally joining Christ on His mission of redeeming a lost world the trials, tribulations and difficult times are multiplied. In addition to all the normal difficulties of life Missional Christians also fight a spiritual battle of Satan trying to discourage the believer. But in the midst of all these struggles we hear the voice of Jesus ring out saying,
” … do not be anxious for your life … ” Matthew 6:25 (NAS)
Notice what Jesus didn’t say, He didn’t say, “Try not to worry to much!” No, He just told us to stop it! But how? How can you stop worry about the unknown that follows a trial and tribulation? Well lucky for us Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, not only tells us to stop it but He also tells us the cure for the worried life and how to experience peace instead!
This is so important for those who are intentionally living a missional life because this kind of lifestyle will be filled with lots of difficult trials and tribulations and if your faith is not firmly rooted in Christ you will literally worry yourself to death as you attempt to live a missional life.
So today, we are going to look at 2 reason why we shouldn’t worry!
2 Reasons For Why You Shouldn’t Worry (Matthew 6: 25-34)
” do not be anxious for your life. Is not life more than food, and body more than clothing.” (v. 25 NAS)
The truth of the matter is that when we worry or get anxious about something we are focusing on a very small part of our life. Whether we worry about food, clothing, health, work, or finances the truth of the matter is that these are just a small part of what makes up our lives. Life is also filled with many other things. These others things are good and pleasing and amazing. When we worry we are choosing to not look at the good things that are going on in our lives.
“And who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life.” (v. 27 NIV)
Think about it for a moment! What does worry do for you? What does it change? Does the energy you spend on worry help to fix the issue or the problem? No! Absolutely not! Can worry give you a longer life? No. Actually, science now says that worry can shorten your life. It can contribute to all kinds of physical problems that can lead to a diminished healthy life. So, I ask what good does worrying do for you? No good at all !
In this book you will learn:
Six Biblical principles for over coming worry while being missional.
Five Biblical principles for implementing a worry free life.
And a section for developing your own personal strategy for a life without worry.
In Luke 10:2 Jesus tells us that the spiritual harvest fields are ready to be harvested but there's one big problem to accomplishing that task! That problem is that there's just not enough workers to go out and harvest the fields. But then Jesus gives us the solution to our problem
Watch this video of how some Followers of Christ in Tucson, Arizona are implementing Christ's solution.
Are you ready to go start a monthly LUKE 10:2 PRAYER MEETING in your community? Can you pray for God to raise up, train up and unleash more laborers into the harvest fields?
Disciples are made, not just born again! Now that’s an interesting statement and one that really needs to be looked at closely. At one angle the statement seems completely contrary to what we know about having a relationship with Jesus Christ. After all, didn’t Jesus say, “… you must be born again …”? Of course He did! And what Jesus says is absolute truth! So, then the statement “Disciples Are Made - Not Just Born Again” is false! Or is it?
Didn’t Jesus also say in Matthew 28:18-20 as part of the Great Commission to, “… Go and make disciples …”? Notice the emphasis I am placing on the word, “MAKE”. Again, of course He did! And also, once again, what Jesus says is absolutely truth!
How then do we look at the original statement, “Disciples Are Made - Not Just Born Again”? Simply by just saying that it is true and must be accepted!
The real question then deals with how to understand and harmonize both parts of the statement so that it can guide us into complete obedience to Christ and His mission.
First, let’s take a closer look at what Jesus says about being born again. The statement is found in Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus in the Gospel of John 3:1-21. Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to talk with Jesus and get more information from Jesus about the things of God. Nicodemus starts off his discourse with a statement he believed to be true about Jesus. He says,
“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God was with him.” (v.2)
Jesus then jumps right in there with this teaching about the need to be born again and how that experience is the entrance into being part of the kingdom of God. The born again experience is the essential step that every person must take if they are going to enter into the Kingdom of God. Without taking that step one cannot enter.
After some questioning and answering back and forth by Jesus and Nicodemus, Jesus finally explains that the way one experiences this born again experience is through believing in Him, the Son of God. This is the place where we read one of the most memorized scriptures in the Bible,
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever, believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
But in Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus wasn’t talking about the born again experience! He wasn’t talking about the initial step that brings them into the Kingdom of God. No. Jesus was giving His final words of instructions before He leaves this world and goes back to Heaven to wait for the time of His return. Jesus is talking about the final product that is to be produced in those who come to faith in Him.
Jesus was teaching Nicodemus how to get started but Jesus was instructing His apostles about what the final outcome would be for those who come and receive that born again experience. The verses in John 3 talk about the beginnings the verses in Matthew 28 talk about the goal.
The born again experience is the first step in the disciple making process but it is also not the final step. The goal of Jesus is to make him more and more disciples - not just more and more people being born again. While it is very true one cannot become a disciple of Jesus unless they are born again, it is also true that one cannot be a fully devoted follower of Christ by just being born again.
If we are striving to be fully devoted followers of Christ are going to be obedient we must share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost so they can hear and believe in Jesus and thereby receive that born again experience. But we must also recognize that that there is still much more to do if we are going to be obedient to Christ command and commission in Matthew 28. We must baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and we must teach them to obey all that Christ has commanded.
Watch this video and learn why you should buy this powerful book on missional living! The book is called, THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE: A Journey Into Missional Living.
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In this short but powerful verse we are given specific instructions on how to allow God to guide our lives! The Bible tells us: What To Do; What Not To Do; and To Claim A Promise! In other words there are three conditions (what to do and what not to do) that when fulfilled, God will keep His promise.
TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART!
In other words, we are to have faith in God. Trust is just another way of saying Faith! Throughout scripture, expressing faith in God is always essential to seeing God work in and through our lives. The Bible even says that faith is essential in pleasing God.
"Without faith it is impossible to please God" Hebrews 11:6
You have to have faith in God! You have to be trusting in God to work in you, through you and in the circumstances you find yourself in. ARE YOU TRUSTING GOD?
But we're not only to trust Him! We are to trust Him with all our hearts. Not some of our heart, not part of our heart but ALL of our heart. When it comes to trusting in God there should be absolutely no doubt or concern whatsoever. Our full trust and confidence in Him is what God expects of us, if we are expecting him to keep His promise!
DON'T RELY ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING!
This verse is very clear that we are not to lean or stand ourselves up on our own abilities to reason things out. Often, when God tells us what to do, it won't make a bit of sense.
I don't think it made much sense to Moses when the Children of Israel needed water and God told him to hit the rock with his staff! And then on a different occasion God tells him to speak to the rock to get water. Are you serious? Hit and speak to a rock! That doesn't make sense.
I don't think it made a bit of sense to Jesus' disciples when Jesus told them to feed 5,000 men plus women and children with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes! And if I was Peter it would have made no sense to me at all for Jesus to tell me to go out to a lake, grab a fish, open its mouth and there inside find money and then go pay the temple tax. Really! Feeding a large group of people with just a little bit of fun and finding money in the mouth of a fish to pay my taxes, just doesn't make sense!
But for God it isn't a requirement for it to make sense to us on how these crazy things that He tell us to do work out! We Don't Need To Understand!
The only requirement that God expects is obedience. Obedience is Jesus' LOVE LANGUAGE.
Jesus speaking, "If you love me keep my commandments." John 15:10
IN ALL YOUR LIFE MAKE GOD KNOWN!
Throughout you entire life there is always one common denominator! What is it?
GOD!
It was God who fashioned you, formed you, saved you and maintains you. Without God and Christ we would be helplessly and hopelessly drowning in our sea of sin! God has loved us with an everlasting love. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God! NOTHING!
So, why shouldn't we in all our ways acknowledge God? Why shouldn't we make Him known to the whole world? How can we help but speak of the great and mighty things that God has done in the past and in our own lives.
When we are acknowledging God in all our ways, we are shining the Light of Christ brightly in our part of this dark world! We are making this world a brighter place to live.
HE WILL GUIDE US AND DIRECT US!
After all, why wouldn't God direct us and lead us if we are putting our faith in him, making Him known to all the world and not leaning on our own understanding? Of course He will!
You fulfill those conditions and you can take this promise that God has made to you, to the bank and cash it in.
Worry is one of the biggest barriers that keep Christians from joining Christ on His mission. And that worry can involve many different things.
Some Christians feel that they just don't know enough about their Christian faith to share the Gospel with others, and as such, they could easily say something that is wrong. The good news is that the Gospel is not complicated and doesn't require you to be a rocket scientist to do it. With some very basic and quick training you can both thoroughly understand the Gospel and share it with others. THIS IS A WORRY THAT IS EASILY REMEDIED!
When you share Jesus with others, will they have questions? Absolutely! But don't allow the worry of not having the right answer keep you from sharing Jesus with others.
There's a true story in the Bible, after Jesus had healed a man from being blind from birth, that the religious leaders (who didn't like Jesus) decided they needed to question the man who had been healed. Take a moment and read about how this man responded to comments about Jesus that he had no answers for:
"A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. 'Give glory to God,' they said. 'We know this man is a sinner.' He replied, 'Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" Luke 9
You can read the whole story in the Gospel of John, chapter 9. But did you see how the man responded to the comments he had no knowledge of? This man should serve as an example to the rest of us, on how we should respond to people who have questions, sincere or insincere questions! That response should simply be:
"That is something I don't have an answer for but I will search to find the answer for you, but for now let me share with you what I do know!"
Then you share with them what Jesus has done for you since placing your faith in Him. You don't need to have all the answers to everyones questions concerning God and Jesus! You can always go find those answers. But you should use their questions to share more of our story of coming to faith in Christ. People can argue about theology but no one can argue about your testimony in Christ! They may not believe it but they can't argue against it.
That's the worry that Jonah had when God called him to go prophecy against the Great city of Nineveh. He didn't like them and he wanted to full unbridle wrath of God to fall on them. His biggest worry was that they would hear his message and the repent and if God saw their repentance, Jonah knew that God would forgive them.
There might be some people you just don't like, you don't care for and you could care less if they came to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. If so, then you have an sinful attitude problem. You need to be so convicted in your heart by the Lord that those whom you care the least for are those that want to come to know Jesus. You need to spend so much time in the presence of the Lord that his desires for these people become your desires as well.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
What's that one "Best Practice" for ridding yourself from the worry and anxiety that plagues your heart. IT'S PRAYER! When we pray God sends His peace into our lives to do two things:
So, if you are worried about joining Christ on His mission I suggest you just STOP IT and start PRAYING ABOUT IT. You know it's God's will for you to join Him on His mission, so just take the time in prayer to receive God's peace and His transformation and then just go join Him and see the great things that God will do in and through you.
While doing a study of the Gospel of what Jesus actually did to ignite a powerful disciple making movement I found this very important Bible verse.
"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him." Matthew 4:23-25
Watch this video to learn more about the 3 things Jesus did to ignite a disciple making movement and how to apply them for today.
I am so glad to hear of your interest in The Basic Gospel Sharing Training that The Ordinary Christian has put together. This is a FREE training that you can get to help you become more competent and confident in sharing Christ with others.
Do you know what they are? No! Then watch this training and start working in the fields God has assigned you!
In todays training we are going to look at the 4 places that define your mission field. This is going to answer the question "Who Am I Responsible For In Sharing The Gospel?" By answer this question you will know where to begin to share the Gospel of Christ and where to begin in making disciples for Christ.
Pastor Billy and His Family!
This Saturday, June 3rd I will be in Glens Ferry, Idaho at First Baptist Church with Pastor Billy to lead his congregation in the Gospel Conversation Training. It is his desire to see his church raised up, trained up and unleashed to go share the Gospel to every person in their ministry field until there's no place left to share.
Step 1: Entry Stage
Before you can begin to see a powerful missional movement of Disciple Making/Church Planting you need to have an "ENTRY STRATEGY" in place. What's an entry strategy? It's your initial plan for how to bring the Gospel of Christ into your mission field so that it takes hold. It's your plan for developing a "Beachhead" in your mission field that will allow you to expand and take over the rest of the area for Christ.
Step 2: Gospel Sowing Stage
Once you've established your presence in the mission field by implementing your entry stage strategy, now you need to sow the Gospel of Jesus Christ liberally! How will you do it? What will be your strategy for getting the Good News of Christ out to ever increasing groups of people?
Step 3: Nurturing Growth Stage
Just like any harvest fields that begin to show growth there also need to be the watering and nurturing that continues to until its time to harvest, so there needs to be the nurturing of new believers in spiritual growth and obedience to Christ and His commands. What is your strategy for help new believers grow in Christ and become reproducing disciple makers?
Step 4: Harvest and Bundling Stage
Now its time to harvest! In this analogy the harvesting means church formation. Every great movement results in the formation of new churches. What is your strategy for taking this new believers and growing disciples and help them form into new churches.
Step 5: New Missionary Leader Stage
The final stage is the raising up, training up and unleashing of new apostolic leaders who will go and ignite new movements in different places. What is your strategy for identifying, training and commissioning these new missionaries?
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Recently I read this quote by Rick Warren the Pastor of Saddleback Church and I thought it had a lot to say to us who claim to be Christ's followers and what it means to be successful. Here's what it says:
“Being successful and fulfilling your life's purpose are not at all the same thing; You can reach all your personal goals, become a raving success by the worlds standard and still miss your purpose in this life.” ― Rick Warren
As I read this I started asking myself some questions:
As I pondered these questions 2 thoughts came to mind that I believe are so very important to remember:
THOUGHT #1:
How horrible it would be to stand before God on the Last Day (Judgement Day) and begin to share with Christ how I had accomplished so many great and different goals only to hear Jesus reply with, "But that's not what I had ask you to do or accomplish!" Wouldn't it be terrible to have placed your ladder of success and ascended it - only to have realized once you got to the top that you had place it on the wrong wall! I want to hear the words of my Lord say to me, "Well done good and faithful servant."
God's plan and ministry for us is to be His ambassador to this spiritually dark world by making God's appeal for people to be reconciled to Him as if it was God Himself making the appeal through us. Therefore, we are to be His ambassadors that intentionally engages in the ministry of reconciliation. That is accomplished through disciple making. So, the question bids an answer: How successful are we at making disciples for Christ?
THOUGHT #2:
Success from God's perspective is very different from success in the world's perspective! The world says you are successful if you accomplish great results but the Bible says we are successful when we are obedient to what He has commanded of us.
Over and over again we hear the Bible teach that obedience is better than sacrifice; or for us to be doers of the word and not hearers only, and to teach new believers to obey all that Christ commanded. Jesus even shared that being obedient to Him is an expression of our love for Him.
We work and train to do our best at what Christ commanded but in the end success isn't defined by the results but by our willingness and faithfulness to do what He said. The results are in God's hands but our obedience is in our hands.
So, in the final analysis as Followers of Christ we need to intentionally pursue the role of being Christ Ambassadors, to sharing the Gospel to those still lost in spiritual darkness and to obeying all that Christ has commanded. If we can do that then we are successful!
In Acts 8:26-40 we have an amazing story about an ordinary christian by the name of Philip who was used by God in an amazing way. From it we learn some powerful principles for shining the Light of Christ brightly in our part of this dark world. Watch and see what you might learn.
Take a few moments and share your thought as a comment.
We believe that ordinary christians are God primary choice for doing His extraordinary work. Throughout scripture we see God choosing to use everyday people to join Him on His mission of raising up, training up and unleashing them to become rapidly reproducing disciple makers. The Ordinary Christians intends to join God in that pursuit.
Become a Ministry partner of The Ordinary christian & help us give away powerful training to God's people to live a powerful missional life. HIT THE DONATE NOW!
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