27-07-2018
Do what Jesus did. And do greater than He had done.
Jesus isn't done with His earthly ministry.
As we increase in love and obedience, He will increase in power.
Mark 16:15-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but
he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those
who [a]believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new
tongues; 18 they[b] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly,
it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will
recover.”
Christ Ascends to God’s Right Hand
19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up
into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and
preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through
the accompanying signs. Amen.
The question is, where should we begin to preach the gospel?
Jesus has clarified. He said to go into all the world--where ever, anywhere, everywhere.
Acts 1:8 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you; and you shall be [a]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
It's not about winning a city; it is about winning souls.
God used Philip's obedience, faith and sensitivity.
He wants all of us to become soul winners.
As long as you have Jesus in your heart and are filled with the Holy Spirit, you are legally commissioned by Jesus to do so.
Paul was born in Tarsus and was schooled in Jerusalem. Yet he began his ministry in Tarsus.
It could begin with you anywhere and anytime.
That's how urgent the gospel must be preached.
It begins with the next lost soul that comes your way.
And preach to all creations?
He could have meant all humans. But why all creations?
Some of you feel your neighbours are monsters.
But it is to all creation, even those you think would be impossible to repent.
You must be bold but not reckless.
God has a way. If you pray.
But there are forbidden ones.
Stop making excuses not to preach to somebody.
If the gospel can begin anywhere, the gospel can also reach out to everyone.
Before you do what Jesus did, catch His heart almost as His heart beats.
It's faith in Christ that saves somebody.
But baptism is the true test of one's obedience and newfound faith.
Baptism is, spiritually speaking, a holy matrimony, getting married to Christ.
"I love you, I love you, I will follow you..." is not enough.
Baptism is saying "I do" to Him.
Go beyond targeting their head when you reach for the lost.
We want to equip and empower them to carry on the mission.
We should make disciples, not converts.
Teach them how to share the Word and how to pray for people.
Set five targets to gain a pearl:
1)
Reach out to the lost.
2) Water baptise them at conviction.
3) Get them baptised in the Holy Spirit.
Expect little, little happens. Expect more, more happens. Expect not, nothing happens.
Become a spiritual frequent flyer.
The gift of tongue enhances prayer.
4) Invite them into cell groups.
Create an early church brand of Christianity.
If they are seeds, they have to immediately find a soil.
It is not about having more followers or members (churchgoers).
It is all about making disciples.
5) And they will be regular churchgoers.
Bingo! You've got a soul! Then you have your pearl. Or diamond.
The thing about our body is, when you train, you become stronger; when you exercise, you become stronger.
Jesus' body is also like that. When you exercise and work out your faith, the church becomes younger, slimmer but smaller, less of those people who come to church for nothing. You rarely have fat in the body. All your members are for keep.
But when you just feed the church, eat and sleep, you have a big church but fat; not working, just troublemakers here and there.
Do
what Jesus did. We must have numerical challenges as well.
Leadership
is not about launching a product or a programme.
How to measure whether you've achieved it or not?
Following up on our movement is always the hardest.
Just make sure anything you launch is measurable.
Work on visions, not dreams.
Vision comes with strategies. Dreams come with hopes.
Five criteria and four signs.
And these signs will accompany those who believe in the name of Jesus.
Five fingers, four rings.
Spiritually speaking, if you want to mess hell, you better wear rings.
1) Cast out demons.
Some people are not counselable.
Be ready for such a ministry.
You need not know everything before you act on your faith.
Ask God to empower you with His anoiting to set people free.
Ask Jesus to show signs.
Sign is part of the package that you receive in your commissioning from heaven.
Sometimes it is not immediate.
Freeing souls is not an experiment.
Mark 11:23 New King James Version (NKJV)
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be
removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but
believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
Never make the mistake of not trying.
Hebrews 4:12 New Living Translation (NLT)
12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than
the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint
and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
Philippians 2:10-11 New King James Version (NKJV)
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.
In casting out demons, never go alone. Always go two by two.
The devil only reads people's body languages. He doesn't know the hearts.
To your fierce opponents, your fear is like a drop of blood in the ocean.
Your faith is in the Word, not in what you see.
2)
3)
4)
To be continued...
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