LFM – 2016 June 12: Do I Understand My Calling in the Body of Christ?

LFM – 12 June 2016

 

Last Week – What I was blessed with

 

Understanding the Mercy & Grace of God — Rehema na Neema

• God in His Mercy & Grace saves us, not because of what we do, but for who He is
• — Mercy –> We do not get what we deserve(tunachostahili) –>The wages of sin is death
• — Grace –> We get what we do not deserve –> Unmerited, undeserved favour
• —Testimony -Pastor Ochieng — Picked at his lowest point by the mercy & grace of God
• — Pool of Bethesda — Picked out of a crowd, despite his sin & healed
• — Nebuchadnezzar ….
• — My Testimony  — As the song goes…

I DID’T KNOW YOU WERE ALL THAT I NEEDED 

UNTIL YOU WERE ALL THAT I HAD

• Blessings –>Jesus came with his Mercy & Grace and overlooks our shortcomings / sins
• Hebrews 4:16 (AMP)
• Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidenceand without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

 

Our responsibility while enjoying the Mercy & Grace of God –> GIFT / ZAWADI

• Luke 6:37-38 (NLT)
• Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[c]”

 

Gifts –>The more you give to others, the more you receive from God

 

What is my Gift / My Calling in the body of Christ ??

• A revelation from the past week –> A clarification of my calling in the Body of Christ
• Used to be confused with the term preacher / Ja yalo – would even refuse it
• Ephesians 4:11-12 (AMP)

11 And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], 12 [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church];

 

• Jesus Himself appoints (need to be called and approved) us with a special anointing / gift in a particular ministry for His service
• But everyone called to be a preacher of the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
• –> No specific preaching ministry –> no anointing needed, we just need to be disciples –> We all have a testimony of how we encountered salvation, maybe some more dramatic than others.

 

We are ALL called to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ –> Mark 16:15

• But under what anointing?? — The gift in the area to serve in the body of Christ
• Under what anointing // gift have I been called to serve in the body of Christ?
• Apostolic, Prophetic (Pastor David), Evangelistic ( Travel – Pastor Ochieng), Pastoral (more People oriented ), Teaching (more Word oriented)

 

I have been told by pastor & others that I can (if developed) be a good teacher of the Word

• Rough Diamond Analogy…
• Potential to be a Teacher –> To Instruct – Ephesians 4:11
• To equip & perfect the saints for works of service + to build the Church -Ephesians 4:12
• Chewing the Word of God & presenting it in a digestible manner
• Understand my calling develop –> Preaching under the teaching anointing
• Pastor David –> Preaching under the Prophetic Anointing – more Real time preaching following the heart of God for his people at the moment
• ?? What is your Gift / Calling in the Body of Christ??

 

Preaching under the TEACHING Anointing

 

Success in our Calling –> Requires ability to define our Mission within God’s Vision

>> Nifanye nini ndio ni faulu –> Kujitayarisha kumtumikia Mungu

Anointing & Activation process??

1. We need to separate ourselves seeking & focus on God –> Army recruits

>> Defined as Wilderness Experience –> You & Your God – Jesus, Paul, Moses

• Prayer –> Communicating with the Vision bearer àAsking God for our calling
• Fasting –> Focusing on Spiritual things — Separating ourselves from worldly things
• Word of God –> Equipping ourselves with the knowledge of God / Manual & Weapons ( Hammer, Sword, Fire…)….Perish for lack of knowledge …

 

2. We need to be Trained –> Develop capacity to perform

>> Developing Experience in Service –> Me & The Body of Christ – I am in Training @ LFM (Probation & testing…)

1. Understanding –> A clarification of the call [interview]
2. Preparation –> Purification, sanctification & testing [kugharamia/ training]
3. Equipping –> Anointing that empowers us to be able to do [silaha /tools]

 

3. To Pass the training and be APPROVED / CERTIFIED

• Certified & Authorised to go and perform our mission (our part) in the overall vision

 

Example of Jesus defining His mission –> Luke 4: 18-19 (NLT)

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

    for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,

    that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

19     and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.[f]”

 

• In Luke 4, after Jesus wilderness experience of fasting (seeking the Lord, ignoring the flesh, focusing on spiritual things) he was tested through temptations of the devil.
• After seeking the Lord and understanding the call for His Life, He declares His mission (plans) in line with God’s vision (overall objective).
• An army unit has a mission (intelligence, logistics, artillery) to accomplish the military’s vision ( capture and conquer).

 

• Jesus –> President that defines the Vision –> Vision bearer
• We –> Ministers –> that have a mission to accomplish as part of the overall Vision
• Ministers of the Gospel as –> Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers

 

• A soldier for Christ in the Kingdom army
• A minister of Christ in the Kingdom Government –> Church
• An ambassador of Christ in the World – bringing Light into the darkness

 

 

Paul gives us an example of a good worker –>  2 Timothy 2: 15 (NLT)

• Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

 

 

1. Presents Himself to God for approval –> Vetting

–> Unlike Paul initially persecuting the Church

2. Is not ashamed of His mission – Me denying I am a preacher
3. Correctly explains the Word of Truth – From the Author –> Holy Spirit

Work hard – Effort needed – Kugharamia –> To be a teacher of the Word, I need to know & understand the Word.

 

Defining my Mission (my part) within the overall Vision for the Kingdom of God.

 

1. Presenting it to God & to the Body of Christ –> For Approval ?

2. Accepting my Mission –

>>To be a Preacher (Spread) of the Word of God with a Teaching (Instruct) Anointing

3. Being a good student from the Author – Holy Spirit

 

““`

1. To be a teacher, I need to have a subject to teach –> Teacher of the Word of God.

• My opinions don’t count – si maoni yangu
• Pastor Ochieng
• –> The Word of God should be pure and unadulterated
• –> Holy Spirit, Give me illustration and provide the people with illumination
• 2 Timothy 2:15 (NLT) –> able to correctly explain the Word of Truth
• –> Accurately handling & skilfully teaching the Word of God

 

2. I cannot teach what I don’t know –> I cannot teach the Word if I don’t know the Word

• I need a revelation of Jesus Christ –> The Word
• John 1:1 –>  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
• John 5:39 (NLT) – Both the Old & New testament point to Jesus – The cross & serpent
• You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

3. To be a good teacher, I need to first be a good student of the Author

• –> A student of the Holy Spirit
• John 14:26 (NLT)
• 26 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

 

• The Holy Spirit adds life into our calling –> Seed requires water to be activated to grow
• Paul without the Holy Spirit –> Death & destruction in the name of God
• Paul with the Holy Spirit –> A Pharisee (Phd in the Word) + Holy Spirit =

>>–>  Ephesians 4:11  –> An Apostle, Evangelist, Teacher

Holy Spirit gives life to the teaching , nourishes the teaching so that it has an impact on people.

Like water to a dead seed planted on the ground

• Develop the ability, through the Holy Spirit to chew the Word and present it in a digestible form
• Like Michael, he tears meat, but needs to develop ability to chew and swallow

 

• 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

 

Not by Power, nor by might but by the spirit of God …(   )

Prayer

• That all of us find and execute our divine calling in the Body of Christ