Ed Horak's Blog

John 16:7-15

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

In this passage we see a number of key areas in which the Holy Spirit gives you a divine advantage you’re your life and witness. If ever you have needed an advantage it is now, and God has given you one in the person of the Holy Spirit. His ministry in your life should not be seen as an ‘after market’ accessory, but rather as vitally central. The time for a casual approach to His ministry in the modern church is long gone.

Let’s therefore look at each of the following things the Holy Spirit does:

• He convicts the world of sin
• Guides you into all truth
• Shows you things to come
• Glorifies Jesus in your life.

 To Convict (or Convince) the World of Sin, Righteousness and Judgment

First, the Holy Spirit works with you in your witness in word and deed to convince people of their need for Jesus. In this context, sin may be defined as refusing to accept Jesus as the solution to all root problems or ‘sins’. When you tell someone about Jesus, you provide the witness through what you say and do to demonstrate God’s goodness in Christ, and the Holy Spirit does the convicting.

            When Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius’ household one day, the Holy Spirit was there to help him convict the hearers of their need for Jesus.

Acts 10:44

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 

Learn to leave the convicting up to the Holy Spirit. Simply speak of and demonstrate God’s love, and leave the convincing up to the Him. Only He can change people’s hearts and give them a heart of flesh receptive to God’s ways (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Only He can regenerate them, (Titus 3:3-7), and make their hearts brand new. If you ‘overplay’ your part, you get in the Holy Spirit’s way.

Second, the Holy Spirit works with and in you to convince the world of righteousness. Righteousness simply means to be right with God. It is a gift from Jesus through the Holy Spirit that must be received in the ‘soil’ of your heart and cannot be earned by self effort.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

As a follower of Christ you live your life from a position of righteousness, not towards one. The Holy Spirit must convince you of this liberating spiritual truth.

Romans 5:17

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

When your heart is seeded with righteousness, you can now grow and produce righteous fruit. You begin to live right because you are in right standing (righteous).

Allow the Holy Spirit to convince you that in Christ you are righteous, and begin enjoying living life with a cleansed spiritual conscience.

Hebrews 10:22

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

You will grow in leaps and bounds when you trust God enough to acknowledge every good thing in you.                       

Philemon 1:6

…that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

The third area the Holy Spirit has been given to convince us of, is that satan has already been judged! He’s been found to be sorely lacking: a liar, thief and murderer (John 10:10). In contrast, Jesus came to give us life and has been raised from the dead and declared the victor in the cosmic battle for the souls of men.

Yet, it still remains true that what you don’t know can hurt you! Like the proverbial little old lady who died in a small cold apartment, not having opened the attorney’s letter mailed to her many years before stating that she had inherited a fortune, we too can live and die without enjoying our ‘divine advantage’.

Every believer needs convincing that satan is defeated, because circumstances around us seem to portray the opposite.

Colossians 2:15-16

Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

When Jesus rose from the dead, He took the keys (authority) of life and death from satan (Revelations 1:18 / Matthew 28:18), even going so far as to delegate authority to the church on earth to enforce satan’s defeat

Matthew 16:19

“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The same Jesus, who lives in your heart today by the Holy Spirit, has been seated (in a position of authority) far above any demonic entity. All things are under His feet and by association, they are below our feet too! Only the Holy Spirit can convince you of this powerful revelation.

Ephesians 1:19-23

…and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Sin or satan no longer has dominion over you, and the Holy Spirit has been given to convince you that satan has been judged, is to be resisted and crushed under your feet by the God of peace!

Romans 16:19-20

For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly…

To Guide You Into all Truth

Another ministry of the Holy Spirit to the world and especially the believer is to guide us into all truth. The ‘all’ truth talked about here refers to matters that pertain to your own life. In order to fulfill God’s will in your life you cannot afford to ‘blindsided’ by ignorance of what is relevant to you. You must know ‘all’ things and only the Holy Spirit can cause you to know, understand and apply this truth in your life.

Regarding truth, people have argued what it is over the ages, but when the Holy Spirit convinces you, the matter is settled! The Bible says that Jesus is the “truth’ (John 14:6).

The Holy Spirit is the ‘Spirit of Truth’, so there is a witness that can be enjoyed in your heart as to the truth in any situation.  Learn to yield to the Holy Spirit who guides you into all the truth.

John 16:13

 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth

In a later chapter we look at more of how the Holy Spirit guides you, speaking of and confirming what He hears from Jesus and the Father.

 To Show You Things To Come

God knows your future and what is required of you today in order to ensure that you step into His plan for you. He has given you the Holy Spirit to show you things to come, so that you can prepare. Life does not just happen. Tomorrow is a product of choices you make today. The Holy Spirit is here to give you prophetic insight into your future by showing you ‘things to come’.

 In my experience, my wife and I spent a year preparing our hearts (and circumstances) before we made a moved our family across the world from our native land in Africa. The Holy Spirit had shown us in our hearts that change was coming, and we began preparing.

 Become still and allow Him to give you the ‘divine advantage’ of His perspective of where things are going (or should go) in your life. Then make choices that propel you towards that future and hope.

 To Glorify Jesus in Your Life

 When you allow the Holy Spirit to control your life, the result will be that you will glorify Jesus. The Holy Spirit loves to glorify Jesus in what you say and do.  You are Christ’s representative on earth, and in order to accurately portray God’s nature and will to your fellow man, you need the Holy Spirit’s help. The way you speak, what you speak and also what you do, and how you react in different situations, either glorifies Christ or it does not.

 When you are born again the Holy Spirit indwells your spirit and helps you produce ‘fruit.’

 To Produce Fruit in Your Life

John 15:5-8

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. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

In this passage the connection between Jesus (the vine) and you and me (the branches) is clear. We are to bear fruit in proportion to the degree to which we abide in Him. To ‘abide’ means to make it our practice to yield to the Word of God that the Holy Spirit illuminates to us. You bring glory when you bear fruit out of your human spirit indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He does not bear the fruit, you do. He helps you make right choices, say the right things at the right time, hold back from this or that etc.

 The ‘fruit of the spirit’ that are described in the book of Galatians are a product of the interaction of your newly recreated spirit and the Holy Spirit who now lives within your heart.

 Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

If it were all up to the Holy Spirit to produce fruit, without any cooperation, obedience and sacrifice on your behalf, then why the instruction earlier on to ‘walk in the Spirit’ (Vs 16), that is, make a commitment to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading?

Your life in the Spirit is like a ‘divine dance’ with the Holy Spirit’s hand in yours, leading you across the dance floor in a heavenly waltz. He takes a step, and you follow in unison. Harmony in this divine romance comes with time as you learn to yield to His ways.

 On another note, if you want to know whether the Holy Spirit is in control of a ‘Holy Spirit meeting’, check to see whether Jesus is exalted. If a man, movement, or anyone else is, then put a question mark over that meeting.

Take Hold of Your Advantage!

It is to your advantage that the Holy Spirit now lives within you. Learn to live with an expectancy of the Holy Spirit’s ministry within your heart.

1 Corinthians 3:16

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

 Remember the words of Jesus:

 John 14:16-17

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever– 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

 The Holy Spirit lives within the heart of every believer and must be cooperated with to enjoy the ‘divine advantage’ God wants to give you in every area of your life.

January 2010

Earthquake rocks Haiti! Tens of thousands dead and injured! Suffering and tragedy abound!

When something bad happens, whether it is a personal family tragedy like a car accident or someone being diagnosed with cancer, or a national tragedy like the World Trade Center airplane crashes, people often ask questions about God’s integrity. “How come an all loving, all powerful God would allow such a thing to happen?” they ask. Or maybe:  “If God is sovereign, how come things like this happen? In this blog we look at who is really in control and what part we actually play in life’s drama.

Every year hundreds of thousands of people are killed as a consequence of drunken and irresponsible driving. Also, it is estimated that millions of babies worldwide are killed through abortion each year. Who is responsible for all these tragedies?

Think of it this way. When someone dies or is injured in a drunken driving incident, does the head of that nation’s Department of Transport get blamed for the irresponsibility of the drunken law breaker? Of course not! Why then should the loving God in heaven get the blame for irresponsible people breaking His commandments? It is only because of His common grace to everyone, that more people do not get killed and maimed each day.

The big and small picture…what Jesus’ temptations tell us.                                

In church circles it is popular to say when something is going wrong, that ‘God is in control.’ This is both true and untrue depending on the scale of things. What do I mean by ‘scale of things’? Overall, in the big picture, God is in control. When you read the beginning and end of the Bible you see God creating everything, and it was good. At the end of the Bible, He wraps things up and it is all restored to being totally good again. This is the big picture. Yet, between the beginning and the end at a smaller scale, our scale, things go wrong all the time. We mess up, and the Bible is full of stories of God rescuing us from ourselves! The problem of sin is still being worked out in our time.

Let’s take it a bit further. Remember there is another player here. Satan. Let’s look at the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness at the beginning of His ministry.

“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.  And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”  But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”   Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.  Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” Luke 4:1-7

Satan gets to the core of the control issue up to that point. He offers Jesus the kingdoms of this world if Jesus would only bow down and worship him. Could it be that he satan was actually in control at that point and his offer a legitimate one? I think so. Jesus is undergoing a genuine temptation. He had been sent to earth to buy back or redeem mankind through His life death and resurrection- God’s chosen path of submission. Yet here satan is trying to deceive Jesus into bowing His knee to him, something he had craved for so long. He was the anointed cherub seeking to exalt his throne above that of God’s. Worship is the key ingredient in submission. He was using his classic bait and switch tactic. Bait Jesus with what He wanted: the kingdoms of the world, but switch things when He fell to the temptation. Thank God Jesus did not fall for it and resisted him with the written word! He went on to regain all authority on earth, under the earth and in heaven, restoring order in the spiritual realm with satan on the outside looking in, stripped of his authority defeated at his own game.

“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” Col 2:15

Life is all about authority in four realms: heaven, the heavenlies and on earth….and under the earth. Jesus’ obedience protected Him so that He could fulfill His purpose to restore creation back to God’s perfect plan. God had given it to Adam in the garden, but he messed up, allowing satan to gain illegal control and use disobedient men to further his diabolical schemes. God had to establish His covenants with obedient men to restore and build His everlasting kingdom whilst satan worked with disobedient men to set up his opposing and counterfeit kingdoms, which he offered to Jesus at the wilderness temptation.

Sure the earth belongs to God. But the earth He gave to man!

The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s;

But the earth He has given to the children of men. Ps 115:16

The Dominion Mandate

Man was to be the overseer of the earth under God in the Genesis dominion mandate.

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Gen 1:26

When Adam sold out his authority to satan at the fall, he set in motion all the sin and suffering that followed. Before the fall all was good. No sickness, no suffering, murder, and no strife. The record shows that things began to unravel only after Adam sinned. The source of all suffering is sin, and satan is behind all sin, not God! God is not to blame. Only God is perfectly good, and He was needed to restore goodness to that earth in Jesus. That restoration process has been in motion throughout the ages, and is still playing out today.

All authority was restored to Jesus through His obedience and sacrifice at the cross. Matthew records Jesus’ declaration of authority this way:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matt 28:18-20

Authority is Delegated Back to Man

He was in effect delegating His newly purchased authority to His disciples. They were to go in His name and enforce satan’s defeat. This enforcement still takes place in our day where it is our responsibility to exercise authority over satan in all his ways. We are to use the name of Jesus to oppose sin sickness and poverty in all its forms. If we don’t, who will? Only where the gospel is preached taught accepted and lived do people enjoy the benefits of Jesus work on the cross. God’s protection, provision, forgiveness, health and peace is not automatically falling on people all around the world. It has to be received.

God is building His kingdom. Our part is to pray that His kingdom comes into our sphere of influence. Jesus taught us this in what is commonly known as the Lord’s prayer recorded in Matthew’s Gospel Chapter Six. Our prayer must be followed by obedience to stop the illegal insurgencies of satan and his demonic cohorts. Although defeated, mopping operations are still needed. So the war continues at an individual level. We have to submit to God and resist satan. If we will not do it, not even will God override our will and do it.

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

Notice that the devil will flee from us! Submission to God empowers us! Some folk expect God to do what they are supposed to do. The Bible teaches that we are to exercise authority over satan whose mission as the thief is to steal, kill and destroy. He has to be resisted, otherwise he will have free course to do his dirty work and God will get the blame. Satan will take advantage of people who don’t know God’s nature and or way of doing things.

We live by faith ‘within’ the boundaries of God’s sovereignty. Jesus will come back at His return and every tear will be wiped away and all evil finally and fully banished never to be experienced again. Till that time however, we have responsibilities to perform and boundaries not to cross.

Boundaries

When we cross the boundaries of God’s loving protection through our disobedience or ignorance and into satan’s destructive realm we become exposed to his devices. Life is not a haphazard guessing game of chance. When we obey God we can expect His covenant protection and provision. When we disobey Him, we open the door to our adversary who takes advantage of the broken chain of order and authority. When we know and obey God’s covenant commands, we close the door to satan’s opportunism.

As a Christian we are instructed to regularly examine ourselves to see whether we have crossed any boundaries into enemy territory.

“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.” 1 Cor 11:28-31

We cross back under God’s covenant covering when we examine and adjust our lives in the light of His word’s demands.

Special Promises for Special People

“As for God, His way is perfect;

The word of the LORD is proven;

He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”  Psalm 18:30

It is said that God does not have favorites. This is true at one level. He pours out His common grace and love on all people equally. He loves all people with a passion, enough to send Jesus, His only begotten son, to die for all mankind (John 3:16). The Bible says that the rain falls on both the just and unjust (Matt 5:45), and God is kind even to the unthankful (Luke 6:35). The Bible even says in Psalm 145:8-9, that He is good to all. If He weren’t good to all men, life for many would be even more miserable! We are all given opportunity to see Him for who He really is, change our thinking, repent and return to Him.

The problem is some folk simply do not take the opportunities given them, and continue to rebel against Him. They stubbornly hold on to their ideas, and their pride stands in the way. However those that accept Him can get in on His family protection plan. These family benefits are accessed through His promises, which must be known, believed and acted upon. Trust God and have Him as your shield.

The future is both uncertain and certain. It is uncertain because of what we don’t know, and certain because of what we do know. The future will come, there’s no doubt about that. The big question to resolve however is this: are there some things that you can do to determine a better future, or do you have to simply wait upon it as it rushes towards you?

This is not about predicting what will happen prophetically in a few years but takes the position that there are things you can do, and choices you can make to ensure that your future will be better than if you simply let the future come at you.

The decisions you make today can and will affect your future. No matter what has happened to this point in your life, there is still hope. To know where you are headed, there is no need to look to anyone else but God and yourself. Together, God and you are a majority, greater than anything you will ever face, and the only limits are those you put on yourself. Of course other people play a part and can either help or hinder your progress, but as a later chapter shows, with God’s help you can turn any setback into a stepping stone.

Attitude is a choice, so is commitment to a worthy goal. Courage and passion depend on the character choices you make in the face of difficulty. No one can make these for you. Thankfully, God has promised to strengthen us in all things. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our strengthener, and He live is us (John 14:16-17).

The things we face right now are only temporary. They will pass, and when you begin to see difficult circumstances in the light of eternity, your perspective will change. You will be able to overcome the moment and see with new clarity. Life will take on a new and motivating meaning, and you will begin to discover and understand truths that will set you free from what holds you back from a brighter future.

Enjoy the journey, it’s your choice.

How to Be Certain In Uncertain Times

Matthew 24:1-8, 14

1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows…

 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

In this account, Jesus first highlights the impermanence of what we see naturally in Vs 1-2. The disciples saw the huge structures of the temple as permanent. Jesus spoke prophetically about the near destruction of the buildings in AD 70. What seemed permanent would suddenly fall. In our century for example, many have looked at the world economic meltdown that began to manifest in 2008 in this light. Things that seemed so secure turned out to be quite fragile. With all this uncertainty, we live personally, nationally and historically on the precarious edge of eternity.

Jesus then gave pointers (signs) to alert His disciples, and us, to future danger in Vs 3.  As a caring father will not leave his children in the dark about situations to come, so does the savior of the world and friend of sinners, warn those who would listen of impending dangers.

He continues to give the gift of His perspective on time and events in Vs 4-8. He points out the proper response to deception, troubling wars and unsettling natural calamities. He speaks stability into unstable times teaching us that when you put your life in the hands of certainty Himself, then the world’s uncertainties will not shake you. His wisdom is about where you put your trust.

He then concludes this important passage with a prophecy of the most definitive sign of all in Vs 14. The gospel of the kingdom will first be preached around the world and then and then only will the end come. Only when you come into alignment with this grand purpose will you experience supernatural peace and certainty in an uncertain world.

In short, the only way to be certain in uncertain times is to put your trust in Jesus alone. All else is changing around us all the time and cannot be trusted. People used to accept that when you buy a house and hold onto it for a long time, it will build equity. Unfortunately in many places, that is no longer true in real terms. This world and its systems have never been and never will be a trusted source of security.

God encourages us to look to the Lord who is the author (originator) of our faith. When we keep our eyes on the eternal we are not easily ‘moved’ by negative circumstances in the here and now. As we will see later in the book, faith is not some ‘pie in the sky’ dynamic, but a vital ingredient in accessing God’s promised future.

The Blessings of Hope

God is the God of hope (Romans 15:13), and His people are characterized by hope. Bible hope is not empty wishful thinking, but a confident expectation that what God has promised, He will bring to pass. Bible hope has a supernatural element to it. It comes from God, and is the connector between our faith and our future.

Hebrews 11:1

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is planted in the soil of hope, and without hope we have no expectation of a preferred or better future. Because God loves us and we love Him, hope will not disappoint. He has spoken what He wants for you in His Word. ‘Feed’ your faith by constantly looking into what God has planned for you as His child. You do this by thinking about His promises. His promises have to with the future. One key promise is this: the good work God has begun in you, He will see to completion.

Philippians 1:6

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

On the journey towards that final day of reckoning, we plow and sow with a confident expectation that God rewards those that diligently seek Him (1 Corinthians 9:10 & Hebrews 11:6). When we keep our eyes on Him despite distracting difficulties, we will enjoy our final reward. On the way there, hope serves to anchor the soul (Hebrews 6:29). Hope keeps us steady, so learn to hold onto hope.

You have the power to choose whether to be depressed by circumstances, or hopeful as you look to God. He is your way of escape in the midst of any trial.

Psalm 42:5

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him

For the help of His countenance.

The Future is God’s Gift to You

Jeremiah 29:10-13
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity;

The future need not be mysterious, or an uncertain and fearful thing. God has revealed His thoughts in His Word, and promised us a future as His gift to us. It is a good future containing peace, and it brings hope to the present. He knows who you are, what your current situation is, and what it will take to move into your better future.

Yet, the future does not just happen. It is dependent upon us engaging with God by calling upon Him, seeking and searching with all our hearts. It involves throwing yourself into it with all that you have at your disposal. In this way you make your way prosperous together with God.

Joshua 1:8
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

‘For then you will’.

In God there is predictability about your future. As you put your hand in His, He will always steer you into His provision, protection and purposes. There is nothing uncertain about that! His gift is to ‘to give you a future…’

Relationship has a lot to do with responses. God makes a move, we respond. If we don’t, then the offer falls to the ground. Yet if we do respond in faith, we receive all that God has promised.

In the context of the above passage, the prophet Daniel sees his present circumstances in the light of the future that Jeremiah had prophesied earlier (Jeremiah 29:1-14). Israel would spend seventy years in Babylonian captivity. Daniel along with many others had been taken into captivity and was now looking into the prophetic scrolls (the Word of His day). He realizes that God’s perspective of the future is staring Him in the face. This understanding about the future condition of his people under King Darius comes to him ‘by the books’. He responds to the prophecy by seeking the Lord in prayer, fasting and confession. Later on in the account, he receives revelation or God’s picture for his people of the future.

Daniel 9:2-4, 23-24
2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, …

…23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:

24 “Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.

The interpretation and application here is that God shows us the future before it happens. Our responsibility is to look, listen and see what He reveals, then take appropriate action to position ourselves to receive and walk into that future by faith.

When God shows us things to come they edify, exhort and comfort us. This is the nature of prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:3). This foresight inspires us to act, and make us move towards the fulfillment of what has been spoken. Prophecy is never intended to immobilize the believer into a false fatalism.

God’s way is to declare up front what He is about to do. He wants us to respond by stretching for the future as we play our part.

Have you ever heard someone ‘testify’ how God used a particular sickness and / or calamity to teach them a lesson? After all, so the stories go, so and so was away from God and he broke his leg, and while lying in the hospital reflected on his life and came back to God! Sounds like a good ending, but is God in the leg breaking business or leg healing business? We need to make up our minds on this otherwise satan will exploit the ongoing confusion.

The word does teach that God, like any good father, will discipline or chasten His children.

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” Hebrews 12:3-11

No doubt about it. God does discipline His children, but how does He do it? We cannot presume things on God. God is referred to as the ‘Father of spirits’ in verse nine. He corrects us in our spirits through His word and by His Holy Spirit. When we realize that the spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, and not the flesh, we will better understand how He disciplines us.

“The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart”
Proverbs 20:27

God first speaks to our hearts, giving us opportunities to repent. He is longsuffering and patient. However, if we refuse to listen or are dulled to His voice, He will allow us to go our own way, fall into trouble, experience pain and finally wake up to what He has been saying to us all the time.

What earthly father will go unpunished by law for breaking his child’s leg in order to teach them a lesson? He would be put way for child abuse. We are taught that God is much better than any earthly father. He does not deal with us according to our iniquities, but according to His covenant, our faith and obedience, and His promises.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
Psalm 103:10

God uses His Word to chastise His children

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be

complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work
2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Apostle Paul brought correction and discipline to the carnal Corinthian Church by writing a hard-hitting letter, not by asking God to send an earthquake or some other disaster to judge them for their sins! The words he wrote cut deep into their hearts and brought them to repentance.

He starts out by invoking a blessing on them, identifying with them as ‘sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints!’

Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:1-3

He then goes on to speak of them as carnal, babes in Christ and still not ready to receive solid spiritual food.

And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

He considers them babies in the spirit. No wonder they were ‘messing up’. That is what babies do, because they have not yet been trained. What parent, and God is our spiritual Father, disciplines a child in a cruel way by bringing on them some calamity? No, parents train up their children with their words. Only when a child rebels against their authority is it necessary to discipline a child physically with the rod.

God, because he is the ‘Father of our spirits,’ disciplines or chastens us spiritually with His word.

The Word of God is powerful and able to do what God sends it out to do. There have been times when God has spoken a word of correction to me through what I was reading in the Bible or hearing in a sermon, and even in conversation with trusted advisors who know me best, and indeed care for me the most. It cut deep into my heart convicting me of where I was falling short, and also giving me hope and instruction of how to make things right.
Don’t let anyone confuse you by commenting on some calamity that you or your loved ones have endured by saying God is judging you. He does not need to break your leg or arm in an accident to teach you something. If He did, He would be perverse, since He has already said He uses His word to bring correction into your life.

Of course, if a person got drunk say, had an accident, got hurt and is now lying in hospital reflecting on their life, and God speaks to them in some way about what went wrong, it would be presumptuous to say that God brought that upon them. No, they got drunk by themselves. God was not in that! They had the accident bringing it upon themselves. The fact that a loving heavenly Father takes advantage of their belated humility, is no indication that He initiated the whole event. God uses what we give Him and when we give it. If the fellow in question had given God time earlier on, he would have stayed on track, not got drunk, and not had an accident. Everything that is needed to live a godly life is found in the word.

Good people, even Christian people, stray off the path, not completely and consistently adhering to God’s ways. God will call them back to the pathway with His word, but not by bringing personal injury to their lives.

Turn Setbacks into Stepping Stones

(An excerpt from an upcoming book called: “What does the future hold?”)

Things happen

This side of heaven both good and bad things happen to everyone. Sometimes they may be unfair or even undeserved, but for the committed Christ follower, there is a comforting promise found in the following scripture.

Romans 8:28-29

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

First, all things (good and bad) will only work together for good as you love God and walk in His purposes for your life.  This promise is therefore conditional. If you are far from God, or have a half hearted relationship with Him, the enemy is going to exploit the gap and pound you with accusations and guilt. He may even tempt you to think that God has supposedly let you down in a bad situation and try to undermine your faith for the future.

Second, you have a part to play in cooperating with God to turn a setback into a stepping stone. Passive faith or resignation is not what this is all about. In bad situations, what happens in you is more important than what happens to you. Keeping your heart and soul healthy is the key here.

This article will focus on several pointers to help you turn adversity or even abuse into an advantage and cause you to continue being useful for God.

Where setbacks come from

Setbacks cannot always be directly blamed on the devil: ‘the devil made me do it’. They may be the result of your own or someone else’s ignorance, folly or even disobedience. Some things that happen are within your control, while others are not. The point here is not to become trapped in playing the blame game, but recognize the source and do something about it. It doesn’t help to keep blaming someone else for their part in the setback, or even feel bad about the mistakes you may have made. You have to move past the setback. Learn to confine a setback to the past, and not let it define your future.

Don’t believe the enemy’s lies about God’s nature or ways. He will try to convince you that God is standing in your way. God is always good and will never tempt you with any form of evil. The Bible teaches that the devil’s way is to take advantage of our strong desires (lusts), and entice us to do evil. When we yield to temptation and sin, a setback of some sort will surely follow (James 1:13-14).

Think of the prodigal son. He was drawn away from his purpose in life by a strong desire for an independent identity. One thing led to another and he squandered his inheritance on prodigal living. When he came to his senses he went back to his father’s house. His father (like God) was eagerly looking for his return, and immediately received him back with great rejoicing. His setback was turned around because he did something about it, not his father (Luke 15:11-22)! The son may have lost everything, but he still had his will. He chose to turn and go back to where his identity, provision, authority and purpose lay.

In times of setback there’s always mercy in God’s throne room when we draw near to Him. God made His move by sending Jesus, and now expects us to make ours.

Hebrews 4:16

16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

God’s mercy does not even dry up after one or two setbacks (Psalm 118:1). It’s His nature to be merciful with the one hand, and then with the other He enables or graces us with the necessary strength and wisdom to press on past the setback.

You may have heard the saying: ‘It doesn’t matter how much milk you spill, just don’t lose your cow!’ The point here is to stay connected to the source. In cases where you are primarily responsible for a setback, and remain convinced that God loves you, you will always return to Him. God has promised to ‘clean up’ when we ‘fess up’ to our ‘mess-up’.

1 John 1:8-9

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Don’t run from God in bad times, run to Him!

Personal Testimony

When our family left the relative comfort of our homeland in South Africa, with its familiarity and job security, we experienced some good and bad things on our journey in the early months after arriving in the United States.

The good things stemmed from the grace and mercy of God. The bad things were rooted in our naivety, ignorance, foolishness, presumption and pride as well as a dose of ‘good old fashioned’ persecution. Our responses were varied. There were times where we did not handle our circumstances well at all. We knew that God was with us and cared about us, even though it didn’t always seem that way. Then there were times where we felt things were just plain unfair, but that didn’t help much either. We learned to drop that approach and take hold of His hand and press on in faith.

In looking back it became clear that God was mostly interested in what was developing in our hearts. Of course He cared about the practical difficulties associated with moving and settling in a foreign country, but these things were small in comparison to what He wanted to do in and through us. Time and again God reminded us to develop and maintain a positive attitude, and to be thankful for what we did have rather than complain about what we did not have, or were experiencing. The journey is not over yet.

How many setbacks can a man take?   

The apostle Paul suffered enough setbacks for ten men, yet he kept the faith. His example towers high in church history as a testimony to God’s faithfulness and the nature of spiritual warfare.

2 Corinthians 11:23-28

…in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness–

This list chronicles the severe persecution he received for fearlessly advancing God’s kingdom in a hostile world.

On one occasion he and his preaching partner Silas were unfairly thrown in a Philippian jail (Acts 16:22-26). They were beaten and held in stocks in the innermost part of the prison. Yet at midnight they faced down the temptation to complain that God had not come through for them, and begun doing what they could in their terrible circumstances. They praised God and sung out so loud that the others prisoners heard them at midnight. They did what was within their reach and God responded with a mighty deliverance. Their praise moved heaven and earth, and a mighty earthquake rocked the jail setting them and the other prisoners free.

Praise in a time of setback is like going on the attack when all else is saying lie low, lick your wounds and feel sorry for yourself. Praise says yes to the future, and no to the shame, guilt, frustration, anger, excuses and unbelief of the past. Make a habit of praising and thanking God in all things (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Not for all things, but in all things!

Paul’s shipwreck

On the occasion he was shipwrecked with two hundred and seventy six others on his way to Rome as a prisoner after having appealed to Caesar, we see Paul stepping up in faith after a severe and dangerous setback. This setback was not of his own doing but definitely due to the folly of those in authority over him.

The account of the ship wreck in Acts 27:1- 44 is too long to quote in its entirety but well worth reading. Take a moment to do that.

Paul was on his way to Rome, knowing that God had ordained that he speak to ‘Kings and rulers’ as part of his calling. Even though he was under the charge of Roman soldiers in difficult circumstances, God’s will was going to be worked out! At first, sailing conditions were with a measure of difficulty, but when the stormy season approached, Paul advised that the voyage would end in disaster! He had heard from the Lord on this and now advised the seaman not to press on at this time. The helmsman and the owner of the ship of course had other ideas, looking to the unsuitability of the harbor for the winter. They did not want to stay there for the winter and lose revenue. Later, their loss would be far greater for not having listened to the preacher! There was a majority ‘vote’ and they set sail toward the island of Crete, Paul’s lone voice now blown away in the soft and promising sea breeze. The preacher now looked a little foolish sitting in the back of the boat.

However the weather turned bad, and a storm raged that forced the crew to let the ship drive before the wind. They had to lighten the ship’s load and on the third day even had to throw the tackle overboard. They soon lost all hope and stopped eating! Meanwhile, Paul had been before the Lord in prayer, and an angel advised him that they would not lose a single life, only that they would be shipwrecked. (Isn’t it true that we want to hear the Lord say that absolutely everything will be miraculously taken away? We don’t always want to hear that we still have to go through some things till we come out safely on the other side.)

In the ensuing drama of the ship being run towards the shore, Paul was able to be the channel of God’s mercy to everyone on the ship. The centurion in charge was now listening to the preacher a little more closely. Paul advised that they eat and get ready for the desperate scramble to the shore. In the meantime, they had lost all the cargo and the profit the ship owner in his lack of prudence had hoped to make!

In the midst of great danger, rain and cold, every single one of the ship’s two hundred and seventy six passengers were able to make it to the shore of the Island of Malta where they were kindly received by the friendly locals who build them a fire to warm them up. Paul’s prophecy had come true in the midst of the disastrous circumstances. Total loss in the midst of this shipwreck was avoided!

Recipe for a shipwreck

We can all learn from this account by noting that the sailors opened the door to trouble by being dissatisfied with the suitability of the harbor for wintering. Their impatience contributed to their lack of judgment as they relied on their own natural judgment. They lacked discernment in this situation and most importantly ignored the word of the Lord given to Paul. (The Bible teaches that we will prosper when we believe the prophets (2 Chronicles 20:20). Paul was a prophet as well as an apostle, and had spoken the Word of the Lord to them in warning.

Finally, the sailors looked only to the circumstances of the favorable soft south wind at the start to lead them. Look back over the previous paragraph and see whether any of the highlighted areas have applied in any previous setback you have suffered.

This is one recipe you don’t want to cook up if you can help it.

Things to learn from this setback

Storms do come, and to be forewarned is forearmed. A strong foundation in doing the Word is also critical.

Luke 6:47-49

47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

How you react to threatening situations will determine the final outcome. Do not fear. Fear attracts trouble whereas faith attracts God who comes to the rescue. 

Acts 27:24-25

‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.

When fear comes, realize that God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). You have the choice to refuse fear. As a child of God it is unnatural to fear. Refuse to entertain fear when it comes knocking on the door of your heart and mind.

Thanksgiving is another key ingredient for turning a setback into a stepping stone for deliverance. Note that Paul gave thanks in advance of their deliverance. Thanksgiving and faith are inseparable. If you really believe God has heard your cry, then you will be prepared to give thanks in advance of the manifestation of God’s intervention.

Acts 27:35-37

35 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. 36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.

A last lesson from this account is that it is best to stick together in trouble. They were all saved from total loss when they stuck together around the man of God.                           

Acts 27:31

31Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”

Not a soul was lost and Paul eventually took passage on another ship to complete the journey. God’s will was eventually done in Paul’s life despite the delays and extreme hardship. He looked to God to stay calm in the storm, obeyed His voice and was the catalyst for saving all the rest on the ship.

When you do the same you will come out of a setback stronger, and others around you will benefit from your faithfulness to stand strong in the Lord as well.

Three pointers towards your future

Your future depends on whether you grasp the following pointers in times of setback.

First, know where setbacks come from and deal with them appropriately. If you had a part in initiating it, then repent and move on. If someone else was instrumental, forgive them and move on. If the enemy is behind it, resist him and press on with boldness (1 Peter 5:9).

Second, guard your heart and mind from developing a victim mentality. God has made you more than a conqueror in Christ (Romans 8:37). Don’t play the blame game and watch your attitude.

Third, realize that things will change for the better when you play your part. Failure and setbacks are temporary when you do what is within your reach. God will see to it that He meets you at the point of your faith. So feed your faith in difficult times, and do not retreat. The future is too bright for the faithful to be forfeited by neglect and passivity. He will strengthen you as you wait on Him.

Psalm 27:14

14 Wait on the LORD;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the LORD!  

Isaiah 40:31

31 But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint.

          In order to fully enjoy the divine advantage we have been given by the Holy Spirit living inside of us as our comforter and helper, we must continually get to know Him better. God takes natural symbols or familiar material emblems to unfold new spiritual realities about the Holy Spirit).

Romans 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead

 Get to know the Holy Spirit better through symbols

Consider the following examples: water, wind, fire, wine, oil, clothing and the dove.

 The Holy Spirit symbolized by water

Isaiah 44:3

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,

And floods on the dry ground;

I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,

And My blessing on your offspring;

John 7:37-39

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive;

          As water is vital for physical life so is the Holy Spirit for spiritual life and vitality. Out of the heart or belly are the issues of life. The Holy Spirit’s influence in your life is like a river flowing out into ‘dry’ circumstances.

           Rivers also speak of movement: something characteristic of the Holy Spirit’s operation. He is always moving, and never stagnant. His dealings can be recognized as He shapes the landscape of your heart and mind to become more like Christ. Like flowing river water has the capacity to carry debris along with it, and even rub off sharp edges making smooth stones, so too the Holy Spirit has the capacity to remove filth from your life, and even smooth off rough edges in your personality.

Ezekiel 36:25-27

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

          Rivers also speak of productivity. The Holy Spirit will produce fruitfulness in your life when you yield to His dealings.

Revelation 22:1-2

1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

           Water comes in different forms: rain, dew and vapor. For water to condense as droplets of rain or even dew overnight, certain atmospheric conditions must apply, the primary one being cooling. In the stillness and cooling of night, symbolic of difficult circumstances, the refreshing and life sustaining ‘dew’ of the Holy Spirit can distill out to bring life into dry situations (Hosea 14:5). Look for the Holy Spirit reassurances, especially in difficult situations. Be calm, rest from your own efforts to make something come to pass, and let God have His way in the attendant silence.

          Remember, speaking in tongues is evidence of surrender and activates the strengthening or edification ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life. So make a practice of speaking in tongues daily and enjoy the refreshing effect. It’s like taking a spiritual shower, bath or swim.

           The covering ministry of the Holy Spirit is described as a ‘cloud’ by day (Exodus 13:22) sheltering the Israelites of old from the hot desert sun on their journey to the Promised Land. In like manner, see the Holy Spirit sheltering you from the ‘heat’ of adverse circumstances as you progress on your spiritual journey.

           One final point about water. The rainbow has seven distinct colors or aspects, as does the Holy Spirit.

 Revelation 4:5-6

And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

           Most commentators attribute the following seven characteristics of the Holy Spirit to His ministry: teacher, advocate, counselor, guide, strengthener, comforter and intercessor. Once again, get to know the Holy Spirit in the multiplicity of His grace. There is always more to explore.

 Wind, fire and wine as symbols of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1-4, 13

Now when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

           All three symbols are connected to the Spirit’s outpouring on Pentecost: wind, fire and wine. The wind is the ‘breath’ of God that when it blows has a sound. There is a particular sound to God’s voice. It carries peace, comfort, strength, power, healing or whatever you need at any particular moment. The wind can be mighty like a gale, or like a gentle breeze but always appropriate for the need of the moment. The Holy Spirit will speak to you in a tone and with the intensity that is suited to your situation. When you need healing and comfort when you are bruised, He will be gentle. When you need loud correction when in danger, He will be more forceful. Learn to discern by practicing your listening skills.

          With fire comes light, heat and even cleansing. The spiritual light we are given by the Holy Spirit must be set on a hill for all to see. Jesus said that we are the ‘light of the world’ (Matthew 5:14), and must shine in dark places. Let the Holy Spirit embolden you to let your light shine. In the coldness of life’s difficulties, you can also provide warmth and comfort through the Holy Spirit to people needing comfort.

          Also, be open to the cleansing and purifying effect of the Holy Spirit in your life. If you let him, he will ‘burn’ up things that are impure. The fires of heaven will burn up the fires of hellish situations that may be burning in you or those you love. For example, in 1666 AD the city of London England was ravaged by bubonic plague carried by rats. A great fire broke out and burnt up significant parts of the city. However, as a result, many rats were killed and the bubonic plague stopped. A ‘cleansing’ took place that, in the long run, saved the city. In like manner, there may be a ‘fire’ of adverse circumstance burning in your life, that can be cleansed if you are ‘set on fire’ by the Holy Spirit.

Malachi 3:2-3

“But who can endure the day of His coming?

And who can stand when He appears?

For He is like a refiner’s fire

And like launderer’s soap.

3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;

He will purify the sons of Levi,

And purge them as gold and silver,

That they may offer to the LORD

An offering in righteousness.

Matthew 3:11-12

He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

           In addition, when the disciples spilled out into the streets on the day of Pentecost, and the locals mockingly thought they were drunk with wine, Peter corrected them by referring to Joel’s prophecy of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring.

          Wine as a Biblical symbol speaks of refreshing, stimulation and abandon to God’s purposes. Obviously wanton drunkenness is to be avoided, but Spirit filled abandon is to be encouraged.

 Ephesians 5:18-21

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.

           Joy is to characterize your life, and not bitter vinegary expressions of prideful and empty religion. Your heart is like a wineskin that must be soft and supple to receive and contain the ‘new wine’ of The Holy Spirit. Old ways and attitudes must make way for the joyful new.

Luke 5:37-39

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

 Oil as symbol of the Holy Spirit

          In the story of the ‘good Samaritan’ the unfortunate traveler who fell among thieves had oil and wine poured into his wounds the Samaritan. This speaks of the the new birth and infilling of the Holy Spirit bringing about recovery from trauma. The trauma of sin that has affected all mankind needs to be dealt with by a twofold operation of the Holy Spirit. The wineskin of our broken hearts must be restored and softened before receiving new wine. So there is the new birth experience then the Holy Spirit baptism or infilling.

Luke 10:34

So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine…

          Oil is used as a symbol of anointing for service. The prophet Samuel anointed King David with a horn of oil (1 Samuel 16:13). Jesus, the king was anointed for service (Acts 10:38), and the early disciples were continually refreshed with an ‘oil change’.

Psalm 92:10

10 But my horn You have exalted like a wild ox;

I have been anointed with fresh oil .

Acts 3:19-20

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Acts 4:31

And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

          They recognized this and yielded to these times of refreshing and were “re’- filled with the Holy Spirit time and again. They had previously been born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit, but still felt the need in this threatening situation to be ‘refilled’ with the Spirit, a ‘topping up’ if you please.

 The dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit       

Matthew 3:16-17

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

           The Holy Spirit is likened to a dove in Jesus baptism, and in keeping with the first direct mention of the dove in scripture, is used to speak of the peace He always brought to any situation. (Olive branch of peace that the dove brought after the flood of judgment began subsiding – Genesis 8:7-12). After all, Jesus is described as the prince of peace! (Isaiah 9:6). In your life if ever you want to recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit look for peace, that’s where He will be.

           Then, like a dove broods over its eggs in order to bring forth new life, the Holy Spirit in you broods over new things he wants to bring forth in your life. He is gentle and protective and will speak comforting and encouraging things to you.

          The dove in the natural is faithful to its one mating partner, is gentle and is able to keep its eyes focused. The Holy Spirit in turn is faithful to never leave you, is gentle and controlled, and keeps your eyes focused on Jesus (John 14:16 / Isaiah 42:1-4 / Matthew 6:22). It is also ‘harmless’ or as is implied in scripture ‘unmixed’ or innocently unmingled.

Matthew 10:16

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

           Your witness in the world must reflect the purity of a dove like holiness. That is something only the Holy Spirit can give you. Your enemy, the devil, is unholy in all that he does, and you and I must cooperate with the Holy Spirit to be set apart from evil in all we say and do. Allow the inner seed of positional holiness given to you at the new birth to grow into the fruit of practical holiness as the ‘divine dove’ gains more and more control over your life.

Philippians 2:14-15

Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless , children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,…

It is fair to say that the apostle Paul was a seasoned minister of excellence. He mentored Timothy the young pastor of the large citywide Ephesian church estimated by some to be in the tens of thousands. Timothy was young but called and chosen for the great responsibility that faced him. There is much to learn from the tips Paul gave to Timothy. 

Remain committed to your calling  

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia–remain in Ephesus… 1 Timothy 1:3 

Things started well for Timothy, but in time, he was tempted to move on, finding some reason to validate his desire to move on. Paul wrote and gave instruction that he was to remain in Ephesus and be committed to his call there. Often our spiritual victory is a matter of outlasting the enemy. We are instructed elsewhere to stand our ground, fully covered with God’s armor when satan seeks to move us off our base. That is why it is a good idea to write the vision, so that in time when uncertainty creeps up, you can clearly remember the direction the Lord gave you. 

Prioritize Prayer 

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,…1 Timothy 2:1-2 

Paul had come to understand that his ministry stood or fell on prayer. He had learnt to pray unceasingly in a lifestyle of devotion and intercession. His apostolic prayers are common to the letters he wrote, and he exhorts Timothy to also prioritize prayer before all else: “first of all.” Busyness, even hard work, is no substitute for believing prayer that invokes God’s insight, foresight, strength, provision, and protection in all ministry effort. 

Be forewarned about people around you will ‘depart’ 

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith,… 1 Timothy 4:1 

Discouragement can set in when those around you ‘depart from the faith.’ If you are not careful their lack of faith can influence your faith, and you need to set a guard against the enemy who will lie about ‘something being wrong’ with what you have been ministering. After all, if what you have been ministering is all OK, how come so and so has now fallen behind?It is comforting to know that even under Jesus’ perfect teaching, some disciples turned back (John 6:66). So be aware of the enemy’s wiles. 

Be prepared to stir things up 

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you… 2 Timothy 1:6 

There is a natural tendency for the general spirit of intimidation, and the flesh to have a “settling” effect. God has placed in each one of His ministers, gifts that must be stirred up. Faith is an active pursuit of God’s will against opposition. It always involves a fight, and a fight requires spiritual effort. Through time, if you are not alert, you can “throttle back” and put up with the ordinary. God is never ordinary, and when we are walking closely with Him things can never be humdrum. Moreover it is your responsibility to stir up the gift within you through remembrance, prayer, confession and use. God will not do it for you. 

Be sure to associate with genuine believers 

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!2 Tim 3:1-5 

It is naïve to think that all people who show up in and around your ministry are genuine. It would be nice to think that everyone you minister to has a pure heart for the Lord. However, if you do not discern who and what they really are like, you can be taken in and suffer harm. Paul instructs Timothy to turn way from such people, knowing the danger that comes through tolerating such end time selfishness.Notice that these are not rank sinners ‘out there’ but people who have the ‘form’ or outward trappings of godliness, much like the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day. They were outwardly clean looking, but inwardly devoid of all real life. ‘Whitewashed tombs’ Jesus called them. Paul warns Timothy about such religious hypocrites that appear to be one thing outwardly, but inwardly really are another type of person. 

Be skillful in using the scripture 

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

God has built into scripture all that any minister needs in fulfilling the good works God has planned out for him. There is no use in trying to find some gimmicky approach to ministry that is separate from a solid and sound preaching of the scripture. Skillful preaching takes into account the four key directions preaching and teaching can and should take. All word ministry includes some doctrine or teaching; some reproof or rebuke; some correction of error, and some instruction or training in the ‘how to’s’ of living in the righteousness Jesus has given to us.Ministers of excellence apply the needed emphasis of the word to fit the situation. Ministry should be specifically targeted, not just thrown out there hoping that something will stick. 

Keep your focus on sound wholesome teaching 

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.2 Timothy 4:2 

The flesh can become bored with wholesome food, seeking after a while, things that are ‘spicy’ and new. Paul warns Timothy that if he is not watchful he can be tempted to lose his focus and cater to the ‘itching ears’ of his hearers rather than what he knows to be sound doctrine.As a minister of excellence realize there are ‘seasons’ when people you minister will ‘turn away from the truth’ and go after more fanciful teaching. It is in these seasons that you must remain faithful to what God has given to you, and fulfill your ministry. Avoid trying to compete with those that appeal to the listener’s carnal desires. Be ready in season and out of season. Keep your ministry simple and steady.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:45

The heart of leadership is service: making God’s dream come true in the lives of those you minister to. Although the leader is out front breaking new ground, he is also a follower. Jesus called men to follow Him, and promised to make them fishers of men, that is, lead others in turn to follow Him too.

Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Matthew 4:19-20 

Leaders influence, respond earlier than others to challenges, carry the weight of responsibility and discover vision and purpose. They are moved by conviction rather than settle for convenience and comfort. They dare to be different and manifest more strongly the ‘dominion drive’ that is found in all people as revealed to us in the book of Genesis.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26

Leaders of excellence will submit this drive under the Lordship of Christ and use their ambition to further God’s kingdom purposes and not their own agenda. They will recognize that we are called to have dominion over creation and not one another. Through Jesus, the way back to God is open for all men to draw near as kings and priests for themselves in what is called the “individual priesthood of the believer.” Leadership is never to usurp the privilege we each have in approaching God, rather it is to encourage and equip the saints in their walk with the Lord. Jesus is the only mediator, and no leader should stand in the doorway blocking a person’s way to God. Unfortunately, history is full of leaders who have used their influence to manipulate God’s people for their own advantage rather than to stimulate them to walk in the freedom that comes from knowing God personally through Christ.

True leadership involves equipping believers to be and do all they are called to. Leaders that stimulate their followers are characterized by a desire to impart faith in God through a practical presentation of the word, and a focus on building internal conviction and trust in God alone. Their ministry appeals to a person’s position in Christ. The positive response to this kind of leadership is increased illumination of God’s true purposes and a strong unwavering identification with His cause. The followers are energized to be equipped and activated by the Holy Spirit into fruitful ministry.

In contrast, manipulative leadership is characterized by fear, is externally based on duty and practice, condemnation, and drive their people from behind. In time, most people will respond to this kind of authoritarian leadership negatively. They will rebel, recoil or robotically resign themselves to a religious treadmill that sucks the life out of the purity and simplicity of their relationship with God. These followers see their leaders as their source of inspiration, not God Himself. Sooner or later they are let them down in some way and drop away to some low level of church life and expectancy. The leader of excellence must always see and place Jesus and His power preeminent in all areas of their service.

Instead of berating the sheep to do what they can and should, the leader is called to stir up the Christ within each believer so that they live life from the inside out, thus provoking or stimulating the call.

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,…” Hebrews 10:24

It seems as if some people because of ignorance or neglect spend their lives cultivating insignificant lives in a vain attempt to evade a multitude of sorrows. The world is largely mired in mediocrity and so much potential is wasted as days drag into weeks and weeks into months and years of aimlessness.

In God’s kingdom things are and ought to be different! God’s ministers, if they are to accurately represent the God of excellence, must go over and above the ordinary and manifest God’s majesty. God did not send an average person to do an average job in saving an average people destined for average things. No, He gave us Jesus, His best, so that we could live a life of excellence that brings Him glory. Thank God, He is different, and sets such a high standard. If He did not, He would not be supreme and we would continue sinking into lower and lower states, having nothing to look up to!

It is always a joy to purchase a product that is well engineered and constructed. It works exactly as it was made to, and keeps on working. You have no twinge of regret for paying what you did after years of flawless use. The ‘product’ in ministry, is the gospel. The channel through which it flows is your ministry. The gospel is the most excellent message ever, and each generation faces the challenge of cultivating a ministry that reflects the excellency of our God.

They shall see the glory of the LORD,The excellency of our God. Isaiah 35:2 

The definition of excellence is to be “over and above, to surpass or go beyond the ordinary or mediocre.” This in itself is not a bad thing. But in God’s economy, His person and character is the standard. Let me explain.

In the ways of the world, excellence will be comparative and competitive in nature. ‘I am richer, faster, and smarter than you.’ As a result pride is unavoidable. For pride gets no satisfaction or pleasure in having something, only in having more of it than the next person. Pride is a character matter in God’s eyes. Yet the world rewards achievers even if they don’t have character.

What is highly esteemed amongst men can be an abomination with God.

 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15 

Status, prestige, power, possessions, impact and influence are highly valued amongst man. Yet a morally impeccable person may be considered a failure if he makes no public impact. In contrast, a person whose personal life is riddled with moral failure is often still able to make a public impact at least for a while. Hitler, Stalin, Napoleon, all showed all showed determination, skill, resourcefulness, and were decisive. They were leaders and stood out, but unfortunately they stood out above the average in evil. Excellence must have a moral component.

Then too, God’s ways are not the ways of ordinary man. He is extraordinary in all His ways and thoughts.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.

Isaiah 55: 8

God measures everything in terms of calling, gifting and function. All things are of Him as the source, through Him as the process, and to Him for the glory, leaving no room for competition and its cousin, pride. Every minister has a unique position and function in Christ, and eternal rewards are given out in the light of the minister’s response to his call. Not someone else’s. We are all unique, and our place cannot be filled by someone else. If we realize this, we can be delivered from insecurity, competition and pride to pursue our calling with passion and excellence. Of course, the challenge is then to pursue excellence alongside some ministers still trapped in their unrenewed world view of excellence.

Outlined you could look at it this way

The standard of excellence is God’s pure character, and not how well we are doing compared to someone else. The model of excellence is Jesus Christ Himself, making the goal of excellence becoming like Him. Character development is thus the focus of excellence, and finally the motive of excellence is to glorify God. No room for personal glory there. It’s all wrapped up in God, not self! How big your ministry is, how much you have done for the poor, is not at the heart of the Bible view of excellence. Rather it is who you are. What you do must be rooted in who you are in Christ, and without Him we are nothing.

Does that mean that ambition is improper for the minister of excellence? No. There is both godly and ungodly ambition. Ambition or the desire or aspiration to succeed, when properly focused on bringing God glory is a good thing. The need for man’s acceptance and acclaim is closely linked to ungodly ambition. We should serve God with excellence out of gratitude for the love and acceptance He has already lavished on us, and not because of the standing and acclaim we can earn amongst men. We are ‘complete in Christ’ and excellence in any good work should start with that assurance.

  …and you are complete in Him,… Colossians 2:10 

The antidote to selfish ambition is to adopt a new mindset of service towards others.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4 

To be highly motivated is not as important as being motivated by high things!