How would you define success? Is it the amount of money you have? The number of people who like or love you? Is it the height that you can climb in your job? Is it the titles or degrees that you have behind your name? The world often judges success by these standards, but is that what success truly is? Many of these things are the results, the fruits of success, but they themselves are not success itself from a Biblical standpoint.
The difference is this, if we are judging our success purely by our worldly status, then we can be deceived and misled. If we are judging our success purely by what we have, or what we have achieved, then it will not always portray an accurate picture according to the truth of God. It may seem as though we have nothing at the moment. However the reality is that you actually have everything. This is what we will be looking at today in scripture.
One day someone asked me straight out “what is the ministry of the spirit?” – now this man was a believer, and as embarrassing as it may seem, I hadn't actually considered that there were believers today which did not know what the Bible says about the ministry of the spirit, or even that there has been a change in ministry. So his question caught me a little bit off-guard. Since that time, I've come to realize that the majority of believers also have the same question, unaware that there has been a change in ministry due to Jesus Christ.
This is what we are going to be studying today, seeing the change that has occurred in our ministry. It's important to see this truth for two reasons: first because as ambassadors for Christ, we should know what the message from our King is! And second, this will also help us to distinguish between truth and falsehood in ministry.
In the world today, things are very high-strung. People are very busy going from this thing to that thing. Always in a hurry, and always desperately seeking, but never finding true peace; true inner rest and tranquility. Now the world has many different avenues by which people try to find peace. There are many rituals and tools, and things that people pursue to chase after this inward rest.
The Bible though has another method, one which is opposite to our natural human thinking. We tend to have this idea that in order to really rest that we must shut-off our mind, empty ourselves and relax.. usually in front of the television or with music. But are those activities truly “restful”? What we will be exploring today in scripture is true Biblical rest; what it is, and how to receive it.
What is the purpose of the Bible? Some say that it is a rulebook; a set of “do's” and “don'ts” on how to live; others see it as a guideline for self-improvement. Some see it as a mysterious book filled with codes and deep hidden secrets of the world; others say that it is purely a work of fiction with no significance at all. I see the Bible as something entirely different than all of these ideas… I see the Bible as a love letter – a love letter to you – from the Creator of the Universe. A love letter designed to not only show you the Creator of the Universe and everything in it, but to unveil to you His heart and His passion for you, and His desire to reconcile you to Himself and share in a personal relationship.
Some people have a hard time accepting this idea. They see God as a distant being up in the sky, who is either not interested in the world at all, or so busy dealing with the events and troubles of the world that He could not possibly have time for us on an individual basis; however nothing could be further from the truth. The word “Bible” simply means books, but what's so special about this particular collection of books? What's so different about the Holy Scriptures?
I have already mentioned that I see the Bible differently from most people… I see it as a love letter. Now ultimately the greatest expression of love is to lay down your life for the one you love. To save someone, even at the expense of yourself; and this is exactly what God has done, through Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament writings (what the Jewish people call the Tanakh) there are prophecies – prophecies of the Anointed One of God, the Messiah (Mashiah) who will come to redeem and save His people. This is an action done purely from love, from a desire not to destroy, but to save.
There is a division in many Christian circles today; and this division is between the holiness of God, and the Grace which Jesus Christ has brought to humanity. You may have heard it spoken in church or preached from the podium, that “God is a Holy God. His Holiness is uncompromising and His eyes see everything.” This is an absolutely true statement – no doubt about it at all. But what is the intent of the message? For believers in Christ Jesus who have been cleansed from all of their sins, is the holiness of God still something to fear?
I have spoken to many believers who are facing confusion, because they have been taught that they should be in fear regarding the holiness of God and should constantly be weighed-down in remembrance of their sins. To do otherwise would mean that God had “given them up to their sinful lusts” or that they have a “seared conscience”; and we have an entire separate study on the true meaning of a seared conscience for those who are trapped in the psychological jail-cell of sin and guilt because of that particular false teaching.
The question we will be answering today in this study is: Is the Holiness of God separate from the Grace of Christ? Many people think that they are on two opposite ends of the spectrum, as if God has a split-personality disorder. Yet is this what the Bible actually teaches? We will be looking at this today in the scriptures.
It's safe to say that most believers want to bless God. We sing songs about “blessing His name.”, speaking well of Him (which is technically all that blessing means). But there is a commonly held idea that in order to truly bless God, we must give to Him; an idea that has led many into bondage by trying desperately to give to God something of worth and value in order to somehow demonstrate gratitude.
However is this idea of “giving back to God” really the best way to demonstrate gratitude or bless Him? Is this really what the Bible says? Today we will be answering these questions from scripture to see what really gladdens the heart of God.
In John chapter 15, Jesus speaks the words that this ministry is founded upon, saying that He is the True Vine, and that we are the Branches. Then He goes on to make a very important and very controversial statement, that apart from Him we can do nothing, but with Him we bear much fruit. This statement of Jesus is controversial, because while nearly every believer is familiar with it, very few actually believe it!
Do you believe these words of Jesus today? Do you truly believe that without Him you can do nothing, but with Him you will bear much fruit? We as humans, tend to think that we can still do some things without Him – we think that we can still do small things or personal things without Him, and we only need Him for the big and important things. But the truth of Jesus as our source of everything is vital to our success as a believer, and this is what we will be studying today.
Many times when believers talk about health, they do it from the perspective of the world. As if sickness and disease is just a normal part of life. From a very early age, we are conditioned by the world to accept illness as a natural condition – as just part of being human, and so we receive it without a second-thought. Likewise when believers talk about prosperity, many times it is with derision “we don't want that prosperity gospel!”. As a result, many people spend their lives battling sickness and in poverty But is this what the Bible says should be? Is this what the life of a believer redeemed by Christ Jesus should be like?
Today in this study, we will be answering these questions from scripture as we examine what the Bible has to say regarding health and prosperity, in the light of the finished work of Jesus Christ. And as we see the truth of Jesus regarding these things, we will be able to receive more of Him.
What does it mean to be holy? People have many different ideas about the word… from piousness and being overtly spiritual like the Pharisees, secluding yourself and meditating, or some other combination of self-effort and works. The Biblical definition of holiness is “to be set apart for your intended purpose”. But this definition has been largely misinterpreted and misunderstood, and has become something much more carnal and fleshly.
That's why today in this study, we will be taking a look at holiness, in the light of the finished work of Jesus Christ; and as we see this truth from the scripture, the false burden of trying to be holy will be replaced with receiving the holiness that Jesus has paid for us to have.
Did you know that you have a ministry? Whether you are an ordained minister or not, regardless of your age, education, ethnicity or background, a ministry has been given to you, and for you. It is a ministry first and foremost for you to receive personally in your own life, and then it is a ministry to share with others. Many people do not realize that this ministry is for them, assuming that it is only for the super-spiritual or special holy men, but the Bible makes it clear that this ministry is for everyone.
Today in this study, we are going to be examining this ministry; what it is, how we receive it, and then how we are to share it, because even though the Bible says that it is ours, if we do not know that we have it or what it is, it doesn't do us any good.