Given the sadness of the reality in the last two blogs we are reminded that there is hope in those who are fully surrendered to Christ. Walking with Him is joy and satisfaction. Throughout scrpture and His historical work of redemption, He has chosen to inhabit those surrendered to himself in humility for His purposes. It is utterly irrelevant how highly (or lowly) others value, honour or respect us if we are in the place of His choosing, living as He has outlined and operative in dependance within the mission directives He has called us to, There is grace, we are not perfect in listening or prompt to respond. There is patience when we are slow to hear the voice who directs. There is wisdom from His word with daily correctives for those who seek him but are tempted to rely on our own intellect. In essence life in The Spirit, faithful to the call of the Spirit, living to point people to Christ is the happiest place regardless of what others are doing. There is appropriate confidence in closeness to Christ.
What though of our role as intercessors for our families, churches, nations. local and global missional connections?
God rewards and uses those who diligently seek Him and live to please Him.
How will our nation, global missional networks, frontier peoples, churches, families be redeemed in His purposes? By you and I getting serious about our close walk with Him and being clean surrendered channels of His purposes, sacrificing all notions and affections for our own kingdoms and serving Him with integrity and transparency. It is no more complex. Draw close to Him, it begins and ends there.
2 Chron 7:14, James 4:8
How does His Spirit work in our intercessions, especially if those charged with Spiritual authority and leadership do not see the same perspective, either through different discernment or sin?
1) We seek to please Him regardless of whether we are able to influence others by asking Him to be the one who administers change, When we see so much in the Christian world / in others that concerns us the temptation of course is to lose heart, and so we would if the correctives and consequences all depended on us, Like Peter in John 21:22 our primary concern for the Lord Jesus should be pleasing Him ourselves and focussing on what He has called us to,
2) We seek to respond obediently to what THE SPIRIT does lay on our hearts, Does that (1) mean that we are never concerned, pray or called to be wise about other ministry situations / parts of the new community ? This surely cannot be the case. Sometimes we are called to articulate something is wrong to care for others who are affected by it, or simply because God has placed a weighty conviction on our hearts that intrudes into our spiritual walk by His design (as we read His word, as we pray, everything of His Spirit says AMEN). Being preoccupied with such things however or seeking them is never our calling or obedient. Growing in discernment is God's design for us, we are answerable for our own lives alone, and no doubt some maybe many of the situations which test our deep discernment about His people are by design of providence coming into our lives more directly for this very purpose.
Appropriate respect for spiritual leadership and the new community bought with the blood of Christ.
I have no issues with those not in leadership being exercised about the nature and reality of new community health. Firstly this is how progression into leadership is exercised/ explored/ tested, and secondly we believe in the priesthood of all believers. If done in the right spirit of love and truth entering in to discussion with full honouring hearts for the new community of Christ, such a discussion is so healthy. There is a breed of leadership style however which says consider such things as a layoerson if you dare ? A heavy management style (professionalism) of shepherding (not what was once called "heavy shepherding" but heavy handed pastoring which leads behind a barricade of yes men in leadership who do not challenge authority of lead figures). Those who call themselves shepherds who are threatened by such conversations about the spiritual health of the new community and manufacture barriers / circumnavigate against the new community being honest, open and able to articulate integrity conviction about its spiritual state, surely have bigger issues of insecurity and identyity in their calling. Shepherds are servants, called to serve the church and its growth in maturity not demand spiritual maturity of a local church in order to serve their ministry and progress. I think of Richard Baxter serving his congregation to maturity.
Having said that we need to remember that there is a huge difference between being concerned about churches, people, mission activities / regions/ ministries. relationships where we have had intimate relational connection, ( places and people we have served the purposes of Christ in by prayer, obedience in His Spirit, been actively involved in / connected with because of His direction / providence) and being a busy bodies (2 Thess 3:11) concerned with things we have no connection with outside of our circumstance, calling or hard work.
Submitting to The Spirit amidst unresolved change is always part of our faithfulness.
Put another way success in the Spiritual walk is never having all unresolved issues resolved this side of holy, but learning to resolve them by faith in THE LORD - His authority, power and governance. So many psalms are about this. I think of so many under persecution who model this daily. Contrast the western activism to set things right by personal force or protest on a public forum or social media site. In a cell with broken bones, THE SPIRIT of Christ is present with those who submit to/ obey The Spirit and love Christ and His church. The voice they hear in their loneliness is saying "leave this issue of authority with me and my eternal throne". Like the early churches and their issue with persecutor Saul, it was a personal voice who said trust me with this, and a personal voice which spoke to Saul resolve it. If it is not resolved today, you have full assurance that it will be resolved at the ultimate time of resolution when all wrongs are put right. The same voice that spoke the world into being has spoken by His Son and will speak judgement and resolution.
What to pray, how to pray, how to be changed and model spiritual transformation.
What to pray. That our main concern is that He resolves this In Christ for His honour, and we are not gods to ourselves. That He is pleased with His people and honoured by them in their call to Him and dependance on Him. Romans 5:2 in the context of 5:1-6. Part of our joy in these things is that we can take them to Christ, know Him more and He will resolve all things for His glory and our good. Pray that our resolution and acceptance will be 100% in Him and resting in His presence, regardless of how this presenting issue will be resolved or unresolved in our understanding in the here and now. When faith is being tested and under pressure our reset must be to hear Gen 15:1, that He remains "our shield and very great reward". His infinite goodness does not change (James 1:17). Abiding in His presence is His ultimate gift of goodness. We pray therefore as an expression of Faith and love that He will resolve all things, and that we will all grow in the knowledge of this now as He progresses that in His own timing.
How to pray: HUMBLY that we will please Him. In humble submission to the mediation of Christ. In the faith that our father who sees in secret and will one day open up all things we pray that our heart condition and the heart condition of others will conform to the image of His Son. That love and obedience will radiate (1 Cor 13:8), that we will display His nature. Regardless of the outcome of such issues then our joy will remain in the fact that we abide in the one whom we will abide in forever. Pray that we will grow in wisdom, holiness, sin renounced, (sanctification).
How to be changed and model change: Display obedience to God. 2 Cor 5:17. 2 Peter 3:17-18. The same SPIRIT which calls us to mission calls us to Holiness.
When error abounds, be consistent in seeking sanctification, If the error in others is not listening to THE SPIRIT in His mission direction (prioritising their own direction for life and ministry), be sure to be loving the lost yourself, ready to leave your comfort for them yourself, and showing a life which is consistent / in balance between mission and holiness to commend the truth and presence of God. The reference to Paul (14-18) is clear and constant in both applied holiness, and applied missional obedience. This is a high calling and task. None of us are perfect, but all of us should be seeking to model Christ, the obedient one to His sending, the obedient one to His sacrifice, the obedient one to His pleasing of the Father in all aspects. As we grow in obedience, pleasing the Father, temptation will increase not dissipate (Matthew 3:16-4:1). Our only resource to stand is the word of God at work in us, and the power of The SPIIRT to apply His word in our total surrender and dependance.
Be confident that when you ask THE LORD in quiet and respectful obedience to speak to others if appropriate, if in line with the promptings of His SPIRIT to you, GOD will speak to those who are out of step with Him. Their response, you leave with Him.
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