Monthly Archives: June 2024

Pressing Forward

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Galatians 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Many times, as leaders the desire to quit comes upon us. Recently several national leaders have been exposed for immorality and have stepped down from ministry. Some are resigning from ministry as they are sighting things that occurred decades ago in their lives. But if true repentance occurred, does it take such a drastic move as to resign now? Or as leaders are they just tired of the battles? Are they ready to step away and don’t know how? I makes me wonder, even though it maybe self-exposing, there is a “I just don’t care anymore attitude” and this is a way out ?

Every leader faces the moments of quitting. Looking at the cost and weighing the fruitfulness. Even if things are fruitful is there appreciation for the sacrifices that have been given? If appreciation is there, are the results too small to justify all that is required. I’ve been there many times. Early in the ministry my wife was the admin for our school and ministry. We went through seasons of going to each other’s offices and resigning. It became a joke between us but had some truth to it. There are several moments in ministry they have actually documented when a decision of going forward or walking away occurs. At 5 years the first zeal and excitement of ministry is fading and reality sets in. At 15 years the mundane is setting in. 25-30 years the toil of ministry is now wearing ministry leaders down. The percentages are extremely high (90% or so) of ministry leaders walking away at these time factors. What happens is we lose strength of youth and the wisdom and experience of the aged. The problem is separating ministry from personal walk, even though they overlap. The ministry is the assignment of God and not the actual life of the leader. Your private life is separate from ministry life and over time the boundaries become blurred.

What I feel is the primary reason leaders get discouraged is they become the only one working the original vision gave. A leader can get discouraged as the product they are trying to finish (people) is constantly eluding them and unwilling to change or to work the vision. A certain complacency sets in during the absence of true excitement, and a natural routine emerges. It is inevitable that when there is no breakthrough the mundane becomes the norm and the heart loses hope. Many see Jeremiah this way as the weeping prophet. If anyone fought quitting it was him. He prophesied and did not see his words heeded or come to pass. He even was instructed by God to buy land knowing he to would come under the judgment of God by doing so. Yet to me he is the greatest example of hope. His hope was God would turn all things, even if he didn’t see the final result. He knew his effort would have an impact. If we all could just see our efforts this way. It’s having eternal vision.

If you need the satisfaction at the end of the day like a typical builder of a home, or a painter etc. of a finished product to feel accomplished then ministry is maybe not a good fit for you. The product is in process, it just never reaches the point of finished. The results may be unfolding but at a slow pace.

Every leader comes to a point of decision in the journey of the vision. Is the original vision from the Lord still a viable vision for the moment of time I’m living in? The answer is yes! The vison does not change but the players and workers might. The vision doesn’t change but the mission and steps of fulfillment may need adjusted.

Habakkuk 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Waiting is what gets hard. Its hard to stay focused and stay in faith. But true faith is from the point of receiving vision to the point of its completion. During this time, all manner of things will come to derail faith. But the promise is it will not just come to pass but “surely come to pass”.

But in the waiting many things are being perfected. Faith is the main thing getting perfected because all the others are flowing from this maintained action. Revelation comes and is released. Hearts are dealt with. Motives are exposed and tested. Commitments and willingness to sacrifice also comes into play. A long list of things that matures the body carrying vision and the leader presenting vision. Sometimes there is disobedience that slows the vision’s actions. But sometimes there is great obedience that accelerates it.

A vision does not have to come to pass to be important. What is important is the journey the vision takes you on. The journey I have been on has been rewarding at times and others times challenging, even to the point of wanting to walk away. But the vision is still there beckoning. And along with the vision is a grace to fulfill it. If you quit and walk away, you come out from under the grace that is resting on your life in that area. That goes for a leader, and for those sent and placed by God to fulfill vision.

If you feel like quitting today stop and evaluate your personal journey not the fulfillment of what you set out to do. What was formed in you that could not be formed any other way? What revelations did you gain and who did you meet in this pathway? A fulfilled vision is a moment of success. A person changed is a lifetime of re-living a victorious pursuit. Once you separate the assignment from your personal walk you then can appreciate your personal relationship with God even more. This is what has been happening to me over the last 2 years. I’m amazed at what has occurred in the ministry but still feel disappointed as well. But in my personal life I’m just simply amazed. I am thankful to see my grandchildren raised in a Godly atmosphere and seeing them have encounters. I am thankful for my health. I’m thankful for the journey and amazed at who I have met, places I have been and things I have seen. I have seen every miracle in the bible. Storms standing still and being subject to our command. Witches crying out for salvation. Limbs growing, eyes opening, deaf hearing and the dead raised. I have seen portals of hell closed and curses over land and people not just broken but reversed. I have experienced God in many ways people would love to have opportunity, but I not only got opportunity, it went way beyond that. My final thoughts lately are I may not have fulfilled the vision, I may not show the success by which some judge, but God has been successful in my life having His way!

The Name of Jesus

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          Like most Christians, we use the name of our Savior very loosely. We tack “Jesus” on the end of our prayer or request so it’s official and somehow makes what we just prayed justified. Yet, if we truly understood our actions, we would be filled with awe and wonder. Jesus means ‘Jehovah is salvation’ and Christ means ‘anointed one’. These are not titles but functions! Even at the time of Jesus birth, God determined his name “He shall be called Jesus” or his function, anointed.  He also took on the name of His father Jehovah is salvation.

This name or function carries with it the ability to steward grace and eternity. 

          Let’s look at a word definition in John 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God .

Name means = the name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one’s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds,, etc.

The Bible enjoins us to pray “in the name of Jesus.” The invoking of Jesus’ name is not a magical incantation; its significance lies deeper. In the culture in which the Bible was written, a person’s name indicated the sum total of his attributes and character. To ask for something in Jesus’ name is not to tag on a phrase at the end of a prayer. Rather, it means that we believe that our request is what Jesus himself would ask for. We are showing that we are so closely aligned with the mind of Christ that we can make our request in his stead.

          Looking at John 14:13-14  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son . If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it .  We see this is a legal birthright of sons and daughters. This is asking without restrictions. But the one thing I want to point out is the name of Jesus is always associated with the Glory of God. WOW!

          When we speak the name or accept the name, we are accepting not just a savior but we are identifying with the creator of the entire cosmos. It means we accept our own existence as a son or daughter of that name and we make a demand based on relationship with the creator of everything. The early church recognized the power of the name. They believed that when it was spoken it put into motion a power that would release something created based on what was spoken prior to the name. In other words, the name was not the conclusion of the matter prayed but the beginning or starting point of the answer.  It was the extension of God now brought to bear into the earth. This would mean an answer was surely coming. God’s Glory was going to be revealed. A shifting was about to occur.

          The name of Jesus was recognized by others. They knew an authority had to perform the miracles and that a name always carried association to a higher power.  Acts 4:7-10

7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this ? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel , 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole ; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole . 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner . 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved .

Peter declares the authority the name holds and we see the glory of God revealed because of it. The leaders then determined an amazing thing. They were told in Acts 4:18-20 not to speak or teach in this name. The unbelievers realized the power of the name and what would be released if spoken or taught. When they told them not to speak, the word ‘speak’ is defined more as the sound wave that is carried than the content spoken. In other words, they were commanded not to release the power and Spirit behind the name that would cause a vibration in the hearts of men to be set off.

          Then the apostles prayed this prayer: Acts 4:29-30  And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word , By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus . They actually asked for more of an increase of the creative ability of the name! The outcome is God infuses the vibration of his Spirit into their midst and the place is shaken. This was an impartation of the Spirit associated with the name. (Remember the word “speak” means the sound wave over content)The prayer was a simple one but because the name is the beginning and not the end, a new chapter is about to open – Ananias and Sapphira. The church now moves to unified Acts 5:12, Magnified Acts 5:13, to multiplied  Acts 5:14. And the apostles are jailed again, only to be released the same night because they are given orders Acts 5:20 to go speak the words of this life. The name of Jesus also holds life!

          The apostles are beaten and told not to speak in the name again and they rejoice that they were counted worthy. You see the problem today is we use the name so loosely almost as a guarantee of our request. The early church used the name to touch lives not to get things. To bring the kingdom to bear into the earth. I will not go intothe other areas of the name such as Paul was called to bear or carry the name. How we take on the name as Christians, etc. But I want us to see why the harvest is not coming into the church yet.

          The great commission has mandates we are to fulfill as The Church. A mandate is non-negotiable. It is something we do not have to pray about. Mark 16:17-18  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues ; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover .

THE NAME IS PART OF THE GREAT COMMISSION! Without us understanding the release and creativity of the name, we will never fulfill the great commission. Why was the early church so fearless, so radical? They understood that they represented the name and if they got into a tight spot, the name also had the ability to create whatever was needed for the moment! If we look at Acts and see everything they did, we see it was all listed in the great commission. Casting out demons, drinking poison, etc. and it was all associated with the name. You see everything was not based on faith, or education but an understanding of the power behind the name.

Now let’s look at one more point in conclusion. Today much emphasis is placed upon the prayer movement, harp and bowl (crown is missing) and 24/7 Davidic worship, etc. An answer of why we are not seeing breakthrough results is seen in scripture.

Acts 15:14-17  Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name . 15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written , 16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up : 17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things .

We as God’s people have to first associate with His name, the name of Jesus, not a denomination or organization. Remember the name is associated and brings Gods glory. Much of what we are seeing is not based on the name of Jesus but based on the name of an organization. Then Verse 16 says “after this” after what? When a people exist for his name, then God, not men, will reestablish a place of dwelling. Then the residue of all men will run into it to call upon his name. Here is the final thing. The tabernacle of David so many are trying to build is not about our worship or our prayers but is supposed to be about His name! It is not to bring The Church into intimacy or get them excited but it is to be the greatest evangelism tool the world will ever see.  It is a place were the Glory of God dwells because the name is being continually released creating and touching the needs of all men! When this occurs the name of Jesus will not be a conclusion but a release of creative power bringing the beginning of the future!