According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
— 1 Corinthians 3:10

Have you ever struggled with the grace that God placed on your life? Have you ever wished you could be like someone else instead of the person God made you to be?

Many believers struggle with this issue. They aren’t satisfied with the grace on their own lives and they wish they could have the grace of another person.

For example, a pastor may grow tired of preaching to the same faces week after week as he leads his local congregation. Soon he begins to dream of being a traveling teacher or an evangelist who journeys across the world to proclaim the Gospel in new places. Or on the flip side, a traveling evangelist or teacher may grow tired of constantly moving around and wish that he could be given the pastoral grace that would allow him to settle down in one spot. However, as long as a person yearns to be someone other than who God made him to be, he will never feel satisfied or fulfilled in life.

Romans 12:6 tells us that we all have “…gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us….” Therefore, it’s vital that we as believers endeavor to discover our own particular grace and then, once we have found it, to embrace it and pursue it with fervor!

In First Corinthians 3:10, Paul described the grace that was placed on his own life. He said, “According to the grace of God which is given unto me….” I want to draw your attention to the word “according” in this verse, which in Greek is the word kata. This Greek word always describes a downward force or something that is subjugating, dominating, or conquering. By using this word kata, Paul was literally saying, “I have been conquered by this particular grace that is on my life.”

Think of how difficult it must have been for Paul to accept his grace as an apostle to the heathen cities of the Roman Empire. Many of the cities to which he traveled were rife with immorality and demonic activity. The city of Corinth, for example, was one of the most wicked cities of that time, yet Paul still boldly entered that city to proclaim the light of truth in the face of unspeakable darkness. When he first traversed the long road that led into Corinth, he walked past intricately carved idols that lined the road on each side. These statues — most of which were naked — had been vividly painted, with great attention paid to even the smallest details to make them appear as vibrant and lifelike as possible. Thus, when Paul walked down on that street into the city of Corinth for the first time, flanked by brightly colored idols on all sides, it was as if he was walking through a corridor of living pornography.

However, despite the monumental challenges that lay ahead of him in Corinth, Paul didn’t back away from his divine calling or waste his time wishing he could borrow the grace of another man. Instead, he boldly marched into this wicked city, and with the grace that was on his life, Paul literally pushed the powers of hell out of the way. And as a result of his perseverance and determination, the apostle gave birth to the church of Corinth, which would grow to become one of the greatest churches of the First Century. It was in this city that he would also meet Aquila and Priscilla, who became the greatest partners in ministry he would ever have.

In city after city, the apostle Paul pushed the powers of hell out of the way — confronting principalities and powers, demonic manifestations, and pagan temples — in order to lay the foundations for new churches. He did this in Corinth, in Ephesus, in Thessalonica, and many other cities. This was his grace. And just as each church became established, the Holy Spirit would direct him to turn over the congregation to someone else and then move on to do it again.

The very fact that Paul used the word kata in First Corinthians 3:10 implies that he struggled with his grace — just as many of us have struggled with ours. However, he finally came to a place where he quit struggling with the anointing God had placed on his life; in fact, he opened his heart and embraced it. Paul testified in his epistle to the Corinthians that this grace dominated his life.

In my own life, I have an anointing to minister to the people in the former Soviet Union. Time and time again, this grace on my life has enabled me to accomplish what other people could not, and since Denise and I first moved to the former USSR in 1991, we have repeatedly overcome obstacles that others have described as insurmountable. For instance, when Denise and I moved to Moscow to establish a church in that city, countless people warned us that we would fail. They’d exclaim, “Moscow was the center of world Communism. Demonic powers and principalities loom in that city! It is the graveyard of preachers!”

Everywhere we turned, we heard these kinds of reports, but I knew I had the grace to accomplish this work for the Lord. And because I embraced my grace and pursued the calling of God on my life, I have since reaped the abundant rewards of obedience. In fact, ministering in Moscow has been one of the most enjoyable endeavors I have ever undertaken in my life, and the church we started continues to grow by leaps and bounds.

It is such a joy when you finally know and accept your grace. When you reach this point, you no longer feel threatened by or envious of the grace of anyone else. You are able to confidently say, “This is my grace! Other people can’t do what I do, and I don’t have to do what they do because that is their grace.”

Thank God, we’re not all the same! Each one of us has been given equally unique and important gifts. Whether you are a pastor or an usher, a businessman or an artist, you are an essential member of the Body of Christ. Your grace defines your place. So discover your grace, embrace it, and then allow it to dominate your life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the unique grace You have placed upon my life. I am gifted differently than others, and You have called me to do what You have not called others to do. To do this job effectively, you have anointed me and equipped me in a distinctive way for the job. Today I ask You to help me surrender to the grace that you’ve placed on my life and to quit struggling with who You have called me to be!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am content in the grace of God that is on my life. God has called me, anointed me, and graced me exactly for what I am doing. Who I am and what I am doing is no mistake. I have stepped into God’s glorious plan for my life, and His grace has equipped me uniquely and effectively for what I am doing. Day by day, I become more comfortable with the grace of God that dominates my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know what is the specific grace that God has placed upon your life? If yes, what is that grace? How would you describe it?
2. How is your grace different from the grace that is on other people’s lives?
3. Has it ever been a struggle to accept the place that God’s grace has defined for your life? If yes, why has it been a struggle?

Developing the Divine Romance

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
— Matthew 6:6

If you would like to know the Holy Spirit more intimately, it is important for you to understand what Jesus said in Matthew 6:6. He said, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”

When Jesus said that you are to “enter into thy closet,” was He actually telling you to get up every morning, open the closet door, shove all your shoes and clothes to the side, crawl inside that dark room, shut the door, and pray? Of course not!

The word “closet” is taken from the Greek word tameion, an old word that has an interesting progression in history. At first, the word tameion was used to depict a secret place where one would hide his or her most valuable possessions. But as time progressed, the word tameion came to describe a secure place where a person could put money or treasure, such as a safety deposit box or a vault at the bank. It represented a place so secure that no one would be able to break in to disrupt or steal these valuable possessions.

But by New Testament times, the word tameion had evolved even further. First, it depicted a secret place where one hid his prized possessions. Then it referred to a secure place such as a safety deposit box or a vault at the bank. Finally, tameion came to describe a bedroom.

Because a bedroom is a secret place where a treasured relationship takes place between a husband and a wife, it makes perfect sense that the word tameion would eventually describe this most private place. Intimate moments shared between a husband and wife occur in the bedroom. Although the husband and wife love their children in nearly every other sphere of their lives, this is one sphere that isn’t available to anyone else. It is a private place and experience to be shared only between husband and wife.

Thus, this verse could actually be translated:

“When it’s time for you to pray, enter into your bedchamber, and when you have shut the door behind you and secured a place of privacy, then pray….”

The word tameion is used in this verse to convey the idea of intimacy with God in prayer. Jesus was figuratively saying, “Just as a husband and wife enter into their bedroom and shut the door so they can bare their hearts and souls to each other in intimacy, so also you should have a relationship with God that is so tender, so special, and so intimate that it is shared only between you and Him and no one else. Therefore, find a secure place where you can go to share your heart and soul with God in prayer.”

Jesus portrays prayer as something so precious that it should occur in a bedroom with the door shut. This does not literally mean you must pray in the bedroom any more than it means you must pray in a closet. The concept of a bedroom is only used to convey the idea of an isolated and solitary place where you can be alone with the Lord.

When we enter into a time of prayer, it should be done at a place and time when we are not interrupted so the Holy Spirit can speak to our hearts and we can bare our hearts to Him. It should be a time of a sweet mingling together of human spirit with the divine Spirit. Each of us should make it a daily priority to have this special time of communion with the Father through the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t matter where you and I spend this private time with God; it just matters that we actually do it. Of course, it is best to find a time of the day when we can put everything else aside and concentrate only on Him, for the time we give to seeking God is a sacred time.

When we read the Gospels, we find that Jesus often arose early in the morning to pray when the other disciples were still sleeping. He often prayed on a mountaintop or out in the wilderness, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. There is nothing in the Bible that says the early morning hours are more holy than other hours of the day, and nowhere does the Bible teach that praying on a mountaintop is somehow better than other places. Jesus chose those early morning hours because it was a moment when He could find solitude and quietness with God. He prayed on those mountaintops and in the wilderness because He could pray in those isolated places without the interference of others.

Your place of prayer — your quiet place — may be in your car when you are driving to work alone every morning because that’s the only time and place you can find to be alone. It may be in the shower as you prepare for the day. It may be early in the morning when everyone else in the house is still sleeping. Or perhaps you are like me in that you find it better to pray late at night after others have gone to bed and you are finally alone. The point is this: Each of us must have a quiet place and a sacred time when we can give ourselves fully to God in prayer.

You may say, “I know I need to spend quality time with the Lord, but my schedule is so busy that it’s hard for me to find a time to do it.” But the truth is, you find time for everything else that is important to you. So if you really want to be with the Lord, you will find time for that as well. Think about it. Don’t you have time to read the newspaper? Do you watch the morning and evening news? Do you watch television programs or find time to go to the theater or movies? Do you make time in your schedule for recreation?

You see, you always make time for whatever is important to you. If you really wish to have an intimate, personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, you will make time for it.

So select a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Once you go to that place, shut the door to outside interference and to the voices that are constantly calling out for your attention. Focus on only one thing: this very intimate and private time with the Father. This is so important that you shouldn’t delay in acting on it! You need to start enjoying times of intimate fellowship with the Lord today!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to forgive me for making time for everything except You. The truth is, I haven’t made my prayer time a priority in my life; therefore, I haven’t been consistent in prayer. So often when I do start to pray, other things scream for my attention and distract me. So I am asking You to help me locate a time and place where I can be alone and uninterrupted with You. I know that this is essential for my spiritual life, so starting today, I am making this the highest priority in my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that my daily time with God is the highest priority in my life. I treat my time with the Lord like it is the most important moment of my day and week. I am faithful to pray, to fellowship with the Father, to bare my heart before Him, and to listen to what His Spirit has to say to me. Because I make this time a priority in my life, I walk away from my prayer time energized and revitalized with the strength I need to face any situation that might come my way.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Where do you go to spend quality time with the Lord? What time of the day have you found to be best for you to really pray without being interrupted by other people or business?

2. When you do spend time in prayer, what is the average amount of time you stay in the Presence of God? Can you honestly say you linger in His Presence, or do you have a “rush-in, rush-out” experience with the Lord?

3. If you examine your prayer time, what do you find that you pray about more than anything else? What does this reveal about you and your station in life?

Pray That the Word of the Lord May Have Free Course!

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.
— 2 Thessalonians 3:1

Have you ever wondered how you should pray for missionaries or for people who are preaching the Word on the front lines where it is more difficult? Well, today I’m going to give you the answer. And please — while you’re praying for people on the front lines, be sure to remember to pray for me too!

The apostle Paul did what I call “front-line ministry work.” As noted earlier (see August 3), Paul’s ministry took him places where the Church was non-existent. He dealt with hostile governments; he faced opposition from false religions; he pushed the evil forces of the demonic realm out of the way; he brought converts from the bleakness of paganism and turned them into living, breathing members of the Body of Christ. This task is never for the light-hearted, but only for the extremely committed.

As Paul makes his final remarks to the Thessalonians in Second Thessalonians 3, he says, “Finally, brethren, pray for us….” The word “finally” comes from the Greek words to loipon, which mean for the rest of the matter or to the last issue at hand. Paul has saved some very vital information for the end of his letter; therefore, he uses the words to loipon to let us know that although his letter is concluding, he still has something of high importance to say to the Thessalonian church.

Then Paul makes his request: “Finally, brethren, pray for us….” The Greek word translated “pray” is from the word proseuchomai. As it is used in this verse, this word means to pray continually or to pray without stopping. Paul is sincerely asking for committed prayer partners who will pray nonstop for his team, his ministry, and for himself. When he says, “Pray for us,” the word “for” is the Greek word peri, which means around or about. Paul is specifically requesting prayer for those things that are around or about them — hence, the things that concern them and their ministry.

Next, Paul gets more specific about how to pray. He says, “Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course….” The Greek could be better translated, “Pray for us, that the Lord’s word may have free course….” The Greek actually means the word that originates from the Lord.

This tells us that Paul was very conscious of the fact that he was not preaching his own manmade message or a message that belonged to him (see Galatians 1:11,12). He was carrying a divinely revealed message that originated with and belonged to the Lord. In all his years of ministry, Paul was always mindful that the message he carried was given to him by the Lord.

Furthermore, Paul knew that his responsibility was to preach that message. Therefore, he asked the Thessalonians to join him in praying that the Lord’s message might have “free course.” These words “free course” come from the Greek word trecho, which means to run.

Before we go any further, let’s stop and look deeper into the meaning of the word trecho. This word often referred to runners who ran a foot race in a huge stadium before adoring crowds of fans. In order for the runner to run successfully and finish triumphantly, every ounce of his strength and his complete attention was required.

There is no doubt that Paul had this picture in his mind as he wrote this verse, for he was in a race to preach the Gospel to as many souls as possible before he came to the end of his life. He was in a spiritual race, a real competition. Racing urgently and with all his might against the enemy who wants to eternally destroy and damn souls, Paul put forth his best efforts to save as many souls as possible.

However, there is another powerful image in the word trecho that applies to this verse. This word was also used to describe the swift-running messengers who dashed between enemy lines to carry vital messages of instruction to those who waited on the other side of the battle. These especially brave and courageous messengers were essential if battles were to be won.

You can clearly see why Paul would have chosen to use this illustration, for he was indeed a God-sent messenger running back and forth through enemy territory, delivering the message of the Cross, as well as instructions to the churches that looked to him for apostolic leadership. Paul was God’s special, swift-running messenger!

There is no doubt in my mind that Paul used the Greek word trecho to convey both of these ideas to his readers. Paul saw himself as one who was running in a race, competing for the souls of men. He also saw himself as God’s messenger, whose principal goal was to run back and forth through enemy territory, delivering vital information to the people who awaited it. Paul’s intention was that both of these ideas would convey the challenge that lay before him — as well as the reason he needed people to regularly pray for him.

One more important fact must be pointed out. The tense Paul uses when he requests prayer that the word of the Lord may have “free course” indicates a constant and continuous pace. Thus, it is possible to translate this phrase, “Pray that we will be able to keep up the pace that is required for us to get this message out!”

You see, Paul and his associates were already running very hard. If they were going to keep up with God’s pace — if the Gospel message was going to keep spreading at such a miraculous rate of speed — they would need supernatural assistance and empowerment from above!

Finally, Paul makes one last prayer request. He asks for prayer that the word of the Lord may “…be glorified, even as it is with you.” The word “glorified” is the Greek word doxadzo, which paints the picture of the triumphant arrival of God’s glory, ushering in a new and glorious day in the lives and the territories where the word of the Lord is heard and received.

Dr. John Catlin, Professor of Classical Greek and Chairman of the Classics Department at a leading university, once wrote this to me:

At first glance, the language of the New Testament appears to be disarmingly simple, but a deeper look gives us an appreciation of the difficulties facing translators of that work. It is clear that whereas no translation can exactly reproduce the original meaning, nevertheless, through an understanding of the original language, or at least the broad range of meaning that many of the words in that language have, it is more readily possible to penetrate and comprehend the meaning of that original language. It’s all too easy for those who are fluent in only one language to assume that there are exact equivalents between languages.

One of the greatest challenges of Bible translators is to translate into English the many ideas and images that are in Greek words. Perhaps no example makes this clearer than Paul’s prayer request in this verse, which in English is a mere twenty-four words in length. But those twenty-four words are packed with power and meaning!

These powerful words used by Paul in Second Thessalonians 3:1 convey the following ideas:

“Finally, brothers, pray for us and for those things that concern us. Pray that the word of the Lord will spread quickly and without resistance. Pray that we will be able to keep up the pace that is required for us to get this message out!

“To fulfill this task, we have to be like runners whose eyes are fixed on the goal before us! We must be like brave, bold, daring, and courageous messengers, whose job is to carry vital information across enemy lines. We have to move promptly and swiftly to get the message of the Gospel to the other side where people are desperately waiting.

“Since the Lord has dispatched us to carry this message, and since this task requires us to run speedily through dangerous territory, we request prayer that we will be able to make it through every skirmish, clash, confrontation, and struggle that we might come across as we run to the other side to deliver the word of the Lord. I request that your prayers be unbroken, uninterrupted, and never-ending. As you pray, remember to specifically stipulate that the word of the Lord would usher in a triumphant and glorious new day in the lives of those who hear it, as it has done among you.”

So now you have an idea of how to pray for missionaries, preachers, or people who are ministering the Word and planting churches in new, unreached regions — the difficult front lines where the Word has never or rarely been preached. Here is a wrap-up of Paul’s prayer request for you to use as you pray for people you know who are working in difficult parts of the world:

•  Pray for the missionaries and preachers themselves.
•  Pray for the things that concern them, i.e., their families, their finances, their health, etc.
•  Pray for the Lord’s message to spread without hindrance from hostile forces.
•  Pray for the missionaries and preachers to win the race for souls.
•  Pray for them to be protected as they dash through enemy territory.
•  Pray constantly, around the clock, for those who are laboring on the front lines!

Now that you know how the apostle Paul wanted people to pray for him, you can use this as a guide to pray for missionaries and preachers in other parts of the world. Why don’t you take a few minutes to start praying for them today?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You today to bless missionaries who are living and working in other parts of the world. Bless their families, their health, their finances, and everything that concerns them. Help them preach with little or no resistance. Empower them to run fiercely as they race to reach souls from being eternally lost. Protect them as they live, work, and dash back and forth through dangerous territory. I pray that the entrance of God’s Word in their communities will break the powers of darkness and usher in a new triumphant day! Help me to remember to pray for them every day!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I love missionaries and support them with my prayers and finances. I appreciate them for leaving their homes, their families, and their natural surroundings, and for uprooting their wives and children and moving to the other side of the world to take the Good News to those who do not have it. I will be faithful to remember them, to honor them, to pray for them, and to support them with my substance. The role I play to support them in prayer and with my finances is essential for their success, so I will fulfill my role faithfully!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How often do you think of missionaries and preachers who live on foreign soil and who are giving their lives to reach people in other parts of the world?

2. Do you financially support any missionaries? If not, is there a reason you’ve never made this a priority in your life? Don’t you think you have a responsibility to make sure the same message that changed your life reaches people who have never heard it before?

3. How long has it been since you took the time to sit down and write a missionary to thank him for uprooting his family and moving them to the other side of the world? Even though that missionary family may be a long way from you, a note from you might be the very word of encouragement they need right now. Would you please consider taking a few minutes of your time to show them love and encouragement today?

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
— Acts 10:38

In today’s Sparkling Gem, I feel especially led to highlight a truth from Acts 10:38 that has deeply impacted my life. Although I had read this verse hundreds of times, I was amazed when I saw this truth because I’d never realized before what I’m about to tell you, nor had I ever heard anyone teach about it. Since then, this one revelation has had a huge effect on Denise and me and the way we conduct our ministry.

Acts 10:38 says, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” What I want to share with you today concerns a very real aspect of Jesus’ ministry you may have never thought about before.

Most people focus on the part of this verse that describes the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus — both of which are, of course, so very important. But there’s something else in this verse that’s also very significant, and I overlooked it for many years. Then one day as I was studying my Greek New Testament, my eyes fell on a particular Greek word in this verse and I began to study it. What I learned completely opened up a part of Jesus’ ministry I had never considered. I’m talking about the phrase that says Jesus “went about doing good.”

I was truly taken aback when I saw the words “doing good” in the Greek language because I’d always thought the phrase in this context was just a descriptive summary of healing the sick and delivering those who were oppressed by the devil. But those words actually refer to a completely different aspect of Jesus’ ministry — and one of the largest and most profound parts of His ministry on the earth. I wondered how it was possible that I’d never heard anyone teach about something that provided such an eye-opening view right into the heart of Jesus!

The words “doing good” in Acts 10:38 are a translation of the Greek word euergeteo, an old word that denotes a benefactor; a philanthropist; one who financially supports charitable works; or a person who uses his financial resources to meet the needs of disadvantaged people. This word was used only to portray the provision of food, clothes, or some other commodity to meet a physical or material need. Thus, the use of this word in Acts 10:38 emphatically means that a part of Jesus’ ministry was comprised of meeting the physical and tangible needs of people who were disadvantaged in some way.

Of course, we know that Jesus performed supernatural miracles of provision — such as the time He multiplied five barley loaves and two fish to feed a large crowd of thousands of people (see John 6:1-13). However, the word euergeteo in Acts 10:38 tells us that His ministry also provided natural, material help to people who were in need.

By reading the four gospels, it becomes evident that Jesus’ ministry possessed enormous financial resources that came from various places. Besides offerings that were received, Luke 8:2 and 3 says there was a group of very wealthy women who supported Jesus’ work (see Sparkling Gems 1, November 18). Another indication of Jesus’ significant resources is the fact that He had a treasurer — His disciple, Judas Iscariot — who was responsible for handling the ministry finances.

In John 12:3, it is recorded that Mary used a pound of expensive spikenard — a rare scented oil — to anoint Jesus’ feet. Judas asked Jesus, “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” (v. 5). We can infer from Judas’ words that Jesus’ ministry had a philanthropic outreach to the poor over which Judas had been placed in charge as treasurer.

Acts 10:38 makes it even more clear that a significant outreach of Jesus’ ministry was to provide physical and material assistance to people in need. The use of the word euergeteo explicitly tells us that Jesus used His resources to do good works, such as caring for the poor and helping feed the needy. Thus, He set an example for us today to be involved in meeting people’s basic human needs as He enables us to do so.

Acting in “goodness” is a characteristic of God’s nature. In Acts 10:38, Luke mentioned this philanthropic aspect of Jesus’ ministry in connection with His healing ministry — in the very same sentence. The Holy Spirit was conveying the message that God is just as interested in helping the poor and needy with physical and material assistance as He is in supernaturally healing their bodies. Thus, we can know that helping meet the physical needs of others — performing similar acts of goodness — is just as much a part of Jesus’ ministry today as it was when He “went about doing good” in His earthly ministry almost 2,000 years ago.

Jesus longs to do it all — to physically heal sick bodies, to deliver those who are spiritually oppressed, and to help meet the needs of the poor. Jesus is still a Philanthropist!

I don’t know why this would ever be a surprise to us. Whether we fully realize it or not, we’ve all experienced God’s tender care in our lives. From the beginning of the Old Testament to this moment, He has cared for the needs of His people and has made provision for those who come to Him in faith — including you and me. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So it makes perfect sense that He would demonstrate this same caring nature both through His earthly ministry then and through His Body, the Church, today.

Furthermore, Galatians 5:22 tells us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is “goodness.” This word is translated from the Greek word agathusune, which comes from the word agathos, meaning good. But when agathos becomes the word agathusune, it means goodness in the sense of being good to someone. This word portrays a person who is generous, big-hearted, liberal, and charitable. We would call this person a giver.

This means one of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit — and one of the fruits He longs to produce in our lives — is the demonstration of care for others in physical and tangible ways. When we exhibit this characteristic by demonstrating care to others, we are acting like God Himself!

By listing this word “goodness” as one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 and 23, God lets us know that He wants us to be selfless and use our resources to help change people’s lives. This is absolutely contrary to the flesh, which would consume every spare dollar on itself. But when the Holy Spirit is working mightily in us, He shifts our focus from ourselves to the needs of those around us. The fruit of the Spirit called “goodness” creates in us a supernatural urge to reach beyond ourselves to meet the natural needs of others.

The truth is, when a believer is walking in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit opens his eyes to see the needs of humanity, and that person’s heart is moved to meet those needs. This is why there’s no greater benefactors or philanthropists in the world than those who are filled with the Spirit of God.

There are so many human needs in this world, and no one person, ministry, or organization can meet them all. But we are each responsible to respond to the nudge of the Holy Spirit to help those He brings across our path. If we’ll each respond to the distinct nudges we feel from Him — one by one, many needs will be met. And through those acts of goodness, Jesus will touch hearts in a very tangible way.

Throughout the Scriptures, you can find that helping those in need is deeply significant in God’s eyes. My own heart has been gripped by the number of passages that promise His supernatural help and blessing to those who demonstrate care for the disadvantaged and the poor. For example, Psalm 41:1 and 2 says, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.”

Since Acts 10:38 became such a revelation to me, Denise and I have been obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit when He quickens us to meet the needs of those in trouble. We call this aspect of our ministry our rescuing outreaches. Through this part of our work, we are reaching out to literally rescue the hurting and perishing with both the physical and spiritual help they need. As I already said, we know we can’t physically help everyone. But when it’s apparent that God has brought certain people across the path of our ministry for us to help them, we do our best to obey His Spirit’s promptings.

Since the time we first saw this profound truth in Acts 10:38 about ministering to the needs of others, Denise and I have accepted our responsibility to preach, teach, lay hands on the sick, and pray for spiritual needs to be met. But we have also embraced our role to help meet the physical needs of humanity and to be like Jesus, who was and still is the world’s greatest Philanthropist. We are so thankful for every opportunity to share God’s Word, but we also count it an honor that He would use us to extend a hand of mercy to people who are in need.

I encourage you to make the commitment today to be a prompt doer of the Word when the Holy Spirit nudges your heart to do something extra in this area of meeting the material needs of those less blessed than you. It’s another way you can be as Jesus is in this world — as you go about doing good, led each step of the way by the Spirit of God!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to help me become more like Jesus, who was the world’s greatest Philanthropist! Help me not just to say I love people, but rather to show them love by my actions and deeds. Open my eyes to see the needs of those around me — and even to see how I can give of my finances to help people in other parts of the world. Since this was the heart of Jesus, it should be my heart too. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me become like Jesus and do all that I can both spiritually and physically to meet the needs of those You bring across my path.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that God is using me to meet the physical and material needs of others. When God brings someone across my path who is hurting, I willingly respond to the Lord’s direction concerning how He wants to use me to help meet his or her need. I can’t help everyone, but I can and will help those He leads me to help. I obey the Holy Spirit’s promptings and do what He instructs me to do. I am an extended hand of mercy to people who are hurting and disadvantaged. When the Holy Spirit needs someone to make a difference in another person’s life, He knows He can count on me to be available!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What are you doing to help meet the physical and material needs of others? Does your church have an outreach to help the poor and needy? If not, could you respectfully ask your pastor why there is no philanthropic ministry to help the less fortunate? Jesus helped those in need, so shouldn’t we be doing it too?
2. What are some ways you can begin to practically give help to those who are hurting and in need? Do you have any clothes you could give to someone else? Could you prepare a meal for a family that might be struggling or disadvantaged?
3. Can you think of a time when someone helped you through a rough financial time? What kind of impact did it make on you? Have you considered that maybe it’s time for you to do the same thing for someone else?

A Partner To Help You When You Don’t Know How To Pray!

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
— Romans 8:26

Have you ever experienced a time when you didn’t know what to pray for yourself or for someone else? Have you ever been in a dilemma, and you didn’t know how to get out of it? Have you ever felt stuck in a predicament where you were required to make a decision, but you didn’t know what to do? Or have you ever said, “Lord, I’m so confused that I don’t even know how to pray! Lord, please help me”? If you have felt this way before, or perhaps even now, then I have great news for you today! The Holy Spirit wants to help you pray!

Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

This verse is packed with gems from the Greek that let us know the Holy Spirit wants to help us when we don’t know how to pray! The word “helpeth” comes from the Greek word sunantilambetai, which is a very complex triple compound word. But the first part of the word is the Greek prefix sun, and this is what I want to draw your attention to right now because it’s so important for you to understand.

The little Greek word sun is a very important word. It connects you to someone else. It carries the idea of partnership and cooperation. For instance, in Second Corinthians 6:1, when Paul writes, “We then, as workers together with him…,” he uses the word sunergos to depict our partnership with God. If Paul had wanted to depict a person who was working alone, he could have used only the word ergos, for by itself, this word would picture a single, solitary worker. But when the word sun is attached to the front of ergos, it is transformed into the word sunergos and pictures two or more people who are working together like partners on the same job. This is no longer the picture of a lonely, solitary worker; now there is an entire team working together to get a job accomplished. Because of this, some newer translations render Second Corinthians 6:1 this way: “We then, as co-laborers together with him….”

There are literally scores of places where the word sun is used this way in the New Testament; however, this one sample from Second Corinthians 6:1 is sufficient to express the impact of the word, which conveys the ideas of partnership, cooperation, collaboration, teamwork, or a joint effort.

As Paul continues in Romans 8:26, he uses the word “infirmities” to depict our spiritual predicament. The word “infirmities” is the Greek word astheneia, which really should be translated weaknesses. This word describes people who are weak, sick, or broken in their bodies, minds, or emotions. But Paul is not writing about a physical problem; he’s writing about a spiritual one. He identifies this problem when he says, “…for we know not what we should pray for as we ought….”

The word “what” is the Greek word ti, which means the very little thing. It underscores our total ignorance about how to pray — demonstrating that we don’t even know how to pray about the little things, not to mention the larger issues in life. Because we are limited in our view, we are simply unable to see all the facts and details that are required to pray effectively. This is why we need divine guidance and help. Praise God, we are not left to try to figure it all out on our own! Remember, the Greek word sun in the word “helpeth” lets us know that the Holy Spirit comes to partner, cooperate, collaborate, and join efforts with us in moments when we feel weak and helpless and don’t know how to pray!

Paul describes this supernatural assistance of the Holy Spirit when he writes, “…but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us….” Do you see the word “intercession”? It is the Greek word huperentugchano, and it is only used in this one place in the New Testament to describe the unique, powerful, and wonderful intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit!

The word huperentugchano is an old word that means to fall in on behalf of someone else. It is what we might call a rescue. For instance, if someone fell into a deep cavern, you would have to descend down into that cavern to where that person is in order to rescue him and get him out.

This is precisely the idea of this word huperentugchano. By using this word, Paul tells you that the Holy Spirit performs this special work of intercession when you are at a loss for words and don’t know how to pray, or when you feel trapped and you don’t know what to say. Suddenly and supernaturally, the Holy Spirit falls into that place of helplessness with you to join you as a Partner in prayer in the midst of your circumstances.

Are you one of those people who has experienced moments when you didn’t know how to pray? Have you been in a tight spot you didn’t know how to get out of? Have you prayed, “Lord, I’m so confused, I don’t even know what to say! Please help me”? If your answer is yes, you are a perfect candidate for the help of the Holy Spirit! He is your divine Partner — standing by, ready at any moment to come to your rescue! Just cry out today and say, “Help me, Holy Spirit!”

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I need Your help! I am so frequently at a loss for words and don’t seem to know what to say when I pray. Since You sent the Holy Spirit to help me, I am asking the Spirit of God to fall into my situation with me; to join me as my Partner; to collaborate with me in prayer; to become a part of my team; and to get me out of this mess I’m in, putting me on a right and stable path. I am obviously never going to get there without special assistance, so today I’m asking for HELP!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that the Holy Spirit is my Partner! I call out to Him in my moment of need, and He quickly comes to my rescue. He enlightens my eyes; He shows me what I cannot see by myself; and He gives me the right words to say when I pray. Because I have the Holy Spirit, I am no longer speechless or helpless to know how I should pray. With Him as my Helper, I am getting better and better in prayer every day!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever experienced a moment when you didn’t know how to pray? What did you do in that moment? Did you walk away in defeat, or did you call out and ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray?

2. Have you ever experienced one of those supernatural moments when you were suddenly aware that the Holy Spirit had come to your rescue? After feeling powerless and tongue-tied minutes earlier, did you unexpectedly become super-charged with power and authority and immediately start taking command of the situation in the power of the Spirit?

3. Is there presently any area of your life in which you need to invite the Holy Spirit to enter and rescue you, putting you back on a path that is more pleasing to God and to you?

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Issac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead….
— Hebrews 11:17-19

I know from firsthand experience that when God asks you to sacrifice something precious, it can be very difficult to come into compliance with what He is asking you to do. The flesh rebels every step of the way, and the mind tries to argue, as if it knows better than the Lord. Therefore, when your will collides with God’s divine plan for your life, you must make a conscious decision to exercise obedience and follow His leading, no matter what.

There are critical moments when you must make the choice to do what God asks, whether or not you understand it. When you fully abandon your natural inclinations and defer to God’s will, you will be elevated to brand-new levels of success and victory that you have never before attained.

Let me share an example of this kind of deference and obedience from my own life. When God first asked my family to move to the USSR, I knew He had something truly wonderful in store for us. However, my flesh didn’t relish the idea one bit. Night after night, I lay in my bed and listened as my mind told me that this move was the stupidest notion I’d ever considered in my life and that if I really carried through with this absurd idea, I would lose everything. I was having an ongoing inner dialogue with God about the matter. I remember asking Him, Are You REALLY asking me to sacrifice everything that we’ve worked so hard to achieve?

At the time God called us to move overseas, our ministry in the United States was finally taking off after years of struggle and hard work. However, just as we were experiencing the first trappings of success, God asked us to lay aside our dream because He wanted to do something new through us. This was a pivotal moment in our lives! We didn’t understand the full scope of His divine plan, so we had to choose to defer to His voice and trust that He was leading us on the right path.

Have you experienced a similar moment in your own life? If not, I guarantee you that a time will come when you will be called on to step out and follow God’s leading, even though you don’t fully understand His design. However, it is important to remember that when God asks you to sacrifice something precious in your life, He always has your best interest at heart, and He is trying to use that experience to reveal something to you about your life so that you can go forth and do the will of God with confidence.

A clear example of this biblical truth is clearly seen in the Old Testament story of Abraham. After waiting approximately 25 years for God’s promise of a covenant child to come true, Abraham and Sarah finally became the proud parents of their son Isaac. When Isaac was born Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 years old.

Everyone knew this baby was a miracle! How many 90-year-old women do you know that have given birth to a baby? It was so fantastic that even Sarah said, “God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.” And she said, “Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have born him a son in his old age” (Genesis 21:7).

Try to imagine for a moment the sight of a 90-year-old woman breastfeeding a baby. You can understand why Sarah said everyone who saw it would laugh — it was absurd to the natural mind! Yet everyone who saw this mother and child together was filled with joy because it was such a demonstration of God’s faithfulness to keep His Word. In fact, this blessing brought so many people joy that Abraham and Sarah named the baby Isaac, meaning laughter.

Abraham had personally given up a lot to accommodate the promise of God in his life. He knew that Isaac was the seed through whom God was going to bless the nations of the earth, as God had promised in Genesis 12:2,3 and Genesis 15:4,5. All of Abraham’s hopes and dreams rested in Isaac.

However, after Abraham had spent years watching his son grow into a God-fearing young man, the Bible says that God came to him and commanded him to offer up Isaac as a burnt sacrifice! Genesis 22:1 and 2 records: “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”

In Hebrews 11:17, the writer of Hebrews offers another account of these events, saying, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac….” This verse tells us that God “tried” Abraham that day on Mount Moriah when He commanded him to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering on the altar.

This word “tried” is from the Greek word peiradzo, which describes an intense examination that is done to prove the fitness of an object. For example, peiradzo was used to describe the fiery process of testing and removing impurities from metal in the ancient world. These tests ensured that the metal would be strong and durable, and that any object crafted from metal would hold up under pressure. In addition, peiradzo also described the process of testing coins to determine if they were authentic or counterfeit. In early New Testament times, counterfeits often looked so similar to the genuine article that only a test would reveal whether a coin was real or fake. Therefore, people regularly tested their money to see if it had worth.

The word peiradzo most often described the process of testing an object to reveal its true quality, and this is precisely how the word is used in Hebrews 11:17, where the verse says Abraham was “tried” by the Lord. The fact is, the Lord already knew that Abraham’s faith was sound and real. But when Abraham drew his knife to slay his son, Abraham himself learned something important about his own faith and level of consecration. He discovered that he was willing to do whatever the Lord asked him to do. There was nothing counterfeit or lacking about Abraham’s obedience to God; his commitment was real and authentic.

You see, God never tests you to learn new information about you. He doesn’t need to “test” to find out something new because He already knows it all. Rather, He is trying to show you something about you — to make you more self-assured and confident as you go forward to do His will. Every test you are going through is being done for your own self-discovery — lessons learned if you go through those tests correctly to give you confidence as you proceed to do the will of God for your life.

When God called my family to relocate to the former USSR back in 1991, my willingness to say yes to God revealed something to me about myself that I needed to see and know. It showed me that my commitment to God was real. This experience was a peiradzo — a test designed to reveal the imperfect areas of my life that required attention and to prove to me that I was the type of person God could depend on. He already knew this about me, but I personally needed to know it deep down in my spirit.

I am so glad my family said, “Yes!” when God beckoned us to leave the United States and move to the former Soviet Union. Even though it initially felt like we were sacrificing everything to do it, the truth is, we didn’t lose anything. What God has given us in our new home overseas is far greater than any home, possession, or dream that we thought we were relinquishing. From the very outset, God had a wonderful plan for the Renner family.

When God asks us to lay something on the altar of sacrifice, we can know there is something bigger and better He wants to put into our hands. But as long as we’re clutching what we have right now, we’re not free to receive the great things He wants to give us next.

Realize that whatever you’re doing today may simply be the training ground for your future. Don’t allow yourself to get so cemented in what you’re doing that you can’t move forward to the next step God has in store for you. And if it ever seems like God is asking you to make a huge sacrifice, just remember: This is just His way of freeing you so He can give you something better and greater and make you more productive for the Kingdom of God. You can trust Him! And as you keep your heart free and your emotions untangled, you’ll be able to move forward whenever His Spirit beckons you to take the next step in His good plan for your life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am thankful to know that You already know everything about me and that You don’t need to put me through a test to find out whether or not I’m genuine. Now I understand that You are trying to show me something about myself. Help me to embrace the tests that help me to learn what kind of person I am. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me cooperate with Your working in my life so that I will become the type of person You can use to expand and build Your Kingdom. That is my heartfelt prayer.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am alert to recognize when God is testing me to show me something I need to know about myself. He already knows all the answers about me, and nothing takes Him by surprise. But I need to know about me. I need to know that I am willing to obey and do whatever He asks me to do. I need to know that I am authentic and genuine in my faith. What He is asking me to do is for me to gain revelation about myself. It is information I need to know so that I can proceed with confidence and boldness as I push forward toward God’s plan for my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. After reading today’s Sparkling Gem, do you see that God tests you to reveal something to you about yourself? God already knows all the answers and doesn’t need a test to find out something about you. So what do the tests you’ve undergone reveal about you that you need to know?
2. How do you think Abraham felt after he passed his test on Mount Moriah? What did he discover about himself and his own willingness to obey God?
3. What test are you going through right now? Do you now understand that God already knows the answers and He’s trying to show something to you about you? What is He trying to show you?

And take the helmet of salvation….
— Ephesians 6:17

How would you like to have supernatural protection wrapped so tightly around your head that it would safeguard your mind from every mental assault of the devil? Well, you may not realize it, but if you are a child of God, you have already been given this kind of safeguard to protect you from the enemy’s attacks against your mind. In Ephesians 6:17, Paul writes, “And take the helmet of salvation….”

In this final chapter of Ephesians, Paul deals extensively with the subject of spiritual armor. By the time we come to verse 17, he has already talked about the loinbelt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, and the shield of faith. Now Paul speaks to us about the helmet of salvation, using the illustration of a Roman soldier’s helmet to make his point. Let’s see what we can know about the helmet of a Roman soldier.

The word “helmet” in Greek is taken from the Greek word perkephalaia, and it is a compound of the words peri and kephale. The word peri means around, and the word kephale is the Greek word for the head. When you compound these two words into one, you discover that the word perkephalaia denotes a piece of armor that fits very tightly around the head.

The Roman soldier’s helmet was a fascinating and flamboyant piece of armor, very ornate and intricate. Highly decorated with all kinds of engravings and etchings, the helmet looked more like a beautiful piece of artwork than a simple piece of metal formed to fit the head of a soldier.

It was not uncommon for a Roman helmet to be decorated with depictions of pastoral farm scenes, complete with all kinds of animals. Frequently the entire helmet was fashioned to look like an animal, such as an elephant or a horse. Some of the helmets had intricate engravings and etchings depicting fruit.

Furthermore, as if these fabulous engravings and etchings were not enough, a huge plume of brightly colored feathers or horse hair stood straight up from the top of the helmet. If the helmet was designed to be used in a public ceremony or parade, this brightly colored plume could be very long — long enough to hang all the way down the soldier’s back!

The helmet was made of bronze and was equipped with pieces of armor that were specifically designed to protect the cheeks and jaws. It was extremely heavy; therefore, the interior of the helmet was lined with sponge in order to soften its weight on the soldier’s head. This piece of armor was so strong, so massive, and so heavy that nothing could pierce it — not even a hammer or a battle-ax.

It would be very hard to walk past one of these soldiers without taking note of him. It would be hard not to notice a man who had a piece of sculpture on his head or who wore a helmet with a brightly colored plume standing straight up on top of it! Yes, these helmets made the Roman soldier noticeable!

Why would the Holy Spirit compare a piece of weaponry like this to salvation? Because your salvation is the most gorgeous, most intricate, most elaborate, most ornate gift God ever gave to you!

Paul calls this marvelous gift “the helmet of salvation.” He likened salvation to these flamboyant helmets that were worn on the head where everyone would notice. By using this example, Paul is telling us something very important. When a person is confident of his salvation — and when he walks confidently in the powerful reality of all that salvation means for him — he is a noticeable individual!

But why did a Roman soldier need a helmet that was so tightly wrapped about his head, as the Greek word perkephalaia implies? This kind of helmet was essential because the Roman soldier’s opponent carried a short-handled ax called a battle-ax — and when battle-axes were used, heads rolled!

If the Roman soldier didn’t have a helmet on when he went out to fight, he could be absolutely sure that he would lose his head. Thus, the Roman helmet was not merely a beautiful piece of weaponry but a defensive weapon designed to save a man’s head.

That’s exactly what salvation will do for you when you wear it like a helmet on your head! But if you don’t walk in all that your salvation entails, you may feel the brunt of the enemy’s battle-ax as he comes to attack your mind and steal your victory.

If your salvation is not worn tightly around your mind like a helmet, the enemy will come to chop the multiple blessings of your salvation right out of your theology. He will try to hack away at your foundation, telling you that healing, deliverance, preservation, and soundness of mind were not really a part of Jesus’ redemptive work on the Cross. By the time the enemy is finished with your mind, the only blessing he will leave you with is Heaven!

Many believers try to do the work of God without making it a personal goal to walk in the full knowledge of their salvation, and they are spiritually slaughtered as a result. By exposing their unprotected minds to the devil’s insinuations, they place themselves in a position to be severely attacked and possibly deceived.

Facing the adversary without your “helmet of salvation” is foolish! You must have this helmet if you are going to be useful and successful in the Kingdom of God!

You see, the devil knows that if he can seize your mind and fill it with lies, he can then begin to operate from this lofty position in your life. He can try to manipulate your emotions, send signals of sickness and disease into your body, and so on. To protect you from such attacks is the very reason God has given you the “helmet of salvation.”

The fact that Paul likens our salvation to a helmet means that we must know all that our salvation includes inside and out. We must spend time studying what the Bible has to say about healing, about our deliverance from evil powers, about God’s desire to bless and prosper us, and about the benefits of our redemption in our everyday lives.

Our intellectual comprehension of all that salvation encompasses must be ingrained in our minds. When our minds are convinced of these realities — in other words, when our minds are trained and taught to think correctly in terms of our salvation — that solid knowledge becomes a helmet in our lives!

At that point, it doesn’t matter how hard the devil tries to hack away at our spiritual foundation; we know beyond a shadow of a doubt what Jesus’ death and resurrection purchased for us. This knowledge has become a part of us, preventing the enemy from attacking our minds as he did in the past. That’s how the full knowledge of our salvation puts a helmet on our heads!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so grateful for my salvation! It is the most wonderful gift You have ever given me. It changed my life and set me free; it brought healing to my body and deliverance to my mind. I want to wrap the knowledge of all that my salvation includes around my mind so tightly that the devil can never steal these benefits from my life. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me study and to understand everything Jesus purchased for me at the Cross. Reveal it to me; convince me of its truth; and help me to wear that revelation knowledge on my head like a mighty, fortified, spiritual helmet!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I wear my salvation tightly around my mind like a helmet. When the enemy tries to attack my mind and to chop away at the benefits of my salvation, his attacks are completely ineffective! My mind is convinced of all that salvation means for me, and my mind is trained and taught to think correctly according to that knowledge. Therefore, the knowledge of my salvation becomes a helmet in my life. It doesn’t matter how hard the devil tries to hack away at my mind, I still stand strong because I know what Jesus’ death and resurrection purchased for me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you wear the knowledge of your salvation tightly around your head like a mighty helmet to protect you against the mental assaults of the devil?

2. Do you spend time studying what the Bible has to say about your healing, about your deliverance from evil powers, or about God’s desire to bless and prosper you? The only way you’ll know these truths is by studying them, so how much time do you spend learning about the consequences of your redemption in your everyday life?

3. Are there any truths from God’s Word that you are certain the devil has already stolen from you? What has he taken from you that was once a major part of what you believed? Why don’t you start renewing your mind to that truth today so you can see its results restored to your life?

…be ye therefore wise as serpents….
— Matthew 10:16

Yesterday we began looking at what Jesus had to say about being “wise as serpents.” Today I want to continue because there is more truth to glean from this verse. The word “wise” in Matthew 10:16 is the Greek word sophos, and it depicts special insight and a wise approach to a matter. According to Jesus, serpents are “wise” in the way they do things, and there is something we can learn from their actions.

One particular aspect we can learn from the serpent’s behavior is the importance of timing. This is so key to fulfilling any assignment that God may give us, because knowing when to act is as important as knowing when to lay low.

For a serpent, this knowledge is key to its very survival. When prey passes before the serpent, it instinctively knows when it’s time to strike. If it waits too long, the opportunity will pass irretrievably, and the serpent will go hungry.

So what can you learn from the serpent in this arena? When it’s time for you to act, you must put aside all fears, emotions, and second-guessing — and seize the moment!

I have seen so many young ministers fast, pray, and wait for that golden moment of divine opportunity to come to them. Then at last, that time arrives! A great door of opportunity stands directly in front of them. It’s time to act. But rather than seize the moment and walk through that door, they pause to pray just a little bit more. God brought them exactly what they’d been praying for so long, but because they hesitated, they lost the opportunity. When they finally got around to saying yes, it was too late.

Let me give you another personal example.

Back in 1993, I earnestly prayed and sought God to open television ministry wider to us. One day I received a phone call from the top directors of a national television station in the former Soviet Union. They asked me to meet them and talk about putting my program on national television. My associate and I booked the next available flight and flew to meet those two powerful men in their offices.

My heart was filled with anticipation as the plane carried us to that meeting. Was this the opportunity I’d prayed for? Was it actually happening? Was God really answering my prayer?

I had a sense that something great and awesome was about to transpire, and I could hardly wait to arrive at the meeting to hear their proposal.

I had already done my homework. I had studied the statistics about the full reach of the TV channel on which they were about to offer me time. I spoke with pastors and churches throughout my region to find out what they thought of that channel. My time of “lying low and blending into the environment” had given me the “wisdom” I needed when I stepped into that meeting with those directors. I was equipped for this long-awaited conversation.

Armed with information and supported by the prayers of our partners, the meeting began. Those directors asked me, “Would you like to broadcast on our national channel and penetrate every single home in the nation with your program?”

This is exactly what I had been praying and waiting for — for such a long time! The opportunity of a lifetime was sitting on the table in front of me in the form of a TV contract. I held my composure, not wanting them to know how excited I was at this chance to reach every home with the Gospel. I waited to hear how much this divine door of opportunity was going to cost our ministry each month.

When I heard the price of the time slot they were offering me on that channel, at first I felt some hesitation. Fear tried to form in my mind that we wouldn’t be able to come up with the cash each month. Yet I knew a door had opened before me that had never been offered to anyone else before! Only God could open such an incredible door for the Gospel. There was no doubt that He was orchestrating the entire event.

My head and logic said, “Don’t do it,” while my spirit said, “DO IT NOW!” In my heart, I knew it was the moment to strike and seize this opportunity. Within a few minutes, I picked up an ink pen and signed my name on the dotted line. National television had fallen into my hands!

Within days of signing that contract, politics radically changed, and if I had not seized this divine opportunity at that exact moment, I would have lost it. Just one week later, that same wide-open door would have been tightly closed. Because we seized the moment at just the right time, our television program was locked into a contract that this new government had to honor! As a result of acting at the right time, our television program and our ministry became one of the most powerful spiritual forces in that part of the world. Since 1993, when we walked through that door, we have made a strong impact to affect that nation with the teaching ministry God has given us!

I thank God that I had the spiritual guts to act at the right moment. I had already prayed and prayed. Then there came a time to seize the moment and strike!

The Lord has taught me over the years that there are moments to “lay low” — and there are other moments to “strike fast.” Surely, this is a key part of what Jesus meant when He told us to “be wise as serpents” (Matthew 10:16).

You may be asking, “But how do I know when it’s a time to lay low or to take action and seize the moment?” The Holy Spirit will lead you and cause you to know — if you will be sensitive to follow His leading. And believe me, if you will listen to and follow Him, He will guide you past every obstacle, camouflage you from every attack, and show you exactly when to take action in your family, your business, your church, or the assignment God has given you.

Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” The word “led” is the Greek word ago. It means to be gently led about and was the same word used to describe a man leading his cow about on a rope. The farmer is the leader, and the cow is merely the follower. The cow doesn’t argue with the farmer; the animal simply trusts and follows.

This is how we are to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. He is the Leader!

Many people are afraid to obey what the Holy Spirit puts in their hearts to do. Fearful that they will be led astray or that they will make a mistake, they sit on the sidelines and watch other people achieve success, while they remain right where they’ve always been.

But let me assure you from very personal experience: You can trust the leading of the Holy Spirit!

In John chapters 14-16, Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of Truth” four separate times! It seems that Jesus thought this was a truth worth repeating! Jesus was emphatically assuring us that the Holy Spirit will not lead us in a wrong direction. He is “the Spirit of Truth” on whom we can rely.

If the Holy Spirit is prompting you to take action now, it’s because He sees and knows something you may not see. Let the Holy Spirit become your eyes and ears to key moments and divine opportunities for your life, family, business, or ministry.

Timing has been a major key to the success of our ministry, and it is the key to your success as well. Denise and I are not brilliant enough in ourselves or by our own reasoning to figure out the right timing for everything we’ve been able to do in the former USSR. We give God all the glory, because we know our timing has been directed by the Holy Spirit, not by us. Denise and I have depended on the Holy Spirit’s leading through the years, and as a result, we have walked through many strategic doors at key moments. We’ve learned that when He says, “NOW!” — He really means exactly that!

So don’t move too fast, and don’t hesitate when the time is right to act. And now you know what Jesus meant when He commanded us to “be wise as serpents”!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are faithful to lead me in the direction I should go and in the decisions I must make. Help me recognize when it’s time to lay low and blend into the landscape and when it is time to strike! I have prayed for divine opportunities, so when they present themselves to me, help me to recognize them and to have the courage to step out by faith to accept the assignment. Holy Spirit, I know that You are a faithful Leader, so today I put my trust in You to lead me in each and every step that I take!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am wise as a serpent! I know when to lay low, how to blend into the landscape, how to learn my new territory, and how to discern and recognize when a God-given opportunity passes my way. Fear does not hold me back. Hesitation does not stop me. Because I have prayed and done my homework in advance, I am well prepared for that golden moment when God gives me the opportunity for which I’ve waited for so long. The Holy Spirit is my Leader, and He is leading and guiding me every step of the way.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you had a moment in your life when the Holy Spirit instructed you simply to lay low and blend into the environment so that you could learn more about your new territory? When was that, and what was the result of that course of action?
2. What spiritual disciplines and practices have you built into your daily life to develop your discernment and sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit? Do you read your Bible, meditate in the Word, and pray daily? If not, what steps can you take to make your personal time with the Lord a non-negotiable necessity in your daily schedule?
3. Can you identify your own patterns and tendencies for taking action on something God has put in your heart to do? Do you move quickly or do you procrastinate after you know what to do? What steps do you plan to take to ensure you are moving in sync with the Holy Spirit’s leading to avoid a misstep or mistake?

A Supernatural Endowment for Those Who Work on the Front Lines!

Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
— 2 Corinthians 12:12

During Paul’s day, the problem of false apostles was so rampant that he felt it necessary to validate his ministry by pointing out the “signs” of an apostle that were evident in his life. In Second Corinthians 12:12, Paul gave certain indicators to help us determine whether or not a person is truly apostolic.

The word “signs” in Second Corinthians 12:12 is the Greek word semeion. This word was used in secular business to describe the official written notice that announced the final verdict of a court. It also described the signature or seal applied to a document to guarantee its authenticity and a sign that marked key locations in a city. This secular word was carried over into New Testament language, as used here by Paul.

Paul used this word to declare that certain official signs exist as the final verdict to prove a person’s apostleship. These accompanying activities are like a signature or a seal that authenticates and guarantees that a person truly is an apostle. If you see these particular marks in a person’s ministry, you can know that you are standing on or near bona fide apostolic territory.

Paul says, “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you….” In this verse, Paul uses the word “apostle,” taken from the Greek word apostollos, a compound of the words apo and stello. The word apo means away, and the word stello means to send. When compounded together, it means to send away. It is the idea of being commissioned and dispatched with authority and power and sent as a personal representative of a powerful figure or as the official representative of a government.

But notice Paul says, “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you….” The word “wrought” is the Greek word katergadzo, a compound of the words kata and ergos. The word kata is a preposition that carries the idea of something that is subjugating or dominating. The word ergos means work. When compounded together, it presents the idea of a work that is totally consuming or dominating — a work that takes every ounce of one’s being.

We know from Scripture that Paul was not afraid of work. He even referred to the work of the ministry. In addition to glorious moments when Paul experienced spectacular visions, revelations, and special demonstrations of power, he worked hard in his ministry. He referred to this very hard work when he said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

This Greek word used here for “laboured” is kopiao and depicts the most difficult, most exhaustive type of work. We could even call it hard labor. Because Paul used this word to describe his own work ethic, it tells us that Paul was not afraid of hard work. He was willing to do anything and everything to accomplish the task God had given to him.

So the first thing we discover in Second Corinthians 12:12 is that apostolic ministry demands the highest level of commitment and work. This isn’t a calling for those who want a lifestyle in which they can take it easy. It is a demanding, all-consuming, and dominating call that requires every ounce of a person’s life. Apostolic ministry includes:

• Going into territory where the Church is non-existent.
• Dealing with aggressive and hostile governments.
• Facing the opposition of false religions opposed to one’s very presence.
• Pushing the evil forces of the demonic realm out of the way.
• Taking converts from the bleakness and blackness of paganism and turning them into living, breathing members of the Body of Christ.

All of this is involved in the calling of the apostle. This divine call is not for the light-hearted but for the extremely committed.

This leads us to the first sign — the first criteria that Paul lists as evidence of true apostleship. He writes, “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience….”

Considering the hostile forces at work to stop apostolic ministry, it shouldn’t surprise us that Paul lists patience as the first major sign or characteristic of apostolic ministry. The word “patience” is the Greek word hupomeno. It is a compound of the words hupo and meno. The word hupo is a preposition that means under, and the word meno means to abide or to stay. When the two are compounded together, the compound word portrays a person who is under some type of incredibly heavy load but who refuses to stray from his position because he is committed to his task. Regardless of the load, opposition, stress, or weight that comes against him, he is not going to move. He is going to stay put in his spot and not surrender it to anyone for any reason!

One expositor translates hupomeno as the word endurance. Another translates it as staying power. My favorite translation of the word hupomeno is hang-in-there power!

It is interesting to me that Paul lists this as a sign of apostolic ministry. We usually think of wonders and miracles as signs of apostolic ministry. But before Paul mentions anything about what we would normally deem supernatural, he first mentions a person’s supernatural ability to hang in there and to stay put regardless of what forces come to stop him.

This tells me that God causes supernatural favor to rest on apostles, enabling them to stay on the front lines and out on the cutting edge. Apostles face huge challenges in order to take new territory for God’s Kingdom. But because His grace is on them so strongly, they are able to endure it and stick it out, even when it becomes very difficult.

I personally know that what the devil has tried to throw against us in our ministry in the former USSR often sounds so far out and unbelievable that people wonder if what we relate about our lives in this part of the world is imaginary or the stuff of fantasy. When they hear me recount the things we’ve faced, they shake their heads in disbelief and amazement that we could live in such circumstances. Yet we have experienced such grace upon us to do what we are called to do that we don’t even realize how terrifically difficult some of these ordeals have been. Only when we see the disbelief on others’ faces and hear them express their concerns for our welfare do we realize the significance of what we have been up against.

You see, God has provided us with a supernatural grace, a divine favor, a special endowment of hupomeno — what others call hang-in-there power, staying power, or supernatural endurance — to do what He has called us to do. I am so grateful for this incredible endowment from Heaven on our lives, because without it, we would be unable to do what we are doing. But this divine ability works so strongly in us that we haven’t just survived; we have flourished in our environment.

What I am describing is just as supernatural as any other kind of supernatural sign and wonder. Anyone who can do what we do day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year — and do it joyfully and successfully — is definitely experiencing something that is truly supernatural. It is a sign from on High of a divine endowment.

My wife and I have seen the lame walk, deaf ears opened, demons expelled, and even the dead raised through the prayers of our apostolic team. But I consider hupomeno on our lives to be just as supernatural as any of these other signs and wonders we have experienced. In fact, I really believe it is more significant than the other signs and wonders.

Supernatural signs and wonders come and go, but the supernatural ability to endure and joyfully succeed in difficult circumstances is a grace that comes and stays continuously. This quality of patience, endurance, staying power, or hang-in-there power is part of the divine equipment for this job. It is a divine grace that is just as supernatural as any miracle or wonder!

You may not be called to be an apostle, but perhaps you are living in a difficult or challenging situation. God makes miraculous grace available to you to help you victoriously live for Him where you are. If you need staying power to stay put where He has called you; if you need hang-in-there power to help you hold fast in that tough place; or if you could use a supernatural dose of endurance to help you endure to the end — all you have to do is ask!

When this supernatural grace or endowment starts to work in you and you are suddenly empowered beyond your natural strength to endure in the midst of turmoil or adversity, you’ll realize what a supernatural gift it is! So if this is the need you are facing in your life today, I urge you to stop what you are doing; then throw up your arms, lift your voice, and ask Jesus to fill you with the endurance you need. Take the time to praise Him for filling you to overflowing. As you do, He will give you exactly the dose of staying power you need to live victoriously for Him where He has called you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for filling me with supernatural endurance to do the job You’ve given me to do. In the midst of all the problems, hassles, and challenges that have come against me, I am very aware that I wouldn’t be able to do it without the divine gift of endurance You have placed in my life. Others may think I am strong, but I know that much of my strength and fortitude is due to what You have done inside me. So today I give You praise, and I thank You for continuing to strengthen me until I bring this assignment to a victorious end!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God is filling me with supernatural endurance to stay put until I have successfully done everything He has asked me to do. He gave me this assignment because He believed I could do it. He filled me with endurance to help me stay put and to be strong enough to finish it as I ought. I therefore declare that I am strong; I am filled with fortitude; and I will do precisely what God has asked me to do!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever experienced a time when God supernaturally filled you with a divine dose of endurance that gave you the exact amount of strength you needed at that moment?

2. If the answer is yes, what did it feel like when you received that supernatural strengthening? How did you know it occurred? What were the immediate, tangible results of that inner strengthening?

3. How is your strength level today? Have you been feeling like weariness is trying to get the best of you, or do you feel strong and ready to keep forging ahead? If you are battling fatigue, don’t you agree that it would be good for you to stop today to ask the Lord to refill you with another dose of endurance?

…be ye therefore wise as serpents….
— Matthew 10:16

Over the years in our ministry, I have discovered timing to be extremely important. I have certainly found it to be true that we need to act when favor is obviously on our side. But let me also say that wonderful opportunities can also come packaged with difficult challenges.

Knowing exactly which opportunities to take — and which ones to let pass us by — has been one of my personal challenges in the former Soviet Union. One day I was seeking the Lord about several opportunities that were presenting themselves. The Lord said to me, “If you’re going to survive and do what I’ve called you to do in this part of the world, you have to learn to think like a snake.”

At first, these words caught me off guard. But immediately Matthew 10:16 came to my mind: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” In this verse, Jesus commanded His disciples — as He is commanding us today: “be as wise as serpents.”

The word “serpent” is the Greek word ophis and it simply describes a snake of any type, but it is used here as a sign of cunningness or cleverness. Matthew 10:16 had always perplexed me because I had previously thought of a serpent as being only evil. But as I meditated on this verse more deeply, I began to gain new insight about what Jesus was saying. He was saying serpents are “wise,” and we need to take a lesson from them!

If you’re a little squeamish about the subject of serpents or snakes, just stay with me for the next few moments so you don’t miss the full impact of what Jesus was telling us. He is the One who chose to use a serpent to make His point!

Let’s consider the behavior of serpents to see how Jesus’ statement about these creatures in Matthew 10:16 relates to timing. First, serpents blend into the environment when they move into a new territory. Rather than announce their presence, they lay low, stay quiet, and blend into their surroundings. In fact, you could walk right past a snake and not know you’re close to it!

Most snakes have the ability to be nearly invisible because they were designed to be camouflaged. This camouflage serves as a protective “covering.” Even the fiercest aggressor could pass by, but the serpent would not likely be noticed because it blends so well into the landscape.

The camouflage gives the serpent latitude to find its way around new territory — to move about freely while “evaluating” a new situation. Serpents will assess a situation to identify places of shelter so they can settle into a new environment. They find hiding places to protect themselves from attack. They also observe where to find the easiest prey. When all of these assessments are made and the facts are assimilated, the serpent is ready to act. But this “settling in” is a key time for a serpent.

Can you see the parallel between the behavior of a serpent and Jesus’ strategic plan for us when we are entering new territory for Him? Jesus said there’s wisdom to glean from such a study!

As I carefully pondered the behavior of serpents, I understood exactly why Jesus used this example. This analogy applies to all of us in regard to our families, businesses, ministries, or any other opportunity God places before us in which we must implement His strategies in order to establish His victory on the earth.

When God calls us to do something new — to move into a new territory or seize a new opportunity — it is wise for us to move slowly and carefully into that new phase of our lives. A common mistake is to act too fast. Acting hastily, before all the facts are gathered and assimilated, often leads to erroneous decision-making. In fact, one serious mistake can cause us to lose out on an opportunity altogether. Better to lay low, stay quiet, blend into the environment for a while, and learn from the facts we observe.

Let me give you a perfect personal example of how the “wisdom of a serpent” served Denise and me so well when we launched out to begin our ministry in the former USSR.

When Denise and I and our family moved halfway around the world, we took time to learn the customs and the culture of that new territory. We knew it would take time to understand everything we would see and experience, so we moved slowly and very carefully. Although we immediately saw opportunities for ministry, we decided to first watch and gain as much knowledge as possible of the new environment and the circumstances we found ourselves in at that moment. In retrospect, I can assure you that for us, acting too fast would have certainly meant making some poor decisions that we would have greatly regretted down the road.

In the first few months we lived in the USSR, we made little noise and were hardly noticed. This allowed us the ability to move about freely and without disruption. We visited churches unannounced. We wandered in and out of different parts of the city, where we began to observe and ascertain the spiritual condition of this new territory. Before I made any grand announcement that we were going on television, I first wanted to know something about television in that part of the world. The best way to learn — especially at that volatile time in those nations — was to do it covertly.

During this time of acclimating ourselves to our new home, we also observed that many American missionaries were announcing great plans that never developed or got off the ground. Many of those ideas were wonderful — and perhaps they were even from God. But because these missionaries acted before they understood the full picture, they ruined their testimony and lost glorious opportunities to bring the Gospel to places where it was needed so badly. These sincere men and women were trying to take ground for the Kingdom of God that they really knew nothing about. They hadn’t taken the time to learn.

It is very unwise and a waste of Kingdom resources of money and time to start fantastic projects without first understanding the challenges, risks, and dangers. Many people have been hurt because of someone getting in a hurry and acting too quickly.

Denise and I knew that moving slower may take more time initially — but in the end, it would produce more stable, serious, and lasting results. We made the choice to move “slow and steady”: to gather all the facts we could, analyze the accumulated information, and then seek the Lord in prayer, listening for what He might have to say to us through those facts. Only then would we make announcements concerning our plans. I can’t emphasize it enough: To move ahead more quickly than we did in those early days would have proven a harmful mistake!

Most mistakes in forging new territory for the Gospel are avoidable. God is a strategic Planner who delights in giving you the wisdom you need in whatever venture you’re undertaking for Him. Your part is to move forward by His grace and according to His guidance. As you do, you will be well able to secure the victory He has planned for you in that new territory and season.

So I strongly advise you to take your time in any new venture for Jesus — and be sure of the actions you take. Before you act on that opportunity publicly, I suggest that you first do the following:

• Learn the “landscape” of your new environment.
• Determine what kind of attacks could potentially come against you.
• Take time to really understand the opportunities around you.
• Make sure you are completely informed of all the pertinent facts about your new environment — facts that will help you adjust smoothly and move forward in fulfilling your new assignment without unnecessary delays or detours.
• Pray diligently about the information you gather, and seek the Lord’s wisdom on how that information applies to your assignment.

That is how you emulate the strategy of the serpent, taking advantage of your “settling in” time. Then when the right moment comes and opportunity strikes, you can seize your divine moment with the grace and favor of God!

But how can you be sure you’ll recognize the right moment to strike? That’s what I want to talk to you about in tomorrow’s Sparkling Gem. Jesus was being very deliberate and strategic when He instructed us to act as “wise” as a serpent, and there’s still more to learn from this example. So don’t miss tomorrow — it could be a game-changer for your life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I take heed to Jesus’ instructions to be as wise as a serpent when surveying new territory for the Kingdom of God. Father, You are the ultimate Strategist, and You leave no detail unattended in Your great plan! As I follow your specific instructions, I will be able to avoid unnecessary difficulties or destruction. Lord, I ask You to show me Your ways and grant me a wise and understanding heart. Teach me how to walk in great discretion with accurate discernment. I want to finish the assignment You’ve given me, so I am willing to move slow and steady to avoid harmful mistakes. Thank You for giving me the wisdom I need for each venture You have set before me. Then when the time is right, I will seize the moment by Your grace to fulfill the outcome You desire.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am as wise as a serpent yet harmless as a dove. Your gentleness, oh, Lord, has made me great! You give me wisdom and sound counsel before I publicly act on my God-given opportunities. I pay close attention to the strategies of the Lord, and I learn the “landscape” of the environment where He wants me to establish His Kingdom. I follow the strategies of God while remaining discerning of and alert to the tactics of the enemy. I am diligent to pray out the plan of God so He can alert me to the enemy’s potential attacks against me. I take time to understand my God-given opportunity, and I make sure that I am completely informed of all the facts I need to help me adjust smoothly and move forward in fulfilling my assignment without unnecessary delays or detours.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever had a golden opportunity placed before you, but you acted too quickly and lost that opportunity because you were not well informed enough to seize it yet?
2. There is wisdom in becoming acclimated to new surroundings without making too much fanfare. The results could be disastrous if you parade about and make your presence and intent known in a new environment too soon before you become familiar with your surroundings or your purpose in it. Have you ever had the experience of becoming hasty in a new situation that ultimately sabotaged the reason you were sent there in the first place? How did you recover your ability to function, or did you?
3. What Bible examples can you think of that demonstrate taking time to acclimate to a new environment before launching out to do something new?