For two whole years, Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance! (Acts 28:30-31)

Paul, who was an important member of the Early Church, preached with boldness and confidence. Though they started out as a small, unorganized group, the Church was unstoppable because they believed in a big God. They saw God’s divine orchestration and fully submitted to the Holy Spirit. At the time, the Early Church was persecuted by the greatest empire in the world. But as Christians, we must know that we belong to a greater empire.

Paul was known for the presence of Holy Spirit that shone through him. As individuals and as the community of God, our ministry must also be marked by His presence in everything we do. If we do not demonstrate God’s presence in our daily lives, then we need to seriously ask ourselves why, stop making excuses, and identify the crux of the matter. We blame everything else instead of tapping into the power of the Holy Spirit. Materialism is one of the biggest obstacles to our spirituality. We must learn to serve the Lord Jesus, imitating His own servanthood. The early believers were supernatural, but not mystical. We need to pray that nothing hinders people from coming to church, and we need to be witnesses. The Kingdom of God must be our preoccupation; only then will we become unstoppable like the Early Church.

The apostle Paul was a contagious and not a contained Christian.

… because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:5-10)

Contagious means prone to spread, as opposed to contained which means controlled. The question is, is your Christian life contagious or contained? Our faith in God must be contagious. Jesus’ ministry was contagious; that is why word of His audacious love spread like a wildfire. The Word of God has life in itself, and when it is spoken, it is like a double-edged sword. It searches the hearts of men and never comes back void. The gospel of God is the power of salvation, and it does not depend on anything. Paul was in chains, but the Word of God could not be bound, and it spread rampantly during the days recording in the Book of Acts.

If we are containing the Spirit, how can He become contagious through us?

1. We must rediscover the Holy Spirit.

As 1 Thessalonians 1:5 tells us, the gospel came not only in word, but with the power of the Holy Spirit. We need a breakthrough, to read and understand God’s Word in a way that it speaks both to our minds and our hearts.

2. We need the confirmation of a changed lifestyle.

The lifestyle must reflect the life change because of the power of the Word of God. When you live by the Word, your lifestyle will attract people to you. Happiness depends on happenings; your face will reflect the goodness or sadness in your life. When we learn to serve God and not ourselves or our other idols, we will supernaturally reflect His goodness, and His joy will be our strength.

3. We need to live in hope or wait in hope.

Even though he was afflicted, Paul lived a life of hope and power. What is your perspective in life? Is it heavenly or earthly? Your perspective will determine your lifestyle. People in the Early Church lived with contagious faith. We need to be examples of God’s love to the world and witnesses of His faithfulness. By your faith, they will know whether or not you are a true believer. Share your blessing with others. We in ourselves are not charged with persuading others to believe, but with testifying the Word in truth as the Holy Spirit leads.

… Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. (Acts 9:19-25)

The Early Church did not enjoy modern conveniences or even freedom of speech. They were often met with hostility, but they had the power of God, and His fire began to spread and change lives. As people were touched by God, they carried the gospel forth to other people. Thus, the Church grew exponentially in those days.

The members of the Early Church lived in their divine destiny; they were firestarters. Ananias started the fire within Paul, effectively launching one of the most significant ministries in history. God uses ordinary people to spread His fire.

How can we become firestarters?

1. Become encouragers.

When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:26-31)

Barnabas was Paul’s encourager and a very spiritual man. The name Barnabas in Hebrew means, “son of consolation” or, “encourager”, a person who lifts someone up.

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 4:36-37)

We need to be gracious, using our influence to build up and help others. We also need to be magnanimous, discerning and willing to do the work of God. Because of Barnabas, Paul’s reputation began to change, and the Church grew.

2. Create opportunity for others.

Barnabas created opportunities for Paul to spread the gospel. This led to the first use of the term “Christians” to describe believers in Christ.

The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:21-30)

We all either need a Barnabas or need to be a Barnabas to someone else. Think beyond yourself. Know that those younger or lower than you can and will out-shine you at some point in your life, and remain humble. Instead of seeking personal gain, create opportunity for others. We must learn how to recognize the potential in others in order to function properly as the body of Christ.

I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:5-7)

Paul recognized Timothy’s potential and did the same for him as Barnabas had done for Paul.

3. Partner with other people.

But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark. (Acts 12:24)

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. (Acts 13:1- 4)

Barnabas partnered with Paul when he had no credibility, and the partnership played a large role in starting Paul’s ministry. The two were peers. Similarly, in order to grow our churches or ministries, we need to follow their example.

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, … (2 Corinthians 10:12-15)

Do not overestimate or overextend yourself; know your sphere of authority. God can increase your area of influence so that you can do more.

4. When revival takes place, there will likely be separation.

Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. (Acts 15:36-41)

Paul moved on with Silas and Timothy while Barnabas moved on with John who was also known as Mark.

My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) (Colossians 4:10)

Paul was not against Mark. In fact, he wanted Mark because he was helpful:

Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. (2 Timothy 4:11)

Let us seek to be firestarters of divine destiny like Barnabas.

They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” (Genesis 11:3-6)

Nothing is impossible for us to achieve if we all believers come together as one body; the issue is that we must all have right intentions. Unity rooted in evil desires will destroy us, but unity in Christ will make us strong. God will always honor good intentions over vain pursuits.

1. You must position your life to match the team’s goals before you will receive a position on the team.

This concept is very similar to forming a soccer team. First and foremost, you need to have a team before you can participate in any competition. In the scriptures below, we see that our Lord Jesus began His ministry by forming a team of disciples after spending the whole night praying.

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: … (Luke 6:12-13)

The Lord chose 12 men to be a part of His team, and He called the team players apostles.

Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. (Acts 1:21-23)

Two more were nominated to the team based on their track records, Barsabbas and Mattias, and there were criteria for their selection. These two had their lives in position, and their lives were living testimonies of Christ before they were selected.

2. Get into training.

It is all about how good you really are, not how good you think you are. If your ministry lacks power, it will be very difficult for you to be effective. The Early Church was very effective; they were full of the Holy Spirit and demonstrated the reality of Christ’s resurrection through miraculous signs and wonders.

Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (1 Corinthians 4:18-20)

There is no point in keeping busy if we are not being effective for the Kingdom. Faith without actions means nothing (James 2:17). An athlete must train before he enters the playing field, lest he quickly become injured in the intensity of the game. In the same way, we must pray that the Holy Spirit will fill our hearts and our lives before we can truly begin ministering to others. Scripture says that those who seek Him will find Him, and He will flow as a river of living water.

3. Get in the game.

Our lives are not about our appointment to a position, but our participation in the game. To keep your position on the team, you have to consistently perform well, fulfilling your position and supporting your teammates. All of us are called to ministry, to baptize others in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and in order to do that, we must learn to walk in the Spirit, responding all the time to the call of the Holy Spirit to do the will of God.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” “We can,” they answered. Jesus

said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:35-45)

It is all about getting involved in the game. Do not just be a spectator; spectators buy the team jersey, but they are not true members of the team. They arrive in time for kick-off, they make noise, but they never get to hold the trophy. In order to receive the trophy and share in the glory of victory, you have to get on the field and play the game.

The Bible says that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). We are to live beyond the moment of salvation; we are called to serve others who are lost as well. There will be no crown in Heaven for those who do not do the work of God.

We achieve greatness when we become the servants of others. We need to be slaves before we can be trusted as masters. In Matthew 5:5, Jesus says that the humble will inherit the world.

“Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall. With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility. But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below, blessings of the breast and womb. Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers. (Genesis 49:22-26)

Joseph’s name means “addition” or “increase.” He was the first-born of Rachel who had previously been barren, and he was his father’s favorite son because of Jacob’s deep love for Rachel. In the above verses, we see Jacob bestowing blessings upon his favorite son.

Joseph was fruitful, and life was not easy, but it was full of blessings. Success and blessing are not the same; Joseph endured incredible hardship at the hands of evil men, but God turned his trials into blessings. The secret of Joseph’s success was his ability to deal with all of the archer’s or arrows, that is, troubles. Let’s examine his journey.

1. He was shot with the arrow of envy.

Joseph was the second-youngest among his 12 brothers, and his father favored him and treated him like a prince. At a young age, Joseph had a dream in which his brothers bowed down before him. When he described the dream to his brothers, their hearts burned with hatred toward him. One day, Jacob sent Joseph to go and check on his older brothers, who were with their flocks in the fields. In their great envy, Joseph’s brothers considered killing him, but instead decided to sell him into slavery to a passing caravan.

2. He was shot with the arrow of temptation.

After he became a slave, Joseph worked in the house of his master, Potiphar, and everything he did turned out well as God prospered him. Since he was young, well-built and handsome, Potiphar’s wife lusted after him and attempted to convince him to sleep with her. When Joseph refused, she became angry and falsely accused him of sexually assaulting her, and Potiphar had him thrown in prison.

3. He was shot with the arrow of ingratitude.

When Joseph was in prison, God was with him, and so he earned the jailer’s favor. The king’s baker and cupbearer were also in prison at the time, and Joseph prophetically interpreted their dreams. Though he implored the cupbearer to speak kindly of him to Pharaoh when he was released, the man quickly forgot him.

Why did these things happen? While God had a greater purpose for Joseph’s life, there were some glaring weaknesses in his character that God had to deal with before he could understand God’s greater purpose:

Spiritual immaturity.

Arrogance.

Narrow-mindedness.

Joseph had to learn some difficult life lessons in order to become a strong leader. This is why he named his son Manasseh, which means, “God made me forget my trouble and my father’s household,” and his second son Ephraim, which means, “God made me fruitful in the land of affliction or suffering.”

And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt. (Genesis 45:5-8)

Joseph was able to say the above words to his brothers because he had the anointing of God and knew his destiny and purpose. Healing, deliverance, renewal and hope come when we live in God’s anointing.

Egypt was a land of pain in Joseph’s youth, but it later became his land of blessing. We must trust God as He teaches us to handle the “flaming arrows of the evil o

image credit: utmost.org

When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. (Esther 3:5-6)

The Book of Esther tells the amazing story of the Jewish wife of King Xerxes during Israel’s exile under the first Persian Empire (modern-day Iran). Esther used her high position to do the right thing at the right time, and in doing so, she saved her people from destruction and found divine favor in the midst of significant hardship and uncertainty.

God is never mentioned in Esther, but His presence is evident throughout the book. Esther grew up under the care of her cousin, Mordecai, who took her in as his own daughter because her parents were dead. Esther was an ordinary girl whom the king favored and wed for her exceptional beauty. During that time, Haman, a eunuch, devised a plan to kill all the Jews because Mordecai refused to bow down to him. What he did not realize was that his queen was also a Jew and Mordecai’s cousin. Because of Esther’s fearless intervention, God thwarted Haman’s plan and he was eventually executed by order of the king.

From Esther’s story we learn that when we live in obedience to God, He will endow us with divine favor, and we will have influence among people.

Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. (Esther 2:17)

Esther was a very attractive woman; she found favor above any of the other virgins.

As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.” (Esther 5:6-8)

Because of her character, the king offered Queen Esther anything she wanted, as much as half of his kingdom.

Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request.” (Esther 7:3)

In fear, Esther could have selfishly preserved her own life, but she used her position to save the lives of her people by risking her life to go before the king. At that time, the law stated that if you entered the king’s presence without being summoned, and if he refused to acknowledge your presence, you would be put to death. This even applied to the queen, but such was the risk Esther took in order to fulfill her greater purpose.

We can learn four lessons from Esther:

1. Favor comes when you live according to God’s perspective.

We must base our lives on a fundamental belief in God’s providence. Know that nothing happens by chance, and all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28). When you live in righteousness and holiness according to God’s will, the Bible says that He will order your steps (see Psalm 37:23).

2. Favor comes when people pray and prepare themselves.

We must learn to pray specifically. Before she went before the king, Esther instructed the Jews to pray and fast with her for three days in preparation for the work of the Lord. The greater the difficulty, the greater the miracle. All we need is one glimpse of God’s glory. Esther embraced great difficulty, and so she became a vessel of God’s divine deliverance.

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions. (Esther 4:15-17)

3. Favor comes to those who act in faith.

Difficult actions require boldness, and we need to activate our faith in God by taking action instead of remaining silent. When you are silent, the world will ignore you, and you will make no lasting impact. Esther was bold in the face of death, and God greatly rewarded her faith, not only she saving her life, but the life of every Jewish person in the land.

4. Favor comes to those who act favourably.

We must position ourselves in the face of adversity, aligning our behaviour with God’s will in the situation at hand. Here are some tips for accomplishing this:

Consult people whom you consider more spiritually mature than you, such as a pastor or elder in the Church.

Dress appropriately, for people’s perceptions about you are impacted by your attire. In your choice of clothing, always be respectful of others and mindful of your environment.

Speak well. Learn the art of speaking with the right words, remembering that your tongue holds the power of life and death. If necessary, learn to speak more languages so that you can better communicate with the people around you.

Out of respect for others, follow protocol if protocol is in place. Be mindful of your mannerisms, and have the right posture in your situations.

There is a time for everything.

When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive. Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. (Proverbs 23:1-5)

The following scriptures illustrate the diplomatic manner in which Esther approached the king to make her request. Notice how she turned the tables on her enemy by using the right words at the right time, along with her high position, graceful disposition and pleasant personality.

So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet, and as they were drinking wine on the second day, the king again asked, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favour with you, Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold to be destroyed, killed and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is he—the man who has dared to do such a thing?” Esther said, “An adversary and enemy! This vile Haman!” Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?” As soon as the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, “A pole reaching to a height of fifty cubits stands by Haman’s house. He had it set up for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king.” The king said, “Impale him on it!” So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided. (Esther 7:1-10)

… as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. (Esther 9:22)

When you follow the instruction of God’s Word, He will turn your situation around as He did for Esther.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:1-3)

What is a spirit-filled life? It is a life that exhibits the power of the Holy Spirit. Nothing operates without the power; our every organ would cease to function if there was no energy in our bodies. Nations go to war over power. The apostles began their ministry when they received the power of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

1. Move from ability to sufficiency.

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:5-6)

We need to know that, though we have human ability, our sufficiency comes from God. When we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, He empowers us to use our ability in a new dimension. Jesus, the Lord incarnate, received the Holy Spirit and then fasted for 40 days before He began His ministry. How much more should we? We must learn to submit to Him in everything.

2. Move from religiosity to liberty.

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:7-18)

Though glorious, Moses’ ministry was a ministry of condemnation. We now live in the ministry of righteousness because the Lord Jesus liberated man; the veil was torn in two, and there is no more condemnation. A religious spirit attempts to repair the veil that separates man from God through empty actions. Going to church regularly is not enough for righteousness; we need to impact lives for the Kingdom by living in a way that reveals the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to heal people and touch their hearts through the ministry.

3. Move from the ministry of transition to transformation.

Under the old covenant, to look upon God was to die. But God has revealed Himself in Christ and established a new covenant which gives us confidence to look upon Him and be transformed, praise the Lord Jesus Christ.

We can do this by turning to God and removing the veil of religion to behold the kind face of our Lord. We need to fix our eyes upon Jesus, the Author of our faith. When we behold Him in our hearts, He is faithful to restore us to His image as we were created.

“Now the Lord is a Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Praise the Lord.

 

“ … except to hold on to what you have until I come.’ To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give that one the morning star. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches?” (Revelation 2:25-29)

Our God loves to intervene supernaturally. Never allow your failure, someone else’s failure or the circumstances around you to stop you from progressing. Pay attention to what you already have. The supernatural power of God will humble you. Nobody is perfect; we all need the supernatural power of God. The only thing that will stop you is your own pride and arrogance. The Bible tells us that God will give us authority over nations and victory in everything we do according to His will.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I

have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” (John 14:1-14)

We are destined to do even greater things than Jesus did, and we can do this by the Holy Spirit.

Impossibility is a big word thrown around by small men. It is an opinion and not a fact. Impossibility is not permanent but temporal. But these things are true only when you believe in our great God. Focus on what God has given you; He can do great things with what you have. Moses used his staff, David used his sling, and Samson used his bare hands. Do not underestimate your talent; expect the supernatural, for it is the only way for the world to witness God’s glory.

1. Let not your heart be troubled.

Our hearts define our world. If the heart is negative, everything seems negative. Our inner thoughts control our external environment. Remove all hindrances, and do not be governed by your emotions. Instead, let your heart be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Surrender your fear, insecurity, hurts and disappointment to the Lord, and let not your heart be troubled.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:5)

In Psalm 42:5, David self-reflects, which is something we can do.

2. Know that your eternity is secure.

Remember, you have security and acceptance in Christ Jesus, and there is no condemnation in Him. There is no need for “what if;” just have faith in God.

… neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)

3. Make your relationship with God personal.

In spite of our overarching tendency to think naturally, we need to get to know the great I Am. Love the Lord actively and be connected to the Person of God. When He calls your name, do you recognize His voice? Lazarus recognized His voice, or He would not have heard Jesus’ command to come out of the grave!

4. We need to take supernatural initiative.

Not only does our faith in God necessitate our belief in the supernatural, we must also take action, do something, and challenge the status quo. Be bold; we need to start doing things beyond our natural abilities, or the world will never see God.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

We spend all our lives working in schools, jobs, homes, marriages and so on, but if we neglect our hearts, everything else will fail. The heart is like a womb that gives birth to everything we do in life. Money cannot buy everything. From the heart, our actions spring forth (see Proverbs 4:23).

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the LORD Almighty. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years. “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:1-6)

These verses from Malachi 3 describe God as a refiner’s fire and prophesy that we will be put on trial to be refined by Him. The heart determines who you will become, and your heart can betray you. Is your heart open to God’s refinement?

May we all live honorable lives, making sure to take care of the needy, especially the widows and foreigners living among us. Let us not be judgmental or prejudiced based on race, religion or any other distinction. Let us accept others for who they are in spite of their background. We would not want to face the wrath of God by failing to do the things He cares for so much about.

… for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. (Proverbs 23:7)

As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. (Proverbs 27:19)

We spend so much time worrying about the future. Our minds refuse to stay in the present, forever wandering and sapping all our energy. That is why we get so tired.
Malachi 3:3 tells us that our God is the great Purifier. He will test our faith and purify our hearts.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

Is your faith in God strong? Does your faith bring glory to God or to you?
You will have more energy if you invest strong faith in God, for He will take away your anxiety and give you peace. But this is an active, daily decision we must make, lest the devil claim victory over our minds and our lives.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Mathew 6:25-27)

You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. (Mathew 12:34-35)

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” (Luke 11:24-26)

For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.” (Matthew 15:19)

Guard your heart and let God refine it by His holy fire so that you will have a heart of gold.

For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water but you brought us to a place of abundance. (Psalm 66:10-12)

If you want God to take you to a place of abundance, you need to be willing to pass through the refining fire.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

Consider your trials pure joy; you are being perfected to maturity.

“I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” (Malachi 3:6)

Our God is the same yesterday, today and forever, and His promises are real. We are His covenant people, and God will always guard us and not destroy us.

David always knew that the presence of God was with him.

• While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my
  body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Matthew 26:6-13)

Similarly to David, the woman with the alabaster jar hosted the presence of God. Even though we do not know much more about her, we discuss and admire her actions to this day.

We need to be careful of a religious spirit and of familiarity. We can do this by learning to dismantle our pride. David could have pursued his enemy in his own strength without inquiring of God. We also need to be careful of the people we associate with. Do not surround yourself with those who give advice based on their religiosity or familiarity. When you seek to be an honorable host of God’s presence, you can never go wrong. David gained back everything that he lost because God’s presence was with him.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. (John 17:20-22)

We need to become one with God, and that will only happen when we believe in Jesus and are baptized in the Spirit. Prayer is powerful, especially when we pray in unity. According to John 17:22, we should experience the glory of God because Jesus has given it to us.

In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. (Hebrews 2:10)

We need the manifest presence of God in our midst. Interestingly, every location named in the Bible has been found except the Garden of Eden, where God was physically present. Our very lives are drawn from of the breath of God, first breathed in the Garden. In the glory of God, everything is eternal. It was not until Adam left God’s presence that he started deteriorating. But now that Jesus has restored our relationship to the Father, worship is the key to experiencing the presence of God. Our God is beyond description; He is the everlasting God, worthy to be praised.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Behold, the King is in our midst.

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

The Prophet Zechariah prophesied about the coming of Christ 400 years before it happened on Palm Sunday.

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. (Mark 11:1-11)

Before Jesus’ grand entrance into Jerusalem, He told people not to spread the good news whenever He healed people. But on Palm Sunday, He let them give Him a grand entrance.

Why celebrate Passover?
1. To let people remember that God delivered them.
2. To let people know that they will have a breakthrough.

We need to see the King; do not miss the King. In Mark 11:3, Jesus stated His authority as Lord. Symbolically speaking, we need to be that donkey, to break free and be used by the King. We need to give to God, for what God returns is better than what He takes away.
How did Jesus present Himself?

1. He is a humble King.
Mark 11:9-11 describes Him as a humble King riding on a donkey even though He was the King of Kings.
2. He is the exalted One.

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38)

The purpose of the King’s visit was to examine the city and the temple. The temple of Jerusalem was totally destroyed. We need to keep our hearts clean and upright, for they are the temple of the Holy Spirit where our God dwells. If we do not fortify our hearts with truth, the enemy will surely destroy God’s spiritual temple as well.