UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL GIFTS

 

Ephesians 4:11-16

The church of God is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). It is the desire of God that the church matures into the fullness of Christ. In other words, God wants to see in us, the image of Christ Jesus.

Through the impartation of spiritual gifts, we operate in the fullness of the power of God, commanding the supernatural... It's quite good for us to note that, in order to fulfill our God-given purpose in life, we must operate in the supernatural. One of the ways we can achieve this is through spiritual gifts.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, on His ascension to heaven, gave the church the five-fold ministry gifts, for the advancement of His Kingdom. These gifts had been given, but would only be activated by the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost. Likewise, the gifts of God had been deposited within you, long before now. However, it will take the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to activate and to reveal to you, such spiritual endowment that you have been blessed with (1 Cor. 2:12).

THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY GIFTS ARE:

1. APOSTLES.

An apostle is a special messenger, one who has been sent specifically on a special assignment. Jesus is the Sent of the Father (Heb. 3:1). He sent us just as the Father had sent Him (John 17:18; 20:21). Apostles are called, commissioned and equipped thoroughly by the Lord, with power to heal the sick, to cast out devils and to bring down the kingdom of God into the hearts of men (Matt. 10:1-4). Apostles also lay spiritual foundations for others to build upon (1 Cor. 3:10; Eph. 2:20).

2. PROPHETS.

A prophet is one who proclaims the message of God (as revealed to him) to others. God will not do a thing without revealing His secrets to His servants, the prophets (Amos 3:7). A prophet speaks the mind of God, he is God's spokesman, a voice for God in his generation. God uses His prophets to bring edification, exhortation and comfort to the church. (1Corinthians. 14: 3-4).

3. EVANGELISTS.

An evangelist is a publisher of glad tidings (Psalm 68:11; Isaiah 52:7). He is an itinerant preacher, with a God-given mandate to take the Gospel of salvation to different cities and parts of the world (Mark 16:15). They are missionaries, extending the frontiers of God's Kingdom to places yet unknown.

4.PASTORS.

 

A pastor is a shepherd, unto whom God commits flocks, that he might take care of them, guide them, feed them and nurture them (Matt. 24:45-46; Luke 12:42-43). Teed heed to yourself and to the flock over whom the Holy Spirit has made you overseer, to feed the church of God... (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). Jesus said to Peter, '...feed My sheep'.

5. TEACHERS.

Teachers are like salt in the church of God. They serve the purpose of revealing to people and instructing them in the core values of the Kingdom of God (2 Chro. 3:15). Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, a teacher receives understanding of the Scripture, and lays it bare before the people of God. A teacher is absolutely given to the study of the Word of God (2 Tim. 2:15).

The common responsibility of these ministers in the church, is to equip (perfect) the people of God for the work of the ministry and to build up (edify) the body of Christ (Eph. 4:12).

THE PURPOSE:

That the church may come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of Christ.

That we may attain perfection whereby the fullness of Christ is revealed in us.

That we may speak the truth always, being entrenched in love, which is the nature of God (Eph. 4:13-15).

PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA

        Resident  Pastor

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FATHER - A SOURCE OF TRANS-GENERATIONAL BLESSING

Genesis 26:1-14.

 

A father is a progenitor, a founder, a benefactor, an origin... A real father represents a great beginning. He represents the emergence of a new generation. A real father is not only conscious of himself, he is also conscious of the impact/consequence of the decisions he makes today, on his children’s future…
Good men leave godly inheritance to their grandchildren… (Prov. 13:22).

Whenever God wants to start a new thing in a generation, He seeks after a man, who will truly represent His interest. When He finds such a man, He instructs him in His ways, and thereafter (in the fullness of time), the man becomes a reference point to others.

IMPORTANT LESSONS TO DRAW FROM THE ANCHOR TEXT:

1. Every generation has its own peculiar famine experience. It’s also important for us to know that famine comes in diverse ways. Furthermore, for the children of God’s kingdom, the purpose of the famine experience is not to destroy you, but to reveal God’s glory in you… (Gen. 26:1)

2. Real fathers are products of divine revelation. The secrets of true fathers lie in their personal encounter with the Father of lights. God reveals Himself to them. May the LORD visit you today… (1 Samuel 3:21; Acts 7:2-4).
Furthermore, God instructs them in His ways! (Gen. 26:2-3).

3. Parents, take heed to yourselves! Our attitudes tend to have a multiplier effect on our children. Let God deal with every weakness and wickedness in you, so that they don’t rub off on your children.
Isaac reaped the blessings of Abraham’s good deeds and likewise, he inherited lying from him… (Gen. 26:4-10).

4. Fathers are sowers (investors). They sow their God-given seed, even in the time of famine. They are not intimidated by any famine experience or any form of adversity. They follow God’s instructions strictly and reap the blessings thereof (Gen. 26:12-14).
Remember, God gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater (Isaiah 55:10; 2 Cor. 9:10). Are you a sower or bread eater?

DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS OF SOWING:
1. Sowing into God’s kingdom, advancing God’s kingdom.
2. Total commitment to family development and cultivating godly values in your home.

3. Commitment and diligence to your industry/ministry/vocation.
4. Becoming  a channel of blessing to others…
(Genesis 26:25).

God called Abraham out of his father’s house, gave him a promise, renewed the same promise in Isaac, and Isaac passed it on to Jacob… until Christ was born, through Whom all the nations and families of the world are being blessed today (Matt. 1:1-16; Gen. 12:3; 22:18).

May the LORD find us as worthy vessels who will receive, retain and release the heavenly blessings, in the name of Jesus Christ!

PASTOR NATHANIEL SADELA

        Resident  Pastor

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UNDERSTANDING OBEDIENCE

Bible Reading: 1Cor. 1:26-31

  

·      The Lord delight in the prosperity of His children but despite various ways God deals with man from the time past, it is of noteworthy that man lack the will to obey simple instruction.

·      Man is only interested in what was received and how it was received but will never seek to know the GIVER of all things

-         No wonder God usually changes His approach even in similar situation in order to get the attention of man.

·      God may decide to do it all by Himself and sometimes may request our input in order to test our obedience

-        He will sometimes use the foolish things of this world just to test the level of our faith in order to humble the wisdom of man.

1Cor. 1:27

Question: Why will He go through different approaches in bringing deliverance, breakthroughs and blessing to man

Answers:

a.    Due to The Rigid and Stereotype Nature of Man.

·      Sometimes God may sense that we have boxed ourselves into one method or style of receiving our needed breakthroughs and blessings.

-       Naaman said, I thought Elisha will come, pray unto his God and use his hand to rub my body. 2Kings.5:11

When God is saying do you need miracles, blessings and breakthroughs? Are we not busy

complaining about our many misfortune rather than to simply say yes.

Isa. 55:8-9

Do we seek to know His way or we are only interested in the miracle

b.    Sometimes He wants to inspire our heart to bring about unimaginable things.

·      Following through His inspiration we can receive our needed miracles.

Has God suggested something to your subconscious lately?

-        Are you doing something about it or you lack the courage to follow it through?

Such idea may look stupid to the world system as in the case of Jacob in Gen.31, but God is waiting

to see how much of trust we have in him.

1Cor. 2:9

·      God gives idea through reading the scriptures, through vision, through dreams, through things we see around us, through things that happen around us, etc.

-        It may look stupid and unreasonable but as long as we can sense God in it and it does not put the name of God to disrepute, there is no harm in trying.

c.    To test our Humility Level.

·      Sometimes He may want to know whether we can take insult or debasement for His name sake.

·      The Bible made us to understand that Jesus spat on the floor and mashed His saliva with sand to make clay. John 9:6

-        A lot we say, what sort of insult, debasement, humiliation, disgrace, etc. is this?

-        Without Debasement there cannot be Glorification

Do you not feel insulted or too important and want to go back when God is taking you through a little

insult on your path to your breakthrough?

d.    To test our level of sensitivity in an unfamiliar terrain.

·      If you are taken through unfamiliar terrain, will you first check with God before taking your decision?

·      Moses used the unfamiliar to bring about a major healing and recovery to the people who were on the verge of been totally destroyed by God in the desert. Num.21

·      Same also, when it was time to save the Gentiles, God used similar approach to speak to Peter in a trance. Acts 10

God can tell you to preach to that muslim boss in the office, Pray for that neighbor or colleague who has been a hindrance to your progress, etc.

e.    To test the level of our endurance and longsuffering.

·      Sometimes God may take a man through difficult or fruitless-like venture that may get so tiring and frustrating.

·      If God had wanted to deliver Jericho in one day, he would have done it. Eph. 3:20.

·      But why will He want them to march around a city every day for seven consecutive days. What was God trying to test?

When you have written so many applications and still no job, what is He trying to test?

-        When that admission each year is lost just because of few marks, what is He trying to test?

-        When that job or business of yours after so much of fund injected and experience put in place and still no hope for survival, what is God trying to test?

He wants to see how tenacious you can be. Job 13:15

·      Can you follow God in the midst of uncertainty?

-        Can you put your trust in Him even when there is nothing to trust?

f.     Sometimes God wants to see how big your faith is.

·      How big is your faith in the midst of many adversities?

·      If we follow the story of this widow closely, we were told that the husband served God as a minister of God in his time but yet poverty was dinning and wining with them. 2Kings 4

-         The woman may conclude that since the God the husband served even to the point of death was not able to provide their need, there is no need seeking after that same God and His prophet anymore.

Are we not saying that the God (church) whom our parent are serving is now local? It cannot take care of your need because He is an Old School God while you are New School.

g.    To know if we trivialize Him or He (God) is our chief corner stone.

·      Sometimes God wants to know whether we trivialize Him on some aspect of our lives or we have made Him the chief corner.

Does moving from the living room of our homes to the rest room requires the presence of God?

Does doing our everyday duties in the office requires the abiding presence of God?

Going to cut down some trees for the expansion of the house of God may look simple a task especially when one has received the permission of the presiding pastor (Elisha) 2Kings 6

So why ask again for Elisha’s company on such a simple task which do not require any prayer and

fasting to carry out?

Elisha in this passage is a type and shadow of God’s presence and the sons of the Prophet knew the

importance of having God everywhere they go however simple or not too important it may seems.

Do you take God with you at every decision or you have some matters your experience, wisdom,

specialty, expertise, etc. can handle without the help of God?

In conclusion

·         Total obedience opens you to the knowledge in God’s word

·         Knowledge in-turn releases the abundant power of God.

·         The difference between success and failure is the level of knowledge of the workings of God

·         I’m happy to announce to you that Obedience;

-         Brings peace

-         Gives confidence

-         It allows for great exploit

-         It make a man’s face to shine among his peers

 Only trust and obey.

 

 

PASTOR LANRE AREOLA

       

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