THE SUPERNATURAL HABITS - PAUL & NUALA O'HIGGINS (the best e book reader .txt) 📗
- Author: PAUL & NUALA O'HIGGINS
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/> Ministry – The Heritage of Every Believer
Spiritual service and ministry is not confined to a chosen few but is the privilege and obligation of every supernaturally empowered believer. Centuries of tradition have stolen the spiritual ministry from the majority of believers. Today the Holy Spirit is reversing this. He wants every believer to cultivate not only the habit of humble practical service but of humble supernatural service as well.
All effective disciples look for opportunities to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons” share good news, win souls, and bring the comfort and the hope of the gospel to people.
The leadership ministries will always be necessary and relevant. Their task, however, is not primarily to do the ministry themselves but to equip, empower and train all believers for the supernatural acts of service. The leadership ministry is to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry” (Eph. 4:12), “teaching them to observe all that I have asked you to do.” (Mt. 28:20)
In this way, the whole company of millions of believers throughout the world will be released as a great team to bring the saving benefits of the Messiah Jesus to others. As believers lay hold of these realities a revolution is taking place in the face of Christianity.
The church is ceasing to be a group of mostly spectators being served by the pulpit ministry. Instead it is becoming - what it was always intended to be - a dynamic organism of enthusiastic and equipped believers who serve the world by bringing the blessing and benefits of God’s redemption with them wherever they go. The sleeping giant of the church is now awakening from the binding cloths of religious tradition to become God’s great army of love released in the world.
The supernaturally empowered believer is chosen not only to be the object of God’s love and mercy but also to be a great blessing to the world around him. With this mind-set, life takes on a new purpose and meaning. Even the most menial act of service becomes charged with meaning and life when it is seen and done as an assignment from God. “For whatever you do in word or deed, do it all for the glory of God.” (Col. 3:17) As we cultivate the habit of serving we will become the highly supernaturally empowered believers we were destined to be.
When the disciples of Jesus returned from their great mission of healing, preaching, expelling demons and liberating people, they were delighted with the effectiveness of the ministry. Jesus commended them but also corrected them: “Do not rejoice that the demons are subject to you but that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20) Their worth was not to come from their work but from their position before Him as the adopted sons and daughters of God. Reward of ministry is not based on the size or impressiveness of the service but on its faithfulness.
The Believer Lives to Serve
“For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) As Jesus came to serve and not to be served, we too are sent into the world from our ascended position to live in the earth as servants of God and of our fellow man. Jesus’ service was not only for our benefit, but it was an example. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)
Before we can serve, however, we must first allow the Lord to serve us. After He has served us and we have received His saving and transforming grace only then can we give ourselves to Him to use us to serve others.
Many want to serve the Lord without letting the Lord serve them first. We are not ready to serve Him and others through Him unless we allow Him to lift us up, cleanse and transform us and then send us.
We comfort and serve one another because we first have been helped ourselves. “We love, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) We do not serve because we think that we are superior to the ones we are serving. We serve because we know that we who serve today are as infinitely in need of service as the ones we serve.
The Habit of Serving/Ministry
It is a privilege to be able to serve and minister to others and there are as many varieties of service as there are people. We serve in natural ways and we also can serve in supernatural ways through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is common to call natural service ‘work’ and spiritual service ‘ministry’. The scriptures make no such distinction: “Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31)
Natural service, such as nursing, washing feet, parenting, teaching, farming, manufacturing, cooking, cleaning, giving, encouraging and exhorting are equally vital areas of service. Believers can learn to function with equal joy in natural and spiritual service. We each have a different mixture of natural and spiritual service. Both natural and spiritual service requires the development and cultivation of skills. Supernaturally empowered Believers should seek to excel in every area of service to which they are directed and should, therefore, also excel in acquiring the skills to make their acts of service most effectively. There is a tendency among some religious believers to regard education as somehow “worldly.” It is true that it is 'worldly' to adopt the moral values of the unredeemed world .. but it is never “worldly” to acquire the best skills that can help us perform our service to others in the best way possible. Indeed, to pursue excellence in education for the motive of doing our job well is a deep expression of love.
Distracted by Service
Service can become a dull grind when it is not seen in its context of love. The stressed worker who becomes so engrossed in the responsibility and pressure of work that he loses sight of its meaning gets lost in the treadmill of drudgery. On the other hand, when believers see work (however apparently insignificant) in the context of serving others it is transformed with purpose. It may not lose all its drudgery but it loses its meaninglessness.
In the famous gospel story when Martha was ‘distracted by too much serving’ she was like many today who are so stressed with the pressure of service that their work loses its meaning. Jesus praised Mary because she had chosen the better part. The better part is to serve in the context of love. When we serve in love, the stress and pressure of our labors will not crowd out our joy in bringing help to the ones we love. In the words of Mike Bickle: “There are lovers and there are workers, and lovers get more work done than workers.”
A family reunion where we celebrate with a special meal can be a wonderful celebration of love. It is easy for the labor of house cleaning and the stress of preparing a festive meal to overshadow the celebration of reunion. Martha, in the stress of getting everything ready for her VIP guest, lost sight of the fact that the purpose of the meal preparation was to enjoy the Master’s company. For her the work overshadowed the purpose and she almost missed the enjoyment of the Master’s visit. She lost sight of the main purpose of the work.
For the supernaturally empowered believer work is never mere drudgery – it is an assignment from God. Our service, however humble, takes on a fuller meaning when it is seen in this perspective - an assignment from God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) It is not the visible significance of our work that gives it its value.
Working with Him as Friends
“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you.” (John 15:15-16)
Our assignments are not simply like assignments an army officer would pass on to his soldiers. Jesus calls us friends and not just servants. He is interested in partnering with us so that our acts of service become the fruit of our union with Him.
Chapter 8: THE HABIT OF HEAVENLY LOVE
Spiritual service and ministry is not confined to a chosen few but is the privilege and obligation of every supernaturally empowered believer. Centuries of tradition have stolen the spiritual ministry from the majority of believers. Today the Holy Spirit is reversing this. He wants every believer to cultivate not only the habit of humble practical service but of humble supernatural service as well.
All effective disciples look for opportunities to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons” share good news, win souls, and bring the comfort and the hope of the gospel to people.
The leadership ministries will always be necessary and relevant. Their task, however, is not primarily to do the ministry themselves but to equip, empower and train all believers for the supernatural acts of service. The leadership ministry is to “equip the saints for the work of the ministry” (Eph. 4:12), “teaching them to observe all that I have asked you to do.” (Mt. 28:20)
In this way, the whole company of millions of believers throughout the world will be released as a great team to bring the saving benefits of the Messiah Jesus to others. As believers lay hold of these realities a revolution is taking place in the face of Christianity.
The church is ceasing to be a group of mostly spectators being served by the pulpit ministry. Instead it is becoming - what it was always intended to be - a dynamic organism of enthusiastic and equipped believers who serve the world by bringing the blessing and benefits of God’s redemption with them wherever they go. The sleeping giant of the church is now awakening from the binding cloths of religious tradition to become God’s great army of love released in the world.
The supernaturally empowered believer is chosen not only to be the object of God’s love and mercy but also to be a great blessing to the world around him. With this mind-set, life takes on a new purpose and meaning. Even the most menial act of service becomes charged with meaning and life when it is seen and done as an assignment from God. “For whatever you do in word or deed, do it all for the glory of God.” (Col. 3:17) As we cultivate the habit of serving we will become the highly supernaturally empowered believers we were destined to be.
When the disciples of Jesus returned from their great mission of healing, preaching, expelling demons and liberating people, they were delighted with the effectiveness of the ministry. Jesus commended them but also corrected them: “Do not rejoice that the demons are subject to you but that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20) Their worth was not to come from their work but from their position before Him as the adopted sons and daughters of God. Reward of ministry is not based on the size or impressiveness of the service but on its faithfulness.
The Believer Lives to Serve
“For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) As Jesus came to serve and not to be served, we too are sent into the world from our ascended position to live in the earth as servants of God and of our fellow man. Jesus’ service was not only for our benefit, but it was an example. “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15)
Before we can serve, however, we must first allow the Lord to serve us. After He has served us and we have received His saving and transforming grace only then can we give ourselves to Him to use us to serve others.
Many want to serve the Lord without letting the Lord serve them first. We are not ready to serve Him and others through Him unless we allow Him to lift us up, cleanse and transform us and then send us.
We comfort and serve one another because we first have been helped ourselves. “We love, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) We do not serve because we think that we are superior to the ones we are serving. We serve because we know that we who serve today are as infinitely in need of service as the ones we serve.
The Habit of Serving/Ministry
It is a privilege to be able to serve and minister to others and there are as many varieties of service as there are people. We serve in natural ways and we also can serve in supernatural ways through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is common to call natural service ‘work’ and spiritual service ‘ministry’. The scriptures make no such distinction: “Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31)
Natural service, such as nursing, washing feet, parenting, teaching, farming, manufacturing, cooking, cleaning, giving, encouraging and exhorting are equally vital areas of service. Believers can learn to function with equal joy in natural and spiritual service. We each have a different mixture of natural and spiritual service. Both natural and spiritual service requires the development and cultivation of skills. Supernaturally empowered Believers should seek to excel in every area of service to which they are directed and should, therefore, also excel in acquiring the skills to make their acts of service most effectively. There is a tendency among some religious believers to regard education as somehow “worldly.” It is true that it is 'worldly' to adopt the moral values of the unredeemed world .. but it is never “worldly” to acquire the best skills that can help us perform our service to others in the best way possible. Indeed, to pursue excellence in education for the motive of doing our job well is a deep expression of love.
Distracted by Service
Service can become a dull grind when it is not seen in its context of love. The stressed worker who becomes so engrossed in the responsibility and pressure of work that he loses sight of its meaning gets lost in the treadmill of drudgery. On the other hand, when believers see work (however apparently insignificant) in the context of serving others it is transformed with purpose. It may not lose all its drudgery but it loses its meaninglessness.
In the famous gospel story when Martha was ‘distracted by too much serving’ she was like many today who are so stressed with the pressure of service that their work loses its meaning. Jesus praised Mary because she had chosen the better part. The better part is to serve in the context of love. When we serve in love, the stress and pressure of our labors will not crowd out our joy in bringing help to the ones we love. In the words of Mike Bickle: “There are lovers and there are workers, and lovers get more work done than workers.”
A family reunion where we celebrate with a special meal can be a wonderful celebration of love. It is easy for the labor of house cleaning and the stress of preparing a festive meal to overshadow the celebration of reunion. Martha, in the stress of getting everything ready for her VIP guest, lost sight of the fact that the purpose of the meal preparation was to enjoy the Master’s company. For her the work overshadowed the purpose and she almost missed the enjoyment of the Master’s visit. She lost sight of the main purpose of the work.
For the supernaturally empowered believer work is never mere drudgery – it is an assignment from God. Our service, however humble, takes on a fuller meaning when it is seen in this perspective - an assignment from God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) It is not the visible significance of our work that gives it its value.
Working with Him as Friends
“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you.” (John 15:15-16)
Our assignments are not simply like assignments an army officer would pass on to his soldiers. Jesus calls us friends and not just servants. He is interested in partnering with us so that our acts of service become the fruit of our union with Him.
Chapter 8: THE HABIT OF HEAVENLY LOVE
CHAPTER VIII
THE HABIT OF HEAVENLY LOVE
For the supernaturally empowered believer love is more than a habit - it is the atmosphere in which he lives. It is the amniotic fluid within which he thrives and outside of which he dies.
The believer in Jesus is empowered with an inflow of divine love that equips him for a whole new dimension and quality of living. When we are separated from this heavenly substance we live and behave abnormally. As fish were made for the sea and birds for the air, we were made to live in the atmosphere of God’s love. “And we have known and believed the love that God has in us. God is love and the one who lives in love lives in God and God lives in Him.” (1 John 4:16) When we do not remain in love we are like fish out of water and begin to stink – until we get back in again!
We are the only creatures on earth with a capacity to commune with God. In fact this defines who we are. That is why God gave us two great commandments, which sum up all the others:
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, with all your strength.” (Deut. 6:5)
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)
These words are not only words of command – they are words of prophecy. They are words of command because they illustrate what God requires of us. They are words of prophecy because they describe the way we shall be when the Spirit of love comes into us.
When we become reconciled with God, through the Atoning work of Jesus, the Holy Spirit pours this heavenly love into our hearts and we begin to experience God’s love. This causes us to fall in love with Him, even though we cannot see Him. Relationship with God is no longer just a
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