Ministry Essential in Bringing Healing to the Hurting

The Ministry of the Holy Spirit Through His Body to the Saved and the Lost

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6

Have we asked God to grant us an heart of flesh, a heart that desires to see people reconciled to Him? Have we, His children, not been given by God “the ministry of reconciliation”?

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” 2 Corinthians 5:18  

EVER BEEN THERE? There are times when we are to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints” and other times when the enemy is trying to get us to take the bait, to bite on something minor and not be quiet, listen, and meekly minister the Word and love of God (Jude 3-4; Ephesians 4:15; 2 Timothy 2:24-26). May God bless each of His children to be led by His Holy Spirit in each instant and glorify Him, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

God has chosen to use His saints to minister to each other and to a lost world of sinners He desires to be saved.

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:14-16 

Sons of Thunder

We learn from how Jesus taught His original disciples. When some had rejected Christ, His disciples desired to call down fire, judgment upon them.

“And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” Luke 9:54-56

Shall we begin today, asking our Father to grant us a tender heart towards others?

When He grants us His desire for us, an heart of flesh, will we not then administer and not attack?

Jesus came to bring peace between fallen man and God (Colossians 1:20).

Lost souls, groping in darkness, cannot possibly find God by themselves. They must be found of Him, by Him. They cannot possibly receive divine ministry from other lost souls. No, as far as instruments of God’s love, fallen mankind is exclusively dependent upon God’s people administering the reconciling truth of His blessed Gospel!

When faced with unbelief and an attack, what is the proper godly response? To attack? No. How about lovingly sharing a verse of Scripture?

When on the topic of the Bible itself, when doubt is cast upon it, I sense the Holy Ghost quickening my spirit to simply administer His truth because that person only believes the lie due to a lack of hearing the truth. Selah saints! So, lovingly communicating the divine words of 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 flows and the effect on the hearer is nearly always visible. The seed of God’s Word is being planted, sown in the hearts of the hearers and we know God’s Word is the healing agent needed and never returns to Him void but rather always accomplishes His will, amen?

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

Let us remember saints that we cannot talk anyone into being saved. We cannot argue them into salvation, nor can we make that decision for them. We are seed sowers and it’s God Himself who convicts and draws men to Himself.

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 

This loving administration of the truth of God, with deep concern for the hearer, is in contrast with self-righteously attacking people with God’s Word… which was never done by Christ or His holy apostles or the early church. Jesus was “moved WITH COMPASSION” on the lost (Matthew 9:35-38). What moves us as we reach out to those yet without the Great Shepherd?

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that WINNETH souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30

We must never have the ungodly “Well, I told them!” attitude. As we leave a conversation, let us be quickened to lift that beloved soul up to the LORD in prayer. Remember, they live in this fallen world just as we do saints and are therefore subject to the same evil spirits that seek to deceive and damn every human soul. Winning a soul over to GOD’s truth is done carefully and with God’s love.

How are we viewing struggling, weak, fallen saints and lost sinners? Are we presently possessed with the heart of God, with His stated perspective towards them – his desire to save, to forgive, to restore them?

Think with me for a moment … When looking down from Heaven upon fallen mankind, did our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, the eternal Word look scornfully upon fallen mankind (us)? No. They looked lovingly AND they are “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8) Whew! Selah!

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth (displayed, exhibited) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8