Building something great

by | Jul 15, 2019 | Christianity Today | 8 comments

I have been pondering these questions:

Can we overcome the evil that is rampant in our times and do something big for God?

Can visionaries still come to the forefront and seize the day?

Can true prophets arise, and speak the heart of God to a dying world?

If you’re looking for a cheap pep talk—a soothing shortcut—or the flattering words of the God-is-our- Daddy Movement—if you think serving God is just a tongues-talking Candy Land game, then save us both time, and ease on back into your cocoon.

But if you look at the present system of church and feel empty—if there is an inner fire that tells you “THIS IS NOT IT!  THERE HAS TO BE MORE!” —you have come to the right place.

Our journey begins with a sad joke.  A mechanically challenged young man who wants to cut some firewood goes into a hardware store.  He asks the store clerk for advice.  After being shown the chain saws, the clerk says, “With a chain saw you can cut entire cords of wood in no time.”  Sold.

The young man returns three days later angry and frustrated. “You told me I could cut cords of wood.  All I got was a few lousy sticks, and this thing is way too heavy to handle.”  Baffled, the clerk grabs the saw, yanks the pullcord and the saw roars to life.  The young man asks, “What’s that noise?”

In the greatest moral war America has ever faced, the church is trying to saw wood with a giant unstarted chainsaw.   To fight that war, our Christian Colleges insist on graduating tepid troops of singing psychologists and grinning marketers.

 Secret Number One:  Separate yourself.   There is a promise in the Bible that is timeless, omnipotent, and unstoppable.  It is a promise that transcends the mad railings of evil men, dark times, and limited resources.  It is a promise that will prevail in any culture, and at any time. Read the promise carefully:

2 Timothy 2:20 “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses (separates) himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Now, flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

Those words were not written to some surfer in the 1960’s living in a bubble, but to a young leader embarking on ministry in the midst of the Roman Empire, facing both lash and lions.

Separate yourself from the drunken compromised preachers of today.  Separate yourself from shallow faith.  Separate yourself from those who need “a daily word from the Lord”—turning prophecy into an ecclesiastical horoscope.  Separate yourself from those who want to “activate gifts” without pressing in to know the heart of God.  If you do these things, a great work will have already begun.

 Secret Number Two: Learn practical dependency on the Holy Spirit.  Satan’s best work is not done by atheists, but by misguided Christians.  The devil prizes above all else his ability to get ministers to take matters into their own hands—to build by their own wits—and build the perfect disguise.  The current whited sepulchers are vast empires bearing Christian labels.  These are machines God never built.  They are trophies of hell meant to distract the Body of Christ, and waste time and money.

John 16:13: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”

What do you see in those verses?  They should both bless and horrify you.  All the authority to build, direct, provide, strengthen and guide the church was vested in the Holy Spirit.  We have offended a precious friend!  We have driven away the very Person we needed most!

The American church thrashes about like a child in a kiddy pool, never guessing what she is doing wrong.  She hired marketers when she could have simply asked the Holy Spirit. She pointed to false success to justify her existence.  We don’t need a superman. We need supernatural men and women filled with the Holy Spirit.

You must be baptized in the Spirit and then learn to be led of the Spirit.

 Secret Number Three: Trust the process. God invented planning. Therefore, the Holy Spirit will give you a plan. The trick is, you can’t take shortcuts. You won’t always see the logic.  And you may grow weary and even come to doubt the sanity of your course.

You won’t be allowed to do things that others get away with.  You will be driven to prayer and into the Word of God over every step you take. You are taking the road least traveled.

Do what God tells you to do, and never stop doing it.  Again: Trust the process.  No matter how your guidance seems to go against the grain, obey His voice!  When you have no money but God says invest it in a vision—do it!  When close associates turn on you—still do it!  Trust the process.  When you face a withering storm of criticism because of your choice, keep going forward.

Follow these three secrets. Then, look around.  You will see people doing mighty works of God in the Earth.  You will see the glaring difference between those who are fueled by the Holy Spirit and those who are not.

But, you ask, “Will these secrets work in this day and age?”  Yes! They always have and they always will!

 

8 Comments

  1. Carolina

    LOVE what Mario said & Love what AP-Paul said….
    “You are God’s building. As a skilled and experienced builder, I used the gift that God gave me to lay the foundation {for that building}. However, someone else is building on it. Each person must be careful how he builds on it.”
    1 Corinthians 3:9, 10
    We have noticed The King Yeshua, is quite sensitive to our focused attention upon Him. He is the LOVER of our souls, and like any other man or woman can be, The Lord also responds to sweet intimacy and our attentions.
    Hosea was given prophetic revelation on this subject through The Eternal Christ here’s what Hosea said and its revealing when read from the Message Bible…
    “That’s why I use prophets to shake you to attention, why my words cut you to the quick: To wake you up to My judgment blazing like light. I’m after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know GOD, not go to more prayer meetings.” Hosea 6:5,6 (MSG Bible)
    Dear Friends, Christ Jesus is repelled by religiosity…He came to break the ancient religious mold and shatter the human paradigms of men.
    Of course that freedom HE gave is never a license to do as we please…But to do as HE pleases!
    We as a household of Kingdom minded people can pack quite a
    spiritual and civil wallop. We not only have influence we are actually the only REAL and TRUE influence on the earth. The rest are satan’s smoke and mirror tricks, like a magic act, now you see em, now you don’t. One fine day our LORD will return and all eyes will see HIM Who they pierced.
    So don’t be afraid, The LORD comes quickly, this is a time for God’s Beloved people to SHINE—because we were “born again” for such a time as this!

  2. Mark Stripling, Ransomed Ministries

    As my wife and I were seeking the Lord Satuday night in preparation for ministry Sunday morning, I felt unusual heaviness. In reading Jeremiah 5, tears began to flow. Verses 23-31, “But this people has a revolting and rebellious heart, they have revolted and gone aside. They do not say in their heart, Let us now fear the
    Lord our God……. Your iniquities have turned away these things, and yourcsins have withheld good things from you. For among my people are found wicked men. They lie in wait as he who sets snares; they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore thaey have become great and rich. They are fat, they are sleek. Indeed they excel in deeds of wickedness. They do not judge the cause of the fatherless, so that they may prosper, and the right of the needy they do not defend. Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord. Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? THE PROPHETS PROPHESY FALSELY, THE PRIESTS RULE BY THEIR OWN AUTHORITY; AND MY PEOPLE LOVE TO HAVE IT SO. YET WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THE END? My spirit was heavy for the lostness and deception that has crept into the institution called the church. And then on Sunday morning we proceeded to have a great move of God as He showed up in His great faithfulness with healings and power in the Holy Spirit. God forgive me of times i have ministered in my own “authority” and not His! (Sorry this is so long a pist)

    • Mark Stripling

      Terrible proof reading before hitting the post button.

  3. inspiredbynature683

    Oh brother Mario,

    How I long for the Church of Christ to Arise and come out from among them, Separate ourselves from the world, and be about our Father’s Business, and Christian Country Club’s, head counting, filling up pews, bbq’s, and bounce houses! but LIVE as our Father and Lord have taught us in His Holy Words, BE HATED FOR HIS SAKE, God sent His One and Only Son, our Lord lived and DIED to Teach us, show us The Way, and leaving His authority with us to accomplish His Will here.

    Jesus tells us that we WILL do even GREATER things. WE ARE THE CHURCH, WE should be Casting Out Demons and Saving SOULS in His Mighty Name! Not Skinny Jeans, Concerts and Light Shows! Trying so hard to FIT IN, WE have become as the World and don’t even know it. Truly Heartbreaking.

  4. kingskid48

    I understand that peoples’ attention spans are not what they used to be, and I understand that some changes may be necessary to draw in the youth and families, but to be honest, I’d likes to see some getting back to basics and deep worship, allowing the Holy Spirit to interrupt the agenda.

    • Mark Stripling

      kingskid- There are many who lived those days, and I believe it will happen still where people allow the Holy Spirit to move. My wife led worship in the days when services on Sunday night could be 2 to 3 hours long, with powerful Holy Spirit moves of salvation, healing, deliverance, and joy unspeakable and full of glory!! Lives were changed forever by the power that flowed from on high.

  5. pat aulston

    alleluia!!

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