Point 2. THE CONSTANT INCREASE OF SELF-FORGETTING FAITHFULNESS
Mark 9:33-37; Matthew 18:1-4; Luke 22:24-27; Philippians 2:3-5,25,30; Acts 20:24
This is a kind of faithfulness that makes you forget yourself, your joy, happiness, ambition, and you are not in any rivalry with Christ. This is what God requires from us, and those are the people that will increase, make progress, be promoted, and go higher and deeper with the Lord. Your faithfulness comes to an acceptable level in the sight of God when you forget yourself, who you are, your happiness, what you like, want or desire and you are only thinking about Him everywhere, at home, workplace and public places You forget your own convenience but seek the welfare and good of others; you let self-die in you. All the wishful thinking of less of Christ and others, and more of you, you let all that die and come to the realisation that it is all of Christ, and none of you. That is how you are going to increase. “And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:33-35). What causes dispute and conflict between husband and wife, ministers, employees and employers? It is the argument of submission, recognition, who is better, exaggeration of our position, personality, talents, gifts. These bring pride and conflict. We forget that none of us can stop God nor demote Christ. I pray that dispute will no more be in our midst in Jesus’ name. “Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me” (Mark 9:37). The Lord wants us all to be humble, and we will be humble in Jesus’ name. What have we got that we have not received from God? God will still continue His work after we have gone, and He will not lack any skill, talent, minister; what He will do, He will do and His work will continue. God wants us to be humble and lowly minded that pride will not destroy our lives. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4). I pray that the Lord will enable us take this path of lowliness and humility that will lead to us becoming great in the kingdom, in Jesus’ name. Those who like to be authoritative and impose their big power upon other people are like the world. It is in the world that they have that kind of strife and conflict among themselves. There will be peace in your family and the church for the Prince of Peace will reign in Jesus’ name. “…but I am among you as he that serveth” (Luke 22:28). Our Lord, Saviour and Redeemer came to show us the way and those who are true sons of God will follow. Fighting, strife, imposition of authority will not start from you. Gentleness, meekness, kindness and love are what the Lord wants. Focus on your service, and there will be no strife. You want to be of tremendous benefit to everyone, and peace will reign through you to others in Jesus’ name. “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3). Everything we do in our personal lives, families, at work, on the road, in a taxi or bus, will be without vainglory, pride, nor strife. And in the church, nothing should not be done with vainglory, but to uphold righteousness, lift Christ up, spread His love and benefit the Church. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Jesus never did anything out of vainglory or pride, and as heaven-bound pilgrims we must have the spirit of Christ; no pride or retaliation. “Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me” (Philippians 2:30). This servant of God was so committed to the service to the Lord and Paul the Apostle at the expense of his health. This is what we are learning, that we should render self-forgetting service unto the Lord. I pray that this Christlikeness will be seen in us and there will be no argument, and strife among us anymore; we will help each other to be at our best for the Lord. “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). For Paul the Apostle, misrepresentations, misconceptions, persecutions, trials and whatever the service demanded, or he had to go through, did not move him. He counted ministry and the opportunity to serve very important, and whatever happened did not bother him so that he could finish with joy. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). If we don’t have love for the people we are ministering to, and all that we want is to be number one, our service is worthless. Love suffers long and is kind. That is why in a true Christian family, there is no divorce and remarriage. Whatever you are going through in that home, you suffer long and are kind to one another. Envy brings strife and violence. Where there is love, you don’t seek your own. No pride in your life, ministry and action, and no more strife in Jesus’ name (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
Point 3. THE CARNAL IMPOSITION OF SELF-SEEKING FORBIDDANCE (FORBIDDING OF OTHERS)
Mark 9:38-41; Luke 9:49-50,1-2; 10:1-2,9,17-19; 3 John 9-10; Numbers 11:25-29; Acts 1:8; 2:39
“And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.” “And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us” (Mark 9:38; Luke 9:50). See what John was before he became an Apostle of love: he changed! In your life, there will be a transformation as well in Jesus’ name. How can you go and stop somebody doing a necessary work of the kingdom? “Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases” (Luke 9:1). This was the reason why John stopped that man who was not among the twelve that received the power and authority to cast out devils. But he didn’t know the mind, programme and intention of Christ. Don’t be myopic in your understanding. “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come” (Luke 10:1). John didn’t know that the work, anointing and authority will not stop at the doorstep of the twelve disciples. There were other seventy yet to be appointed to do the work. The twelve were not enough for the great harvest ahead. We are still few, we are not enough. If Jesus was so humble to allow us to do the same work and greater works than He had done, so we too must learn to accommodate others in the work of the Lord and not forbid them. John stopped only one person, but Jesus brought other seventy into the fold, to have the same power and authority like the twelve. So, align your mind with the mind of Christ. You will not forbid anyone. Release all the people to do the work that God has appointed them to do and let everyone have the liberty to serve the Lord in the household of faith. Let us serve the Lord without any imposition of self on anyone. You will be free to minister. “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not” (3 John 9). This man wanted to be known and high above the brethren. He was casting out faithful ones instead of casting demons out of the church of Christ (3 John 10). You will not be like that in Jesus’ name. Don’t discourage any member. “And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease” (Numbers 11:25). It is not the Will of God that one person will monopolise the power of God. The power of the Spirit is for everyone, the promise is unto you all. If your name is written in the Book of Life, this power of the Spirit will come upon your life (Numbers 11:26). When you are envious and jealous, a lot of byelaws and restrictions will be promulgated in your local church and group. “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39). Don’t forbid anyone, let all enjoy the benefits of Calvary.
Anything you don’t understand as a child of God, ask, and the solution will come in Jesus’ name. Remember, forget yourself, serve the Lord faithfully since we have only one life to live, and increase will come in Jesus’ name. When you see others doing the work of the Lord with signs and wonders, don’t be envious of them, but rejoice with them, and that same power will come unto you, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover” (Mark 16:17-18). This power is for you today!
Ponder on this! Your faithfulness comes to an acceptable level in the sight of God when you forget yourself, who you are, your happiness, what you like, want or desire and you are only thinking about Him everywhere, at home, workplace and public places You forget your own convenience but seek the welfare and good of others; you let self-die in you. All the wishful thinking of less of Christ and others, and more of you, you let all that die and come to the realisation that it is all of Christ, and none of you. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Ponder on this! When God, Christ, the Spirit and the Scripture repeats something over and over, that thing must be very important, and it is good to ask questions if you don’t understand, and when you ask, a final solution will come. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Ponder on this! If Jesus was so humble to allow us to do the same work and greater works than He had done, so we too must learn to accommodate others in the work of the Lord and not forbid them. John stopped only one person, but Jesus brought other seventy into the fold, to have the same power and authority like the twelve. So, align your mind with the mind of Christ. You will not forbid anyone. Release all the people to do the work that God has appointed them to do and let everyone have the liberty to serve the Lord in the household of faith. Let us serve the Lord without any imposition of self on anyone. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Hard Sayings – It is not the Will of God that just one person will monopolise all the power of God. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Reflection – This has been decided from all eternity, it was the Will of the Father that the Son of God must suffer, as the only way to get us saved and have eternal life. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Words on the Marble – When you are faithful unto the Lord, that faithfulness comes to an acceptable level in the sight of God when you forget yourself. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Key Words – Always remember, as resurrection followed His death, solution will always follow your problem in life. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
Compelling Charge – God wants us to be humble and lowly-minded, that pride will not destroy our lives. Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
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