LIVE FREE



StepFulfill Your Destiny and StepFulfill Your Destinywere primarily about your relationship with God, and freeing you from Hell and the forces of Darkness.
StepFulfill Your Destinyis where you begin to truly discover WHO YOU ARE and how God has made you specifically to live a victorious and abundant new life IN CHRIST TOGETHER WITH OTHERS as valuable members in God's Kingdom (family) ..."on Earth as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6:9-13)
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Overview:

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As Jesus Christ is your Lord God and Savior, you are now a part of the family of God. This family is one that has members from Adam to all throughout human history, who have by faith, given their life to God. This is a Family that has deep roots.
( In StepFulfill Your Destiny, we will discover a greater picture and richness of God's Word, which God has preserved through our Jewish brothers and sisters).

You are more than just a member in the family of God. You have a valuable role in it's dynamic and supernatural operation and ministry to all (including yourself). Most of us have not yet tapped into the fullness and power that is available to us UNTIL WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AS A TRUE FAMILY that is growing in Faith, Hope and Love. This is not about church attendance or being entertained while sitting in a pew... It is about the activation of all who seek the fullness of Life in Christ and with each other. The best days are yet ahead for all members in particular of the Body of Christ.

To step into this new supernatural level of the Christian life, God has given us gifts and giftings that we can use with Him and with each other to go far beyond typical church life as we have known and seen it. There are some awesome applications in scripture, but unfortunately, they have either been overlooked or implemented in a grossly limited way.

The material that follows will (and should) challenge you as well as any pastor who has been looking to take their congregation of believers to a closer and more powerful walk with the Living Christ Jesus.

Please take a moment to stop and pray


A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BLUEPRINT:

blueprint
If you are a pastor, or have been going to church for a long time, you may see that many church's are structured like a Corporation with the pastor as the CEO which is not God's design for the Body of Christ. It is actually a counterfeit model that has been limiting the church for centuries!

A good book that give light to this subject is "The Apostolic Church Arising!"
Arising
        Read More >>

When we dare to go beyond the confines of the traditional STATIC pew and pulpit, by applying and integrating ourselves into the DYNAMIC design that God gave us in His Word, we will access and exhibit God's greater Glory in the Church ... beyond what we see today (and possibly beyond what was seen in the first century church). In fact, you will see the Body of Christ transform into a tree of Life that bears much fruit.

The illustration in the INDEX below (in the next panel - right side) shows the proper basic organizational structure of the Church from the context of scripture. It is explained the sections that follow.
















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INDEX:


  Use this Index to discover how God has designed
  us (as the body of Christ) to have a powerful and
  dynamic relationship with Him and with each other.


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Baptism of The Holy Spirit



Hopefully, you were filled with the Holy Spirit on the first day that you received Christ as your Lord and Savior. If not, now is the time. Simply ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit and also ask Him to receive the supernatural gift of speaking in unknown tongues. This is a big step in your supernatural walk with Jesus "on earth as it is in Heaven" and will take you deeper in His wisdom, understanding and knowledge...
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Play Video SCRIPTURE:

ACTS 2

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance...

[Click here for More Scriptures ]>>              



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Play Video SUMMARY:


There are many good sermons and teachings on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is because there is also a lot of misconceptions and even controversy of the awesome indwelling that God gives us as we enter our new life in Christ.

To keep it simple, consider this brief explanation...

The Bible paints a beautiful picture of our relationship with God, through the illustration of marriage:
  1. Our Salvation is pictured when the man asks the woman to spend the rest of her life with him as his wife - and she accepts.
  2. Hosea 2:19-23Revelation 3:20 


  3. Our Water Baptism is pictured when the couple publicly displays their commitment - through the ceremony of Marriage. It is a declaration to all, that both the man and the woman have died to their individual lives and now bond as one in a new life together.
  4. Matthew 22:2Revelation 19:7-9Mark 1:8Romans 6:3 


  5. Our Baptism in the Holy Spirit is pictured when the man and woman consummate their marriage - through which, the woman bears children.
  6. Genesis 17:2John 6:63Ephesians 5:18Galatians 5:22Ephesians 3:19-21John 15:5 


Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become new.
(2 Corinthians 5:17)




Walking with the Messiah is like a Dance...

Christ is our caring bridegroom, He never forces us. As in a dance, His lead is firm but always patient for us to follow. It is His honor, to guide us on a path that enriches and fulfills us as we walk with Him in His Care, Protection and Love. Greater than anything the World can offer, He has all power in Heaven and in Earth ( Matthew 28:18). And even though all of Creation bows to His name, Our Messiah is mindful of all our cares (1 Peter 5:6-7).

As we become more responsive to His ways and learn to move with Him, the funner the dance of Life becomes. We become bold in His protection and confident in His direction. He knows how to move us - and keep in step with the music. And yet at every turn, He completely captivates us with His Love while guiding us in greater freedom.

In addition, He loves to present us with amazing gifts that are not only practical and rewarding, but produce a greater love for Him and for others.



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Play Video QUESTIONS:


  1. What is the gift of Tongues?

    The gift/tool of your "Heavenly language" (speaking in tongues) requires you to be first Baptized in the Holy Spirit so that the Holy Spirit can speak from your heart through your mouth.

    There are TWO WAYS that the gift of tongues is used by the Holy Spirit through you:
    1. As described above it is a supernatural tool for you to VOLUNTARILY use at any time, by which you can express His Spirit through your mouth without your mind and your interpretation getting in the way.

    2. Sometimes God has something specific He wishes to edify a local body of believers with, and uses the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues to do so. It is further described in the Nine Manifestation Gifts.



  2. What language is it and what does it sound like?

    Some will give a more elegant answer, but honestly when you listen to it it sounds like Holy Baby Gibberish! This is one of God's great ironies for many reasons.
    Here are just a few:
    • It requires Humility.
    • Luke 18:17

    • It requires (only a mustard seed of) faith.
    • Luke 13:19

    • It is pure.
    • James 3:17 Proverbs 20:11 Revelation 3:18 1 Peter 1:7 1 Timothy 1:5

    • It bypasses your limited wisdom and understanding as well as the distracting mental chatter in your head.
    • Luke 10:21 1 Corinthians 14:1-25

    • It strengthens your ability to hear God's voice more clearly. At first, it may seem subtle, but more and more, the revelation and understanding of God's Word will increase not only as your read it, but as you hear it and especially as you see it manifesting in your life!
    • Ephesians 1:17-23 ...So use this gift as much as you can!!

    • It is the reverses the power of The tower of Babel.
    • Genesis 11:1-9 Acts 2:1-18

    • The devil and the demons hate it because they can't understand it! They may be experts at your body language and natural language, but when you speak in tongues, they have NO CLUE what God is releasing on the Earth and through your prayer!
    • Jude 1:19-20 Ephesians 6:18



  3. Is Baptism in the Holy Spirit the same thing as Speaking in Tongues?

    No. You must first receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, before you can receive the gift of speaking in Tongues.



  4. Do you automatically receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit when you get saved?

    No. Some may generalize that it all happens at the same time, and indeed, it may seem so as the events may progress within seconds, but it does not all happen simultaneously.

    COMMONLY, the order of events that may take place at the time of Salvation is as follows:
    1. In Your HeartYou make the decision to accept Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior

    2. SALVATION Outwardly (from your heart & through your mouth), You ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior.

    3. Baptism of the Holy SpiritWhen you believe, you receive the Holy Spirit to indwell (fill) you.

    4. TonguesBy faith you receive the gift of tongues from the Holy Spirit.

    5. Water BaptismThrough the ceremony of Water Baptism, You proclaim before others that you have died to yourself and have been resurrected into a new Life with Jesus Christ.



  5. Why does water baptism COMMONLY happen after receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

    The order as described above reveals the protocol of respect in our redeemed relationship with God:
    • God offers us salvation and eternal life -- but we have to accept it.
    • God will not be the Lord of our life -- unless we allow Him.
    • God cannot work THROUGH you -- unless He is IN you.

    The order of events may vary, as long as the protocol of the relationship is maintained. For example, Water Baptism may have been a part of your Salvation decision to confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Then shortly thereafter or possible, years later, you finally ask the Holy Spirit to indwell you.

    For quite a few it happens the other way around: They are first Filled with the Holy Spirit, and then take action to profess their commitment through Water Baptism Acts 10:45-47

    Water Baptism - is for the benefit of man
            (as your confession and profession to yourself and others of your commitment to Christ).

    Baptism of the Holy Spirit - is for the benefit of man and God
            (Enhanceing your LIVING relationship with His Spirit - On Earth as it is in Heaven).

    "For the Lord does not see as man sees;
    for man looks at the outward appearance,
    but the Lord looks at the heart."
    1 Samuel 16:7

    "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said,
    out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
    John 7:38-39



  6. Many things can happen at the time of your salvation that may not happen for others. Why?

    God is a gentleman as we take each step with Him in the Dance of Life, and does not overstep your permission. He is the one who created you with free-will and he does not disrespect you or himself in the purpose for which He made you - with the ability to truly Love Him in return. God can do many miraculous things at any given moment, but in His meekness, He always chooses a more excellent way.




The key to what God does and the order in which He does them
is always with consideration for
the condition of our heart.





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Here are some other teachings for additional understanding:
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Gifts of the Holy Spirit - Introduction


gifts

Play Video SUMMARY:


The Baptism of the Holy Spirit unlocks our hearts and allows God to fill and flow through us at deeper levels. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings new life into us individually and together as we assembly ourselves in the spiritual/supernatural family of God.

In addition, God has given us gifts that not only benefit us individually, but are used in His plan of Redemption and Restoration for all of us united as a whole. Just as God has a design and a plan for each of us, He has a design and a plan for us when we bond together and move united under His direction.

To accomplish His design for us as a "body" ( Romans 12:5 ) of believers ( Jew and Gentile), God has structured a dynamic means for us to overcome our circumstances, limitations and even our enemies. Furthermore, we can move even further into a positive place of blessing that effects others (as well ourselves), through the proper use of the natural and supernatural gifts that God has given us.

These gifts are itemized by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament and Bible scholars have categorized them for our understanding as follows:
  • 9 Manifestation gifts - What God does through us...
  • 7 Ministries gifts - What we choose to do
  • 7 Motivational gifts (how God made us uniquely) - Why it is important for us to do things a certain way
Please note that these gifts are in addition to the natural temperments, creative talents , and unique abilities that God has also given us.

At this point, you can see that Stepis fairly comprehensive, but you don't need to understand everything before begining to properly grow in the gifts God has made available to you (and has placed inside you). In fact, chances are that you have already experienced some of the gifts because you have been seeking God, His Kingdom and His Righteousness (Matt 6:33).

The Lord gave us different ways to view how we are assembled as His People. One of the most common is the view of the church as human body, where Christ is the head and we are the Body. (We will look at some other ways to view the church as we move from top to foundation in God's design).

The Body of Christ is comprised of all believers throughout the history of the earth (for all of time: Past, Present and Future). The main thing to keep in mind is the Cross, where Jesus Redeemed us all who believe in Him by faith in our heart (John 3:16). We cannot get so "Super Spiritual" that we forget that essential fact. It is through the Cross that Jesus paid the price to restore our relationship with Him and with each other. The symbol of the Cross is comprised of 2 beams: One vertical and one Horizontal.
  1. The Vertical Beam represents our restored relationship with God through Christ John 14:6.
  2. The Horizontal Beam represents our relationship with each other.
Matthew 22:37-40
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Love is the source of all the gifts.

IMPORTANT: Many confuse what the gifts are and how they are used. God is a God of order (not the author of confusion). He has not only a specific purpose but also a marvelous design in how all the gifts bring greater levels of life to us while we worship, serve and walk with Him and each other during our remaining time on the Earth.

Please review this page and click on the scripture references for confirmation from the Lord through His Word.

In the next section we will look at the Manifestation gifts that the Holy Spirit uses when we are working with Him. Then we will move deeper into the gifts that God has encoded into our character and personality and see how we can accelerate our growth in them - as we walk in unity.

Finally, we will take an honest look at God's design for leadership in the church. and how God has also established five "offices" of support/leadership ministry to keep the operation of a body of believers on the right path (His path) of living in the Kingdom of Heaven (which is "at hand" - our hands), on Earth as it is in Heaven.

The more we align ourselves with God's plan and agenda,
the greater works HE will do through us.


Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me,
the works that I do he will do also;
and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. John 14:12




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Play Video CAUTION:

To avoid misconceptions,

It should be noted that the 9 Manifestation gifts are ARE SUPERNATURAL gifts from God. But please do NOT get them confused with power from witchcraft or "new-age Clairvoyance or Psychic ability" where you are lead to believe that you have special powers, but in reality, the power actually comes from demons. The fact is, you have to allow demons access to your soul and body in order for them to work release their power through you. And you will pay a price for the show of power that that perform. But make absolutely no mistake, their objective is to destroy you (John 10:10a). They hate you, and you can't control them ... but because you gave them permission, they will control you, and without Christ, you wont be able to get rid of them.

You may have a certain sensitivity to the Spiritual Realm, but don't be mislead into thinking you can obtain special powers that you can control. Understand that Spiritual Power is REAL. But you need to understand what source it comes from and how it works.

The real test is whether you want to be a god, or do you want God to be God of your life? When you are aligned with God, He can do powerful things through you... but it is acording to HIS WILL not yours.

Remember from Step Fulfill Your Destiny and specifically in Ephesians 6:12 that "powers" are a type of demon!

Demons have been around for thousands of years. They are spirits. Flesh dies, spirits are immortal. And just as God has assigned a guardian angel to you, satan has assigned a demon to you as well. It has been watching you since before you were born, possibly passed down from your parents or ancestors, through unchallenged strongholds...    
You need to know how they work...   READ MORE>>

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Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- The Nine Manifestation Gifts

gifts

Play Video SCRIPTURE:


1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant : You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
  • for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit,
  • to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
  • to another faith by the same Spirit,

  • to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
  • to another the working of miracles,
  • to another prophecy,

  • to another discerning of spirits,
  • to another different kinds of tongues,
  • to another the interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

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Play Video SUMMARY:


God is supernaturally works with you as you work with faith in Him.

The nine manifestation gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 are supernatural gifts that God imparts to you (and through you) as you minister to others. To help our understanding, the nine manifestation gifts are categorized as follows:
  • THE REVELATION GIFTS - Reveal the Word and the Will of God
    • The word of knowledge
    • The word of wisdom
    • The discerning of spirits

  • THE COMMUNICATION GIFTS - Speak the Word and the Will of God
    • The gift of diverse kinds of tongues
    • The gift of interpretation of tongues
    • The gift of prophecy

  • THE POWER GIFTS - Do the Word and the Will of God
    • The gift of faith
    • The working of miracles
    • The gifts of healing

IMORTANT THINGS to remember:
  • The 9 manifestation gifts are not the same thing as the 9 attributes of the Fruit of the Spirit that is listed in Galatians 5:22-23
  • The 9 manifestation gifts are NOT powers you possess. You cannot activate and employ whenever you desire. In fact, you have no control of these gifts except to allow God to work through you as He desires.

    And, of course, you never need to be in fear that God will possess you beyond your control as He never forces you to do anything against your will. Rather, God wants you to work with Him through these gifts. But He will not do so, unless you allow Him. And except for fear or ignorance of Who God really is, why would you not allow Him?

    God is The Living God and God is Love and perfect Love casts out fear
  • The manifestation gifts will flow through you more fluidly as you actively integrate yourself with the Body of Christ and move toward your destiny. If you want the use of these gifts as well as your purpose to deepen - then it's time to discover what your primary Motivational gift is, and take it even further by learning to function in ALL of the 7 ministry gifts (in the next major section - see index).


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GIFT DESCRIPTIONS:

Play Video REVELATION GIFTS


THE REVELATION GIFTS

Why does God give us these gifts?
Because He Loves the person you are ministering to - and He Loves you (John3:16), and is one of the ways He makes Himself real to us. The Word of God tells that if we seek Him, we will find Him. Jeremiah 29:13

  • The word of knowledge
    It is not uncommon that when you are ministering to someone, God will give you some information about that person. It may be general or very specific. It may be an image or a brief scenario or simply just a literal word. Sometimes, you don't even realize that in the course of conversation, God is talking to them through specific things that He is saying through you. Through you, God can touch their heart and mind with certain key words and phrases that echos true in the life of that person. Other times, God may whisper to your spirit, information about that person to help you understand and deal with that person, but it should not be directly communicated to them without His Wisdom, Timing and Grace.

    Key points:
    • It is specific knowledge from God about someone, that you had no natural knowledge of.
    • It typically is how God gives confirmation and validates to what He is going to say or do next.
    • It will always be in agreement with the Will of God and the Word of God
    • A word of knowledge is often, counterfeited by the devil to either bring confusion or directly lead someone away from God and from His Word. Obviously, knowing God is how we know the difference.

  • The word of wisdom
    Specifics on HOW a person needs to turn to the Lord in a current or future situation. Key points:
    • It will always be in agreement with the Will of God and the Word of God
    • It will always be in line with God's purpose for that person and their destiny.
    • This gift also is often, counterfeited by the devil to lead us away from God and from His Word. - Knowing God is how we know the difference. (Example: If the word is that you should do something that contradicts the Word of God, that is NOT a word of wisdom from God - that is a word of foolishness from the devil!)

  • The discerning of spirits
    As we learned in stepFulfill Your Destiny - SPIRITUAL BASICS There is a normal discerning of spirits that we can and should develop. Remember that the best way to detect a lie is by knowing the Truth. Similarly, discerning an evil spirit becomes obvious when you know the Spirit of Truth (the Holy Spirit).

    However, this gift of discerning of spirits, goes a step further because it gives you more specific details of the spirit or spirits that are affecting someone. This may occur in the form of specific knowledge of the name or attributes of either demons,angels,human spirits or God's Spirit that are present. The Holy Spirit may even give supernatural sight into the spiritual realm so that you can visually identify (discern) spirits that are currently interacting with one or people that you are ministering to.

    This gift usually works in combination with the Word of Wisdom. But if God does not give you His immediate Wisdom to you, it is better to use discretion by waiting on God first before telling what you see in the spiritual realm. Ask and seek God first on how you or the person(s) you are ministering to should deal with the spirits you are discerning. Matthew 7:7



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Play Video COMMUNICATION GIFTS


THE COMMUNICATION GIFTS

Why does God give us these gifts?
Because He Loves the person you are ministering to - and He Loves you (John3:16), and is one of the ways He makes Himself real to us. The Word of God tells that if we seek Him, we will find Him. Jeremiah 29:13

  • The gift of diverse kinds of tongues
    This gift operates differently depending on the application:
    1. APPLICATION: Private Prayer-Language - that we may use at any time we choose.
    2. APPLICATION: Public Prayer-Language - that is initiated by the Holy Spirit. It is always to be accompanied by the gift of interpretation of tongues. It's also important to know that although it is still voluntarily uttered by a believer, it is initiated by the Holy Spirit within one (or more) believers through whom God wishes to deliver His specific Message for all those that are present.
    3. APPLICATION: Public Prayer-Language - that is initiated by the Holy Spirit, but is spoken a language that someone else can understand (other than the person speaking it).

    Word of Caution: The purpose of the Gift of tongues (or any gift of God) is NOT to entertain or impress the crowd. Nor is it to generate fear and confusion or cause inappropriate behavior like barking or acting like animals which averts attention to itself more than giving Glory to God. This is why it is important to have the Five-Fold ministers in place to keep things in check.

  • The gift of interpretation of tongues
    As stated above, this gift is given in compliment of the Public use of Tongues. Remember, God's purpose in these two gifts is for the edification (instructing, improving and building) of our hearts.
    View Lesson (YouTube)
  • The gift of prophecy
    This gift is a direct word from God to either an individual or a group of believers to give revelation of current or future events. Many times (if not every time) it will require a decision from those to whom it was given. It will always agree with what God has already given us in the scripture of the Bible.

    Note: Prophecy is a direct form of the combination of the gift Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues, the difference being that the latter is used by God to eliminate any doubt that it came from Him, especially when there are non-believers in the group.


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Play Video POWER GIFTS


THE POWER GIFTS

Why does God give us these gifts?
Because He Loves the person you are ministering to - and He Loves you (John3:16), and is one of the ways He makes Himself real to us. The Word of God tells that if we seek Him, we will find Him. Jeremiah 29:13

  • The gift of faith
    We all have a certain measure of faith and we can increase our faith (by hearing God's Word). But the gift of faith extends our faith to the level necessary for God to accomplish a task through us that requires us to act upon our trust in Him and confidently beyond our own reason.

    This gift commonly works in conjunction with the other power gifts of miracles and healings, as well as the Word of knowledge and discernment of spirits. It is important to remember that God will use whatever combination gifts are necessary in order to accomplish what He desires in the hearts of all those involved.

    Again, none of the gifts of the Holy Spirit will ever deny, contradict or by any means be an exception to God's will or God's Word because God never changes who He is. For instance, if you think you have some "special" gift not mentioned in the Bible, and it is one that brings destruction to you or someone else somehow, in exchange for some miracle or healing or other manifestation ... than the question is: Did God all of a sudden forget who He is and give you a gift of the devil?? Hopefully, you see the rhetorical irony in that question.

  • The working of miracles
    Miracles are unexplainable supernatural results (from God) that occur in response to a small obedient act of faith (from us) in God. Miracles may come small or large. But they always have a purpose. They may be protection from earthquakes, storms and famines. They may be creative healing such as re-growth of an arm or leg that was not there previously. It may be a miracle of finances. It may be an angel that appeared out of nowhere as a man that was able to help save someone, then disappear.

    Miracles may also be simple in the form of the timing of events, that either you will recognize as an answer to prayer or a confirmation of something He has already told you. God is alive and creative and will mostly likely not do the same thing He has done for you that He has done for someone else - the same way. Ironically, the greater the miracle, the longer God will wait until there is no possible way any human could accomplish what is needed before He performs a miracle. This is when we become uncomfortable with His patience... But, He does this to ensure He gets the glory (not fame) and no one else, Why? ...Not because of His ego, but for the benefit of both our heart and our faith in Him.

  • The gifts of healing
    Don't miss the "s" on 'gifts of healing'. Similar to the working of miracles, gifts of healing could be one or more small or large healing from a sore to a plague. It may be instant or a gradual reversal. ...Your mileage may vary (depending on your faith). God may grant healing from cancer through you, because you were healed and had gained authority as well as a special gift of healing to conquer cancer in others. God may also give you several words of knowledge and related gifts of healing to many in a crowd of people you are ministering to.

    Here is something to remember: When Jesus healed 10 lepers, only one came back to thank Him. That person was not only healed of leprosy, but was also made whole.

A final note:
There are more and more Christians that move commonly with one or more of these gifts. Previously, the common thought was that such people were special in some way. But the truth is, that once we've seeked God and had a break through, the second time and there after become more easy more accessable, because youve learned how to overcome the limitations of your fleshly mindset and align the ears of your heart with the Spirit of God.

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Play Video The Greatest Gift


The Greatest Gift

The Apostle Paul was brilliant as God used him to communicate to us the practical workings of the Kingdom of God through us.. on Earth as it is in Heaven. Paul's knowledge and revelation of the written Word of God, and the Heart of God - are treasures we are still unlocking and benefiting from. In deed, he was a great man. In the midst of all of his tremendous revelation and teaching throughout the New Testament, a powerful thing that happens --   His humility greatly deepens to allow the most important "Gift" to shine through...

Let's look:

"Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers?
are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing?
do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
But covet earnestly the best gifts:
and yet shew I unto you
...
a more excellent way:
lostlamb
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love,
I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge,
and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
but have not love,
I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned,
but have not love,
it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind;
love does not envy;
love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
does not behave rudely,
does not seek its own,
is not provoked,
thinks no evil;
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.
But whether there are prophecies, they will fail;
whether there are tongues, they will cease;
whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child;
but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly,
but then face to face.
Now I know in part,
but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.


(1 Corinthians 12:29 - 13:13)


The most important thing to God - is your heart

The most important thing to your heart - is God

John 3:16




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Play Video APPLICATION


APPLICATION:

Depending on what The Lord wants to do for our hearts in a specific circumstance, He will use one (or more) of these gifts through you (and/or other believers).

Pray first...
Those whom God has used in amazing ways, will all tell you:

the secret is LISTENING.

Call unto me, and I will answer thee,
and show thee great and mighty things,
which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3




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Play Video REFERENCE LINKS

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woodplank

Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- The 7 Motivational/Ministry Gifts

The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Psalm 12:6
gifts

Play Video FORWARD:

FORWARD:

Treasure Light There is a great treasure yet to be unlocked in the Body
of Christ. It has lied nearly dormant for over 2000 years in the scriptures, only to occasionally have bits and peices discovered and then quickly lost (commonly) to the cares of this world.

This treasure is the seven Motivational/Ministry gifts listed in Romans 12 (see scripture below).

These gifts are the essential elements whereby the Holy Spirit will help you find your calling and operation of the Kingdom of Heaven within yourself and with others. They are truly a treasure which God has "buried" within us, and they are well worth seeking.
God has not hidden them from us - but FOR US!

Sadly, these gifts have really not been hidden away, But... we have been hiding from them. Commonly, they are overlooked because we Christians have sought more to be 'entertained' by the special effects of Miracles, Signs and Wonders ... rather than taking the time and effort necessary to develop the quality of our hearts at a deeper level in our Lord.

It is vital that these gifts are properly understood, valued and integrated into our "NEW" lives. We will be better able to release the powerful inter-workings and the full nature of God in our lives, church, community ... and as far as our ministry will reach in our lifetime and beyond.

But, there is only one thing
that will unlock the greatness of this treasure...

>>>> Unity <<<<


Sadly, the knowledge of these gifts has been either glossed over as of minor importance, or used to simply categorize people into job assignments within the Church or within the world, ...leaving them boxed in those corners and scarcely releasing any of their true potential, nor the potential of the local body they are a part of.

This is a gross error, because
it is through these motivational/ministry gifts
that we uniquely express our love
and ultimately, the Love of Christ. And it is from that base that the 9 supernatural gifts would flow more freely.

When we don't tap into our NEW nature, or worse, neglect it ... is it any wonder, that the world is NOT attracted to the Love that we talk about, yet only superficially example in our lives?

There some great churches out there, but the point is: We can go much deeper. If we truly want to advance in the Kingdom of God in UNITY, we must be nurtured and matured in these gifts.

WHY are these gifts so special?
Because they hold a deep secret: They are very character of God, given to us because we are made in His image. We have erroneously view these gifts as individual items to used to help us in our jobs in the church or in the World, and in doing so, we miss the very nature of God - in us ... individually and even more powerfully as one united body in Christ!

That's why the development of these gifts is essential. The Love of God is not a euphoric feeling, but it is tangibly evidenced through these gifts (manifestation of HIS NATURE)... not through efforts of our flesh, but through
OUR cooperation with the Holy Spirit.


The fluid coordination of the Ministry gifts were designed by God to be mentored and passed down from generation to generation. If the church had truly been growing with these gifts properly, you would be seeing the evidence of a much more brighter and attractive Bride of Christ!

A newborn Christian would grow much faster and stronger in such a developed church. They would be more than just briefly touched by anointed revelation. They would be in a Mature Spiritual Family where they are truly being mentored by faithful fathers and mothers who themselves are matured in Godly character, and who example with their lives how to actually live the Christian life.

As a "young" Christian, you would have good mentors who are able to see where you are and what you need to do next. Like a father or mother, they actually take part in personally and guiding you in a practical way in what they have done themselves.

In a church, obviously, one pastor can't do all this singlehanded, nor can be expected to, because in fact, it is impossible. It takes a matured (and working-together) FAMILY, to example and mentor (spiritually) a newborn believer into a child, then into a young man, and finally into father, who is then able to mentor others - in unity with others (1 John 2:12-14).

Indeed, this is where the Body of Christ has much room for improvement. Let's take effort and work with each other to correct that, and allow the Holy Spirit to flow more freely through ourselves and those we minister with. This way, the actual demonstration of our love will more tangibly preach the Gospel of Christ - even louder than our words.

IMPORTANT: One of the main reasons why we have not really seen this in operation, is because it will take a first generation of believers to go through the "learning curve" and a second generation to "smooth out" the process of mentoring to the generations that follow. -- But it doesn't need to take decades. It could be accelerated potentially into months.


Not many will want to "Slow-Down" to do this, because most everyone is in anticipation of the great things God is doing and will do in the coming months and years. But God's main focus, is not with great things like miracles, signs or wonders - those are nothing to Him. Remember, He is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. Is there anything too great for Him?

...Yes, there is.

There are three things God cannot do: He cannot Lie, He cannot Die, and He cannot make us Love Him. And that is the one thing, He has RISKED His very Life for... OUR LOVE returning to Him.

Our hearts are the greatest treasure in all of Creation. In deed, He loves each one of us with all of His heart. And many of us love Him with all our hearts. But, there's something more....

Imagine what great things that God would be hard-pressed not to release to us, when we truly Love Him... in Unity.

These 7 gifts hold the secrets to activating, enriching and maturing our relationship with each other in Christ. Let us not neglect these gifts, as they are keys to our true Unity, and therefore, they are (in part) the keys to His Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.

He that has an ear let him hear.



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Play Video SCRIPTURE:


Romans 12

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:
  1. if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
  2. or ministry (Serving), let us use it in our ministering:
  3. he who teaches, in teaching;
  4. or he who exhorts, in exhortation:
  5. he that gives, with liberality;
  6. he that leads (Administration), with diligence;
  7. he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” (Deuteronomy 32:35) says the Lord. Therefore
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
(Proverbs 25:21-22)
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.



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Play Video SUMMARY:

SUMMARY:

The Seven Motivational/Ministry gifts listed in Romans 12, reflect the nature of God within us. God created us in His image and we are fashioned after His likeness (Genesis 1:26) ...including His character. He gave each of us a unique blend of the seven motivational gifts, in addition to the other attributes, physical and mental abilities, personality traits, etc.

When God made you, He intentionally designed your character with a SPECIFIC COMBINATION of these seven Motivations. You do not possess an equal and full amount of all of these gifts (as Christ does), but instead, you possesses a measure of all seven of these gifts in your personality.

This is why we need each other to help us develop our character. Aspects of our character will never grow stronger, or may lie dormant all our life, if we to not take the effort to interact with each other at deeper levels. (Superficial church attendance will not accomplish the transformation God desire for us).

God did not just create us and that's the way will always be. And we can't expect God togive us supernatural gifts that we can't handle. If you just put wings on a caterpillar he will die. Go made it so that as the catapillar struggles through its metamorphosis to break out of the cocoon, it becomes strong enough to use its wings to fly!

There are struggles we must face spiritually from the enemy, but probably, the harder battle is for our own soul to overcome its complacency. You must be truthful and honest with yourself and with the Lord. Because of our pride and our sin nature, a truly self humbling process is required for all of us. But it is at the core where we must shed off the old wine skin (and die to ourself), in order to walk in the abundant life that Christ came to give us (John 10:10b).

Careful attention: must be taken not to confuse any of the gifts with the offices of 5-fold Ministry Leadership that God provides for us to function together. Example: Many confuse the gift of prophecy with the office of a prophet. Or many confuse the gift of teaching with the office of Pastors or Evangelism. Those areas will be discussed in the major section for Church Support/Leadership.

The Motivational/Ministry gifts reveal tangible and practical areas where the quality of our character can go deeper, with more knowledge, understanding and wisdom (application). As you diligently seek the Lord in finding out this treasure, the true value of your life will progressively (if not dramatically) increase.

The content panels below give a targeted introduction to this vital area of growth in our Christian Life. These 7 gifts are given to us to exercise in two ways:
  1. 7 MOTIVATIONS - 7 different internal drives which God has given each of us in measure.
  2. 7 MINISTRIES - Sames as the 7 Motivations, but we can and should minister in them all.

Further studies may be found in the Reference Links.



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Discover Your Primary Motivational Gift
BEFORE you read on...

take quiz
This link will open a new window where you can download a pdf file.
Print it out and take some time to go fill it out before continuing.
Doing this now (rather than later) will give you a huge advantage
in discovering your true personality traits, with ACCELERATED clarity
of what your Primary Motivational gifting is.

Play Video 7 MOTIVATIONS

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Play Video 7 MINISTRIES    

7gifts
The 7 gifts listed in Romans 12 play duel roles: Motivation & Ministry. It is greatly to our advantage to learn to MINISTER in ALL of these seven gifts, as this will greatly enhance how we deal with the issues of our life and relationships.

For example, someone who has the motivational gift of Teaching, must not be secluded to just teaching, but becomes a greater in character as he or she learns and practices the other six gifts of serving, administration, prophecy, mercy, giving and exhortation.

Here is a brief introduction to the seven gifts as they are applied in ministry:
  1. Prophecy: The ministry of Prophecy can be as simple as quoting scripture. Of course, it has greater effect when the Holy Spirit prompts you to deliver a specific scripture at the right time to someone who needs to hear it. You may not be motivated to speak it, but your obedience to the Holy Spirit will yield fruit to the person whom you are ministering to. Your obedience to speak what God is telling you is "according to the proportion of faith".Romans 12:6

    Develop your listening skills with God. Listen in prayer, worship, and Bible reading. Write down the revelations you receive, even if it may seem silly at the time. You may see a pattern emerge.

    Seek confirmation of the prophecies you receive. Be prepared to let others in the body of Christ test out your prophecies.
    When you receive a word from God... for someone else, First check where your heart is by asking yourself if you love them. Then check with the Holy Spirit if you are meant to share the word with them, and if so check on when the appropriate time is.

  2. Serving:
    • First pray for the Holy Spirit to show you opportunities to serve others...
    • Look for things that need to be done for others and in church.
    • Seek to serve without recognition.
    • Then seek to ways to serve that enables others to glorify God better because your service made helped to take out the roadblocks in their worship. 2 Corinthians 9:12-13
    • Volunteer to help set up tables and chairs,User, wait on tables, clean-up, etc. Do this on your own at first, and serve as unto the Lord. Then inspire others to help you help others... as it is in the Kingdom of Heaven.
  3. Teaching: Teach One Scripture Exercise (Note that because there are 7 different primary Motivations, there are at least 7 different outcomes for this exercise!)...
    1. Pray: Ask for His revelation. Ask for His guidance in how to present it. Ask for Him to prepare the hearts of those whom He has chosen to hear what He desires through you.
    2. Research: Research one scripture (read above and below it, then look up word meanings - using the blue letter bible),
    3. Theme: Seek the main thing that God is telling you through this scripture,
    4. Content: Then organize the revelation(s) into brief sections,
    5. Opening Remark: Create and 1-3 sentence opening paragraph that summarizes what you will be talking about. Hint: Start it with a question (like:"Did you know?" or "What if..."),
    6. Closing Remark: Create a Closing Remark that answers the question you gave at the start. This helps to give more impact and emphasis on the Theme that the Holy spirit has shown you and wants you to deliver to those whom you will present this to.
    7. Proof: Have trusted source proof-view your work to get objective feedback.
    8. Pray: Thanks giving for what He will do in the hearts of those who received His message through your teaching.
    9. Present: The revelation God has given you needs to be delivered to those who need it. Find the best medium to use: Book, Lecture, Internet, Video, audio, Movie, etc.


    Avoid concentrating on one particular field of study, as this can lead to imbalance.

    John 7:17 "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.
  4. Exhortation:
    Learn to listen to and respect the viewpoint of others, even if you do not agree with it. Then seek seek together the correct answer from the Holy Spirit (who is the Truth).

    Minister words of challenge, comfort, consolation and counsel to others in such a way that they are helped ,healed and motivated to move towards the destiny that God has given them.
    Exercises To Develop/Nurture:
    • Recognize that you can only encourage others as you are open to encouragement of the Holy Spirit John 14:16
    • Encourage by example. You are more qualified to guide someone in a path that you have walked yourself. Romans 15:4-5
    • Get alongside another person that the Lord leads you to. Pray for them, care for them with the action necessary to see them through to a place of growth in their Christian lives.
    • This gift should be exercised with patience. We must learn to allow the slow progress of others 1 Thessalonians 5:14
    • Be ready to help in situations of difficulty, such as speaking a word of comfort to someone recently bereaved, mediating on a church committee between opposing points of view, chatting with a young member who is rebellious, inviting a backsliding member back to church by including them in a workshop that really helps them back to envision their true destiny.
  5. Giving: Remain open to the Holy Spirit to learn from His generosity and wisdom. Remember HOW He has given to you, so you can give likewise.

    Learn as much as you can about the needs of the church so that you can better evaluate the wisest use of your giving. When you see the financial needs of others or of ministries, you need to share your insights with others in the Body of Christ. You don't always have to give secretly, but when appropriate, give openly in order to give glory to the Lord in a way that encourages others from your example (many times this can be done simply by being the first to give when there is a need).

  6. Administration:
    • The truth is, the best leader is one who knows how to follow. When you've spent enough time with Jesus to find His kingdom inside yourself, you are then ready to see it and draw it out in others.

    • A good leader has more care for those he is leading than accomplishing the task at hand. People are the reason for accomplishing the tasks in the first place.

    • A good leader is Vision driven, and is therefore flexible enough to take as many side turns necessary, without losing site of the destination. ... A place where all those you have lead (as well as yourself) have grown stronger and wiser on the Journey.

    • You have the talent to coordinate the resources, the people and the schedule. But your greater task, amidst all the logistics, is to balance the gifts - especially the Motivational gifts in the people you are SERVING. If those gifts have made no positive growth in the outcome, then you need to re-think your strategy. ... What good is a well executed party, if no one has fun? And there's no greater fun than transformation in the Love of Christ.

    • It falls to you. The other 6 types (gifts) on your team have the power and dynamics, but you're the one who has to sacrifice your fame for the service of bringing it all together for the greater good in God's design. The litmus test along the way will be how fulfilled those on your team are, as they apply themselves to the task and to each other.

    • A good leader does not see others as serving him, but that he is serving them. He views his job is finding the most effective means to bring out the best in those whom he is serving, while taking to a point in the horizon that is not out of reach and is better for all.
  7. Mercy: Random acts of kindness

    Learn how to deal with bitterness and unforgiveness, fear and worry, as these can be the biggest blocks to your ability to love others in Jesus' name. Accept that there is the need of wisdom in how you care for people, as you can't meet everyone's needs. Learn some of the skills of caring, whether it is in counselling, visiting, or learning about the specific problems that people face.

Once you know what your primary motivational gift is, it is essential to also learn and also to minister in the other 6 motivational gifts. You will be able to see, relate and work more effectively with others by understanding what motivates them while at the same time developing those characteristics in yourself as you practice the ministry of all seven gifts.

...imagine if the body of Christ took heart to teach and nurture these gifts with each other in the local body. To do this might require a restructuring of the body to accommodate such activity and training. Currently, the church is too top heavy in the teaching ministries. Can you imagine how powerful the love would be when every member is truly enabled to use their within the body more fully. You have read this far, ... chances are that you are prepared to let go of the old traditions to become a new wineskin.



READ



Play Video APPLICATION:

GOING DEEPER

If you really want to be transformed into who God really made you to be, then the following is what you will have to do:
  • Make some time
  • Spend some effort
  • Dig into your heart and mind with simply honesty...with the Lord.
  • Remember this is a PROCESS 2 Corinthians 3:18


Please note: Additional Practical exercises and strategies for developing and nurturing these seven ministries within the local body will be made available in the near future with ...
providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. (2 Corinthians 8:21)




GET STARTED


ACTION 1: "Free Your Mind..."

Pray first: (First put aside all the static going on in your mind by casting all your cares on the Lord - (1 Peter 5:6-7).
Then, explore what is deep in your soul by looking back into your past at things you loved doing and why you did them... WHY you wanted to do them.


ACTION 2: Search your heart...

Pray Again:
Get a pen and something to write on. Then just sit with the Holy Spirit and ponder about your life and what it means. When something "tunes-in" to WHO YOU ARE, write it down. Use these questions to get you started.
  • What is important to you in life? HOW is that meaningful for you?
  • What feeling/thoughts do you get when you think about others who are less fortunate than you are?
  • HOW do you like to help others? Do you feel that's valuable in the kind of person you want to be?
  • Who are the people you like in how they handle their life and they do things?
  • What are the things you like to do most? What is easy for you to do, that isn't so easy for others?


ACTION 3: Begin to align yourself with God's design...
Seek His Kingdom in how He designed you and others.
Praying Always:
This is a process. Use these tools to help you:
  1. Use the questionnaires to begin discovering your primary and secondary gifts.
  2. Review and learn how to identify all 7 motivations.
  3. Begin to observe which motivation stands out in others. HINT: Use the process of elimination by going through all seven motivations to see which best fits WHY that person does things the way they do.
  4. IMPORTANT: Do not categorize everything (or anyone) into one extreme! (Stay open for the Holy Spirit to help you discern the differences)
  5. Seek with the Holy Spirit, how this person's motivation is tied into the treasure of the Kingdom of God within them.





Things To Remember

GOD HASN'T PUT YOU IN A BOX with only one label on it (as men would try to do). You can change and become greater! The Lord even encourages us to do... greater works, to overcome (Rev 2:7,11,17,26;; Rev 3:5,12,21; Rev 21:7) to bear much fruit... (Mark 4:20; Luke 8:15; John 15:2,4,8,16; Mar 4:20)!

In the Light of Heaven, we are truly little children, and Our Heavenly Father wants us to grow. That's why He GAVE us gifts (plural). And we all need to nurture them within each other, because the gifts of God produce abundant LIFE! ..when we apply them in the gardens of our lives.


HANDLE WITH CARE:
We all need the encouragement of each other in the body of Christ: to confirm, activate and develop ALL of our gifts. It is almost impossible to tell what is motivating someone else to do what they do. In fact, it is not only incorrect, it is irresponsible to LABEL someone's Motivational gift based on their actions.

Remember, your actions are based on your motivation(s). ...Your motivation(s) are NOT based on your actions. The world defines you by your actions - because they only know what they can see with their physical eyes. But God looks on the inside of your heart and sees WHY you make the choices that you act upon.

Be very hesitant to tell people what you think their motivational gift is, even when they are asking for your opinion. However, a more positive and constructive approach would be to offer your observations of their character and encourage them to weigh the motivation behind their actions.


YOU MIGHT ASK...
"Why didn't God just give us 100% of all the gifts?"
Consider this: He, as a Loving Heavenly Father (with all His heart), would love to, wants to, and even can't wait to do that. But also He, as a Loving Heavenly Father, is patient not only concerning each of us in our relationship with Him, but also with Each other. And there is a greater "KNOWING" that comes from experience when we walk and work WITH each other. He did not create us to be a group of talented INDIVIDUALS, but a loving FAMILY that becomes stronger, the more we depend on Him AND each other.


In ROMANS 12:1-2,
you are urged to present yourself to the Lord. We must do this continually, because each time, we will get more revelation and clarity not only of what our gifts are, but how they operate to release the nature of Christ in our lives and others on Earth as it is in Heaven.





Exercises To Develop/Nurture the 7 Motivational/Ministry Gifts:

Here are some things you can do to develop your awareness and usage of your Primary Motivational gift. In the next section we will address the complimentary MINISTRY Gifts which we as a Body of believers can utilize to grow collectively to increase our walk together with the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Remember, this is not a title to a job position. It is a growth PROCESS for both yourself and those of your Spiritual family in Christ whom God has placed around you.

    Because you have read this far, you have already started the process. To dig in deeper and apply this for yourself, we suggest using the following steps:
    1. If you haven't done so already, take quiz Take the time to seriously go through the
      "Discover Your Primary Motivational Gift" quiz (click button above).
    2. Mark on your calender that in 2 weeks, you will re-take the quiz,
      then pray and seek what the Holy Spirit has done and said in the last 2 weeks and seek him further reviewing this whole section on MOTIVATIONAL gifts.
    3. Again, after 2 months, repeat this process of taking the quiz, then reviewing this section with the Holy Spirit.
    4. Repeat again 6 months, and after 1 year to see how your gifting(s) has improved.
    5. Note: These progress checks work well in conjunction with the POWER TOOL of Petitions!

  • After 6 months to a year, ask someone who really knows you, what differences they have seen in you since that time. Hopefully, your positive results will inspire them also, and then you can both grow even stronger.

    As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

  • Here are some further tips for Nurturing each of the MOTIVATIONAL Gifts:
    • PROPHECY:
      Speak the Truth in Love.
      Example: A long time ago, a woman at work had disclosed to me that one of her family members had died. Out of my heart and without really thinking, I simply said: "Precious in the sight of the Lord, are the death of His saints." Psalm 116:15 It had profound impact on her as tears began to well up in her eyes. I gave no interpretation. What else could I say? What was strange to me is that I don't recall having taken the effort to memorize that verse. But it opened up an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to truly touch her heart.

      An awesome exercise to memorize some of the psalms or proverbs and quote them in reply when a family member questions or comments to you on common things:
      • "Thank You" ---Response = "Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul and all that is within me, Bless His Holy Name!" Psalm 103:1
      • "What should I do?" ---Response = "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding!" Proverbs 3:5
      • "...You're kidding me!" ---Response = "For my mouth will speak truth; Wickedness is an abomination to my lips!" Proverbs 8:7


      This has been very fun for us and, many times, it is eye opening as you realize how the Truth of his Word really can be applied to things we take for granted. This is not superficial (as the devil would have you might think), because you are training yourself (and your family member) to responding with God's wisdom!
    • SERVING:
      Random acts of kindness are only topped by purposeful acts of Love. The Lord exampled this when He washed the feet of the disciples and ultimately as He died on the Cross for us all. When we are serving, the test is not what we doing, but what is in our heart when we do it. Do you feel obligated? Or do you feel truly free because of His Love. All of these Motivations cannot be faked or manufactured. The Kingdom of God is Genuine and is most observed in how we serve Him as we are serving others.

      Our Lord is a Living God, not a dead religion. Jesus is not dead on the Cross. He is Resurrected and Alive. So, ... Work WITH the Holy Spirit.

      Try it this way: Don't just do something nice for someone. Instead, When you see a real need you can help someone with: First pray for that person (on your own - without the fame, without the credit, without them knowing). Then simply serve them, with as little words as necessary. Let your actions allow the Holy Spirit speak to their heart. Understand, you may never see the results. None the less, putting your trust in God to have the results He desires. But know this: that your service will truly be good , honorable and the freedom of Heaven will have visited that person through your purposeful act of Love.
    • TEACHING:
      Everyone knows, the best way to learn something it teach it. But rather than getting caught up on 5 point sermons, treat it like conversation that has a beginning, a middle and an end. Much of the Bible was written in that format where first it tells you (in brief) what it's going to tell you, then it tells you the details, then it tells you what it told you (in review & conclusion). The most famous example of this, is in Genesis: "In the Beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth" , then it goes on to detail the 6 days of creation, and concludes with all that He had done, seeing it was good. This method is very good in emphasizing the main message that you are communicating through teaching. In the case of Genesis, the message is that God is the creator.

      There is also another side of teaching, which is learning. The Proverbs give much instruction, and admonish us to listen. Jesus repeats several time in the Book of Revelation: "He that has an ear, let him hear." The key in both teaching and learning is to seek what the Holy Spirit has to say.

      With that in mind, try this exercise at your next few Bible studies: Have each person in the group takes turns, preparing and delivering a short teaching on John 3:16 (You can use any scripture). As mention previously, you will see different teaching styles and you will also 'hear' the Holy SPirit saying something new through the same topic/scripture.
    • EXHORTATION:
      Everyone knows it is best to Mentor/encourage by example. Messiah is the perfect example. A good Mentor (Shepherd) takes the time to understand where you are and helps you get to where you need to be. The First step is always the hardest for most. This is because it requires the humility and desire to do what is necessary. This is also where have some idea of what their Primary Motivational Gift, will greatly enable you to meet them where they are at and motivate (not manipulate) them properly and more effectively.

      Exhortation many times works counter-intuitive to Teaching, because Exhortation starts the path with motion before the teaching so it will have a greater impact on what was just experienced. Although baby-steps are better recommended for most of us, some will have the heart to take leaps of faith. In either case, Acknowledge difficulties without criticism, and give genuine (not patronizing) praise for the effort. Continue the momentum by encouraging them to re-apply themselves from a slightly different perspective so as to overcome the challenge. We all can get easily discouraged in the thick of the battle, if we only focus on our failures. But Each attempt is a mark of progress To re-coin an old phrase:
      "Losers look at what they are going through - Winners look at what they are going to."

      'for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again'
      Proverbs 24:16 NIV
    • GIVING:
      Give without expectation or credit for doing so. In other words, Give something to someone who will appreciate it, or especially who needs it, without letting others know what you did. Let only God see. You'll find this to be something you will want to repeat. It will be one of the most rewarding exercises in drawing out the Kingdom of Heaven from within yourself. It will change you demeanor and countenance in a positive way and eventually will become contagious to those around you.
      'Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.'
      Matthew 6:1-4
    • ADMINISTRATION:
      The best way to learn leadership is be be under leadership. An effective Christian leader needs to first learn how to be a servant-of-all because that is the main quality of leadership John 13:12-17
      You will find yourself to be a much more powerful leader as you are following Christ. A good shepherd seeks the good of both the individual sheep and also the flock. As you take care to properly order and coordinate the activities towards the intended goal, you will be much more effective as you draw everyone towards God's purpose in their life as you work together. This is an overlooked key to many in leadership, second only to being in obedience to the Lord.
    • MERCY:
      If you first ask someone how they feel, you are putting the soul and flesh before the spirit. As we learned from Step 2 of this Website, putting our flesh first is our natural-man tendency that allows the devil to easily build a stronghold through which to access our lives. This happens quickly and almost seamlessly, and we don't even realize it. But by focusing on God's Kingdom in our lives, we quickly begin to expose the devil's strongholds. Then we can dismantle them with the Truth to release ourselves from bondage to those lies and kick out the demon(s) that came through them.

      The person with the Primary Motivation of Prophecy accepts this easily. But many with the Primary Gift of Mercy may have difficulty with this initially.

      Here is a challenge: Spend time with someone WITHOUT directly asking them how they feel,... Instead, try to sense what they feel with genuine concern for their life. Yes, this will take some extra time, but here are some guidelines that will make it worth your while:
      • Don't do this alone - Do it with the Holy Spirit (pray first and ask Him to show you what He wants you to see in the other person). In this, you are truly seeking the good of the other.

        Another word of CAUTION: Take all measures to avoid circumstances that may lead to sexual attraction or temptation. If the person you are caring for is of the opposite sex, have someone else be present or meet them in a public place. Stay away from private rooms, the devil likes to do his work in the shadows (subtleness) of fear, where as perfect Love casts out all fear 1 John 4:18
      • Learn to avoid patronizing and truly seek what their REAL need is and what the Holy Spirit's plan for them is.
      • Avoid letting them rant on about their problems (as most people have a natural-man tendency to do) This is important and can be avoided by starting the conversation with prayer.
      • Yield ALL authority to Christ who is the Prince of Peace, our Healer, Comforter and Life giver. In doing so, you establish that you both are in fact seeking the Kingdom of God for what's going on in the other person.


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Play Video REF LINKS


Reference Links


What are the Manifestation Gifts       9 Manifestation Gifts       The Gifts of The Spirit       Gifts Of The Spirit (pdf)


The 7 Spirits of God:
Note that it is a mystery which may be debated, whether the seven spirits of God, that are mentioned in both the old (Isaiah 11:2) and New Testaments, match one-to-one with the seven Churches in the first 3 chapters of the Book of Revelation. A good Teacher would be challenged to shed further light on this.

References:
What are the seven spirits of God?,   One or Seven Holy Spirits?


Other Acknowledgments:
Fortune, Don & Katie, 'Discover Your God-Given Gifts', Fleming H. Revell, 1987.

Gothard, Bill, 'How to Understand Spiritual Gifts', Institute in Basic Life Principles, 1986.

Naden, Roy et al, 'The Spiritual Gifts Manual', Institute of Church Ministry (SDA), 1982.

Wagner, Peter, 'Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow', Regal Books, 1979.

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WoodPlank

Church Support/Leadership


gifts

Play Video FORWORD:


CHURCH STRUCTURE

When the leadership of a church is properly and completely submitted to God's design and agenda, a unique and positive dynamic occurs: Our spiritual growth and effectiveness dramatically accelerates in a way that bonds us together in the Powerful Love of Jesus Christ.

The church of God is a family of families where those who love God come TOGETHER to seek, worship and serve the Living Messiah. Just as a family is a place of Safety, Significance and Love, so is the family of God. It is a place of honor - not dishonor. It is a place of order - not disorder. It is not a dysfunctional place of chaos, but a place that functions with Power, Love and a Sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).

Good leaders are needed, who are obedient to Prepare, Build and Maintain a solid and sound structure for the family of God to dwell in so that it becomes a home where the Love of God flows in the midst of both the members and the leadership alike.

Good leadership is founded on Christ and is structured to facilitate the home where the family of God assembles and delivers the Gospel of Christ to the World through Love (not religion).

There is much more to leadership than just teaching, because God is not a static religious Bible lesson. And leadership is more than preaching, because once the Gospel is received, it's time for discipleship. But contrary to popular practice, discipleship does not come through preaching. It comes through mentor-ship.

In fact, Life with Jesus is like a dance, and we must stay in tune and in step with Him. But learning how to dance is difficult if not impossible if someone only tells you how to do it. You learn much quicker, when someone actually shows you and patiently mentors you to the point where you can step in time to the music. That's when it really starts to come alive - when we are dancing in unity with the Bridegroom (Jeremiah 31:12-14).

The Kingdom of Heaven radiates when we find Jesus (the King of kings) within each other. The church is meant to be a welcoming light (in the best dance hall in town) that attracts all those who seek the Way, The Truth and the Life (John 14:6).


God has made us uniquely with a specific measure of gifts. Why? Because before He created the foundation of the world He planned and had a purpose for each of our lives with a specific destiny. A destiny for His Kingdom to be manifested through us in a unique and powerful way that could reach those whom no-one else could.

To fulfill that destiny, God has already equipped us with a variety of tools (including the 9 and 7 gifts described in the sections above). But those gifts need to be activated, and that is best done when we join hands with other believers. This is absolutely vital to FULLY live in the abundance that the Lord offers. And when the world sees the difference, it will be evidence that the Love of Christ truly lives within us.

But, how can we take full advantage of the "equipment" God has given us, if we have not properly been trained how to use it?! Discipleship requires training (not just teaching). As an example: if you've never driven a car and a teacher ONLY EXPLAINS to you how to drive a car with a stick shift, are you then able to actually drive a car with a stick shift?

Training requires a path of progress that is implemented with proper balance of order, discipline, encouragement and exercise. Proper training includes exercises where you actually practice with repetition until it becomes a usable skill. And it goes without saying, that the best trainer is the one that has knowledge more from experience, than theory. That's why good church leadership needs more mentors than teachers and preachers.

From the example above, do you really want to learn from a teacher who hasn't even driven a car? Wouldn't you be in better hands, if not only they could explain it, but they could show you and coach you. Simply put: How can I show you how to walk with Jesus, if I haven't walked with Him myself?!

The key here is not about our individual walk of faith, but the real training that is needed in true discipleship. True discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ is the main focus of a well balanced leadership team. Only when a team is well coordinated and works together in harmony, can it win the game. A "star player" cannot win the game without the aid of his (or her) team mates.

There is more than just a synergistic effect that takes place when we actively develop and use the talents, skills, character and giftings from the Lord -- with the Lord and with each other. And that is best facilitated and accelerated through proper mentoring. The body of Christ looks to leadership to teach, train and demonstrate (by example), the Love of Christ. When we, the church, align ourselves with the Holy Spirit in Unity and in Love, more than miracles take place.

We must all be humble, in submission to Christ and in alignment with His Word. We must seek His Kingdom and not our own... even if we have to tear down the current house and rebuild it. Are we truly willing to take up our cross and die to our Religious Traditions, and re-build our relationship with God and each other according to the Master Architect and Cornerstone Jesus Christ? (Ephesians 2:20-22)

A family is made of relationships that are established by blood line. Our blood line is from the Messiah who was raised by God from the dead. As we have been established into His bloodline through faith in Christ Jesus, we have become part of a great supernatural Lineage, and God has a specific purpose for where He has placed us on the Earth at this time.

The Cross of Calvary must be the mark we bare in our hands as well as our hearts, as we testify (through our actions more than our words) of God's Love flowing through us, to each other and to the World.



This section is designed to encourage us towards re-examining our traditions of leadership in hopes of implementing a deeper and dynamic Biblically based plan of discipleship that will truly bring a tangible and greater glory to the Body of Christ. God bless you as you serve the Body of Christ where you've been called.

Please pray before Continuing.


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Play Video 3 VIEWS:

Viewing The Body Of Christ

There is more than one way to view the "Body" of Christ. The first, of course is a human body where Christ is the head. Another is a ship where we have a crew working together as a team to navigate it's direction - but to get anywhere they are dependent on the wind (the Holy Spirit) which they must work with it's power to progress through the sea (world of people). But to enhance our overall perspective of how the Gifts integrate into the architecture of the Church, let's now look at its structure as we would view...
  1. a building,
  2. as the Light of the World
  3. and as a Tree of Life
   

He is constructed the Church ... (Matthew 7:24-27) Img

Let's look at this illustration of the Church modeled as a type of building structure. Keep in mind that a house is built from the GROUND-up. But for the moment, we will reverse our perspective and observe the architecture from the TOP-down:
  • At the top of the structure we see the Manifestation gifts. - represented here by the lighting that fills rooms of the structure.
  • James 1:17-18

  • Next, we see activity in the rooms which represents the Ministry gifts. - WHAT we do in the rooms.
  • Next, the Rooms of the structure are the Motivational gifts - WHY we do what we do.
  • At the base, we see 5 support pillars (the 5-fold ministries) - HOW we do things together...for Him.
  • Finally, we see that the support structure is securely founded on the solid Rock (the Messiah) - The Truth (that makes us free)
  • Numbers 20:8, Matthew 16:18, Matthew 7:24, John 8:36

    -- From which "shall flow rivers of living water" ( John 7:38, Ezekiel 36:26-28, 2 Corinthians 3:3)



He is empowering the Church ... (Matthew 5:14-17, Psalm 119:105)
Your "light" is the quality of your character expressed through your countenance (Psalm 4:6). As a Christian, think of your light as being the quality of God shining through you. Just like an electric lamp, It will not shine if it is not plugged into its source of power. The same goes for an individual as well as a body of believers (Proverbs 27:17).

We need two things:
  1. To be connected to Christ
  2. AND to be connected together as one body - HIS body (not a broken lamp of individualism)
Imagine a body of believers in unity and genuinely expressing the Love of God. (John 13:35)... Not patronizing, not valuing religious positions, not being different on Sunday than we are the rest of the week. Unity requires being each individual is More people would be willing to be vlunerable enough to honest enough about who they are, if they had a safe place like a home to be do that. That's what the church should be. Ask yourself honestly: Is it?

We know it can be. The "Assembly" of the saints requires a meaningful and useful connection and cooperation in a way that is practical and accomplishes the purpose for which it was designed. The key is a UNITY that is genuine and REAL.

Unity is more than a gathering of believers. more than a Sunday Service and a mid-week Bible study. Unity means real connections - like family ties. A True Family of God connection is protected and nurtured by the HOLY Spirit and has no room for ungodly soul ties (that can open doors for demons). This can no only be Real when we are truly Founded in Christ and His Word, and strengthened by the combined actions of our relationship and faith in Him.

When our Unity is strong, so we be our Light to the World. Light is attractive to those who are in the dark. The clearer our unity is to others, the brighter God's light of Life will shine through us to them. It's an obvious and telling fact. So, toask the question again: What does our unity really look like?

A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another;
as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
By this all will know that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-35





He has created the Church ... (Psalm 1:3, Proverbs 11:30, Revelation 2:7)

From the top down:

LEAVES: The outer most branches is where we see the 9 manifestation gifts as the leaves (Mark 13:28).

FRUIT: This is also where the fruit of the Spirit (with 9 attributes) blossoms as in Gal 5:22-23

BRANCHES: The extending branches we see the 7 ministry gifts

SUPPORT BRANCHES: The supporting branches we see the 7 motivational gifts

BASE: At the base of each branch we see the God's Grace operating through the 5 offices of leadership in the local body of believers (church)

ROOTS: The supporting branches bind together with the main roots [ Love - Life(Security) and Truth(Significance) ] that are firmly planted by the river of Living Water (the Holy Spirit).



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Play Video SCRIPTURE:

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Church Structure Scriptures
Open Bible Scriptures on Leadership


Ephesians 4:11-24
And He Himself gave
  1. some to be apostles,
  2. some prophets,
  3. some evangelists,
  4. and some pastors and teachers,

for the equipping of the saints
for the work of ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ,
till we all come to the UNITY of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to a perfect man,
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

 



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Play Video SUMMARY:

Two Main Concerns:

  1. Leadership
  2. Discipleship

Leadership

In Ephesians 4, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul, has given us the design of the "5-Fold" Ministry. It is a team formed of seasoned leaders who are purposed under the direction of the Holy Spirit, to build and maintain the local body of believers as a family of God that continually experiences the abundant Life in Christ.

Those in leadership are not above the members in the church body, they are a part of the church body. In fact, those in leadership would do well to view themselves as in support of the church body - not in place of Christ but in service to Him and to His family.

Humility is a battle that all in leadership must daily be on guard to maintain within themselves through prayer and constant fellowship. Leadership must keenly keep focus of the Cross while guiding each believer toward their destiny in Christ and in loving one another.

We must also come to terms that mere church attendance with a modicum of good preaching is NOT enough for accomplishing this. Discipleship is vital.


Discipleship

One major key that has been neglected in discipleship, is in discovering and utilizing the 7 Motivational gifts while developing, integrating and growing in the 7 Ministries. This is vital to enriching a fertile ground and a family environment that freely allows the 9 Manifestation gifts to flow as well as yield the 9-fold Fruit of Holy Spirit in our lives - individually and collectively as a body (church).

God's main concern is the purity and quality of our hearts, because He wants our relationship and fellowship to be at the fullest. This, in effect, is the Cross which symbolizes both our vertical relationship with the Father and our horizontal relationship with each other (Matthew 22:34-40).

Proper leadership and discipleship are the underlying structures of the church that will bring forth in us, the abundant life that brings glory to God. That glory is His pleasure in our prosperity (Psalm 35:27) , similar to how a father delights in the true happiness of his children.


That being said,
Proper Discipleship will not happen in the church
without Proper Leadership.


Therefore the rest of this section will address the paradigm shift that many will encounter and, most likely, will resist. But hopefully, by the grace of God, more than a few will, at least, be inspired to embrace a new hope and a clearer view of direction from the Holy Spirit.
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12


If you are interested in implementing an effective mentorship program in your ministry or church...


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Play Video LEADERSHIP ISSUES:



Play Video DISCIPLESHIP:


The Path:
An implementation of discipleship is already built into "The Path" of this website and can be used as a guide for both a newly saved believer and any believer who wishes to renew themselves in the basics. It is designed to be used as a reference tool as well as a discipleship tool in the hands of a mentor who can give further personal guidance to another.

OBVIOUSLY, any knowledge, understanding and wisdom (including this website) is USELESS WITHOUT the Holy Spirit. Any discipleship, mentor-ship and leadership WILL BE LIFELESS without Him, and futile unless we are seeking Him...

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.
The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
John 6:63


This website is only a tool for the basics of what every Christian should know and be trained in. In addition, the sections above have only introduced the gifts with brief examples.

There is much more that can be done to bring practical and effective discovery, development and application of the 7 motivational / ministry gifts as well as the 9 manifestation gifts. God has endowed us with creativity as well as the instruction necessary to take discipleship to the next level (and levels above that). Hopefully, You will find a few use-able ideas in the Turbo Tools Section (below).

Just as the Word of God is vast and endless in its depth of discovery, there is much, much more to our Life in Christ. We will take discipleship to an even higher level as we (together) pursue our destiny in the Living God - on Earth as it is in Heaven.



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Play Video CHALLENGE:


Leadership in the Kingdom of Heaven
is quite the contrary to what we see in the world.


Old Wineskin:
Leader-Ship

New Wineskin:
Leader-Ship



The Kingdom of God is difficult to receive as we have been trained by the world to see it.

Here is a challenge:
If you are a leader in your church, ask yourself this question: Are you afraid of losing your position in the church, for Christ's sake?

If you answered no:
Are you willing to clean the toilets? ... Not just once, but on a regular basis? ...Without complaining?

If on the other hand, you answered yes:
Then indeed, your honesty and humility serves you well, and you have honor in the Kingdom of God.
The day we see and treat each other as equals, is the day that we will begin to see the Kingdom of Heaven within each other.

Unfortunately for many churches, there is still a mindset that has subtly imprisoned the Body of Christ. It is a giant that has kept us wondering in the wilderness, instead of entering the "Promised Land" (The Kingdom of Heaven). To overcome it, we must be brutally honest with ourselves, not just in word, but in deed also.

With this in mind, we need to also take an honest look at what we've been calling "The Corporate Body of Christ"... Review >>








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Play Video REF LINKS:


LEADERSHIP LINKS:

  • http://www.openbible.info/topics/the_fivefold_ministry
  • http://www.alanknox.net/2007/04/ephesians-412-and-equipping-ministries/
  • http://healing2thenations.net/papers/fivefold.htm
  • http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=32657
  • http://www.kingdomleague.org/3/archives/06-2013/1.html


JEZEBEL LINKS:

  • http://www.openbible.info/topics/the_fivefold_ministry
  • http://www.alanknox.net/2007/04/ephesians-412-and-equipping-ministries/
  • http://healing2thenations.net/papers/fivefold.htm
  • http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=32657
  • http://www.kingdomleague.org/3/archives/06-2013/1.html


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Luke 22:24-27

Now there was also a dispute among them,
as to which of them should be considered the greatest.
And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them,
and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'

But not so among you;
on the contrary, he who is greatest among you,
let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.
For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table?

      Yet, I am among you as the one who serves."

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WoodPlank

The Greatest Commandment



Jesus said to him,
"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, and with all your mind.'
This is the first and great commandment. "

And the second is like it:
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

On these two commandments
hang all the Law and the Prophets.
"
Matthew 22:37-40



9gifts
Rock Water
"And did all drink the same spiritual drink:
for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them:
and that Rock was Christ."
1 Corinthians 10:4


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HUMILITY
Humbleness
not Humiliation!

Humility is always the first step. You must be humble even before you pray.

Think about it.
You had to humble yourself before you repented and turned to your heart to God. Humility is the key to your freedom... everyday.


And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mark 8:34


Click on these additional scriptures:    2 Chronicles 7:14    Proverbs 16:19    Proverbs 29:23    Psalm 34:18    Psalm 51:17


How this works in practice:




But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty,
  • and continueth therein,
  • he being not a forgetful hearer,
  • but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 1:2-27

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7




The "Fear" of The Lord

FEAR GOD ...and Nothing else!
The phrase 'the fear of The Lord' is a paradox. At first, this vast contrast of how we perceive and know God appears contradictory.
We know that 'God has not given us a spirit of fear' 2 Timothy 1:7. Yet, the Bible also tells us to 'fear the Lord' (Deuteronomy 6:24).

Perhaps the following question will bring better understanding:

Who would you rather fear?

  • The All Powerful GOD, who created you, who Loves you, who gave His Life for you ... so that you could live an abundant LIFE?

  • OR

  • Everyone and everything else -- which do NOT have the supernatural power nor omnipotent control to oversee and direct the best outcome of your life? (even if they wanted to)

The paradox of Fear and Love

    How can I Love God and fear Him at the same time?

We know that God is Love (1 John 4:8), and at the same time, He is 'the Lord of Hosts' (Isaiah 2:12). It is true, that a children love their father, yet at the same time, they also fear him. It sounds strange in our Western culture, but the seeming contrast, actually gives a deeper understanding of a whole hearted reverence, respect and desire that illicites an endearing and obedient response to the presence of our Powerful, yet Loving Heavenly Father.

To say it differently:
A child fears/trusts the power of their father to protect them, guide them, nurture and care for them. In this way, we should we have the "fear of The Lord".

The greater our fear of the Lord, the greater we walk in Peace.

The more we align ourselves with our Benevolent All Powerful Eternal Father, the more fulfilled and dynamic our walk on Earth becomes.

Indeed, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10).

Finally, in 1 John 4:18 it says: 'Perfect Love casts out fear '. To paraphrase: "The perfect Love of God, casts out the fear of man"

How this works in practice:


Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
(Proverbs 3:5-7)



When this Turbo Tool is combined with Humility, it unlocks a powerful secret:

By Humility And the Fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.
Proverbs 22:4


The POWER of PEACE


In Him shall I trust

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?


Peace is more than a feeling of tranquility. It is the Power of God ruling over all of creation. It is the command of Righteousness in the Land. It is the silence of our enemies at the end of the battle. And, it is our Heavenly Father gently lifting us out of the darkness.



     The Prince of Peace...       (Isaiah 9:6)
     
     ... IS ...The Lord of Hosts      (1 Samuel 17:45)

When you tap into the Peace of God (Phil 4:6-7), you are fully trusting Almighty God (who Loves you), of which, you have nothing and no-one else to fear.


--> Romans 16:20
--> 1 Corinthians 14:33
--> Philippians 4:7
--> Colossians 3:15
--> 2 Corinthians 13:11


  

It is interesting that fighters who are more tensed in the battle, will actually react slower. But those who are at peace and relaxed, respond faster and with greater accuracy.

How this works in practice:


FIRST (Matthew 6:33):
Align and work with God on the spiritual issues (in the Courts of Heaven and by taking your authority in Christ over any demonic activity upon you or your situation)

SECOND:
Be obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading in dealing with the earthly isues (souls and circumstances)

For this you need to be properly PREPARED... (Ephesians 6:15).



Agreement  
  


Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Matthew 18:19-20



Petitions & Declarations


And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask,
we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him
1 John 5:13-15


As long as we are not harboring sin in our life, and our desires are in line with the will of God, we can write down our desires in a petition to God and Declare them by speaking them aloud, knowing that they will be heard in the Court of Heaven.

And we know we have the victory because we have Jesus Christ as our defense attorney to ensure our petitions are processed before the Righteous judge of Heaven. And by His blood (His Life sacrificed and resurrected), we have won the case and procure the results on Earth as it is in Heaven.

When we write it down in a petition, it causes us to carefully state the specific details of our desire. Dating it helps as a reminder, and marks the time from request to fulfillment.  

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God
Philippians 4:6

A petition will have no effect if it is done as attempt to access the power of God through your flesh. Only the voice our attorney Jesus Christ carries the weight of authority in the courtroom of Heaven:

"It is the spirit that quickeneth (gives life); the flesh profiteth nothing:
the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life"
John 6:63




Fasting

Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly,
gather the elders and all the inhabitants
of the land into the house of the LORD your God,
and cry unto the LORD,
Joel 1:14



When combined with praying in tongues, this powerful tool of seeking the Lord is multiplied, when a group of believers are unified in a commitment to deny their flesh for a specific amount of time in dedicated prayer.

Add a little soaking music while praying in tongues together, not only cultivates the presence of God's Peace, but brings answers, revelation, healing and more because we press in to an unlimited God.

For specific breakthroughs, add Petitions and Declarations.




Foot Washing


Many would overlook this powerful practice, as it is truly a test of who in leadership is humble enough to actually touch the feet of those whom they serve. Like the disciple Peter, the more one resists to this exercise, the more they need it.



There are different ways to do this from a simple foot massage to actual washing of the feet, but this act of caring should not be taken for granted.

It reminds us that our Lord was and is, as down to earth as we are.

 







Kingdom Building



WISDOM WORKSHOPS

APPLICATION OF THE WORD in our lives...
These could be one-day workshops to a series of week-end Training Camps.
Not just Teaching but Practical instruction with interactive exercises.

Mentor Training

  • Training ourselves to train others


Biblical Finances

  • Effective Financial Training (What the Wealthy teach their young is also found in the Bible)



Mercy vs. Truth

  • The power of Mercy in communicating the TRUTH of the Gospel.


Prophetic Revelations

  • Stay in Tune with what is happening in your congregation as well as in other Ministries that are Hearing what God is saying in this hour.


The Secret of Serving


  • Deepen your relationship with the Lord and with others through this simple but powerful Training.


Leadership Skills

  • Learn, Develop & Practice Leadership Skills Through real projects that require coordinating all 7 motivational gifts and how they may integrate with the Supernatural gifts.


Exhortation

  • Exercise the difference from giving orders (or only making suggestions) to enabling others to move forward.


Effective Teaching

  • Learn more by actually teaching using a simplified approach that brings better understanding through progressive stages.


True Worship


  • Spiritual songs from the heart
  • Prophetic/Artistic Painting
  • Dancing / Flags


Evangelism Tools

  • Learn and exercise (always in a safe environment) How to lead Someone through a Prayer of Salvation and their next steps of discipleship (including Receiving the Gift of The Holy Spirit & Praying in Tongues).


Advanced Spiritual Warfare Issues


  • Overcoming the spirit of Jezebel (inferiority) & Ahab (Insecurity)
  • Overcoming the spirit of Poverty


Dreams & Visions & Visitations


  • THE DREAM PROGRAM (email series)
  • Dream Blog




  



MINISTRIES:
BASIC Church Ministries

These common areas, are often minimally handled,
but are GREAT TREASURES which are yet to be fully tapped into.

Men's Ministry


  • Praying for our women & families
  • Sharpening each others iron
  • Combining our strengths to help accelerate our Destinies
  • Mentoring - Level s 3 and 4

Women's Ministry


  • Praying for our men and families
  • Refining the Grace of God within each other
  • Mentoring - Level s 3 and 4


Youth Ministry


  • Developing their Gifts
  • Developing Talents and Skills
  • Developing Destinies
  • with welcoming arms.
  • Youth Plays & Videos
  • Mentoring - Level 2 and 3

Children's Ministry


  • Guiding and Nurturing Godly Characteristics
  • Mentoring - Level 1


Outreach Ministries


  • Family Ministry - Reaching out to families in the community and sharing God's Love in tangible and meaningful ways.
  • Adult Single's Ministry Building Strong Character and Healthy Relationships
  • Special Needs Ministry Bridging the gaps and Learning new ways to care for others


 



MESSIANIC ROOTS

Jew-AND-Gentile

Jesus Christ (Yahshua Ha-Mashiach) was born as a Jew! Gentiles are "grafted in" to the promises of Abraham (The Root) . In other words, the Church HAS NOT replaced the Jews (as unfortunately, some believe in error). When gentiles (who have become Born-Again Christians), and Jews (who have received Yahshua and their Mashiach) -- embrace each other as true brothers under the New covenant (which fulfills the old covenant), they become as one-new man (Ephesians 2:8-19). This is when the Family of God will truly be united.

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes:
first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.


Here are some important life changes that will bring greater blessings to your family and even to your church if they would be bold enough (and humble enough) to adopt them in practice:

1. Support of Israel & Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6)

2. Honoring the Sabbath in your Home: 6pm Friday night to 6pm Saturday Night.
        (We've been living on a pagan calendar ...and missing many of God's blessings ! )


and hallow my sabbaths;
and they shall be a sign between me and you,
that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.
Ezekiel 20:19-20


3. Observing the Biblical Feasts of The Lord (Leviticus 23:1-4)

Spring Feasts:
1. Passover (where Communion originated) - Passover is the Biblical New Year! (Exodus 12:2, Leviticus 23:5)
2. Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:17, Leviticus 23:6-9)
3. Feast of First Fruits (Leviticus 23:10-14)
4. Feast of Shavuoth (Pentacost) (Leviticus 23:15-22, Acts 2:1-47)

Fall Feasts:
5. Rosh Hashana - Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-25)
6. Yom Kippur - Feast of Atonement (Leviticus 23:26-32)
7. Succoth - Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-44)


We have not yet tapped into the deep side of understanding,
until we begin to treasure the scriptures through Hebraic eyes.
In fact, we cannot fully understand our own salvation
until we fully understand the Peace of Jerusalem.


...There is MORE IN STEP Fulfill Your Destiny

 










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