CHRIST-IS-OUR-SUFFICIENCY!

CHRIST "IS" OUR SUFFICIENCY!

• Unmasking The False, While Laying Hold of The True..(IDENTITY)

What is FALSE HUMILITY? = Inferiority vs Superiority Complex (READ ARTICLE)

When you hear His Voice harden NOT your heart..

Consecration Requirement's = intimate devotion with particular/specific parameters..

When EVERYTHING ELSE says that you're: DONE..UNWORTHY..TOO BROKEN..NO LONGER PASSIONATE..STUCK IN YOUR OLD WAYS..UNQUALIFIED..

HOW LONG, HAVE YOU:

• misrepresented your educational accomplishments, because you thought THAT was the only reason doors opened for you..
• lied to your significant other about a real internal battle and struggle, but you're afraid to show your vulnerability and nakedness cause they might not stay..
• contemplated leaving your job/vocation because your never felt "purpose" in the work; you've only done it to make money and enjoy material pleasures, but you're unhappy and unfulfilled..
• the feeling of low self-worth, low self-esteem, insecurity, and inadequacy plagues you, so you're always putting up a front, improperly representing what's true, and have chosen to go along to get along so you'll be accepted by the group..

OUR SUFFICIENCY IS FROM GOD

Our sufficiency is of God means that none of us are fit, capable, or satisfactorily qualified by our human efforts or aptitudes to minister to the hearts of lost people. Only God can enable us or make "us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant" (2 Corinthians 3:6, ESV). Our success in ministry comes from God alone, as Paul eloquently illustrates throughout his letter: "We ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. . . . Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. . . . We live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you. . . . All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory" (2 Corinthians 4:7–15, NLT; see also  2 Corinthians 5:18). Our sufficiency is of God, and His grace is all we need (2 Corinthians 12:7–10).

Yesterday's word to me from The Lord, is quite significant in light of the current state of affairs with our well-known "representative leadership" in Christendom...

"Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." (II Corinthians 3:1-6 NKJV)

I ABSOLUTELY love the Church - with all of its differences and quirkiness, and I've dedicated most of my professional life to unselfishly serving the Body of Christ, with specific emphasis on equipping "spiritual leaders"...

But, here recently, I've become more and more disappointed by the cycles of defeat and dysfunction that seem to be endlessly lurking in many religious circles; because of the blatant and sometimes insipid arrogance, ego and pride, which is constantly on display when the leader won't seek help or take advice from ANYONE!

Yes - pastors are often unappreciated, under-valued and "used-up ", by transactional people, BUT - that's (MANY TIMES) their own fault!

 What do you mean?

GOD has definitely called us to be "servants", and we will sacrifice and suffer for pursuing "righteous ends", in service to HIS people! But - we must, without being calloused or imbalanced, make sure that both "we" and our families are sufficiently taken care of; by establishing a legitimate board of directors and active-engaged eldership to support good decision-making, accountability and proper governance of The Lord's Church!

We MUST stop "seeing ourselves as the savior", and place the primary burden of "shouldering the work of ministry", upon The Lord!

We MUST begin to properly assess and evaluate the impact of our efforts, based upon the solicited feedback we get from GOD's people! No, I'm NOT saying "the vision comes from the people", but without their voice and involvement at every stage and step, "ministry visions" quickly become self-serving and unrealistic...

TOO MUCH of our philosophical and theological premise for "doing ministry", is falsely dependent upon US, and NOT - "the inheritance IN the saints"!

GOD'S PEOPLE have been sitting on the sidelines FAR TOO LONG, because our leaders tend to misuse their influence and positions to personalize and prioritize their visions, "as GOD'S" - when the self-serving nature of many leaders, is plainly revealed by the "pew-sitting priesthood" that has no REAL impact upon the communities they live, or upon the areas where their church is located!?!

In the "black church", our leaders have carried gargantuan burdens and in many cases - still do, while wielding a tremendous amount of influence over and upon our "communities of color"; primarily based upon the necessary and significant role they've historically played - during the civil right's movement and because of slavery from the past. But, in many cases, we still attempt to become "the answer-all, for all the people", when we don't possess the capacity, competency or sincerity to do so...

Even today, although there are many professionals in their respective fields in our local churches, our leaders tend to influence "the outcomes" of many families and communities-at-large, but WHO is ensuring their (the leaders) proper education, preparation and training in these important "public-servant roles"?

Although I have begged The Lord to release me from this assignment...MY BURDEN WON'T GO AWAY!

The landscape in which ministry occurs today, has very much changed!  

From the necessary and ongoing capacity-building of our leaders, to making sure that we maintain and sharpen their cultural-competencies, requires a comprehensive and thoughtful approach in addressing these complex -communal and societal issues, while fostering the critical community partnerships and relationships - with a strategic emphasis on "seeking first the kingdom", through the prophetic-engagement of our society; which should consistently introduce and reintroduce "the supernatural power of God" to the dark and dying world that we live..

Intellectual arguments and "know-it-all-preachers", without a clue on how to perceive God's Mind and Agenda, will continue to "expand their own influence and notoriety", instead of leveraging it to introduce the "pregnant saints" ready and prepared to DO THE WORK OF MINISTRY in society!

BY NOW, the church should be tired of supporting the "some-day syndrome" of our status-quo church leaders, who have "the anointing to preach", but NOT reach - "the destination" that they've been declaring for many years, without its evidence in anyone else's life - but their OWN!

Now, the Spirit of Grace is moving through HIS Body to position HIS people to assume their post and responsibility, but often without the coupling of the apostolic commissioning and release that should accompany dramatic changes and shifts in the marketplace arena!

I have more to say, but I'll end this post by saying - TAKE YOUR PLACE, and if God permits legitimate "spiritual authorities" to enjoin in the advancement and progress that HE purposes, so be it; but, IF NOT, make sure your alignment with Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3) is proper, and MOVE FORWARD without fear of being a "renegade spirit" or rebel..

IT'S TIME! WS-3

Walter L. Smith III (WS-3), Apostolic Founder/Lead Facilitator
Pure In Heart Int'l Ministries, Inc. -
The Center For Kingdom Advancement (Worldwide)

"An Apostolic and Prophetic Ministry Bridging Faith & Culture"

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