THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, KEY TO EFFECTIVE MINISTRY
By Pastor Elijah Mahama, Adwen-Bu District Pastor
( Visiting BNWC on Sunday, November 13, 2011 )
Being Led By The Spirit Of God Into Fruitful Living
Main Text: Genesis 50:20,21
"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them."
Don't be a spectator; be a channel of blessings for others. God is going to do something new and our heart will be at peace. When we allow ourself to be filled by the Holy spirit any work/task set before us, we will do it with ease.
What is Ministry?
Ministry is the profession/work of the church; the religious work done by someone.
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. (Colossians 4:17)
What is God using you to do for His church? Have you availed yourself for His divine purpose for your life?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit and do it wholeheartedly to bear fruits to His glory. Be that vessel of honour He works through. God has given something peculiar to you and He wants you to put it to use and for optimum results you need to be led by the Spirit of God.
Who Was Joseph?
Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob and the first son of Rachael. And the Name Joseph means "May Yahweh add' another son. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, yet rose to become the most powerful man in Egypt next to Pharaoh. When famine struck the land he brought the sons of Israel down to Egypt, where they were settled in the Land of Goshen.
Joseph's half-brothers hated him so much, especially for his dreams, that they even called him this dreamer. While in Dothan, when they were feeding the flocks, the brothers saw Joseph from a distance and so they plotted to kill him. However, the eldest brother Reuben, did not want Joseph to die. He suggested to have Joseph thrown into an empty water hole until they could figure out what to do with him. He was the only one, however, who intended to rescue Joseph and return him to his father. Unaware of their intent, when Joseph approached his brothers, they turned on him and stripped Joseph of the coat his father made for him. Then they threw him into the cistern that Reuben suggested to earlier. As they pondered what to do with Joseph, the brothers saw a camel caravan of Ishmaelites coming out of Gilead, carrying spices and perfumes to Egypt, for trade. Judah, the strongest, thought twice about killing Joseph and proposed that he be sold. Joseph's sale of trade, before making it to Egypt, was twenty pieces of silver. The brothers were responsible for their missing brother, and they had to answer to their father. So they put male goat's blood on Joseph's coat and showed it to Jacob, who deeply mourned for his son, believing him dead. (Genesis 37:12-35)
Joseph was sold to serve Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. While serving in Potiphar's household, God was with Joseph so that he prospered in everything he did. Joseph found favor in the sight of Potiphar and so he became his personal servant. Then Joseph was promoted to oversee Potiphar's entire household as a superintendent. After some time, Potiphar's wife began to desire Joseph and sought to have an affair with him. Despite her persistence, he refused to have sex with her for fear of sinning against God. After some days of begging for him, she grabbed him by his cloak, but he escaped from her leaving his garment behind. Angered by his running away from her, she took his garment and made a false claim against him by charging that he tried to "make sport" or sexually engage her. This resulted in Joseph being thrown into prison. (Genesis 39:1-20)
While in prison, the warden put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners. and soon afterward Pharaoh's chief cup bearer and chief baker, who had offended the Pharaoh, were thrown into the prison. They both had dreams, and they asked Joseph to help interpret them. The chief cup bearer had held a vine in his hand, with three branches that brought forth grapes; he took them to Pharoah and put them in his cup. The chief baker had three baskets of bread on his head, intended for Pharoah, but some birds came along and ate the bread. Joseph told them that within three days the chief cup bearer would be reinstated but the chief baker would be hanged. Joseph requested the cup bearer to mention him to Pharaoh and secure his release from prison, but the cup bearer, reinstalled in office, forgot Joseph. After Joseph was in prison for two more years, Pharaoh had two dreams which disturbed him. He dreamt of seven lean cows which rose out of the river and devoured seven fat cows; and, of seven withered ears of grain which devoured seven fat ears. Pharaoh's wise men were unable to interpret these dreams, but the chief cup bearer remembered Joseph and spoke of his skill to Pharaoh. Joseph was called for, and interpreted the dreams as foretelling that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine, and advised Pharaoh to store surplus grain during the years of abundance.
Pharaoh acknowledged that Joseph's proposal to store grain during the abundant period was very wise. So before Joseph was even 30 years old, Pharaoh released him from prison and put him in charge over "all the land of Egypt" as Vizier. The Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph's hand, then clothed him in fine linen and put a gold necklace around his neck. He was then renamed Zaphnath-Paaneah.
What Made Joseph Unique?
"When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:5-7)
"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God." (Deuteronomy 28:1,2)
Main Text: Genesis 50:20,21
"But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them."
Don't be a spectator; be a channel of blessings for others. God is going to do something new and our heart will be at peace. When we allow ourself to be filled by the Holy spirit any work/task set before us, we will do it with ease.
What is Ministry?
Ministry is the profession/work of the church; the religious work done by someone.
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it. (Colossians 4:17)
What is God using you to do for His church? Have you availed yourself for His divine purpose for your life?
Be filled with the Holy Spirit and do it wholeheartedly to bear fruits to His glory. Be that vessel of honour He works through. God has given something peculiar to you and He wants you to put it to use and for optimum results you need to be led by the Spirit of God.
Who Was Joseph?
Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob and the first son of Rachael. And the Name Joseph means "May Yahweh add' another son. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, yet rose to become the most powerful man in Egypt next to Pharaoh. When famine struck the land he brought the sons of Israel down to Egypt, where they were settled in the Land of Goshen.
Joseph's half-brothers hated him so much, especially for his dreams, that they even called him this dreamer. While in Dothan, when they were feeding the flocks, the brothers saw Joseph from a distance and so they plotted to kill him. However, the eldest brother Reuben, did not want Joseph to die. He suggested to have Joseph thrown into an empty water hole until they could figure out what to do with him. He was the only one, however, who intended to rescue Joseph and return him to his father. Unaware of their intent, when Joseph approached his brothers, they turned on him and stripped Joseph of the coat his father made for him. Then they threw him into the cistern that Reuben suggested to earlier. As they pondered what to do with Joseph, the brothers saw a camel caravan of Ishmaelites coming out of Gilead, carrying spices and perfumes to Egypt, for trade. Judah, the strongest, thought twice about killing Joseph and proposed that he be sold. Joseph's sale of trade, before making it to Egypt, was twenty pieces of silver. The brothers were responsible for their missing brother, and they had to answer to their father. So they put male goat's blood on Joseph's coat and showed it to Jacob, who deeply mourned for his son, believing him dead. (Genesis 37:12-35)
Joseph was sold to serve Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. While serving in Potiphar's household, God was with Joseph so that he prospered in everything he did. Joseph found favor in the sight of Potiphar and so he became his personal servant. Then Joseph was promoted to oversee Potiphar's entire household as a superintendent. After some time, Potiphar's wife began to desire Joseph and sought to have an affair with him. Despite her persistence, he refused to have sex with her for fear of sinning against God. After some days of begging for him, she grabbed him by his cloak, but he escaped from her leaving his garment behind. Angered by his running away from her, she took his garment and made a false claim against him by charging that he tried to "make sport" or sexually engage her. This resulted in Joseph being thrown into prison. (Genesis 39:1-20)
While in prison, the warden put Joseph in charge of the other prisoners. and soon afterward Pharaoh's chief cup bearer and chief baker, who had offended the Pharaoh, were thrown into the prison. They both had dreams, and they asked Joseph to help interpret them. The chief cup bearer had held a vine in his hand, with three branches that brought forth grapes; he took them to Pharoah and put them in his cup. The chief baker had three baskets of bread on his head, intended for Pharoah, but some birds came along and ate the bread. Joseph told them that within three days the chief cup bearer would be reinstated but the chief baker would be hanged. Joseph requested the cup bearer to mention him to Pharaoh and secure his release from prison, but the cup bearer, reinstalled in office, forgot Joseph. After Joseph was in prison for two more years, Pharaoh had two dreams which disturbed him. He dreamt of seven lean cows which rose out of the river and devoured seven fat cows; and, of seven withered ears of grain which devoured seven fat ears. Pharaoh's wise men were unable to interpret these dreams, but the chief cup bearer remembered Joseph and spoke of his skill to Pharaoh. Joseph was called for, and interpreted the dreams as foretelling that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine, and advised Pharaoh to store surplus grain during the years of abundance.
Pharaoh acknowledged that Joseph's proposal to store grain during the abundant period was very wise. So before Joseph was even 30 years old, Pharaoh released him from prison and put him in charge over "all the land of Egypt" as Vizier. The Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph's hand, then clothed him in fine linen and put a gold necklace around his neck. He was then renamed Zaphnath-Paaneah.
What Made Joseph Unique?
- His Talent/Gift
- Transforms Wherever He Goes
- Change The Fortune Of The Whole Jewish State
"When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:5-7)
"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God." (Deuteronomy 28:1,2)
Comments
Post a Comment