rjones
Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2007
- Messages
- 314
When we work with God in ministry, we cannot rely on our own talents. We cannot rely on our own wisdom. We are totally dependent on the wisdom and power of God (1 Cor. 2:3-5).
We need to learn to do things God's way, not our own way. This means that, like God, we must target the heart, not the mind. The word of God tells us that "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Co. 4:4).
The focus of satan is to blind the minds of people against the understanding of the Gospel (Romans 1:21-28; Colossians 1:21; Titus 1:15).
But God does not aim for the mind. He aims for the heart. "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor.4:6).
After a person receives Christ by faith, God then begins to renew the mind (Ro. 12:2; Eph. 4:22-24). When we share with unbelievers, we must not try to convince them - mind to mind. Instead, we can cooperate with God and speak the words that He gives us - heart to heart.
We should also remember to target the root, not the fruit.
Jesus tells us that "The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" (Mt.3:10).
Many times we target the fruit of a person's life (read Galatians 5:19-21). But the more we pick off the fruit, the more it continues to grow back. This is because the fruit of a person's life simply reveals the condition of the roots (Lk.6:43-44). God wants to target the roots of our life. If our roots are in Him, we will produce the fruit of His Spirit (Gal.5:22-23).
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me" (Jn.15:4).
We need to learn to do things God's way, not our own way. This means that, like God, we must target the heart, not the mind. The word of God tells us that "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Co. 4:4).
The focus of satan is to blind the minds of people against the understanding of the Gospel (Romans 1:21-28; Colossians 1:21; Titus 1:15).
But God does not aim for the mind. He aims for the heart. "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor.4:6).
After a person receives Christ by faith, God then begins to renew the mind (Ro. 12:2; Eph. 4:22-24). When we share with unbelievers, we must not try to convince them - mind to mind. Instead, we can cooperate with God and speak the words that He gives us - heart to heart.
We should also remember to target the root, not the fruit.
Jesus tells us that "The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire" (Mt.3:10).
Many times we target the fruit of a person's life (read Galatians 5:19-21). But the more we pick off the fruit, the more it continues to grow back. This is because the fruit of a person's life simply reveals the condition of the roots (Lk.6:43-44). God wants to target the roots of our life. If our roots are in Him, we will produce the fruit of His Spirit (Gal.5:22-23).
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me" (Jn.15:4).
