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Plainly Speaking
with Karl J. Forehand
Living
Powerfully
(1 Peter 4:10-11)
by
Karl J. Forehand
How would you describe your walk
with the Lord? Would it be rather anemic? Would it be “nothing to write home
about?” Would you describe it as activity? Have your got a lot done, but nothing really
significant? Would a proper
description be absence? Would
you response be “What is a walk with the Lord? I’ve never experience that – what is that like?” Would you describe your walk as alternating? Is a kind of on-again off-again
existence?
For most of us, these words have
at least often described our walk. We
are often anemic in our walk. We
sometimes replace activity for significant service. We sometimes even forget about our walk with the Lord and take
a leave-of-absence. Then we bounce
back and forth between “on fire” and “cold-as-ice.” None of these words describe the walk that God intended for us.
God intended us to walk powerfully! Is your walk with the Lord powerful?
If our walk is not powerful, one
key element is always a lack of submission.
We tend to do things our own way and then blame God when our lives are
not what they should be. We often
deny God’s power and ability to work in our lives. We don’t experience a powerful walk, because we don’t allow God
to work supernaturally.
My football coach played
professional football when they didn’t have face masks. He said you could tell the toughest
players by the scab on their nose. I
remember asking him a question once and his reply was, “Are you ready to
listen?” I said, “Of course I am, I
asked the question.” He said, “NO,
ARE YOU READY TO LISTEN?” In other
words, are you going to pay attention to the answer I give and do something
about responding to it?
Let us listen to God’s Word:
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in
serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were,
the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which
God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus
Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (I Peter 4:10-11)
To live powerfully, we have to:
1. Employ the Gifts of God
I Corinthians 12:4 stresses
that there are many gifts. These gifts
are diverse. Since they are diverse,
they produce many ministries and they have a variety of effects. What does that tell us? It stresses that there is not just a few
special people that are gifted by God.
It also teaches that ministry can’t be pigeon-holed into a set
pattern. Call wants to get His work
done through as many people as possible in a variety of different ways. How does it work?
Basically, when we say “YES” to
God, He enables us supernaturally. We
often focus on the gifts that people like Billy Graham have. We assume that because our gift is not
like His, we must not have a real gift.
The contrary is true. I Corinthians
12 talks about how the gifts that get the least recognition are the most
important gifts.
This verse says the gift is received. It is accepted from God to be used for His
purpose. We don’t earn gifts – we use
gifts. A gift is when God show up in
our lives to do what we could never do.
How could you do something good enough to earn something that is far
superior to what you could ever do?
The passage also says to employ
the gift. Talk is cheap! To know something and not do it is the
same net benefit as not knowing it.
James 2:18 says, “…show me your faith without deeds and I will show
you my faith by what I do.” It is not
enough to recognize the gift – we must employ. Will all due respect to spiritual gift inventories, sometimes
we won’t even be able to recognize the gifts. We simply have to answer God’s call in our lives and let Him
work the gift.
What are the gifts used
for? They are for serving. One lady asked me, after my ordination,
“So, is this when we have to start calling you “Reverenced?” I said, “No, Karl still works for me.” The English translations of “ministry,
servant, deacon” are all the same Greek word. Ministry is service, and every believer is a minister because
every believer should be a servant.
By using our gifts, we become good
stewards of grace. The gifts are
given by grace (we don’t earn them).
To be a good steward, of what was given by grace, we have to use what
we have been given.
In spite of our abilities, we
have to employ the supernatural ability of God.
2. Speak the utterances of God
How would you like to speak for
God, like the Old Testament prophets?
What does God’s Word say about our speech?
This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be
quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; (James 1:19)
but just as we have been approved by God to be
entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who
examines our hearts. (1 Thes. 2:4)
We must ask the question “What
does God want me to say?” I know what
I want to say. I know what they
deserve to hear. But, if I were
speaking for Jesus, what would I say?”
The reality is that we do speak for God – we are His ambassadors – He
does make His appeal through us. So
this become, not just and Old Testament prophet requirement, but very much
our daily responsibility.
God’s revelation is complete in
His Word, but prophecy has always been when men said, “Thus saith the
Lord.” All preacher inevitably have
to say “Thus saith the Lord.” But
other believer have to speak God’s Word.
When do we do that?
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When comforting a friend, we say “Thus saith the Lord.”
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When correcting our children, we say “Thus saith the Lord.”
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When confronting an enemy, we say “Thus saith the Lord.”
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When carrying out the Great Commission, we say “Thus saith the Lord.”
It is not what we want to
prove. It is not what will make us
look better. It is not what will
improve our image. It is being able
to be prophetic and say “Thus saith the Lord.” In a way, we must be prophetic or be quiet. If we can’t say, “Thus saith the Lord,” we
might not want to say it.
3. Serve in the Strength of God
Our own strength is always
limited. This passage tells us to
serve in the “strength that God supplies.”
We are often afraid to serve because we say:
“I don’t have the
talent”
“I don’t have the
charisma”
“I’ve never been good at
that”
“I don’t think I can do
it”
To that God replies, “Exactly,
I’m not asking you to do it in your strength or based on your ability, but in
my strength and the ability I supply.”
The ultimate purpose is that God would be glorified. He gives your God-sized tasks to
accomplish. When He says “go,” it
will definitely be something your need His strength and ability to
accomplish.
When you says “Yes” to God, you
employ the gifts of God, speak the utterance of God and access the strength
and power of God. It ultimately comes
back to submission. We will never be
able to live powerfully until we accept the assignment of God.
Why not decide to live
powerfully today – accept God’s assignment.
Karl J. Forehand, 2002
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