So in Matthew chapter 12, look at verse 43 through 45 with me.
Jesus said this. When an unclean spirit goes out
of a man, he goes through dry places seeking rest and finds
none. Then he says, I will return to
the house from which I came, and when he comes, he finds it
empty, swept, and put an order. Then he goes out and takes with
him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they
enter and dwell there in the last state of the man is worse
than the first state. So shall it be with this wicked
generation. Now what is Jesus saying?
He's saying when I do the miraculous, when we take
authority and we bind things, whether it's anxiety, doubt,
discouragement, that's one step in the process.
But you cannot just keep doing the same things and expect not
to have true deliverance. You have to fill and renew your
mind with truth. If you do not, you could be in a
worse state than you were when you came up.
But God doesn't want that for you.
God came to set us free, spirit, soul and body.
And so you need to renew your mind.
You need to feed on the Word of God.
You need to receive the instruction and impartation
that's coming from the pulpit today, Wednesday.
You need to receive the instructions coming from your
devotional time. You need to listen to the Holy
Spirit. Don't leave empty, leave filled.
That's the principle. So don't do the same thing.
If you've been watching the news, listen to certain things
that are entertaining or feeding the anxiety.
You need to cut that off and then replace it with truth.
Jesus said you will know the truth and the truth will set you
free. So we don't want to be living by
lies. We want to be living by the Word
of God, which is truth. Amen.
Pastor o'marcy are on vacation. Hallelujah.
They took off after the team rally on Friday, which was a
phenomenal time. I loved if you weren't with us,
seeing Pastor Marcy and my wife race.
That was inspired, maybe not by the Holy Spirit, but it was
inspirational. And then it was really neat
seeing Pastor Marcy have a little cramp in her calf
afterwards. You may not have seen it, but
she was sitting close to where Joe is and I saw we saw her rub
in the calf like Whoo should have stretched a little bit in
some calisthenics before we did the the carpet race.
I like the throwback to the flag football.
We didn't have that event at the first team rally member.
Paper flag football. What's it called?
Paper football. That was great.
Who was that was up the first time.
That was you, Joe. You were crushing it.
That was Dominion. Yeah, we know what Joe really
did when he went to school, so maybe it's.
Not the best example. But he was killing.
There was some 50 Yarders, you know, it was awesome.
So it was a great time and we're so grateful for what the Lord is
doing through Anchor Faith Church.
Everybody that's connected and partnered.
It was a time to celebrate, have some camaraderie, and just keep
the unity and the oneness and the growth and the vision of
what God wants to do. It takes all of us working
together to accomplish what God has called us to do.
So I'm going to continue on pastoral started a Series A few
a couple weeks ago called the five fold effect.
The five fold effect, and this is specifically talking about
the ministry gifts. So Are you ready to receive the
word of God? Are you going to pull and draw
on the gift of God? You're going to draw on the word
of God because I believe God wants to provide a great
spiritual meal for you today. He wants you to go away, fool,
not empty and hungry. So it's up to you to eat.
Sometimes I see football players doing this after they score a
touchdown. Let's keep feeding me.
And that should be our attitude as a body of believers in the
Church of Lord Jesus Christ. Keep feeding me, Lord.
I want more. I'm not satisfied with one V1
touchdown. I know there's more.
He came to give us life and to give it to us more abundantly.
So we thank God for what's going to take place today through His
Word and through the Holy Spirit.
I want to give you a quick overview of Ephesians.
This is 6 power packed chapters that the apostle Paul wrote to
the church. This is one of Paul's four
prison epistles. We have Ephesians, Colossians,
Philippians, I want to say filet mignon, but you all know the
real wording of that epistle. Amen.
Just to keep you awake for this meal.
But Ephesian presents the church, which is Jesus body.
Colossians in this prison epistle presents Christ who's
the head of the body. Philippians presents the dynamic
Christian life. I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me. And then Filet Mignon presents
Christian living in action in a Pagan society.
But when we look at the book of Ephesians in the six chapters,
the first 3 chapters deal with the plan of salvation.
The next three chapters, chapter 4 through 6, show the practical
application of what the apostle was saying.
And it it's the divine plan and the 'cause that God has for his
church. So the practical application,
our key text text is going to be Ephesians chapter 4, verses one
through 13. I'm going to read these 13
verses. I want you to follow along with
me and get all that God has for us today.
Amen. It says this.
It says, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, I beseech
you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were
called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering,
bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called
in one hope of your calling. 1 Lord, 1 faith, 1 Baptism, one
God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and
in you all. But to each one of us grace was
given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
Therefore he says, when he ascended on high, He led
captivity captive, and he gave gifts to men.
Now this He ascended. What does it mean?
But He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth.
He who descended is also the one who ascended far above the
heavens, that he might fill all things.
And He himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of
the Saints, for the work of the 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.
So in verse #1 the apostle Paul says, I beseech you.
That means I'm calling you to one side.
I'm summon summoning you. Summons means this.
I'm notifying by authority to appear at a specific place.
I was summoned about a year and a half ago for my civil
responsibility to be a juror or for jury duty.
It was the first time in almost my, my 49 years on the earth I
was ever summoned to that responsibility.
So I had to go down to the county.
I made the 1st wave. I walked into this big old room.
There's probably about 147 people.
The attorneys have already done all the background checks and
everything they need of. And I made the 1st wave.
I actually had to go to the the courtroom with the judge.
I didn't make it past that to get selected to juror duty, but
I was summonsed. But, you know, if I didn't show
up, I'd be in trouble. It was my responsibility.
And God is calling on us. He summons us to a specific
responsibility within his body. Hallelujah.
So Paul said, I beg you, I beseech you, I summoned you that
you would walk worthy of your vocation.
That word walk means to live, to regulate and conduct your life,
to make the due use of every opportunity.
Each day is a gift from God. Are you maximizing this day?
Are you honoring God in this day?
Are you valuing what Jesus Christ has done for us today?
He said, I beseech you that you would walk worthy this.
This life in the Kingdom of God deserves our attention, our
affection, our time, and our work.
We should a lot. We should live a life worthy of
what he's done for us. So our affection, our attention,
our interest, our work should honor him.
And there's a vocation that God's called us to.
There's a calling. There's a divine plan, purpose
and intention. God never reacts.
He responds. God said I knew you before I
formed you. He told Jeremiah there's a plan
for you. I'm summoning you, Jeremiah, and
I'm asking you Jeremiah, to call to walk worthy of this call this
vocation in the prophetic lane that Jeremiah walked in.
And so we need to take this soberly and seriously.
This is just not for the five fold ministry.
This is for us, the body of Christ say this is for me.
This word is for me. I take it it's my responsibility
to fulfill it. So we grab a hold of it today.
We take hold of it today. We are excited about the
journey, the plan, and the purpose that God has for us.
He's called us with a holy calling.
He's called us with a heavenly calling.
Listen, there's different sectors of society and I always
remember these A, through G arts and entertainments, B for
business, C for congregations, D for direct media, E for
education, F for family, and G for governments.
But we can pretty much summarize anything that takes place in the
world. Those seven things, God's
assigned us to one of those to impact it, to influence, to
ignite it. So you need to ask yourself
today, what sector am I in? I look at Raphael.
He's in the business sector right now.
You still Wells Fargo good. But he's every day he's going in
and guess what? He's bringing light, he's
bringing salt, he's bringing a purpose, he's bringing an
assignment. He's not there by accident.
He's assigned by God and he's graced for it.
Same way we could go around the whole, you know, congregation
today and start saying other things.
But the same way God, whatever he's called you to, if you got a
passion for education, guess what?
Go out and impact and ignite. Lord knows we need to impact
education, right? Some of the false philosophy and
ideology has taken place today and you're graced for it.
You're anointed for it. Don't say I can't do this, say
no, I can do it. God has placed me.
He's positioned me. I'm going to walk worthy of the
vocation. I'm going to do everything that
God, and you know what? God is a rewarder of those that
diligently seek him as your faithful and what he's assigned
you to do. Guess what?
He's going to open up other responsibilities and lanes for
you to step into, but you got to be faithful where you're at in
order to get where God wants you to go.
I was reminded as I was studying Kennethy Hagin when he was 57
years old. Two of my historical mentors in
the faith, Ed Cole and Kennethy Hagin, didn't personally get to
have a relationship with them personally, but through books
and teachings, they have become historical mentors of mine where
I can grab a hold of the truth and assignments that God gave
them. And both of them were prophets
and teachers in the body of Christ.
And I would say obviously there was an Apostolic anointing on
them too because of being able to start works.
But both of them, this is intercept 57 years old.
Both God launched them into a new phase of ministry.
Now specifically he told brother Hagin or Kenneth E Hagin this
You're just now stepping into your third phase of ministry.
Not many people get past their first phase of ministry.
So when the world at 57 thinks they're slowing down, God
refires and assigns them another task.
So 57, Ed Cole's pastoring in California and God says you need
there's a call, you need to step away from the pastorate and I
got a word to men for this generation.
So in 1982, he gets up in California, preaches a sermon,
said this is going to be the most interesting sermon because
I'm immediately resigning from the pastorate after my
benediction. So he at 57 leaves the pastorate
which had comfortability right financially and stability and
takes a filing cabinet phone and he's in his garage by faith
making phone calls. Brother Hagin Kennethy Hagin at
57 God said you're going to start a Bible school.
And so guess what happened That's we're a product of when I
say we are a product that affects all of us.
But pastor on Marcy, my wife and others in this room graduated
from Rhema Bible at that time training center.
Now it's Rhema Bible College. We were impacted and equipped
through that Bible school to do what God's called us to do.
So 57 But my main point is this, if you're faithful with what God
has assigned you to do, it's going to open up the other
phases. You don't want to get to the end
of your life and say I didn't walk worthy of the vocation that
God called me to. The five fold ministry can't do
it. We're going to talk about it for
you. We're going to talk about today.
The five Fold ministry is going to help equip you for what God
has given you and then it's up for you to be faithful.
And as you're faithful, God is a rewarder.
The gospel is good news. God is a big God.
He's got big plans, He's got big dreams, and we want to do
something great, but it's the everyday, mundane, day-to-day
faithfulness, love for God that's going to get you from
where you're at to where you're going.
To flood is nothing but a bunch of little raindrops all coming
together in your daily life. All those little things you do
do come up to big things for the Kingdom of God.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah. So there's a plan and a purpose
for you. I want to I want to 0 in on
Ephesians chapter 4, verses 8 through 10.
We've already read this as we opened up, but I want to look at
this and summarize it. He said, Wherefore he saith,
when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and he gave
gifts unto men. Now that he that ascended, what
is? But that he also descended first
in the lower parts of the earth. He that descended is the same
also that ascended up far above all the heavens, that he might
fill all things. What is this verse talking
about? This verse is talking about
before Jesus death, burial and resurrection.
The Old Testament Saints went to paradise which is Abraham's
bosom. It was a temporary holding
place. The way to the most holy place
was not yet available because Jesus blood had not been put on
the mercy seat. Romans 4 talks about the
righteous dead those of in the Old Testament that didn't have
the right like we do today. Immediately in that time by
faith they believe God. They were walking out God's
plan, but guess what they only had the the high priest that
went once a year. Every year they had to be
reminded I'm falling short. Every year they had to be atoned
for with the blood of bulls and goats.
Every year the high priest had to go in the holies, the holies
what's what is this first saying but Jesus Christ, the great high
priest in his plan of redemption, he who knew no sin
became sin for us. He's saying when I paid that
price in Acts chapter 1, it said this same Jesus that you saw a
sin into the heavens is going to come in like manner.
And what did he do when he went to the heavens?
He said my blood just as a Tabernacle was set up in the Old
Testament and only the high priest can go in the holies, the
holies once a year and put the blood on the mercy seat which
atone for them just for a year. Jesus said I am the great high
priest, I'm going once and for all into the heavenly pace and
put my blood on that mercy seat. That blood says paid for.
That blood says justified. That blood says not guilty.
That blood says redeemed first. Peter 118 says for you are not
redeemed with corruptible things, but with the
incorruptible things. The precious blood of Jesus.
When the devil tries to remind you of your past, you remind him
of your future. And you say the blood, the
blood, the blood, the blood, the blood.
In 1997 I said the blood not on my own works or my own own
merit, but what Jesus Christ the King of kings did for us.
He said I'm putting the blood on it and and listen, the records
been expunged in the Supreme Court of Heaven.
There's not a record. He said in Psalms 103 I'm going
to remove your transgressions as far as the East is from the
West. When you repent and receive your
renewed. I said when you repent and you
receive your renewed, you're not an ex anything.
I'm not an ex alcoholic, I'm not an ex convict.
I'm a brand new creation because of the blood.
He led captivity captive. Listen to what Hebrews says.
This is so powerful. I want you to get this.
We could just stop and praise the Lord and have a running
spell right now, but I have an assignment.
Hallelujah. I feel like running.
I'm pretty stoic. I saw myself kind of doing the
Raphael. Shout out by Cito.
Come on. Stop.
I think the anointing's just
permeating up here. Raphael, you.
Don't want to miss a Sunday? See Raphael had a word by the
Holy Spirit last Sunday about Job and it was stop.
He can only go so far. I'm glad we didn't miss church.
My wife and I back in 2007 when we had two miscarriages and
there was a prophetic word that came from Pastor Earl and said
you'll be with child this time next year.
Gave us faith and hope. And This is why you don't want
to miss the spiritual gem people.
You know what I mean by that? In the Natural on January 1st.
People have lofty goals and they will sign up for buy outfits
buy. Proper food, but they don't
throw the Junior Mints away. And a week and a week from now,
Haagen Dazs is calling Digiorno Pizza with stuffed crust cheese.
Is calling. No, it's not.
Hallelujah, David. That's right, Jay.
And he knows better. And then 5:30 that alarm comes
off in a week after that, all the snooze button sounds good.
God has lofty goals for us. But does a snooze button sound
good on a Wednesday night or a Sunday morning service?
Right, if you want to increase faithfulness and consistency is
the key. Listen, I'm, I'm not saying this
anybody could do this since I was born again and I I
experienced the redemption. I'm getting the Hebrews in a
second of the Lord Jesus Christ in 1997.
I think I've probably missed 5 or maybe 7 church services since
my journey with the Lord began in 1997.
And it's only 'cause we, we were out of town, even sometimes
we're out of town. I remember Angie and I early in
our marriage, we went, we were in Texas 'cause we lived in
Oklahoma at that time and we were in Texas just, I think we
went to Six Flags, which really traumatized my wife.
She blacked out on this big ride and she hasn't rode roller
coasters since. But it was fun during that time
for me. But yeah, it was too big hard,
the shockwave. Yeah, it shocked her.
She said everything. Everything went black, but thank
God now we're living in the light.
But even then we went to the Potter's House, TD Jake's
church, right 'cause that's what we do.
I'm a believer and I'm not going to forsake the assembling
together and a word can come or every service, a teaching can
come, every service we're praising God.
You don't want to miss God's spiritual fitness plan for your
life. We keep each other accountable,
we keep each other growing to fulfill all that God's called us
to do so Hebrews chapter 2 verses 10 through 15 says this
back to redemption. He ascended is the first that
also. Descended and he those that were
in Abraham's bosom, he said, you're freed.
Abraham's bosom was a temporary holding place until Jesus blood
could go on the mercy seat. So let's see what Hebrews
chapter 2 verses 10 through 15 says, for it was fitting for him
Jesus. For whom are all things, and by
whom are all things? And bringing many sons to glory,
to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings. For both he who sanctifies and
those who are being sanctified are all of one.
For which reason Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren,
saying, I will declare your name to my brother, and in the midst
of the assembly I will sing praise to you, and again I will
put my trust. And again here I am for the
children that God has given me. And so much then, as a children
have partaken of the flesh and blood, He Himself likewise
shared in the same that. Through death, Jesus might
destroy him who had the power of death.
That is the devil and release those who fear of death were of
all their lifetime subject to bondage.
So that's what Ephesians chapter 4 eight through 10 is talking
about. He released death.
We don't have to be afraid of dying.
Let me say it again Saints, you as a born again believer do not
have to be afraid of death. The Bible says O death, where is
your? Sting.
Jesus took the sting. You know, I think it's a bee,
right? And you can correct me that if
it stings you one time, it's not the only time it can affect you,
right? Well, that's what Jesus said.
I took the sting. That bee bit me.
So if it lands on your arm, guess what?
It has No. Power to, you know, hurt you or
cause anything to swell or whatever.
It has no power, 'cause He took the sting of death for us, so he
liberated us. He paid for us.
Matthew chapter 26 verse 28 says this.
Jesus said, for this is my blood of the new covenant which is
shed for the many, for the remission of sins.
So in this great plan of redemption in Ephesians chapter
4, Jesus went to the lower parts of the earth.
He told the devil, it's paid for, it's bought.
I'm taking my perfect blood, my innocent blood, my holy blood.
I'm going to send up and put it at the right hand of the Father
on the mercy seat. And whoever calls on the name of
Jesus as Lord will be saved, delivered, redeemed.
That means I'm, I'm free from the bondage of slavery.
I'm free from the bondage of torment.
I'm free to serve Christ, Hallelujah.
But not only did he take something, Jesus left something.
And This is why Pastoral always said there's more to God's plan
than just making Jesus. Lord, listen, if all of God's
plan was just to get born again, just come the altar and it'd be
best just to go ahead and keel over and be with Him.
I mean, if that's all there was. And that's phenomenal, 'cause He
did make the way. But what he's saying in
Ephesians 4 is not only that I provide salvation.
I've also took something, but I also left something.
And what He's saying, there's a purpose for you in the earth is
what He's saying. There's a journey for you in the
earth is what He's saying. So in Ephesians chapter 4 verse
#7 He says, but to each one of us, grace was given according to
the measure of Christ's gift. So in the body of Christ, when
you come to him, he's saying there's a measure of a gift in
every born again believer. Say there's a gift in me.
And Father, I want to release
all that you've deposited. Do you mean that church?
So to each one of us, grace was giving this gift of God.
Now grace. Thank God for grace.
Grace is not the ability to fulfill.
The lust of the flesh. You can't violate God's word and
get away with it. Grace is not divine permission
to do what's wrong. It's divine power to do what's
right. Listen, we're going to get in
the five fold ministry. We're we're ramping up to it.
The planes taking off, we're going to get to cruising
altitude soon. You'll be able to open up your
trays and put your Mac out and take notes.
Amen. But grace is not a dead
theological concept. Grace is a living reality.
And with the five fold ministry, there is the authentic and the
genuine, but there's also false. And I'm telling you right now,
church some this. Grace message could become a
disgrace. And there are some false
teachers, false pastors that'll say grace is greasy, which means
you could do anything you want and it's not a real 5 fold
ministry is going to lead you in the truth.
And a grace is a divine empowerment to do what's right.
Grace. Grace is a divine empowerment to
be holy unto God. Grace is God's operational
power. Grace is like electricity.
Now electricity if if we were pre electric days and I went to
David's house I didn't see Reese's peanut butter cups.
I'm I'm telling on David he likes Reese's Peanut Butter
Cups. Although he's making a change
for the better. He's repented.
Hallelujah. And if I didn't know anything
about electricity, I went to David's house and he turned the
ceiling fan on. I'd be like, wow, that was
awesome. If the room was dark and he
flipped a switch, I would see the lights come on, right?
If I went to his refrigerator, the source of life, and I opened
it up, I would feel cool here, right?
So if I didn't know anything about electricity, I would think
man. Grace cools, grace turns on the
lights, grace brings into motion.
But grace, God's grace in different vessels or children of
His, produces different results. But it's the grace of God that
fuels your gift. You don't want to go in the
flesh, you want to go in the Spirit.
I can do all things through Christ.
I admonish you, church, when you're doing your assignment for
God, remember it's through his grace, Paul said.
I am what I am by the grace of God.
So he said he left something to each one of us.
Grace was given according to the measure of God's gift.
Listen, there's a measure in every born again believer.
I need you to get this. Some of you have good self
esteem. Some of you have low self
esteem. Some of you have no self esteem.
But I'm telling you, you need God's self esteem today.
There's a reason why you're breathing today.
There's AY for you and the earth and you want to hook up with the
grace of God. It's not by work, it's not by
your own effort, but it's by the Spirit, says the Lord.
So you want to kick into that anointing.
What you can't do by yourself, God through the anointing can do
through you, but you need to be devoted and consecrated to what
He's called you to do. There's a gift, just like in the
parable of the talents in Matthew 25, it said he gave to
1/5 to 1/2 into 11. And So what are you doing with
the talent that God's given you? Are you investing it?
God loves to see increase in fruitfulness in your life.
To the five, guess what? Five more came through the grace
of God. To the two, two more came by the
grace of God. God was well pleased with both
of them. To the one, the one hid it.
Don't hide your gift. Don't hide your gift.
That gift has been bestowed. It's an endowment from God to do
what He's called you to do. Now how?
How does the fivefold effect play into this?
Let's see. The fivefold effect is the
apostle, the prophet, the evangelist, the pastor, and the
teacher. Now when it comes to
hermeneutics or Bible interpretation, there's things
what we call parallel passages. So I want you to take notes on
these. In Ephesians chapter 4, verse 11
through 12 and into 13 is one parallel passage, but Romans
chapter 12 also goes along with that.
And then we also have another parallel passage in First
Corinthians 12. All of these, the apostle Paul's
talking about assignments and roles and the plan of God for
each individual believer. Now only in Ephesians 4 does it
highlight well, first Corinthians 12 talks about it to
the fivefold ministry. What is the fivefold ministry?
Turn turn with me real quick to 1st Corinthians Chapter 9.
First Corinthians Chapter 9, the fivefold ministries are those
that are called, ordained and set in the body to do ministry
full time. Why does a pastor or apostle, a
prophet, make his living? Because doing this?
Because God said so. Are you with me?
So let's see what First Corinthians 9 says when the
apostle Paul talks about this because this was his vocation.
Just as all of us have an assignment, the five full
ministry is set apart by God, much like the Levitical
priesthood in the Old Testament. We had 12 tribes, 11 then went
out to war and to fight. But one tribe, the Levites, were
called to handle the sanctuary and the things of God.
And guess what? The other tribes went out and
they went, I'll call into the marketplace and did their
assignment, exercise their gift, and they were able to bring pro
vision for the vision. Are you with me?
When you got in the marketplace and your gift and your grace,
you should go out and conquer and rule and exercise that gift
and be fruitful. And then you're able to bring
provision into the vision, 'cause God had a vision for the
Tabernacle in the Old Testament and it was provided by the other
11 tribes. So look at First Corinthians 9.
We'll start in verse #1 it says, am I not an apostle?
My eyes are changing as I age. Hallelujah.
So I got to take my glasses off to read.
Am I not an apostle? Am I not free?
Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?
Are you not my work in the Lord? If I'm not an apostle to others
yet doubtless I am to you, for you are the seal of my
apostleship in the Lord. My defense to those who examine
me is this Do we not have a right to eat and drink?
Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife?
Is also the other apostles the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?
Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from
working? Whoever goes toward his own
expense, who plants a vineyard, does not eat of the fruit, or
who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk or the flock?
Do I say these things as a mere man, or does not the law say
them also? For it has written the law of
Moses. You shall not muzzle an ox.
What treads out the grain? Is it an oxen God is concerned
about, or does He say it all together?
For our sakes. For our sakes, no doubt this is
written, that he who plough should plough and hope, and he
who threshes and hope should be partakers of the hope.
If we have sown to you spiritual things for you, is it a great
thing if we reap material things?
If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even
more? Nevertheless, we have not used
this right, but endure all things, lest we hinder the
gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who
minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and
those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the
Lord? Even the Lord has commanded
this, that those who preach the gospel should live from the
gospel. So the five fold ministry is
appointed part of the body of Christ, but they're set aside,
just like in Acts chapter 6. They were set aside to study the
Word and to pray so that they could bring the Word of God to
the body. And we're going to see this
build in Ephesians 4 'cause there's a reason He put them.
It's to equip the Saints. Amen.
So these five fold ministry, the apostle, prophet, evangelist,
pastor and teacher, they balance and complement one another.
It's like my 5 fingers on my hands.
They all work together. The prophet inspires the
teacher. The teacher studies the prophet
studies the prophet. The evangelist reminds us
there's a lost and dying world that needs the gospel.
The pastor helps oversee and care for the flock, and the
apostle challenges us to increase and take on new
conquest for the Kingdom of God. I'll say it again.
The prophet inspires the teacher, The teacher studies the
prophet. The evangelist reminds us
there's a lost and dying world. The pastor helps oversee the
flock and care for their soul, and the the apostle helps launch
us into new increases in fruitfulness and conquest for
the Kingdom of God. The reason that God gave them,
it's because he cares for his church.
These are 5 ministries and listen, this is fresh from the
exalted Christ when it says He ascended above everything else.
One of the first things that he says is he gave some.
So it's God's love, gifts to his church.
Hallelujah. Because God cares about you.
God wants to see you grow. God wants to see you cultivated.
God wants to see you equipped. God wants to see you
flourishing. Why do we assemble together with
the fivefold ministry? Because God wants to equip you.
Look at look at Ephesians chapter 4 verse #12 it says that
they were given for the equipping of the Saints for the
work of ministry, that the the body of Christ will be edified.
Now these gifts weren't giving given.
It's not reading like this that the fivefold ministry would
equip the Saints, that the fivefold ministry would do the
work of the minute the the ministry and the fivefold
ministry would edify the body of Christ.
It's not saying the fivefold ministry does all that.
The fivefold ministry does the first one and in turn the body
does the next two. I'll say it again, the the
fivefold ministry does the first part of verse 12.
The next two parts are the responsibility of his children.
So the five fold ministry does what it equips the Saints.
This is why I liken this as spiritual gym.
You're coming to get equipped, you're coming to get challenged,
you're coming to get stretched, you're coming to get some
resistance. Do you know that no strength is
built without some resistance? That's why it's called strength
training or progressive overload.
These five fold ministries may challenge your thinking, may
challenge your flesh, but they're there.
The King James Version says to perfect you.
The word perfection in the Greek does not mean without ever
blowing it. It means mature.
So grow up. Turn to your neighbor and say
grow up. Turn the one on the other side,
which is some of the walls. Say grow up.
God wants you to grow up. God doesn't want you in diapers
after 15 years of serving him. Hallelujah.
Now listen, when you're a baby, you're going to make messes.
Some things are going to be stinky.
But God knows Angie would have never married me if I was still
wearing a diaper. And do you realize there's
people still sucking on pacifiers?
Come on. In our modern society, not in
the Kingdom. God wants you to grow up.
Why? Because only when you're grown
can you reproduce. You can't reproduce when you're
3 years old. And God's greatest assignment is
for us to reproduce, he said. Be fruitful and multiply.
This life just isn't about us. This life is about getting the
truth out to see others advance. We do not have the spirit of
Saul that got jealous of King David when they heard that King
David one is 10s of thousands. We get excited when we see
others going out and doing great works and great things for the
Kingdom of God. Go get more than what I ever got
is the cry of the fivefold ministry.
Go out and impact and ignite an influence.
So God wants us to grow up. So when you come on a Sunday,
when you come on a Wednesday, when you're listening to pastor
or on YouTube or Pastor Marcy, it's equipping you, it's
supplying you, it's filling you. Don't let your spiritual tank be
on. EE does not mean we'll make it.
E will get you left on the stuck side of the road.
Josh Clay got me stuck on the side of the road.
We were on our way to the funeral.
Where's he at? Yeah, he's probably hiding for
sure right now. We were on our way to the
funeral. It was, I think it was July.
June. If he was in here, he could tell
me. But he's hiding and it's on E
He's driving. All of a sudden, it starts
sputtering. All of a sudden, we're off to
the side of the road. And so we ran out of gas.
So we're like thumbing on the side of the highway sweating,
and this car pulls up. The guy's got a, if I remember,
I got a Bible on his dash. You open the door, though, and
it's just a big puff of cigarette smoke.
So, but we had to get in the car with him, go to the gas station
and get fuel, obviously, and get back to and thank God we made it
to the funeral on time and fill up the car.
But what am I saying is don't get stuck on the side of the
road 'cause you missed a Sunday or you missed your devotional
reading or you know, you should have been there on a Wednesday
night. You didn't come because the five
fold ministries give them to equip the Saints.
You're going to get filled up when you come.
And guess what? This world has a way of
draining. This world has a way of pulling
out. This world doesn't give, it
takes. And so we need each other.
This is your spiritual filling station.
Not only do this does the five fold ministry help fill and but
it also and bring a supply, but it also puts you in the right
fit, helps you get in the right place.
It's really like a medical term. If you were at, if you
dislocated something, guess what?
You need to relocate it for it to function.
And I'll never forget 'cause I, I was a Michigan fan until I
repented. There was a guy named Charles
Woodson. Anybody ever heard of him?
Of course you did back there. You're the only person in the
whole building that's ever heard of him.
But he he he came into Michigan as a running back and pretty
good. But after the coaches watched
him, they said, you know what? I think his real, real talent
lies on the defensive side of the ball.
So for the first couple years he kind of stumbled through this
transition because a coach saw something in him that was a
better fit. Did you know he went on as a
defensive player, which is highly unlikely to win the
Heisman Trophy. If he tried to stay in the
running back position, he would have never fulfilled his maximum
potential. But the coach, I'll say this,
the five fold ministry may see something in you that says
you've been doing good at this, but really your assignments
right there. If you want to be a Heisman
Trophy believer, son or daughter of the king, let the five fold
ministry help pull some things out of you and position you in
the right place. Amen.
So the the five fold ministry helps equip the Saints.
Why? For the work of the ministry.
That's your responsibility. Saints, what has God called you
to do? I go to Luke 1913.
It says occupy till I come. God said you come to church.
Why? To get filled up so you could do
your business. It's your employment.
It's a thing that occupies everything that you do.
When you come, you get filled up, you get fitted, you get in
the right place, you get fed, and then you're going to go out.
You're going to do what God calls you to do.
Occupy means this, and I want you to know this.
I want to resound in you. I want you to be alive in you
this week. By the grace of God, occupy
means to work until everything feels the impact of your
presence. So I, I know I'm doing a lot of
football analogies, but I'm a sports guy.
Sometimes I would love just to do what Notre Dame does.
And before when they leave the locker room, they have a sign
that goes down the steps. I believe if LG was in here, he
could tell us, 'cause he played for them.
And it says play like a champion today.
And I feel like when we leave this sanctuary, you're full,
you're fueled, you're fit. I feel like we all need to tap a
sign that says play like a champion today.
Because now I'm getting ready to go out into the world, my
marriage, Walmart, the mission field, and I'm going to play
like a son or daughter of the king today.
You don't know what's about to hit you.
You don't know the greatness, the anointing, the light, the
salt. You don't know the prayer of
faith is coming. I saw a person in the gym
yesterday, they're worshipping somewhere else but having
sciatic nerve pains. And I said, let's agree on
Matthew 18. You want to be healed.
God wants you to be healed. I want you to be healed.
So right in the gym, I said we're agreeing on this, we're
binding this up 'cause I'm playing like a champion today.
Every interruption is not a distraction.
It could be a divine opportunity.
Come on, you know you're in Walmart and you see that one
person likes to talk a lot. You go down to go down their
aisle. You'll see them so you try to
escape before they see you, but God may be saying today is the
day of salvation. You need to go pray for them.
So the five fold ministry was given for the equipment that
Saints wise so we could go out and do the work of the ministry
and what's the ultimate end is that the body of Christ will be
built up. It will promote growth.
We could, we should see this House.
Full. We should see this house full.
We should see this House. Full.
We should see this house full and I'll say this by how you
live and by what you say. We should see this house full by
what you live and what you say. The five fold ministry.
I'm stuck in this building. That's not a bad thing, but all
the other believers are out in the marketplace.
Guess where the lost people are at?
Right up your alley. Some people are like, I want to
go work for the church. God's saying I want you to go
work in the world. Why?
Because there's a lost and dying world.
Look at it as it being ACIA agent.
This isn't the Central Intelligence.
This is a Christian in action. You're undercover.
You should be going to work thinking is today the day Lord?
What does the Holy Ghost have for some?
I got to just be quiet. He said you're light.
Light doesn't make a sound, but it could be seen.
And you just come in shining every day, and eventually they
say something's different about you.
I like what Devin Hicks says, 'cause he worked at Carlisle's,
now a different name. He still works there, but he
can't solicit the gospel. You know that.
But if somebody asks me, it's on like Donkey Kong.
And so they say something's different about you.
Well, what's different? He said, well, it's the
philosophy and the philosopher I follow.
Well, who's the philosopher? Well, let me tell you about
Jesus. Oh, they just set him right up.
Just set him right up, but he's light and then becomes salt.
Salt doesn't work unless it makes contact.
If you never open your voice in that moment, there's no contact.
Lack of contact, lack of influence.
And Jesus has called us to grow, so how you live better line up
with what you say. Are you with me?
Don't be a hypocrite. Don't play a different role.
I think the greatest testimony at first is the change in your
life. I know in 1997 I started
changing when I gave my life forward.
I quit doing things that I was doing.
I cut off associations that were bad because bad company corrupts
good character. But as my credibility grew, so
did the call and it gave me a voice in the people's life.
Hallelujah. So the five Fold ministry, we're
going to look at the teacher today and these ministry gifts
help with steady growth within the church for powerful witness
without. These ministry gifts help for
steady growth within the church for powerful witness without.
The teaching ministry is a well defined and anointed office in
the fivefold ministry. The teaching ministry is a well
defined and anointed office in the fivefold ministry.
Donald G said this about it. He said experience has proved
this ministry of teaching has sometimes been sadly undervalued
to the serious detriment of the work of God.
The stirring campaigns conducted by gods, by apostles and
evangelists with their oppressive array of converts,
the popular mind makes people feel that something really is
happening with these two ministry gifts.
The same is true of those beautifully beautiful ministers
where the sick are healed and demons are cast out.
But let it not presume that in the ministry gift of the
teacher, however, there will be no converts made or sick sick
once healed. Blessed be God.
The reverse is true, for God loves to honor His own word in
whatever form it is preached. So not only does God use the
evangelist and the apostle, but He uses the Teacher.
And in teaching you can get healed, and in teaching you can
get saved. And in teaching miracles can
occur. So we don't want to limit or
hinder what God has put in store for His church with the five
fold ministry. Some churches are in danger of
stagnation through the lack of the the evangelistic zeal.
It's equally true that some others are in the same peril,
and perhaps in a deeper sense to the lack of teaching and soul
food. We need teachers that are going
to bring us the engrafted Word of God that's able to save our
soul. The man or woman is not a
teacher merely by virtue of natural ability.
But shining above all else, there's a conspicuous gift of
God in the teacher. It's just not college education
and natural gifts. This is a supernatural ministry.
Granted, some people teach in the church, in Sunday school or
Bible school, and that's right and that's good and should.
But the teacher in the five fold ministry is anointed as a
specific gift and office by the supernatural power of God to
help equip the Saints. So for such ministry be
accomplished, we got to rely on the real power of God and just
not natural gifts. In this office, the teacher's
dependence will utterly be on the anointing of the Spirit, and
the teacher's appeal will be made through the logical
faculties and operate through the logical and reasoning
faculties of their own understanding, enlightened by
the Holy Spirit. The teaching ministry is not dry
and it doesn't cause division. A false teacher will be dry,
leaning on just their own ability and cause division.
They could get stuck in one line of thought on the natural side,
but a the office of a teacher is always going to be refreshing
and reviving. It's going to bring water.
One of the teachers primary fruit and results is to be able
to water and feed the flock of God.
It'll refresh you. I know sometimes when I'm on my
computer I'll get this little circle and nothing's working
right. Anybody ever had that happen
'cause it's stuck and some believers are stuck and what do
you have to do? You have to refresh it to
actually open up what's available.
And the teacher, true teacher gift, anointed by the Holy
Spirit, will bring refreshing to the body of Christ.
If you're stuck spiritually, it's going to help get you
unstuck. It's going to help get you
reset. It's going to help get you
restarted. And you should leave when the
Office of the teachers in action and in function.
You should leave revived mean that if anything was dead or
dry, you should feel empowered to go out and do what God's
called you to do. So the primary application and
fruitfulness of the teachers to water the flock, the ground.
Apollos was a teacher in the body of Christ.
We can go over to 1st Corinthians chapter 3.
Let's read this and see what Apollos did.
In First Corinthians chapter 3, starting #5 verse #5 says who
then is Paul and who is Apollos? But ministers through who you
believed as the Lord gave to each one I planted, Apollos
watered, but God gave the increase.
So the apostle Paul talking about Apollos who was ordained,
talking about apostle who was ordained, a teacher said Paul
said, I planted, but guess what Apollos watered.
So you should expect from a teacher that's called that
office man, I'm going to get water today, put some water on
my seed, Amen, 'cause you know, if the seed never gets watered,
it's never going to grow. Listen, I met with Seth on
Friday and we'll call Seth. He's a, he's, he's a, has a
horticultural gift. Can I say that?
Is that the fancy way of saying, you know how to do landscaping?
And I have this cedar tree in our backyard and it's the most
frustrating thing, 'cause it just you, you're laughing,
'cause you go over there and, and it's especially during the
summer, we get in a pool and you get your feet in it.
It gets dirt everywhere. And I was talking to Seth and
'cause people perish for lack of knowledge.
And I said, man, I went and bought 100 and about $60 worth
of Bermuda seed and threw it down, 'cause all it is is dirt
around the cedar tree. It's in shade.
And my dogs, my dogs like to go out there and run.
Seth said you have just a bad combination, shade, sand and
dogs. And he said you need to water it
every day. It's so sandy.
If you don't water it every day, it's never going to grow.
And so guess what? I wasn't watering it every day.
I wasted 160 dollars full of potential and purpose and lush
green grass. I could see it not just 'cause I
had the vision, but because I went to Home Depot and they had
a pamphlet that I was drooling over.
And we're going to paint our deck and there's all kind of
great colors, our pool deck. But in their pamphlet, when they
show the colors of deck, there was green grass.
And I said, Lord, I see it. But it's never going to grow if
you don't water it. And if you miss the teacher's
office, you could have the seat on the inside of you.
You could be sitting in church and miss the seed and you're
wondering why I'm Sandy and not bringing forth anything because
I don't honor the gift and we need to honor each equal.
When you honor the gift, you're really not honoring the person.
You're honoring God because God set the gift in the body for
you. And so you should pray for the
gift. You should come drawing on the
gift. Do you realize when it comes to
the gift, it's never going to get unwrapped if you don't pull
on it. You need to be like Christmas
time on Sundays and Wednesdays and look at us like a box with a
ribbon and just start tearing it apart and say I can't see what
God's I can't wait to see what God's got in there today.
And guess what the gift isn't for the five fold mystery gift
is to unwrapped to give to you. What do you need from God?
You may be saying, Lord, I need the newest PlayStation.
Well, unwrap the gift and pull it out right.
So you need to come expecting. I'm going to close with this
thought on the teacher. I want to go to Proverbs chapter
24. Hallelujah.
Before we get there, I'm going to, I'm going to read Psalms
119105. Psalms 1119105 says His word is
a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
One thing the teacher office will do is bring clarity to the
word of God. Some things that may have not
been clear when the anointing's on a teacher, it's going to
bring clarity. Why not just for the teacher,
but it's going to help your pathway.
It's going to help your journey with God.
I, I know when I first got born again, everything was like a
puzzle to me. But with the teacher office,
guess what? They start putting the pieces of
the puzzle together and they're able to say, OK, this goes
there, this goes there and all of a sudden you have clarity.
So in Proverbs chapter 24, verses 3 and 4, it says this.
Through wisdom a house is built and by understanding it's
established by knowledge. The rooms are filled with all
precious and pleasant riches. The teacher will bring wisdom,
understanding and knowledge for you.
Look, wisdom will help build your house.
By understanding, it will establish your house and listen.
By knowledge, your house will be filled with all precious things.
You want to build a real life for God.
You need wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to really be in
the fullness of what God has for you.
Now, you may have operated in some wisdom, you may have
operated in some knowledge, but if you don't have understanding,
you're missing the fullness of what God has for you.
And so the teacher and watering and instruction and impartation
will help communicate the wisdom which is the applying of truth.
It'll help communicate the knowledge which is the acquiring
of truth, and it'll help with understanding which is the
proper interpretation of truth and just with this one thought
of understanding. Understanding means this that
you know it so well that you can, that you can comprehend it
so well that you can repeat results at will.
The teacher will bring understanding so that you know
it so well and you comprehend it so well that you can repeat
results at will. And that's why you want to draw
all on that gift to the teacher, 'cause you're like, Lord, I need
understanding, I need knowledge, I need wisdom, I need
understanding so well and I can comprehend some well that I
could repeat results at will. Why do you want to be able to
repeat results at will, 'cause God wants your life to be
fruitful. Listen, there's survival mode
where the enemy has control. There's success where you've
been delivered, but there's also significance.
Were you poor in the life of others?
And I believe significance is living at the highest level of
where God wants us to be. It's not enough for you just to
be successful in your household. The teacher will help you be
successful. So you could be significant to
others and you're not going to have that with understanding.
Last night I cooked chicken fried steak.
Now, man, it is good for but bad for my blood work.
But in understanding I found this recipe for southern.
Now I'm from Ohio, but I'm in Florida, so I'm Southern and my
mother-in-law, she cooks a a mean chicken fried steak and she
has understanding. Yeah, I thought about probably
about eight months ago, I started this journey where
occasionally, cause I have understanding, I realized if I
did this everyday, it would not be well for my arteries.
But about 8 months ago, I found a recipe for Southern fried
chicken fried steak. And so last night I was like,
I've got understanding. I could repeat results at will.
I got understanding so much. I don't even have to look at the
ingredients now. I know it takes a teaspoon of
baking soda, 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
I know it takes 2 teaspoons of glove garlic cloves.
I know it takes 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk.
I know it takes a tablespoon of hot sauce, 1 egg.
This is a really good recipe, y'all?
I know 'cause I got understanding when I first did
it. I one of the greatest things I
like about chicken fried steak, and this is great 'cause we're
almost done and I know you're probably getting hungry.
There's been some food analogies.
I like the bread on it. So early on, when I wasn't
taught real well, I tried to load it up a flour and it would
fall off and I'd have the steak without the bread.
Through understanding I realized just coat it, dip it, coat it
again, lightly, throw it in the pan.
What really hit me last night though is I found the perfect
temperature to cook it at. It took me 8 months on my stove
to figure out with the lid on how to get that thing just
right. And God wants your life to be
like a good piece of chicken fried steak where people could
feed on it. Hey, man, so turn to your
neighbor and say be chicken fried steak today.
You, you staying righteous down there.
She's not OK. Well, give her some
understanding. Have her repent.
The altar is open. I don't even know what she.
I don't want to know what you said.
You're married, so it's good. It could be righteous.
One other example, understanding the teacher bring understanding
in in my marriage covenant with my wife because of Ed Cole who
was a prophet and a teacher. You realize that he didn't work
a secular job. He was called into that office
and anointed for that office by the Spirit of God and
commissioned when most people are slowing down.
Think about retirement. God says you're going to go
minister really was an Apostolic word to the men of this
generation, declaring a standard for manhood and through when I
started eating on his meals through the teaching ministry,
the anointed office, It brought what wisdom as a man of God.
It brought knowledge as a man of God.
You realize that Hosea says people perish because of a lack
of knowledge. When I was growing up, you know,
Arnold Schwarzenegger was kind of my role model BC right,
pumping iron. But guess what?
He's not a model. Have have you read about his
marriage and the dysfunction not to put him down?
Thank God. We should pray for workers and
laborers will be sent across his path 'cause he needs Jesus.
But even though he looked great physically, soul, soul wise,
marital wise, life wise, it's breaking down.
But when I got around Ed Cole, I started realizing I got a
knowledge base for how a man is to operate and function
according to the Word of God. And when you follow the Word of
God, whether you're a lady or a man, if you're married, just do
the Word. Just do the word.
If you're single and you want to be married, just do the Word.
Preparation is evidence you believe something's coming.
If you believe a spouse is coming, get prepared.
In a nursery, there's a sign that said the best time to plant
an oak tree was 25 years ago, but the hope is it says the
second best time to plant it is today.
So what's the word? If you believe something's
coming, preparation is the evidence you believe it's
coming. But if you are married, we do
marital counseling. And when people come into the
office for marriage counseling, guess what we don't get?
We don't start dissecting the list of everything that the
other person's doing wrong. We try to stay in our roles.
What can you do as a man and what can you do as a woman?
Because really, it doesn't matter if your spouse's head is
doing 360 degree circles and steam's coming out and and
they're, you know, they look like and act like the devil.
You could get frustrated about that, but a teacher's going to
give you wisdom under, you know, the Bible talks about what to do
if a spouse is an unbeliever or acting like an unbeliever.
It talks about ways to win them over.
It doesn't say get on social media and blast them and tell
how miserable they are and call all your friends and dump and
complain. God doesn't.
God doesn't inhabit complaining or Mormon.
God inhabits praise. There's a word for you.
Maybe you need to praise your spouse instead of criticizing.
You can say Amen or oh me, but nevertheless it is truth.
Well, you never do this. We tell people stay away from
extremes. That's not true.
You're just in an emotional fit, throwing a tantrum like a baby
'cause you didn't get your way. Grow up, respond to God, don't
react to the situation. But with that cold being a
teacher, guess what? He gave me wisdom, He gave me
knowledge, but He gave me understanding.
And that understanding is just not from me.
Now I know the principles, I comprehend the Word of God
because of the teaching ministry and I'm able to repeat results
at will. Marriage could be the closest
thing to heaven or hell you'll have on the planet.
Now God's will is that you'd have heaven on earth.
I understand the Word of God through the teaching ministry so
well that I could repeat heaven every day in my house.
Guess what you can understand so well that you daily could have
heaven on earth, not hell on earth.
So the choice is yours.