Andy_Schofield

Chosen to Run!

“This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an Apostle of Christ Jesus.”
“He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its OWN SPECIAL work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”
Ephesians 1:1, 4:16,17

The Apostle Paul was chosen to be an apostle. He was chosen by the will of God. God handpicked him to be a part of His body doing a specific task. Paul was chosen and he followed that calling to the end of his life. He may have had a spectacular introduction to Jesus Himself but Paul still had to step into his calling.

Paul submitted his life to God. Paul committed to fulfilling the call that he had. Paul pressed through and created a target to aim for. Paul counted everything behind him as lost. He kept going. He kept pressing!

Faith to be Full! Faith to Overflow!

There is a favourite minister that I listen to who tells a story of when he was starting out in ministry, still living at home. His dad asked him one day, ‘Son, why is that whenever I use your car that it is always running out of gas and I have to always fill it up?’ The minister answered, thinking he was being smarter than his dad, a seasoned minister, ‘Dad, I am a faith preacher, I use my faith to get gas when I need it!’ To that statement, his father quipped, ‘Great, but it takes more faith to keep the tank full!’

I love that story and lately it keeps rattling around in me. I never want to run out or come short. I am to see myself with a full storehouse. Deuteronomy 28 tells me it is a part of the Blessing of God. I am a covenant man living by covenant promises. I will not operate on empty waiting to be filled up but on the promises of God that keep me in His Blessing Overflow!

This is the mentality that we need to have, ‘Faith to be FULL! Faith to Overflow!’

Never Ever Settle!

Settling for where you are at in life is limiting God in your life. We were created to grow. We were created to expand. Our prosperity was never limited. In fact, God wants to fill us up with Himself. God has said He wants to

“through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”
Ephesians 3:20

If God has a plan for you to achieve things that go beyond what you can conceive we need to become so aware of His presence working in us. We have a bible duty to allow God to complete the work in us that He started. If we allow Him to do this in us we will never settle.

Above all things!

‘Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, even as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.’
3 John 1:2-4

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.” The old, seasoned, Apostle John is speaking here. He is towards the end of his life, he has been boiled in oil, exiled to an island, left alone and has not much time left. He knows the Word. He knows his God. He was one of the closest disciples to Jesus when He was on the earth.

The greatest desire that this great leader had for his flock and followers was this…’that they prosper and be in health.’ He didn’t champion poverty or lack or sickness or disease. He didn’t express a confused attitude that declares, “we never know what God will do!” He was convinced and was certain of the will of God. He knew, without a shadow of doubt, that God’s desire for His children is to prosper!!

Victory that overcomes!

“For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
1 John 5:4-5
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”
1 John 4:16b

Living in God and working with Him is the place to be! God in you! What a privilege! What a responsibility! When the Bible says “Faith works by Love,” it is saying Faith works by God, love Himself, living inside of your born again spirit!

Jesus states very clearly that He has overcome the world for us. The Apostle John says it this way; “…whoever is born of God overcomes the world!”

Boldly Go!

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13

There is something about being with Jesus. There is something about being with The Word.

Always remember that Jesus is the Word. You may never meet Him face to face until He comes to rapture us to heaven but you can know Him. You know Him through the Word, you know Him by spending time, hours, minutes, days in His presence. His presence is His Word, His Spirit is captured in your heart by spending time. Time that is precious. The Spirit in you yearns jealously for you to spend time.