Blog In Audio:
Greetings,
The purpose of leaders in the body of Christ is to help each member of the body know the greater power of the Holy Spirit in, upon, and with them in all things. We often think that the disciples of Jesus were greatly blessed to have Jesus with them in life, and truly they were, but how Jesus came to them after His resurrection was even greater. I am not just talking about Him walking physically into the room where they were hiding, I’m talking about how He came in the presence of His Spirit in them, upon them, and with them in all things. He comes to each of us in the same way today.
John 16:12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.
Holy Spirit in our lives is the substance of truth in our lives. He guides us daily into greater realities of truth. This is not informational truth. It is the ability to become the substance of life in Christ. It is to become truth. As leaders, we assist those we lead in embracing Holy Spirit who leads them to know and become truth. It is Holy Spirit in our lives that leads us into the true paths of tomorrow. When Jesus declares what is His in our lives, it is a declaration of His character, nature, way, power, and authority. Knowing the increasing glory of Jesus in our lives is becoming a greater testimony of the brightness of the Father’s glory and becoming a greater measure of being an expression of His person. This is who Jesus was as the word made flesh so that our flesh could become a growing testimony of the word of God. This is a restoration of living as the likeness and image of God in this world.
It is Christ in us, upon us, and with us that enables us to know that every sorrow in our lives will turn to joy and every joy in our lives will lead to even greater joy in Him. This is made possible by not only seeing Jesus as the one who freed us from sin though His judgment of mercy, but through seeing Jesus as the one who continually and constantly comes for salvation in our lives. This is not just an event of a second coming of Jesus, but the reality of His continual coming into our lives. Leaders lead others to know the continual coming of Christ in their lives.
John 16:16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” 17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” 18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
Jesus wasn’t talking to His disciples about an event thousands of years in the future or even an event that would come at the end of their physical lives. He was talking about an increasing coming of His presence in their lives in a way that more than just Him being with them. He was talking about and increasing reality of Him in them and with them. That would also be seen with His testimony upon them in life as being the body of Christ.
John 16:19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
The joy that Jesus was talking about was the joy of being the body of Christ with His presence in them, upon them, and with them in all things. The saw the joy of the Lord in is resurrection from the dead, His imparting to them of His Holy Spirit, and His clothing them in the Holy Spirit and the power of Christ. As leaders, we live in this to lead and for this we lead!
Food For thought,
Ted J. Hanson
Donations can be m `d4you.com or
Checks can be made payable to House of Bread Ministry and sent to:
House of Bread Ministry, 3210 Meridian St., Bellingham, WA 98225
To avoid us paying a transaction fee from your donation, you can also set up a payment or an automatic payment from your bank to House of Bread Ministry. Just set it up as a ‘bill pay’ through your online bank account and your bank will mail a check to House of Bread Ministry. We will record your payment as a donation to House of Bread Ministry (E.I.N. 91-2009037) and we will send you a contribution receipt at the close of the year.
Our Ministry Information Is:
House of Bread Ministry
3210 Meridian St.
Bellingham, WA 98225-1728
