Empowered Ministry: Relying on God's Strength for Glory

Devotional

Day 1: The Supernatural Foundation of Ministry

Christian ministry is not merely a human effort; it is a supernatural endeavor that requires God's intervention to achieve its divine goals. Without God's decisive action, our efforts remain fruitless, and we are called to a posture of dependence, recognizing that our natural abilities are insufficient for the spiritual outcomes we seek. This truth challenges us to rely on God, acknowledging that the work of ministry is beyond our human capabilities and requires His power to bear fruit. [00:47]

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (ESV): "And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

Reflection: In what areas of your life or ministry are you relying solely on your own strength? How can you invite God to intervene supernaturally in these areas today?

Day 2: Partnering with God in Ministry

We are called to use our natural gifts as agents of the supernatural, relying on God's strength to accomplish His purposes. This involves transforming our natural efforts into supernatural acts by engaging in a divine partnership with God. By doing so, we ensure that our ministry is not just a human endeavor but a collaboration with the divine, allowing God's power to work through us to achieve His purposes. [01:07]

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Reflection: What natural gifts do you possess that you can offer to God as conduits for His supernatural work? How can you rely on His strength to use these gifts effectively?

Day 3: Glorifying God Through Ministry

The design of ministry ensures that God receives the glory. By working in His strength and speaking His oracles, we highlight His power and wisdom, not our own. This setup aligns with the ultimate purpose of creation: to glorify God. Our dependence on Him not only fulfills our need for His intervention but also magnifies His greatness, ensuring that He alone is exalted in all that we do. [01:28]

Psalm 115:1 (ESV): "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!"

Reflection: How can you intentionally shift the focus from your own achievements to God's glory in your daily activities and interactions?

Day 4: Living Supernaturally Through APTAT

The APTAT framework provides a practical approach to living and ministering in God's strength. By admitting our limitations, praying for help, trusting His promises, acting in faith, and thanking Him, we align our lives with His supernatural work. This method is not just for pastors but for every believer, as the Christian life itself is a supernatural life. [27:25]

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV): "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Reflection: Which step of the APTAT framework do you find most challenging? How can you incorporate this step into your daily routine to experience God's supernatural work in your life?

Day 5: Embracing the Supernatural Christian Life

Beyond pastoral ministry, every believer is called to live a supernatural life. This involves walking by the Spirit, being led by Him, and bearing His fruit. Such a life is marked by a continual reliance on God's strength and guidance, allowing His power to be evident in our daily lives. By embracing this calling, we participate in God's divine work and reflect His glory to the world. [23:06]

Galatians 5:25 (ESV): "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit."

Reflection: In what ways can you be more intentional about walking by the Spirit in your daily life? What changes can you make to ensure you are being led by Him consistently?

Sermon Summary

In our time together, I aimed to convey three essential truths about the Christian ministry, particularly the pastoral ministry. First, it is fundamentally a supernatural endeavor. The goals we pursue in ministry are humanly impossible to achieve without God's decisive intervention. If God does not act, our efforts will not bear the fruit that aligns with His purposes. Second, I sought to explore how we can engage in ministry when it is inherently beyond our natural capabilities. We must use our natural abilities as conduits for the supernatural, relying on God's strength to accomplish His work. Finally, I wanted to celebrate the fact that God designed ministry this way so that He alone receives the glory. This divine setup ensures that our dependence on Him is not only necessary but also glorifying to Him.

We delved into 1 Peter 4:10-11, which beautifully encapsulates these truths. Each of us has received a gift, and we are called to use it to serve one another as stewards of God's varied grace. Whether speaking or serving, we must do so in the strength that God supplies, ensuring that in everything, God is glorified through Jesus Christ. This passage has been a cornerstone in my ministry, reminding me that the strength and oracles we rely on are from God, and thus, He deserves all the glory.

The practical outworking of this truth is captured in the acronym APTAT: Admit, Pray, Trust, Act, and Thank. We admit our helplessness, pray for God's assistance, trust in His promises, act in faith, and thank Him for His work. This approach is not just for pastors but for every believer, as the Christian life itself is a supernatural life. By living in this way, we ensure that our lives and ministries are not just human efforts but are empowered by God's grace, resulting in His glory.

Key Takeaways

1. The Supernatural Nature of Ministry: Christian ministry is inherently supernatural, requiring God's intervention to achieve its distinct goals. Without His decisive action, our efforts remain fruitless. This truth calls us to a posture of dependence, recognizing that our natural abilities are insufficient for the spiritual outcomes we seek. [00:47]
2. Engaging in Ministry Beyond Our Abilities: We are called to use our natural gifts as agents of the supernatural. This involves relying on God's strength to accomplish His purposes, ensuring that our ministry is not just a human endeavor but a divine partnership. This reliance transforms our natural efforts into supernatural acts. [01:07]
3. God's Glory as the Ultimate Aim: The design of ministry ensures that God receives the glory. By working in His strength and speaking His oracles, we highlight His power and wisdom, not our own. This setup aligns with the ultimate purpose of creation: to glorify God. [01:28]
4. Practical Steps for Supernatural Living: The APTAT framework provides a practical approach to living and ministering in God's strength. By admitting our limitations, praying for help, trusting His promises, acting in faith, and thanking Him, we align our lives with His supernatural work. [27:25]
5. The Christian Life as a Supernatural Life: Beyond pastoral ministry, every believer is called to live a supernatural life. This involves walking by the Spirit, being led by Him, and bearing His fruit. Such a life is marked by a continual reliance on God's strength and guidance. [23:06]
** [23:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Introduction of Aims
[00:28] - The Supernatural Nature of Ministry
[01:07] - Engaging in Ministry Beyond Our Abilities
[01:28] - God's Glory as the Ultimate Aim
[02:45] - Scriptural Foundation: 1 Peter 4:10-11
[04:20] - Personal Testimony and Prayer
[05:19] - The Role of Grace in Ministry
[08:18] - Handling Supernatural Grace
[10:07] - Stewardship of Varied Grace
[11:36] - Speaking and Serving in God's Strength
[14:46] - The Christian Act of Service
[19:21] - Summary of Aims
[22:33] - Practical Application: APTAT
[27:25] - How to Serve in God's Strength
[48:59] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1 Peter 4:10-11

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Observation Questions:

According to 1 Peter 4:10-11, what are believers instructed to do with the gifts they have received? How does this relate to the concept of being stewards of God's varied grace? [03:23]
In the sermon, the pastor emphasized the supernatural nature of ministry. What does he mean by saying that ministry is a "supernatural endeavor"? [00:28]
How does the pastor describe the role of God's strength in our ministry efforts, according to the sermon? [01:07]
What is the significance of the phrase "in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ" in 1 Peter 4:11? How does this relate to the ultimate aim of ministry? [03:42]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the pastor's explanation of the APTAT framework (Admit, Pray, Trust, Act, Thank) provide a practical approach to living and ministering in God's strength? [27:25]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that our natural abilities can be used as conduits for the supernatural? How does this align with the message of 1 Peter 4:10-11? [01:07]
The pastor mentioned that many churches operate without relying on God's strength. What are the potential consequences of this, according to the sermon? [16:21]
How does the pastor's personal testimony about the importance of prayer before preaching illustrate the reliance on God's strength in ministry? [04:20]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt helpless in a ministry or life situation. How can the APTAT framework help you approach similar situations in the future? [27:25]
Identify a natural gift or ability you have. How can you intentionally use it as a conduit for God's supernatural work in your community or church? [01:07]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of giving God the glory in all things. What are some practical ways you can ensure that God receives the glory in your daily activities and interactions? [01:28]
Consider the role of prayer in your life. How can you incorporate more intentional prayer into your routine to seek God's strength and guidance? [04:20]
The pastor spoke about the importance of speaking God's oracles and serving in His strength. How can you prepare yourself to speak and serve in ways that reflect God's power and wisdom? [11:57]
Think about a specific area in your life where you rely heavily on your own strength. What steps can you take to shift that reliance to God's strength? [15:53]
How can you cultivate a mindset of gratitude, as suggested by the final "Thank" step in the APTAT framework, in your daily life? [45:53]

Sermon Clips

I want to impress upon you that the Christian Ministry especially the Pastoral Ministry is a Supernatural Ministry, meaning all the distinctly Christian aims of the Pastoral Ministry are humanly impossible and God Alone is the decisive cause if he doesn't make them happen in your ministry they won't happen. [00:15:24]

As each has received a gift use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied Grace whoever speaks as one who speaks Oracles of God God whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. [03:10:00]

Ministry comes from Supernatural Grace, if it doesn't it doesn't happen I mean you can grow a church without it it's just not a church. So stay here in verse 10 for just another minute there are two ways he describes handling now this is this is a hard way to talk about Grace right handling Supernatural Grace. [08:01:59]

Whoever speaks you can understand let him speak as one who speaks Oracles of God you're going to speak speak God's oracles second whoever serves let him serve in the strength that God supplies or God gives the oracles God gives the strength to preach the oracles that's the doubling down on Grace. [11:44:39]

The oracles are from God the strength is from God you see that that's just so clear here it's gloriously clear the oracles you're going to speak speak God you're going to work work in his strength everything is dependent on this grace that is coming to us whoever serves verse 11 again whoever serves as one who serves in the strength that God supplies. [18:10:00]

The Christian Life is a supernatural life or it's not Christian really basic if we believe with Peter that the Pastoral Ministry or life is Supernatural and if we want God to get the glory not ourselves we have to have an answer to this question question how do I use my natural mind which thinks and my natural mouth which speaks. [23:18:08]

I have tried to do counseling and Hospital visitation weddings and funerals and baby dedications and planning Capital campaigns in the strength that God supplies so that everything God gets the glory and I've done it with my acronym aat some of you seen it it's online you can just type aat into Desiring God you get a couple of articles about it. [32:33:60]

Admit so Pi picture me on the on the front Pew and it's 30 seconds before I preach the text is being read what are you doing at that moment curses on you if you're looking at your notes when the scripture is being read I've seen some this is another little par parenthesis in my T notes Here I I I really get ticked. [34:47:51]

Father I admit with all that theologically emotionally is within me that I can do nothing of any Eternal value and I believe it because Jesus said without me you can do nothing John 155 it is Ground Zero for preaching without me you can do nothing would you please Pastor admit it admit it to God admit it to yourself admit it to your people. [35:22:83]

God please grant me humility grant me Clarity grant me courage grant me prophetic power grant me to save marriages to deliver the enslaved to save the lost that's just a few that I wrote down for myself here so you pray number three t now many PE trust many people move from pray to act without this one um and I think this one is the Crux. [38:27:92]

I have been crucified with Christ it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me that's where I stopped and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me so I'm not alive I'm dead I'm crucified nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ. [39:29:44]

I think a lot of us just we hear that when we say oh yeah we're Christians that's what we do we we we're Believers no no it's it's it's way way way way more specific than that really at every moment in your life when there are peculiar challenges do you have a promise ready remember Pilgrim in the castle and he couldn't get out he says oh I forgot I have a key. [40:34:24]

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Empowered Ministry: Relying on God's Strength for Glory

Devotional

Day 1: The Supernatural Foundation of Ministry

Day 2: Partnering with God in Ministry

Day 3: Glorifying God Through Ministry

Day 4: Living Supernaturally Through APTAT

Day 5: Embracing the Supernatural Christian Life

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Empowered Ministry: Relying on God's Strength for Glory

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