Continuing the Ministry

But brothers, look for seven well-attested men from among you, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need. But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:3-4, RecVer)

And when they had so besought, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31, RecVer)

Today, I was invited to minister the word among seeking believers in Madhya Pradesh. It has been months that I kind-of kept away from this online meeting. But I keep myself open to the Lord’s leading in me. So, with a brother as a Hindi translator, I ministered on the fresh bread I enjoyed in the recent training. For continuing the move of the Lord for the spreading of Christ and the building up of the Body, three vital substances are required, Prayer, Spirit, and the Word.

As one who would also be minsiterd to, I ministered the word from the book of Acts, tracing the history of the Lord’s move in His heavenly ministry through the disciples on the earth. Since the day of Pentecost, the Lord’s move has been unhindered with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the faithful believers who were men of prayers and ministered the word with power and authority. The secret to the Lord move has always been these three substances, the three in one move: Prayer, Spirit, and the Word. Despite the many persecution, amidst the sufferings, the word of God grew and multiplied, and the number of disciples multiplied.

And the word of God grew, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly; and a large number of the priests obeyed the faith. (Acts 6:7, RecVer)

In the midst of turmoil outside and troubles within, the men chosen to solve the problems among the believers, and the disciples' main work has always been, prayer, Spirit, and the Word. The Lord’s move began this way, and goes on and continues in this way. Prayer, Spirit, and the Word is the one unique way of the gospel move. I believe, this is the only authentic way.

Since eternity past, God has been moving to accomplish this eternal purpose. In time, He was incarnated as a man in Jesus to carry out His earlty ministry and lived a perfect human life, He was crucified to accomplish redemption, He was resurrected as the life-giving Spirit, and He has ascended to carry out His heavenly ministry. Today, the Lord Jesus Christ in His heavenly ministry is continuing His work on earth by gaining a group of people who live in the divine history within the human history. This group of people is continuing the ministry by being one with the Triune God and living out God in fulfilling God’s eternal purpose. This group of people can be described by the following characteretics. 

They are the "acting God". Having been born of God’s divine life and divine nature, they have become God in life, in nature, in expression, and in function (but not in the Godhead) for the spreading and building up of the church.

They call on the Lord’s name as their spiritual breathing as the fulfilment of Joel's prophesy on the outpoured Spirit to be breathed in by the believers for their daily living. They are willingly to suffer on behalf of the Lord's name whenever the need arises and faithfully speak in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

They act as one Body, doing everything in the Body, through the Body, and for the Body. They reject themselves and live by Christ's life.They continue steadfastly in the ministry of the word. They continue to enjoy, live, and proclaim the resurrected Christ. And they live a life of an upper-room consecration. 

This group of people continues the Lord’s move on earth today. I have been graced to know this and I exercise myself to be a part of this group of people for the continuation of the Lord’s move. 

May the Lord preserve me and the saints in the church life here in India to continue in the ministry to the end.