He Enables Church Growth

The Spirit Of The Lord

5. He Enables Church Growth

The Holy Spirit is the one that helps Churches to grow. He is the head of the Church. In His great power and wisdom, He calls men into ministry and He is the one that strengthens Churches and enables them to grow.

And so it was that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace. Through the help of the Holy Spirit it was strengthened and grew in numbers, as it lived in reverence for the Lord. Acts 9:31

While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2

Sometimes, ministers step out of faith and step into the flesh trying all sorts of human methods of Church growth. I know a Church that gives its members targets in terms of the number of members to win in a month. They depend completely on the power of man and ignore the Holy Spirit. Some of them are so far off in error that they can no more hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. They started by His power but fell off from grace.

Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Galatians 3:3

After they have wandered off into darkness and disobedience as a result of selfishness and personal gains, they embrace tricks and deceptive doctrines that tickle the ear of man but lead to hell. They also embrace magic and idolatry. All this is as a result of personal dreams and ambitions. They are not led by the Holy Spirit and do not care about the Holy Spirit and His desires. Some even want to be worshipped.

Not everyone who says to Me, ’Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness (Matthew 7:21 – 7:23 NKJV)

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. (Revelation 2:14 NKJV)

“Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. “Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth (Revelation 2:15 – 2:16 NKJV)

We need to be sincere in our ministry and service to God. If we genuinely love God and are filled with zeal for His work like Jesus, we won’t be led astray or be deceived. Sincerity of purpose is the only thing that will protect us from the wiles of the devil. Temptations will come but if we love God, and are sincerely and genuinely doing His work His way, with the intention of pleasing Him, we will be protected because our motives are pure.

We will also be able to resist the temptations. Mind you, the purpose of temptations and trials is for God to determine our purity. If our intentions are pure, there won’t even be need to test and try us but if tests, trials and temptations come, the purity in us will lead us to victory. It is only criminals that fall into traps and are caught.

The best one to catch criminals is a superior criminal. Satan is the criminal and scammer in chief scamming and catching other criminals like himself. Human criminals are his children and some children of God are his slaves but a slave does not belong to him permanently.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. John 8:44

And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:35 – 8:37 NKJV)

“I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. “I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father (John 8:37 – 8:38 NKJV)

If we are driven by pride, money, selfishness and grand ideas like owning the largest ministry or being the most famous preacher, we will fall. If our focus is right, God can make us famous, and give us large ministries like Jesus. It becomes an evidence of our dedication and success even though not all ministers will have very large ministries – not all ministers will be famous.

We must not chase the wind and vanity- it is better to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness believing that all other things will be added to us. We must not seek Mammon.

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:27

We must be content with the ministry that God has given us and keep depending on Him for growth without loosing focus. We must keep on nourishing the small sheep that God has placed in our care.

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:46 – 47 NKJV)

Our aim must be to love them and nourish them to spiritual maturity and heaven. God Himself, the Chief Shepherd is the one who will then grow the church and add new sheep. The congregation belongs to God not the ministers. We must not exploit and scam the sheep of Christ because we will be judged for such crimes.

Jesus had the right focus and Paul did too. If our focus is driven by selfishness and geared towards self promotion, celebration and decoration, the devil will see a road and ladder which he can use to deceive us. We will be the ones giving him a foothold.

And do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:27

However, if we realise that it is the Holy Spirit that strengthens and grows Churches, we will depend absolutely on Him to do what He alone can do even as we keep working hard, seeking the Kingdom of God and fulfilling our ministries.

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