DYING TO SELF – THE KEY TO EFFECTIVE MINISTRY
OPENING COMMENT: ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO A MINISTRY. TO MINISTER MEANS TO SERVE THE LORD IN THE CAPACITY HE HAS GIVEN OR ASSIGNED TO YOU. SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY MOVING IN A MINISTRY AND OTHERS ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR CALLING IS.
ONE THING ALL OF US HAVE BEEN CALLED TO IS TO “DO THE WORK OF AN EVANGELIST”, AS STATED IN 2 TIMOTHY 4:5 AND IN THE “GREAT COMMISSION” DESCRIBED IN MATTHEW 18:28-20.
THE QUESTION IS THIS THOUGH. WHEN YOU MINISTER TO OTHERS, WHAT ARE OTHERS SEEING? ARE THEY SEEING YOU DOING A JOB AND BEING TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON YOUR OWN ABILITIES AND FLESH, OR HAVE YOU LEARNED THE WONDERFUL SECRET OF ALLOWING GOD, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT TO EMPTY YOU OF THE FLESH AND ALL OF YOUR FLESHLY ABILITIES TO THE POINT THAT YOU ARE WHOLLY GIVEN TO GOD AND IT IS CHRIST IN YOU, THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT IS ACTUALLY DOING THE MINISTRY? WE WANT PEOPLE TO SEE “JESUS” IN WHAT WE DO AND NOT “US”. TOO MANY MINISTERS HAVE A “BIG I – LITTLE JESUS” COMPLEX. EVERYTHING IS ALL ABOUT THEM…ABOUT “THEIR MINISTRY”.
WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO SEE IS LESS OF US AND MORE OF JESUS CHRIST.
I. HOW DO WE GET TO THAT PLACE WHERE ALL WE DO POINTS TO JESUS?
A. 1 Corinthians 15:30-32 (New American Standard Bible)
30Why are we also (A)in danger every hour?
31I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, (B)I die daily.
32If from human motives I (C)fought with wild beasts at (D)Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, (E)LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
B. THE LIFE OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN IS A LIFE OF SELF- SACRIFICE. THINK ABOUT THAT A MOMENT. I AM SAYING THAT IT IS A SACRIFICE OF SELF. YOU CANNOT MINISTER OR BE AN EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN WITHOUT THIS SELF-SACRIFICE OR DEATH TO THE SELF NATURE OR FLESHLY NATURE. THIS IS WHY PAUL SAID THAT “I DIE DAILY”.
C. SELF SCARIFICE OR THE DEATH OF THE FLESH IS NOT A ONE TIME THING. IT IS SOMETHING WE MUST DO ON A DAILY BASIS….EVERY DAY. THAT IS WHY WE MUST EMBRACE THE WORK OF THE CROSS IN OUR LIVES. WE MUST WELCOME THE DEATH OF THE FLESH AND ITS DESIRE TO BE SEEN, KNOWN AND HEARD OF BY EMBRACING THE CROSS.
D. JESUS SAID THAT WHOEVER DESIRED TO SERVE HIM MUST “TAKE UP HIS CROSS “DAILY” AND FOLLOW ME”.
Luke 9:23
And He was saying to them all, " If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
THIS IS WHAT THAT SCRIPTURE MEANS. IT MEANS DEATH TO THE FLESH NATURE, TO THE CARNAL MAN, TO THE CARNAL MIND AND TO CARNAL LIVING.
E. WAY TOO MUCH OF “SELF” AND CARNAILITY STILL SHOWS UP IN GOD’S MINISTERS AND ITS MEMBERS IN THE CHURCH TODAY…AND THAT IT ONE REASON THAT THE CHURCH IS CRITICIZED SO MUCH. IT IS ONE THING FOR THE CHURCH TO BE PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND QUITE ANOTHER MATTER FOR BRINGING DESERVED CRITICISM ON ITSELF DUE TO THE CARNALITY, SELFISHNESS, SELF-RIGHTOUESNESS, GREED, HYPOCRISY, PRIDE AND HUNGER FOR POWER AS WELL AS SELF-GLORIFICATION OF BOTH CLERGY AND CHURCH MEMBERS. MANY IF THESE INDIVIDUALS REFUSE TO STEP BACK AND BECOME LESS OF A FOCUS SO THAT THE LORD HIMSELF CAN STEP FORWARD AND BECOME THE TRUE POINT OF FOCUS HE IS INTENDED TO BE, AS SHOWN IN THE BIBLE.
F. SOMEONE I KNOW ONCE SAID THAT TO BE EFFECTIVE MINISTRIES IN THE END TIME WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LET GO OF OUR EGOS….QUIT TRYING TO SANCTIFY THE CARNAL MIND AND FLESH AND INSTEAD SUBMIT TO THE CROSS OF CHRIST AND ALLOW HIS PERFECTING WORK IN US TO HELP US BECOME A “ZERO WITH THE RIM RUBBED OUT”. WE MUST COME TO A REALIZATION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT ONLY WHEN WE BECOME NOTHING, CAN JESUS BECOME ALL AND ALL WITHIN US.
- JOHN THE BAPTIST SET THE EXAMPLE FOR US AND ALLUDED TO THIS AND WAS VERY CLEAR ABOUT IT IN REFERRING TO THE LORD JESUS WHEN HE SAID THE FOLLOWING:
John 3:29-31 (New American Standard Bible)
29"He who has the bride is (A)the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice So this (B)joy of mine has been made full.
30"He must increase, but I must decrease.
31"(C)He who comes from above is above all, (D)he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth (E)He who comes from heaven is above all.
H. NOW THAT JESUS HAS BEEN CRICIFIED AND RESURRECTED AND AS A RESULT, INDWELLS US THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE TOO MUST BE WILLING TO MAKE THE SAME PROCLAMATION ABOUT CHRIST….THAT HE..JESUS..MUST INCREASE BUT THAT I MUST DECREASE.
I. THE APOSTLE PAUL MADE THE ULTIMATE STATEMENT WHEN HE SAID “IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME.”
Galatians 2:20
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
CLOSING COMMENTS: THE LORD SENT ME TO TELL YOU THAT THE CRY OF OUR HEARTS HAS TO BE “MORE OF YOU, LORD…AND LESS OF ME.” IT IS ONLY IN THIS WAY THAT GREAT REVIVAL WILL BREAK OUT. IT IS ONLY IN THIS WAY THAT TRUE CHANGE AND GROWTH FOR THE CHRISTIAN CAN COME. IT IS ONLY IN THIS WAY THAT OUR COUNTRY CAN BE SPARED FROM IMPENDING DOOM AND DISASTER, BECAUSE THE BIBLE PUTS THE FOCUS ON US IN CHRIST STATING THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND LIGHTS IN A WORLD ENCOMPASSED BY DARKNESS.
NONE OF THE ABOVE THINGS WILL TAKE PLACE BECAUSE OF THE SENSATIONALISM OF A PARTICULAR MINISTRY OR MINISTER WHO IS ALL ABOUT HIMSELF AND BUILDING “HIS MINISTRY”. WE NEED TO SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE. WE MUST BE WILLING TO STEP ASIDE, STOP BUILDING OUR OWN KINGDOM AND SEEKING GOD TO BLESS IT….BUT RATHER, WE MUST DIE TO SELF AND TO EGO…EVEN SO CALLED “SANCTIFIED EGO”….AND LET IT ALL GO. IT MUST NEVER BE ABOUT “US”. WE CAN NEVER BE THE FOCUS. WE CAN NEVER BE THE REASON PEOPLE COME TO CHURCH TO WORSHIP. GOD IS A JEALOUS GOD AND HE IS THE ONE TO GET THE GLORY AND NOT US.
WE MUST MAKE ROOM FOR CHRIST BY STEPPING OUT OF THE WAY. CERTAINLY GOD CAN USE ALL OF US AND HE DESIRES TO DO SO, BUT HE DOES NOT DESIRE TO USE OUR FLESH. HE DESIRES THAT WE BE OPEN VESSELS AND CONTAINERS THAT HE CAN DWELL IN THROUGH HIS HOLY SPIRIT AND MOVE THROUGH.
MAY THE LORD BLESS THIS WORD TO YOUR HEARTS.
By Evangelist Mischa Safdie’
Mischa Safdie’ Ministries
136 N. Grand Ave., Ste. 278
W. Covina, CA 91791
(951) 796-3936
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