Throughout
my Christian life and ministry life, I have met many Christians and ministers
of God from different parts of the world. Many believers came to me and told me
how lousy & tiny they feel about themselves, how they can’t fit in (or
can’t keep up) to the standard set by their church leaders, how their pastors
aren’t humble enough to accept their suggestions and how their pastors hurt
their feelings. On the other hand, I have many ministers of God disclosing to
me how disappointed, hurt, and bitter they are toward their church members or disciples.
What
is the cause of disunity in the Body of Christ?
Some
people say, “It’s the devil’s fault!” Well, yes, partly. As long as you are a
human being made in the image of God, the devil will try to aim at you. But the
main reason is because many Christians do not understand their spiritual
positions in the Body of Christ. The lack of this understanding has caused many
believers and ministers to feel very insecure with each other. This has caused
many Christians to be vulnerable to ‘spiritual-attack’ in the mind. When the Body
of Christ harbour hurt and bitterness toward each other, pride and ego also
come in. Strife among God’s people causes them to resist and be insensitive to
the leading of the Holy Spirit. It will distract and divert them from moving
forward and advancing in God’s purpose for them.
“I,
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling
with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with
longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as
you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ gift.”
(Ephesians 4:1-7)
When
Apostle Paul wrote about walking in unity in the Body of Christ, he encouraged
God’s people to walk in their respective calling and know their respective spiritual
gifts. Why? Because only by knowing your self-worth and your spiritual place in
the Body of Christ, you will be able to focus and not stray away from the
purpose of God for you.
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren,
I do not want you to be ignorant… Therefore I make known to you that no one
speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that
Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. There are diversities of gifts, but
the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And
there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in
all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit
of all.” (1 Corinthians 12:1, 3-7)
Learn
about the spiritual gifts God has given you and to others. Then you will be
able to understand why you yourself or some believers think, talk and act in certain
ways. You will soon realize that it’s all because of the ‘spiritual setting’
God has put upon different individual lives. This will help you to complement
each other in building, strengthening, and expanding the Body of Christ.
Eventually, the whole Body of Christ will be benefited from the different
members of the Body.
Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit
“For to one is given the word of wisdom
through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same
Spirit, to another working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another
discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another
interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things,
distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11 NKJV)
1.
Word of wisdom
2.
Word of knowledge
3.
Faith
4.
Gifts of healings
5.
The working of miracles
6.
Prophecy
7.
Discerning of spirits
8.
Different kinds of tongues
9.
Interpretation of tongues
5 Ministry Offices
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles,
some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers
for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of
the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children,
tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the
trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but
speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head
– Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what
every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part
does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
(Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV)
1.
Apostles
2.
Prophets
3.
Evangelists
4.
Pastors
5.
Teachers
Other Spiritual Ministries
“And God has
appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,
after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties
of tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:28 NKJV)
1.
Helps
2.
Administrations
3.
Varieties of tongues
“For as the body is one and has many
members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so
also is Christ… But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body
just as He pleased.” (1 Corinthians 12:12, 18 NKJV)
“Those members of the body which seem to be
weaker are necessary.., that there should be no schism in the body, but that
the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers,
all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members
rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” (1
Corinthians 12:22, 25-27 NKJV)
“We, however, will not boast beyond
measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us…” (2
Corinthians 10:13 NKJV)
No one is ‘less-honourable’ in the Body of Christ. Everyone
is important and precious to the Lord. Therefore, let no one despise your gifts
and calling, as every gift and calling in the Body of Christ is essential. The
Body of Christ will not be whole (or complete) without each of them. On the
other hand, it’s also important that those with forefront ministries do not be puffed
up with pride thinking that they are better than others. The Body of Christ
will only be edified and will continue to grow when every part of the Body is
integrated with each other and they are functioning together with good
understanding.
“But he who glories, let him glory in the
LORD. For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.”
(2 Corinthians 10: 17-18 NKJV)
It
doesn’t matter if others (fellow Christians or spiritual leaders) do not
recognise your spiritual gifts or calling. Eventually, it is what God thinks of
you that count. Continue to do what the Lord puts in your heart. No honour or
praises from another human being can compare to a word of affirmation or a spiritual
promotion that comes from God.
“For the gifts and the calling of God are
irrevocable.” (Romans 11:29 NKJV)
“Let each one remain in the same calling in
which he was called.” (1 Corinthians 7:20 NKJV)
You
don’t have to give up or stay stagnant with self-pity if you have denied your
spiritual gifts or calling before. The Lord promised He won’t take them back.
You just need to activate them again.
“He who calls you is faithful, who also
will do it.” (2 Thessalonians 5:24 NKJV)
As
long as you are willing to allow God to work in and through your life, He will
give you the grace to do it. The Holy Spirit will guide you and help you. It
will not be with hard-effort when you do exactly what He tells you to. God is
looking for listening and willing vessels who will allow Him to manifest His
glory.