Servant Session | 2. The Lord Encourages Us Constantly - Zac Poonen
Bangalore Conference 2019 Visit our website for more information: www.cfcindia.com
Summary
The speaker discusses how discouragement is a sin because it implies God does not care, and he shares how praying in unknown tongues helped him overcome it. He emphasizes that every spiritual gift has a proper place for use, citing Jesus' ministry as an example: the need was not the call to act. Instead, the guiding principle for action must be fulfilling the will of the one who sent you, rather than reacting solely to perceived needs.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Why did Peter go back to fishing?Peter felt like a failure after denying the Lord three times, so he and the other disciples decided to return to their former careers.
Learning through personal failureGod uses failure to break our self-reliance and teach us that we cannot build His work through our own cleverness or effort.
Do you love me more than these?Jesus questions Peter to see if his heart is attached to material success and comfort or to Christ Himself, calling him instead to tend His lambs and sheep.
What is that to you?When Peter asks about John's future, Jesus rebukes comparison and commands him to mind his own business and simply follow Him.
Avoiding discouragement and self-condemnationDiscouragement and self-condemnation are no-entry roads that come from the enemy, whereas God looks at the heart even when we make mistakes.
God has a plan for your lifeEven if we waste years in ignorance, God can redeem the remaining time and make it possible to fulfill His purpose.Psalm 139:13–16
Paul's testimony of finishing his coursePaul realized that God made allowance for his years of persecution, enabling him to finish his appointed course with complete faithfulness.
Building the body of Christ, not a personal kingdomChristian leaders must avoid acting like self-seeking pastors who build their own empires, and instead value all the various ministries and members within the body of Christ.
The biblical pattern of ministry and church structureThe New Testament teaches a foundation of apostles and prophets with Christ as the Cornerstone, and local churches built up through multiple elders and functioning spiritual gifts.
Jesus withdrew to pray and give glory to GodFollowing Jesus' example of withdrawing to the wilderness after ministry protects us from taking personal credit for what God accomplishes.Luke 5:15
Never touch the glory of GodGod will not give His glory to another, so we must cultivate the habit of quietly and genuinely giving Him the praise for everything we achieve.Isaiah 42:8
