Embark on a transformative spiritual odyssey with us as we uncover the profound layers of faith's journey and the beckoning of the 'third day'—a metaphor for the soul-winning phase in the Christian walk. As your guide, I promise you'll gain insights into how to deepen your relationship with God, moving beyond the elementary aspects of the church's progression to embrace the fullness of spiritual maturity. With references to Philippians 3 and the wisdom of Hosea and Acts, we peel back the layers of what it means to truly run the race of faith, with the ultimate prize being an intimate relationship with Christ and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
In a heartfelt conversation about the essence of ministry, I share from six decades of experience the revelation of Christ working through us—the 'Yet Not I' level of service. This isn't just theory; it’s a lived reality. We’ll dissect the powerful message of Galatians 2:20 and what it means to live as vessels wholly surrendered to divine purpose. This episode is a profound reminder of the power available to believers when we step aside and let Christ lead the way, enabling us to become conduits of His love and grace to a world in need. Join me for an episode rich with spiritual depth and encouragement to press into your calling with renewed fervor.
Embark on a transformative spiritual odyssey with us as we uncover the profound layers of faith's journey and the beckoning of the 'third day'—a metaphor for the soul-winning phase in the Christian walk. As your guide, I promise you'll gain insights into how to deepen your relationship with God, moving beyond the elementary aspects of the church's progression to embrace the fullness of spiritual maturity. With references to Philippians 3 and the wisdom of Hosea and Acts, we peel back the layers of what it means to truly run the race of faith, with the ultimate prize being an intimate relationship with Christ and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
In a heartfelt conversation about the essence of ministry, I share from six decades of experience the revelation of Christ working through us—the 'Yet Not I' level of service. This isn't just theory; it’s a lived reality. We’ll dissect the powerful message of Galatians 2:20 and what it means to live as vessels wholly surrendered to divine purpose. This episode is a profound reminder of the power available to believers when we step aside and let Christ lead the way, enabling us to become conduits of His love and grace to a world in need. Join me for an episode rich with spiritual depth and encouragement to press into your calling with renewed fervor.
Speaker 1:
But we're on a journey. It's a three-day journey, the church as a whole. Sometimes in the church people will just stay where they were the first day, whatever that was the second day some people love that so much that they'll stay there. What happened in the second day? Casting out demons, healing miracles, all of that, and God working through us, and he's going to continue to do that in the third day. He's going to continue to bring souls into the kingdom in the third day. God is doing that and we have to understand that. Our life in the kingdom of God, our life in the kingdom of God. Jesus said pray that thy kingdom come, thy will be done. We're to pray, lord, may your kingdom come and may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. We pray that way and when God tries to move that way, we dig our heels in and say no, no, that can't happen. That's going to be after I die, that can't happen now. Because we're such mortal beings we do well to know the Lord. Some people, some people Stand still and expect they're going to get somewhere. Some people Walk for a while and sit down, or may even go back to what they come out of, and they try to go again. But the kingdom of God Is likened On to a race R-A-C-E, and we are running to win the prize, and the prize, of course, is Christ Jesus. He is our destiny.
Speaker 1:
There is a passage that is really ministering a lot to me and it has, I'm sure, to anyone who reads it. It's found in Philippians, chapter 3. And it's easy to read verses in the Bible and miss the point. We miss the fact that God's word comes to us for a purpose and for a reason. And listen to this. It's in Philippians, chapter 3, beginning at verse 7.
Speaker 1:
But what things were gained to me? Those I counted loss for Christ, things that I thought were so important, the car I had to have, the kind of house I had to live in, the type of business and the way it was to expand. I counted them all loss. Why? Because if I allow things to stand in my way, I won't win Christ. Verse 8, he says yea, doubtless I count all things, but loss Beyond all doubt. This is true. I would give up everything for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dumb that I may win Christ and be found in him.
Speaker 1:
Now, why would? Why would we on this planet earth in this time want to desire something like that kind of a relationship with the Lord? Isn't it good enough just to go to church and pay my tithes, pay my offering, be involved in a few committees, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ and the righteousness which is of God by faith? Why that? I may know him, and I'm reading here out of Hosea, written what over 2800 years ago follow on to know the Lord, so important and vital, it's a part of our race. And the power of his resurrection, I am allowed to move by faith. I have that release, I have that permission. That is the will of God for every believer that to live and to move by faith. But to know the power of the resurrection and move by faith.
Speaker 1:
But to know the power of the resurrection and move by faith how awesome is that. And not only that, but to know Christ and to become like him. Like, how awesome is that. And to do it all while we are on the planet Earth. Okay, we don't have to physically die and pass over the Jordan, so to speak. But we can have it all right now and we're thinking, man, if I could have all of that right now. Like you know, it's only possible if God releases that right now. Like you know, it's only possible if God releases that right now. We can only move in what God releases. That's why we have to know the mind of the Lord, like when we gather.
Speaker 1:
What is the spirit of the meeting? What is the purpose of coming together? Why has God brought us together? When we know that purpose, much is accomplished in that. This is what's happening right now. Think about it. All Saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, moved by faith, know the power of the resurrection be found in Christ Jesus, knowing the Lord, the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death.
Speaker 1:
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect or complete that word perfect there means complete, but I follow after. This is what I'm seeking, if that I may apprehend. In other words, if I don't try, it's not going to happen. If I sit still and wait and say well, lord, you know I'm here. No, no, it's always for those who run, who press who enter in.
Speaker 1:
It's in Acts, the 14th chapter, verse 22. There's an interesting passage here Confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith. This is a charge that God gives us as ministers and that we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God, and that is for every believer. We must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. But that word tribulation here the Greek word for that is pressing, pressing in that means it doesn't mean that somebody's going to come with a sword and cut your ear off. It doesn't mean that somebody who doesn't like you is going to come and offend you. It's what you have to do, it's what I have to do, and we must, through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom. That means press. It's not going to be something that's going to be easy. It's not going to be like. It's not going to be something that you're going to wake up one morning and say, well, I think I'm going to enter the kingdom of God today. It means press. It means that you have to set your mind to it, you're going to determine that and you're going to walk out to your destiny.
Speaker 1:
Brethren, this is in verse 13 of Philippians 3. See, as believers we need to be listening to the word of the Lord Brethren. I count, not myself, to have apprehended. I don't claim to already get it, I've got it. But this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind, and that's what you've got to do. It's not just merely forgetting all the evil stuff or all the things you did before you were all saved, or whatever, but it means all the experiences. It means you don't just dwell on those. We thank God for those. I thank God that I'm born again. I thank God that I was baptized in water. I thank God that I was filled with the Holy Spirit. I thank God for the prophecies that I received. I thank God for all of that, but I do not dwell back there. That was received. I thank God for all of that, but I do not dwell back there. That was good.
Speaker 1:
I have to press on to what God's got ahead for me, and sometimes pressing ahead. People are going to say, come on back with us, brother, look, it's wonderful. But somebody and everybody at one time or another, if you're going to move forward, you are going to have to press in. You cannot say, well, it's just going to happen. Just pray for me, brother Carpenter, that it happens. No, it's not like that. You and I have to press in.
Speaker 1:
You know many people. They want to know what their calling is. What are they supposed to do for the Lord? Am I to be a missionary in northern Canada? We know that the church is moving forward. We know things are happening, entering the realm of manifested rule and God's working through his people in a great fashion. We know that it's called many things and uh, but in one or two days we were busy doing things for the Lord. But now I'm talking to you about where, uh, we're working and living for the Lord. This is what I believe walking in the fullness of the kingdom is Working and living as the Lord.
Speaker 1:
Now we might think well, brother Don, that's not possible. All things are possible. It's just a question as to how far we want to commit, how far we want to be available. You will still work in the pharmacy, you will still be a pharmacist, or you will still be a bread maker, you will still be a farmer, still do that. But ministering is of the Lord, and I think this is how I perceive it. I see this as another level of faith that, if we can grasp it. We're going to enter in and then to say, well, working for the Lord, and all of that's wonderful, yes, but how about doing that with another mindset and understanding? Still be a missionary, still be a pastor, still be a nurse, still be a school teacher, still be a mom, whatever your station in life and calling is a mom. Whatever your station in life and calling is, but doing it as the work that you do and the life that you live, you live it as if you were Jesus. That's something to digest, as he is, so are we in this present world.
Speaker 1:
Now that revelation I've just shared with you. It's a vital dynamic which will cause you to run. That you may obtain. It's an impetus that's going to make you run. That you may obtain. If you could picture yourself now you're going to minister. Somebody is in a situation. It is absolutely vital that you get through to God for them and you're thinking. This situation is so critical. I don't know how I could even get faith for this.
Speaker 1:
If you could just see yourself as if you were Christ ministering to them. If Jesus was ministering to them right now, if you were Jesus and you were ministering to, healing to them right now ask yourself would this miracle be possible? And what that does? It'll bring you up to another level of faith. And what that does? It'll bring you up to another level of faith. And if you could get yourself to understand that this is the Lord, oh, we'll say it's the Lord moving through me. Oh, oh, can you live with that word? The Lord moving through you. Does that make it a bit easier on your ears? Yes, well, what do you think is happening? If the Lord is moving through you, who is it? It's the Lord. So you need to come into agreement with the Lord. For them they may not have any faith. So I am talking to you about a faith level. If you can come up to this, your faith level will abound mightily.
Speaker 1:
If you can see Christ in you moving and ministering, and that when you speak like when I speak, for example, and when I speak to you, is it Don Carpenter speaking or is it the Lord speaking? And every minister of God does not want to speak. They want the Lord to speak through them. And if the demons can speak through people, surely the Lord Jesus can speak through a born-again, spirit-filled man or woman. What takes place is that when we yield ourselves to the Lord and allow Christ to move through us, what happens is we allow him Jesus. We allow Jesus to do what he wants to do at that moment. Think about that. This is the realm that we're going to move in in this hour. I feel we've been talking about this ever since I've been in the ministry and I've been in the ministry 60 some years, and they were talking about that long before I came along and got into it.
Speaker 1:
The calling Galatians 2 20 I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. You can see me breathing, you see me moving, you hear me talking. Nevertheless I live. I'm still here, yet not I, and that's the realm that I want you to think about. Yet not I realm. It's the yet not I level of ministry. Think about it. How are you going to get there? It has to be that you become crucified with Christ, lay down your life, and that he has his way through you. Working and living, being busy as the Lord that's what you have to do.