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Faith Walk
Equipping Believers For The Work Of The Ministry.
Host: Don Carpenter
Faith Walk
Spiritual Growth and Maturity with Don Carpenter
Can past sins truly be erased, paving the way for a deeper spiritual journey? Join us for an enlightening discussion on spiritual growth as we address these pressing concerns and explore the profound power of divine forgiveness. We journey from those first steps of faith—being filled with the Holy Spirit and engaging in church activities—to the yearning for more profound spiritual experiences. Drawing from the story of Ananias in Acts 9:10, we illustrate the essential role of continuous revelation and divine guidance. We encourage you to listen to the Holy Spirit's leading, especially in times of uncertainty, as God calls His followers to realms beyond our current understanding.
In the second segment, we shine a spotlight on "God's Chosen Vessels," delving into the significant story of Ananias and Saul. This narrative underscores the importance of divine revelation and discernment in ministry, showing how God equips His apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for effective ministry. Reflect on the powerful moment when Ananias calls Saul "Brother," a testament to the possibilities of redemption and spiritual transformation. This chapter emphasizes that despite our pasts, we can be renewed in Christ and journey from spiritual infancy to maturity. Embrace your role as a chosen vessel for God's work, remaining open to His divine plans and guidance.
You know, when we come into the kingdom of God, the biggest thing that we worry about, or many people are concerned about, is what about all my sins, what about all the things that I've done that I regret? And if people only knew how bad I am, or whatever. And it is a wonderful thing that when we hear the news that God has made a way for every human being to have all of that dealt with, to be born again, taken away, covered by the blood of Jesus, that's wonderful. So then we come into the kingdom of God and there we are. We're in the kingdom of God and we're in comfort, and one day we finally realize that God really has forgiven us everything. And then we're saying, okay, what is this? What do I do? Do I just wait until I die and go to heaven or the Lord comes and takes me? What is the plan here? And some Christians think that that is the plan. They think that that's all there is to do is just to wait around.
Speaker 1:But we find quite quickly that there are things for us to do. In the body, we begin to learn that we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We learn that we need to be baptized in water. We realize that maybe we could do things in the church physical things, maybe physical things sweep the floor, you know, buy a new light bulb, whatever. There's things that we feel that we could do. And isn't it interesting that as we grow and as we mature in the Lord, down inside of us is this longing and this desire and we're thinking Lord, I feel like this, you got more for me, and so then we start to seek the Lord and then we find out that what God does, he brings his revelation that there's the Christ nature and that God wants us to walk as sons. And I begin to look into a lot of this and some people you talk to them about this kind of stuff, and it's just like seeing deer in your headlights 12'clock at night when you're driving down the country road, and they just stand there and look like, what are you talking about? But those who know God, they know. But that's not to say that people who don't know are less of a believer. They are not. It's according to our revelation and our understanding.
Speaker 1:One of the things that I think that you must think about sometime is the knowledge that we have. And have you ever noticed that when the Lord begins to speak to you about something. Have you ever noticed that when you spend time praying or you're reading, the Lord begins to speak to you about something? Have you ever noticed that when you spend time praying or you're reading, the Lord will seem to draw you to passages in the Bible or he will bring an understanding? It's like a light bulb goes on and you get a knowledge of something and you're thinking, wow, where did that come from? That comes from God.
Speaker 1:Can you imagine living a life of limitation? I cannot do that. I cannot look at my life and think well, I've received everything, I know everything, you know. I couldn't live a life like that. There's something inside of me that I just want to keep pressing into the Lord more and more and more. And sometimes we search for something and we think it's going to be more of what we already know. And it's always I think it's always something wonderful when it's maybe something that's brand new to us, something that's like, wow, could this be? And it is. But there is a place in God that we shall go that is past the realm of our understanding right now, and God is calling his sons to occupy this unlimited realm, in the unlimited realm. There is a people that's being called to that realm. There is a people that's being called to that there are. I've read of countries here in the world where huge cities have been built, city Very few people. They built them with the hopes that somebody would go there, large communities of houses, and these houses still remain empty. Nobody's gone there. And can you imagine God building something for us? And he, his desire, is for us to press into that? Acts, chapter 9, verse 10. Into that Acts, chapter 9, verse 10.
Speaker 1:There was a certain disciple, just like you or I. We're a certain follower of Christ named Ananias. And to him said the Lord I contend today that God is still speaking to a people, his people. I contend today and stand here today to tell you that, if you will listen, you will hear the Lord speaking on to you. That's when we pray, when we read the scriptures, things begin to open up to us. And the Lord said to him. The Lord appeared to him as in a vision. He said Ananias, and he said behold, I'm here, lord. This is where I'm talking to you about. This is what I'm talking to you about today. This is not you're going to say well, this is quite mystical sounding.
Speaker 1:I thought about what's different, or what the Lord is doing with us, and I like to think that the lighthouse that we have here, the people that come here, the people that I minister to, we are a prophetic people and by that we are open to the Holy Spirit. We believe that the Holy Spirit will speak to us. We believe that the Holy Spirit motivates us. We believe that our heart's desire is to have the Holy Spirit manifesting in our lives and to us. When we are in a battle, when we don't know what to do, isn't it nice to suddenly have a thought come to you this is probably what I should do or God will send somebody to you, but sometimes you're in a situation where nobody can get to you. Isn't it interesting that God will give you the knowledge on something? I don't know what Ananias was doing this day. Probably it was early morning.
Speaker 1:My thoughts are that he was spending time with the Lord before he started moving out amongst the street and in the marketplace and God began to speak to him and he said Arise and go into a street which is called Straight and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Charsis, for, behold, he prayed. The Lord is very specific here. That is something to think that Ananias would have. This kind of knowledge as we develop in maturity, come into sonship, come into understanding that we have an inheritance, we're getting the understanding and getting the vision that we're going to be able to walk into that inheritance. Now God speaks to him, tells him what he wants him to do. He names to him a street. It's like go to your city, wherever it is, and go to the city called Straight, and there's a person there that I want you to speak to and minister to. I believe that as we become more mature, as we walk out in the fullness that God wants us to walk out in, I believe we're going to have this kind of relationship with the Lord that as we grow and as we develop and as we mature and as we come into God's purpose and plan for us right now, we believe that God will come and speak to us.
Speaker 1:If I was to pick anybody that I read about in the book of Acts, and not knowing the outcome, not knowing the ongoing work of God, I would say that this Saul of Tarsus, who did everything in his power he was not a believer. But he came against believers and he would try to prevent them and he tried to say it wouldn't happen. And we're going to think of anybody. God surely, this guy surely, will never come into the kingdom. But one thing about Saul of Tarsus is, whatever he believed in, he gave himself to it 100% and it was going to require a supernatural event at that place. So God says hold on, he's praying, don't get excited. Ananias, listen to me. I want to tell you about Saul, what he's doing right now. I want you to know this. And that's how we know things. God speaks to them, those things to us. That's how we know things.
Speaker 1:My great-granddaughter arrived yesterday from North Carolina and I know that dad raises the families involved in chicken chicken raising. They have a great herd of 20 chickens plus maybe whatever, but it's in that vicinity. They have a great herd of 20 chickens plus maybe whatever, but it's in that vicinity. And she come in and I said do you name your chickens? She's giving me this look, of course. Remember, she's just arrived. She hasn't seen me for a year. She's not talking just quite too smoothly to me. One of the very first names I said to her about her chicken Phoebe. Oh boy, did the kids get a lie. Yes, we've got a Phoebe. Now listen to me. We're talking 20 chickens. What are my chances of hitting a Phoebe? Even in playing around with grandkids?
Speaker 1:See, I believe that even when we think we're just playing around, because when we spend time and allow the Spirit of God to move in our lives, you will be amazed how often the Spirit of God will move through you and you will touch things, see things, hear things, understand things. When I say hear things, understand things in the spirit and you just keep moving along and not realizing how's this happening? It's because you are growing, it's because you are moving up into the dimension and the realm that God is bringing you. And it says here he has seen in a vision, and this vision that Saul of Tarsus is having is from God. What happened was?
Speaker 1:Saul got converted out on the Damascus road, in the dust, on his face, in the dust, in the road. Jesus is there. He recognizes Jesus as Lord. And if I'm to give a point of contact, where Saul of Tarsus was converted, I would say it was on the road. He's now waiting before, he's praying to God. He's praying the best way he knows how. He's a Pharisee. He's praying these ways, but he's on his journey and God is listening. And God is telling one of his sons what this Saul of Tarsus is doing. And he saw a man named Ananias. And that's who God is talking to A man named Ananias.
Speaker 1:To me, this is one of the most powerful, clear places in the Bible post-Calvary, post-pentecost, early church setting that we see God in the early days speaking to Ananias. Now, 2,000 years later, do you know how much further we have come and do you know how much more of a people that are like Ananias that are now upon the face of the earth? There are tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of these kind of people who hear from God. We know that there are millions claiming to be born again. I do not think for one moment that they are fully grown. I believe that they are meant to grow. I believe that they're meant to be in church. I believe that they're meant to grow. I believe that they're meant to be in church. I believe that they're meant to gather together and they'll sit under the word of the Lord and develop, but to have this unlimited ability where there is no hindrance whatsoever. That is the place of son ministry. That is an awesome place to be.
Speaker 1:Then Ananias answered the Lord. See, here's where we rely, even though we're advancing in God. It's amazing how that we rely upon understanding of what we know in the natural. Ananias answered the Lord and he said I have heard by many Of this man. A lot of people have told me what they think about this man, saul of Tarsus, and that's what holds us back a lot of the time. We see here the risk Of resistance. When we hear this. We look at Ananias, a mighty man of God, and if we look at this closely, the Lord says even when we are strong and mighty in the Lord, if we are not careful, we have the risk of not moving forward in God. We have to be strong, we have to remain vigilant, we have to keep encouraging, we have to keep reminding, we have to keep coming to it time and time again of what God's plan and purpose is for us.
Speaker 1:What have you heard, ananias? Well, I've heard that he's brought a lot of evil to the saints at Jerusalem, and I've heard also that he's got authority to bind everybody in this city that's going to call unto you, lord. I've heard also that he's got authority to bind everybody in this city that's going to call unto you, lord. I've heard that Ananias. Now listen to me. Ananias, now is where it's challenged that we face. Are we going to believe what we have heard, what we've been told? Because anybody who tells you that you cannot grow and cannot move forward in God, anybody who tells you that they are not growing and they are not moving forward, anybody who tells you that they believe they fully arrived, they believe they know it, all that they're permitted to know and they have now become bound in that level, you have to listen to somebody who tells you you can go beyond this.
Speaker 1:Ananias obviously was high up. We don't know his level in the church in damascus, but we do know this much from what we can see from his relationship with the Lord. He was definitely a leading elder in the city and it's God himself that is saying are you going to listen to those who said look out for Saul, or are you going to listen to me and I'm going to tell you to look out for Saul? Or are you going to listen to me and I'm going to tell you to look out for Saul? One lookout is think he's going to hurt you and the other lookout is you're going to be responsible and you're going to develop him and you're going to bring him forth and you're going to teach him how to walk in my ways. The Lord said go on, go. Verse 15.
Speaker 1:And God gives Ananias a revelation and understanding of who he's dealing with. Just like God gives his apostles, prophets and pastors, evangelists, pastors and teachers. He gives them an understanding of where they're going and who the people are that they're ministering to. We move by one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit at least, and that's discernment. We know who we're talking to and we talk to them in this way. And God said listen, he's a chosen vessel unto me. And God is saying this about the church today you are the chosen vessel unto me. He's going to bear my name before the Gentiles and the kings and the children of Israel. I'm going to bear my name before the Gentiles and the kings and the children of Israel. I'm going to show them how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. And I like this about verse 17.
Speaker 1:Ananias went his way. His way was God's way. He entered into the house. He put his hands on him and said and this is how I know that Saul was already saved on the Damascus Road. Another one. He says to him brother Saul. King James says brother Saul and I would not have used that term lightly. God has already said he's my son, saul is already my son. He goes there and he says brother of Saul the Lord it's the same name, rather that Paul called Jesus on the Damascus road. Who art thou Lord? Even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hast sent me and thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. Saved on the road filled with the Holy Ghost in Damascus, came to bind the church filled with the Holy Ghost.
Speaker 1:I want you to be hungry today. One thing I want you to get out of this today is don't go by what people tell you about somebody. God sends you there. You'd be open to hear what God wants you to know about them. You all had a past. Everybody that's born again had a past. God doesn't remember it anymore, so you can't ask the Lord and if you've forgotten it, count that a blessing. But God wants to meet us where we're at and he wants us to go from being a child. He wants us under governors and tutors and he wants us to come on to the fullness that he plans for us, that we walk in victory, and in sonship, and in authority and in anointing. There's just so much that he wants to do with us, hallelujah.