Youth for Christ

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Mary Banks, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ is the founder of Bible Teachers International Worship Centers, Lifesavers International, Sons.Training, Bible Teachers Global Training Centers, the Mary Banks Faith Library, and Bible Theater International now located throughout the U.S., Canada, The Caribbean Islands, India, Africa, and Europe. Recognized as “The Bible Teacher” to the Body of Christ, as well as an international speaker, Mary has authored many books and courses that have brought a sure word to the world and the Church. Mary has also penned, produced and directed outstanding stage productions, such as “Amazing Grace,” which received eight academy award nominations in the Caribbean.

Mary has touched the hearts of thousands held captive by crack cocaine, depression, alcoholism, unforgiveness, perversion, and lives without purpose’. She is anointed with wisdom and understanding to answer the simplest and most difficult questions of life, by applying the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our everyday situations, circumstances, and relationships.

Apostle Banks has been recognized for outstanding evangelistic work and is valued by her community and peers, business community, as well as government officials.

LET THE DISCIPLING BEGIN

Greetings to my fellow young disciples in the Body of Christ. I pray that you are still holding fast to your faith and commitment to the Father. This road is for God’s elect. Hype dies down, trends change and fads pass. These things will not sustain you on this road. Only what you prefer in your heart. Do you prefer holiness and righteousness? Do you want to be clean? Take your time to answer these questions. Examine yourself for a moment. Which do you prefer? A life that is clean from sin such as fornication, lying, strife and malice, or have you come to like sin? Do you like deceiving? Come on. Tell the truth. You like some things in the flesh, don’t you? I am only making you examine your preference. The definition of preference is something you really want. You see, what you really want can either make or break you. Sooner or later, what you really want comes to light. My job is to weed out the real disciples from those who are just going along for the ride. How will this be done? I will not do it, but the Word of God will. I will just be the mouthpiece for the Word.

THIS LIFE IS REAL. GOD IS REAL

God is not some good idea. He is real and we must be real also. Yes, God wants to use us as His army. We have witnessed this in several of the Youth Advances. But there is so much more God wants to do with the youth in the Body of Christ. But before He really makes a statement of manifestation, there are some things you must do.

Let us find out what they are . . .

INTRODUCTION

From Apostle Michael Thomas To the Youth Leaders…

This I write to the leaders of the youth ministry. Where or to what are you leading the youth to? Can you take the youth to a place you have never been? Do you even know where you are going? Are you really going anywhere at all?

The reason I asked you these types of questions is because I want everyone to examine your Youth Leader Group. Acknowledge what you see. Better yet, let me tell you what I see. Some of you have a day and time for the youth. On this day you all meet and someone teaches and then you have a transmittal session where you try to get the youth to be honest. For those who have cell groups, you pretty much do the same thing. This is good but this is not the extent of discipleship.

After the meetings and transmittals, what do you have? Young people who met and talked for a while. That is all. The reason you cannot take them any further than this is because you have not been any further yourselves. But you are going, I promise you.

Now, I know it is not joyous to read this type of address, and it may seem that I am attacking the methods you all have in place for the development of your youth. But please understand I am not attacking your methods, but rather trying to get you to see there is something missing in them. Remember the questions I asked you in the beginning? If you do not know the answer to them, it is due to a lack of vision.

Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Now, do not define vision as some personal goal or dream. Keep its definition simple.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION Youth?for the

VISION IS SIGHT

Please do not get offended when I write this, but some of you cannot lead because you simply cannot see.

The only thing I have to follow is the blueprint that God has laid out for me. So let me allow you to see what God showed me. Okay. Let us go back in time.

The year was 2000. I had just gotten married, and also had been appointed as head of the youth leaders internationally. My leadership began at B.T. Ft. Lauderdale with Annette, Greg, Tray, Patty, Clay, Daryn, Theo, April, Sharon, Belinda, Angie, Lisa, and the late Tracey Caesar, may God bless her. These were the ministers whom God had put over the youth in Lauderdale, and they were wonderful.

I had been trained and groomed for this by Pastor Cameron.

1. He taught me to have patience with people . . . especially these people. This was a costly lesson, but one I could not bypass. My patience with people was always a problem. And now God had me in a position that would take much patience.
2. But I had one thing going for me. I could see God, therefore, I believed God. I could see Him and I could hear Him.
3. The first thing He showed me was that the youth leaders had no relationship with one another. We just saw each other in church or at church functions and that was it. No real bond of love was between us.
4. How could we bring the youth together if we were not together? Sound familiar? Relationships had to be built between us.
5. God instructed us to meet on Sunday afternoons after church from 3PM-6PM.
6. Youth Leaders, if you all are not on one accord, those whom you lead will not be on one accord either.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE YOUTH? FELLOWSHIPPING WITH THE FATHER

One of Christ’s most famous prayers was in St. John 17:20-23 when Jesus prayed that we all become one.

John 17:20-23

20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21. That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. This is what the Sunday meeting was designed to do.

• This consistent meeting was disciplining us into one mind.
• We were building relationships with God and one another.
• Do you all have this already? I hope so.

Obedience Provokes God’s Grace At first, the youth leaders were not eager to give up three hours of their Sunday afternoon to be in another meeting. But because we were obedient, God met us there every Sunday.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE YOUTH? C H A P T E R 1

After a while, we would come to the meeting and did not want to leave at six o’clock. The Word that was coming out in the meeting was carrying us from week to week. We began to look forward to the meeting because we knew Christ was going to show up there. We were eager to see what the next meeting would hold.

I John 1:3

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

What I am trying to show you is that if you obey God’s instructions, He will fellowship with you. Christ learned obedience through the things He suffered.

We learned all the ramifications of obedience and what it would bring just by sacrificing our Sunday afternoons.

GOD BEGAN TO FELLOWSHIP WITH US!

What God was saying in those meetings kept our attention. Through consistency in the word, God brought us to believe we could be sinless. We did not have to sin any more. Because most of us were still struggling with sin; this was a milestone in our spiritual development. God had to first bring us to a spiritual place where we would believe this. Then, and only then, could we bring the youth to that place.

We were in pursuit of something and that was to make us likened unto the disciples in the Bible. We saw this as attainable because we believed God.

God revealed that He was going to use the youth mightily. This indeed came to pass? Most of those who sat in those meetings are now pastors, evangelists, and even bishops.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE YOUTH?

But it was belief, which equals obedience, that caused us to grow and move in God. Now do you see why I asked if you knew where you were going or if you were going anywhere at all?

1. You are the vessel God wants to use to disciple His future leaders. Youth leaders must know and embrace that fact.
2. As the leader of a group, you must give yourself totally to them.
3. You must be their example of faithfulness.
4. You must take them on as your responsibility.
5. You must sacrifice your time, your agenda and everything.

Thank you, Pastor Cameron.

VULNERABILITY LEADS TO TRUST

Make yourself vulnerable to the word of God. The first act of vulnerability is to truly examine yourself. Are you holy? Do you love God and the people of God?

As stated earlier in this lesson, a leader must first believe that he or she can live a sinless life before God and man. If that is not your mindset, then you will sin.

If you have been placed in a leadership position, but are struggling with sins of the flesh, such as fornication, inordinate affections, perverseness, lasciviousness, unforgiveness, judgmentalism, or iniquity of the heart, then you should step down from leadership and ask to be placed in watchcare.

Leaders must make themselves vulnerable to the group regarding the spiritual weaknesses God delivered you from. However, there might be a character issue you still struggle with from time to time; issues such as impatience, abrasiveness, etc.

If this is the case, be honest. Do not attempt to deceive them or yourself. Admit that you were wrong and repent quickly of the infraction. Be willing to apologise for your actions or disposition. This shows the heart of a leader who seeks to please God and to live at peace with man.

Your personal honesty and vulnerability, establishes the integrity of your ministry. This level of integrity tends to disarm your followers, and helps them to believe in the word you minister, and to also trust your leadership.

This also causes your disciples to see your weakness as a motivation for prayer and counsel. Encourage those you lead to pray for you, even as you also pray for them.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE YOUTH? C H A P T E R 1

Remember, if you are not honest, they will see and experience your weaknesses anyway.

Point Your Disciples to the Word

Secondly, you must point the group to the Word of God as the standard and law for their lives. Whatever the Word says is law. A law that should not be compromised. By not compromising the Word, you force your flesh and the flesh of others in the group to respect the life of Christ, hereby fulfilling the scripture:

Romans 13:14

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

You must be an example of this for the group.

TRANSMITTALS

Concerning your transmittals among the leaders, do not continue to waste time by listening to everyone’s problems about living holy. The reason this is a waste of time is because no matter how it is explained or described, to not live holy after the messages on walking in the Spirit, is by choice.

In your transmittal sessions, challenge yourselves to meet the criteria of the message. Confront unrighteousness in one another in love.

This is true discipleship.

• Having the ability to discern and recognize what God is doing in a young person’s life.
• Upholding the standard of holiness and instilling the fear of God in young people.
• To avoid passing judgment, but instead remember how God brought us through as well, recognizing that we were once in their position.
• Striking a balance between trying to reinvent the wheel—thinking that a new generation requires entirely new methods—instead of trusting in the pure Word of God, which is fully capable of reaching them without being watered down.
• Learning how to go beyond simply being a preacher in their lives to becoming an effective minister by first taking the time to truly get to know them, which is essential for developing trust.
• Learning how to love the youth even when they are distant
• maintain a meaningful relationship with them.
• My young leaders must embrace that I have called them to a time like this and specifically for this season. They have to stop looking at themselves according to the flesh, and take on the work that I have given them.

-My intent is for the youth to embrace that they are one with Me.

Over the years we have been continuously taught the doctrine of oneness. This message has opened our eyes to the reality of who a son of God is: that there is indeed no separation and no variations of God nor the sons of God: they are complete in one.

John 17:21-23

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Here, we see Jesus praying before His departure, asking that the sons of God be made one. He emphasizes that without this unity, the world will not believe that God sent Him. As young leaders, it is crucial to grasp the Lord’s intent: if we do not walk in oneness with the Father, those we lead will struggle to believe that Jesus is real. But how can we walk in oneness if we do not first believe that we are, in fact, one with Him? Before addressing this question, let us explore the meaning of believe.

ONE WITH God

Perspectives of the word “Believe”

According to Dictionary

• To have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something.
• To have confidence or faith in the truth of something.

If we examine the Scriptures, we will find another perspective of the word; believe goes beyond a mental and emotional acknowledgement of something.

Using the biblical account of Abraham’s response to God’s directives when he was told to leave his homeland, we see that:

Romans 4:17-24

17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

These verses convey signs of belief that include:

• No consideration to the flesh.
• No staggering (doubting, double mindedness or instability)
• Full persuasion

These were manifested in the fulfilled promise – the birth of Isaac.

Examining the scripture, we can deduce that belief involves having confidence in something and allowing that confidence to influence our actions. If we truly believe that we are one with God, this belief should be evident in how we live. While it is easy to profess belief, its authenticity is tested when challenges arise.

The message is clear: we must rid ourselves of all unbelief. When we fail to believe God’s word, we hinder ministry and prevent ourselves from fulfilling our purpose. Moreover, the sin of unbelief becomes a stumbling block to those who should come to Christ. If those who claim to belong to Christ do not manifest Him, how can the lost find hope?

Galatians 5:17

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

If we do not believe in our oneness with God, we are walking contrary to the Spirit of God. This is not a trivial or minor issue.

When called to ministry, our response should never be, “Me? No, you have the wrong person.” Such a reaction reveals that we view ourselves through the eyes of the flesh rather than through the truth of the Spirit.

When we fully embrace our oneness with God, we will walk in the assurance that nothing is impossible for us—not because of our own power, but because it is God who works through us. This perspective shifts our focus from self-doubt to faith in His ability to accomplish His will through us.

John 7:38

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

If we do not believe and walk in every word of scripture, we will fail to manifest our true potential in Christ and rob others of the hope they need. This is the mindset that God is challenging.

To work in ministry, we cannot operate as if we are powerless, act as though we are not gifted, or dismiss ourselves by saying in our hearts, “We are too young and inexperienced.” God calls us to rise above these limitations and fully embody the identity and authority He has given us in Christ.

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

I dare add that there is neither old nor young: we are not defined by the body we are in; but rather by the Spirit of Christ.

With this understanding, certain mindsets must be challenged if we are to effectively lead others. Let us examine the following scriptures to gain insight into these mindsets and how they can hinder or support our ability to lead in alignment with God’s will. First, let us examine examples from the life of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

John 14:9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?

Mark 2:10

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

John 14:10

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Philippians 2:6

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Now let us look at examples from the early church.

2 Corinthians 6:16

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Acts 5:1-3

1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles feet.

3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

2 Corinthians 13:2-3

2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

Another profound proof of oneness is evident in Paul’s writings to the churches. His salutations often begin with a statement that affirms our identity in Christ, such as: “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

This oneness means that:

• When someone sees a son, they see the Father.
• When someone hears a son, they hear the Father.
• When a son walks, the Father walks in him.
• When someone speaks to a son, they are also speaking to the Father.

If the early church operated with this mindset, so must we.

To stand firm against the devices of the enemy, we must both know and believe in our oneness with the Father.

1 John 4:17

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

We praise God for His great love, by which we are called the sons of God. Let us not only be aware of our oneness with the Father but also walk in it. As the scripture exhorts, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”

We must remain sober-minded, recognizing that we are being observed not only by those we lead but also by principalities, powers, and spiritual wickedness, all eager to accuse us if we falter. Our confidence must rest in our holiness, ensuring that when we confront the devil and his armies, they find nothing in us to accuse or condemn.

As leaders, we must always remember that we are living examples of Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:23

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

We must be of sober mind. We must be careful of our conversations that they edify and manifest God and purpose.

Matthew 12:36

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Here is a list of scriptures designed to challenge your belief in God’s testimony of the sons. Bring these scriptures before the Father in prayer and search your hearts to discern whether unbelief is present within you. Let this be a time of reflection and alignment with His truth.

Matthew 17:20

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

Mark 16:17-18

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

John 11:41-42

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

John 14:1

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Acts 19:11-12

11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

Acts 5:14-16

14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

Luke 10:19

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

1 John 2:13-14 - I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. The Lord has said to me, “I am God; I am who I am. You don’t have to try by natural efforts to get me to move. Simply be holy, and I will work through you.” This reminds us that our role is to walk in holiness, trusting that His power and presence will operate through us as we yield to Him.

The Lord has expressed to us the critical need to embrace who we are in the Spirit. However, we must recognize that there is no true oneness with God without holiness. Holiness is the most vital aspect of oneness because it is the one attribute the world cannot possess. The world has magicians, sorcerers, wizards, witches, and even the Antichrist, who will perform miracles capable of deceiving even the elect, if possible. For instance, the magicians in Egypt mimicked many of Moses’ miracles during his mission to free Israel. This demonstrates that power and miracles are not what set the sons of God apart from the world. What truly distinguishes the sons of God is a lifestyle of holiness. Humanity, in its own strength, cannot live holy—only a son of God can. Holiness is not merely abstaining from sin;

Holiness

it is embodying the mind, character, and nature of God. To be holy is to be as He is.

A holy person does not merely avoid sin externally while inwardly desiring it; rather, the heart is in complete agreement with God, rejecting all sin, and defining it as evil.

We must embrace this truth: if we are not holy, God will not work with us. Holiness is not optional; it is the foundation of effective ministry. God has entrusted us with a great ministry to the youth, but without holiness, our efforts become works of the flesh—empty, exhausting, and ultimately without substance. To be “frazzled” in ministry is to operate without divine substance, leading to spiritual fatigue and fruitlessness. What the Lord is emphasizing is our lack of urgency regarding personal holiness. Ministry has, for some, become just another responsibility rather than a sacred calling rooted in purity. Take a moment to reflect: Do you struggle with the same sins you battled last year, or even last month? If the answer is yes, in any measure, it reveals a tolerance for sin—a lack of the fear of the Lord—or perhaps an absence of the Holy Ghost altogether.

Now is the time for honest self-examination. Ask yourself:

• Has the knowledge of truth empowered me to live holy, or is it merely an intellectual understanding of what is right?
• Do I truly possess the Holy Ghost, who gives the power to live free from sin?

HOLINESS

Without the Holy Ghost, you cannot discern sin or walk in the holiness required by God. Let us not presume our standing with Him. Instead, let us take this moment to sincerely examine whether we are truly in the faith and living holy lives. Holiness is not just a requirement—it is the evidence of Christ in us.

Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

If we admonish young people to be holy while we ourselves are not holy, we are being hypocritical, and God cannot justify us in the Spirit. He cannot support anything that is contrary to His nature. We must grasp what the Father is saying: holiness is not an individual matter alone—it is collective. If there are 99 holy leaders but one leader struggles with sin, the entire body is affected. Purity as a body is essential for God’s ministry to be effective on the earth. We need to open our eyes to discern the Father’s intent for this ministry. At the last World Conference, God prophesied that the gospel has been given a small window of utterance. Now, more than ever, it is time for us to embrace our role as leaders and manifest the fullness of what Christ has placed within us.

Ephesians 4:11-15

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

This scripture reveals that God’s intent is to bring the body of Christ to perfection and unity. If this is His work in the world, and we are the reformation, it follows that the saints in our ministry must first attain perfection and unity. Moreover, before this work can be accomplished among the saints, His ministers must themselves be perfected and unified. To fulfill the role of the reformation, we must embody the fullness of Christ—complete and lacking nothing. We must fully embrace the ministry to which God has called us: a ministry of holiness. If we refuse to walk in holiness, God will raise up others who are willing, and they will take our place and change the world.

As a body, we are called to be spotless and blameless before both man and God. Let us take this charge seriously, striving to live in a manner worthy of the calling we have received.

Galatians 5:9

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

God is calling us to purify ourselves so that we may fulfill Christ’s ministry. He has revealed a profound purpose for this ministry, but the question remains: will we be worthy of His calling? The answer lies in holiness.

We must discern the times. We live in an age where the world views the church as irrelevant, and countless theories and doctrines abound. Yet, the world is not seeking more doctrine— they are searching for the tangible power of Christ. If we are not holy, God will not manifest Himself in or through us. Only through holiness can the power of Christ be revealed in our lives and ministry.

John 14: 21

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

HOLINESS

I can sense some of you thinking, “I have been trying, though—trying to be completely holy.” If we are to be ministers, we must be honest with ourselves. Those of us who have the Spirit know in our hearts that we sin by choice—we do what we want to do.

If you find yourself in a struggle, the truth is that you have not yet said no to sin in your heart. Wisdom calls you to repentance, remembering God’s mercy and His power to keep you from sin. As you grow in fellowship with the Father, His influence will remove that desire from your heart, and you will come to realize that holiness is indeed attainable.

Ephesians 1:10-11

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: We must embrace the truth that we were predestined before the foundation of the world for this work. Consider this: millions in the body of Christ around the world do not know the truth that we have been given. Therefore, it is only right that God demands a demonstration of the truth we know. Our lives must reflect the knowledge we have received, showing the world the reality of Christ through us.

Here is a list of scriptures to challenge your belief in God’s work of salvation and His work of holiness in the sons. Take these scriptures in prayer before the Father and search your hearts to discern whether unbelief resides within you. Let this be a time of sincere reflection and alignment with His truth.

Galatians 5:24

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

1 John 3:6-9

6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Jude 1:24

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

Romans 6:4

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

I love you all with the love of our Saviour Mary, the apostle of Jesus Christ

THE PAPERBACK