Emulating Christ

CHAPTER THREE

The ministry of the Holy Spirit is in a season of revelation. It is a time of revealing that which is Christ and that which is not. The Lord has invested much in us, but He wants to make sure that we are not deceived in any way concerning that which is the disposition of Christ in any situation or circumstance.

Philippians 3:15

Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

The Lord promised to reveal to us any mindset that is not like Christ. He has been faithful in this ministry. Trials have come and will continue to come to reveal the mind the new creature chooses to walk in, he can choose to walk in the mind of the Spirit within, who is only impressed with things pertaining to God and godliness. Nevertheless, there are those who choose to walk after the flesh, even knowing the consequences of such a decision.

Perfection is a state of being. It is not a rehearsed role that we play when the part is called for. It is the life of Christ being lived through these earthen vessels. That life cannot be emulated. If I were to coin a layman’s definition of the term emulate it would be the attempt to be like another, due to ungodly jealousy.

Most ministers desire to experience a free hand in ministry. They desire to have the liberty to exercise their gifts freely and continuously. However, the overseer might discern that some are not spiritual enough to take on the responsibility of leadership. Their disposition could be very damaging to the congregation. Therefore, in order to maintain a position in ministry, they may attempt to impress some other ministers with a spiritual posture. However, they only take on this posture when spiritual activities are approaching. It is at that point they become what might seem to be spiritual. However, that posture was not led by the Holy Ghost, the purpose was for the individual to appear spiritual. It is thought that these displays of spiritual posture are enough to certify and solidify a place to be a minister in the Reformation. However the Reformation is purposed to present Christ, not a counterfeit. The world and the Church have seen too many false Christs. It is time for the true manifested Sons of God to come forth.

God's coming is at hand; so let us govern ourselves as ministers of Christ, that we might win the souls of the lost.

1 Corinthians 4:1-2

1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

Brethren, we must reconcile in ourselves that we are the instruments God has elected to use to reveal Himself to the church and to the world. Unfortunately, many leaders have accepted their responsibility to reveal Christ to the world, but not to the church. This brings us back to verse 2; Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. Leaders, a great deal of our people’s spiritual growth is dependent upon our faithfulness. If we are not examples of Christ we cannot expect our people to be Christ.

1 Corinthians 5:6-7

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Apostle Paul is dealing with or addressing a mindset in the leaders of the Corinthian Church. This mindset will allow the church to come short of being spiritual, if it only appears to be so.. Paul is also saying that the sin they are excusing is changing the face of their ministry.

Leaders, those things about ourselves that are contrary to Christ have changed the face of our individual ministries, but we continue to excuse certain flaws in our character that have caused our people to lose spiritual respect for us. As Paul expressed to the leader at Corinth, the same thing is addressed to us today. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. If you are a leader who is ninety percent spiritual, then your people are damaged by the ten percent of carnality you walk in.. When your people begin to evaluate you as a leader, the thing they see the most is your ten percent of unrighteousness, therefore, your lump is leavened.

Let us identify the operations of the ten percent. The ten percent is not usually seen in a ministerial setting, such as at church or while we are up ministering. No, in those settings we are “spiritually postured” to come across as spiritual. The ten percent could be at our home, at the dinner table or talking on the phone discussing things in a carnal manner. This is why people usually have more respect for us as leaders when they first meet us, but as they get to know us their level of respect for us diminishes when they observe any level of carnality

Having a reputation of occasionally walking after the flesh, whether it is ten percent or ninety percent is not good and it causes those who follow us to lose confidence in our ministry. I speak from experiential knowledge, and not as an accuser, for I have seen the affect this has had on a leader’s relationship with his people.

2 Corinthians 10:2

But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

The people may have confidence in your preaching and your counsel because they recognize when you operate in your spiritual posture. However, because they have observed you for a while, they know when you are not after the Spirit.. These same people would trust and respect you more, if they were able to walk in the Spirit.

Leaders, now is the time to take inventory. You must assess your close relationships and determine whether or not these people have confidence in your fellowship with God. They have seen you walk in lust, pride and wantonness year after year, only being content for a season, and never consistently walking in the Spirit. When a situation arises in the church you may then seek to assert your authority as the leader, but you must discern why you would need to do that. Paul was respected as an apostle even in long distance situations, because he had one confession with no weakness in it and that was:

Galatians 2:20

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Leaders, we must flee our former lives with such abandonment. No longer can we live in the past, making excuses for our carnality, knowing that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Michael Thomas Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ