Category: Ministry

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Discipleship Intercession Key Article Kingdom of God Ministry Prayer

Ministry Size & Fame

Public Ministry is Like Being on a Stage

Most of us are called to minister in our sphere of influence. There is a deep satisfaction to ministering where we are to people we can touch with the Kingdom of God.

This is a safe place to practice, learn, and minister in. Your ego will be tempted far less than in some other spheres. It’s a good idea to start where you are, and to follow Holy Spirit as in Galatians 5. The Fruit is good!

I notice that when I minister in my sphere of influence, Holy Spirit often noticeably helps. I feel safe, secure, helpful. Inspired. Temptations of my ego and flesh are minimal. Holy Spirit moves.

Please notice for yourself what it is like for you when you minister in your sphere of influence.

Then there is the Normal Christian Pattern of Ministry Growth. That Jesus taught, his disciples followed, and ministry and church growth – Kingdom of God spreading – was rapid and overcame the Roman Empire. (Until Constantine when they started using expensive buildings and stopped Christians from ministering and turned most of them into passive participants. That’s another story.)

Jesus sent disciples out in pairs. See Mathew 10 & Luke 10. Go. Go minister. Jesus even gives directions on how to do this without money or buildings. Sent people go out in pairs. Take little with them. Depend on resources to live from where they stay, in houses of peace. Ministering to the people who know and are in contact with a house of peace is easy. As healing happens, as people are set free, you become busy.

Be not burdened with seeking fame, money, or expensive buildings that eat up resources for ministry. Follow the pattern in the Gospels. Share the Good News of the Kingdom. Heal the sick. Free the bound. Some people will be eager to learn more: make disciples, of all sorts of people. Disciples that meet together are the start of an ecclesia – often translated as church.

(A church is a gathering of believers, not an expensive building.)

Doing these things will cause increasing numbers of people being ministered to, healed and set free. You will become busy as word gets out – the need is great and there are many in great need. Disciples who plant ecclesias will multiply, and multiply, and the numbers can become amazing before too long.

This is a simple and powerful pattern that Jesus demonstrated, taught, and that his Disciples followed. This pattern still works today.

A few are called – a few – to larger and more public ministry. These are few, and the traps and dangers are many: various temptations. Big expenses and big egos are rampant. Selling the current culture of entertainment works, and becomes part of ministries – too often without Holy Spirit. Tricks of theater can become ineffective substitutes for Holy Spirit, as can enlarged egos of people who seek fame.

Theater skills and lessons can be used well in ministry. Some do this on a full time basis, some part of the time. Too many are distracted by worldly fame and worldly methods – this is not a path that is safe or good for everyone! Take care. Follow Holy Spirit, always; and you will be doing well. For Jesus sends us Holy Spirit for such reasons as these.


The most successful ministers and ministries have intercessors – before, during and after ministry. (This is true whether ministry be large or small; is part of the the Normal Pattern of Ministry Growth that Jesus gave us. Jesus sent people out in pairs. One prays while the other ministers, I was taught early on – and this works amazingly well.)

Teams of intercessors leads to more effective and powerful ministries.

Best is to always minister where God calls you to minister. If you are not clear, ask for more of Holy Spirit. Then ask for where you are to minister. Usually you will not be given a grand plan or a grand assignment. Usually you will be given a single step to follow and do, where you will learn what you need for future next steps.

You will make mistakes and run into obstacles. Holy Spirit will show you what’s next, as you continue to learn. We love our successes and learn most from our failures. After five or six good failures, your ministry will likely be taking off.

You may become famous or have acclaim. If this is for the glory of God, you and your ego and flesh may be safe from temptation.

Seek first the praise of God.

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Faith Hearing God Jesus Key Article Ministry Miracles

Faith is Easy, When —

Faith is easy when we hear and rely on a word from God. Faith comes to us by hearing, and what we hear that gives faith is a Word from God.

We hear the Word. We hear Jesus, the creator of heaven and earth.

So…you understand, in a general way, that God does certain things and wants certain things to happen, like the destruction of the works of the devil. Such as Restoration, Salvo – including healing and freedom from unclean spirits (such things are what Jesus came for).

But without a personal Word from God that you hear personally, it is hard to have faith; likely impossible – otherwise we are trying to have faith in our thoughts or even worse, faith in our faith. Which I can tell you by too much disappointing experience – is not only extremely hard, it does not work.

But faith in what you hear from Jesus, the Word of God that created since the beginning before time and light, such faith works. And as long as you are experientially in touch, in contact, with that Word, faith is relatively easy and God’s inspiration always makes it easier.

So…how do you get such faith when you do not yet have it? Hear from God.

How to hear from God in such a personal way when you have not yet personally heard from God? It’s simple. Even easy. ASK.

Ask Jesus. (you are first having faith in Jesus.)

Pause, listen, receive and hear; and let faith blossom. (You are receiving a Word from Jesus. Have faith in that Word. Act – receive and take action to receive and have or experience what you have asked for. Taking action is not only part of the process Jesus repeatedly promised, it’s an outcome of and a result of your faith.)

So when you know something is wanted or promised in scripture, by God, and you have not heard in a personal way that gives you personal revelation and insight, ASK.

Ask, receive, knock – take appropriate next step action.

If you want a baby, maybe get a crib. At least buy diapers. Start getting ready to have what you have asked for and what Jesus gives you a personal, inspiring, revelatory message for: have faith.

If you want to heal someone, ask Jesus – how do I pray. Notice what you experience next, and pray – doing that. Until healing is completely and thoroughly enforced, the prayer results have shown up. (Ask – Jesus. Receive – guidance about how to pray. Act [action is like knocking on a door] to open up what you are having faith for – open that door for Jesus. Jesus makes it easy.)

Faith is easy. Ask Jesus. Listen – receive. Knock – act on your faith.

Faith is easy when done right. The Word makes such faith possible. Grab onto it!

And do not proceed on your own ideas about how to do something without faith or guidance from God. Sarah tried that, and the results have been not only the birth of a difficult child, but the birth of a people-group that have been in conflict with Israel ever since.

Faith is easy. Ask, Receive, and Act (like knocking on a door) – to be ready to have what you have asked for.

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Discipleship Healing Holy Spirit Jesus Joy Kingdom of God Ministry Presence of God

New Person – New in Christ, Heals Easily

New Person – New in Christ, Heals Easily. aaron-burden-lW79kLuvl8E-unsplash

You are fully restored, in Jesus Christ, when you are born again.

Your New Person, New in Christ, Heals Easily.

So…you can heal easily. Just being restored to who you really are, in Jesus.

So…you can heal others and minister to their needs, easily, because of who you already are, in Jesus.

Your New Person, in Jesus Christ, has no wounds or injuries.

Your New Person, in Jesus Christ, follows Holy Spirit, is full of Holy Spirit, and ministers powerfully, effectively and easily.

Your New Person – is the preferred way to be living.

Your New Person – is the preferred way to minister.

This is simple. Easy, when you are doing it – hard when you are not living out of your New Person.

Why would you live any other way?

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Getting Help Hearing God Lessons Ministry Prayer, Intercession, Angels, Success

Ask

Asking Increases the Opportunities for Experiencing Answered Prayers

It’s important to ask God – in many situations.

And I forget, far too often; and sometimes for far too long.

I remember a time when I had a business problem that I had no idea how to handle. I suffered and worried about it for about two weeks. Finally, in frustration, I went for a walk by the river which hear my house.

When I went out the door, it finally occurred to me to ask God for help. I had an intention to ask. (An intention can be a kind of prayer. What happened next is a powerful sign that this is so.)

As soon as I had formed an intention to ask God for help, I got a “download” through Holy Spirit. Suddenly coming into my mind were all the ideas I needed to solve the issues I had been worrying about.

I could not help but think to myself that if I’d only thought of asking earlier, I could have had the help I needed, much sooner.

I was grateful for the help, glad for the ideas that were just what I needed and that I could not come up with by myself.

It also embarrassed me.

And worse, this sort of thing has happened all too often since then.

After 71 years, I finally came to understand that I could and should ask Jesus how to pray for people and for situations. To pay careful attention to what I experienced next, to consider that an answer unless it was against the character of Jesus. So far, it has always been a wonderful answer. And I am responsible to continue praying until that prayer answer is fully enforced. This has changed my life.

Why it took me so long, I have no idea. And I had long wanted to minister like Jesus, doing as I am shown and as I hear. And all I had to do was to ask. (He sometimes answers in other ways, too.)

I’ve had family problems, money problems, health issues, business issues – many problems. I am not the only one – we live in a broken world full of all kinds of problems.

Ask God. Have an intention: ask!

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Emotional Pain Freedom Healing Holy Spirit Love Ministry Prayer

Heal Memories with Agape Love

Jesus Motivates Us to Move to a Higher AGAPE Love Walk ...
Jesus motivates us to move to a higher LOVE walk – Agapegeek.com

You can heal old memories of bad things that happened to you & old memories of when you reacted badly by applying Agape love. Let me explain….

First, a brief & quick reminder, from 1 Corinthians 13:

4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NKJV

So here’s how I do it, I expect this can work well for you, too. (I’d love to hear about your experience with this so I can learn.)

I think of a memory that is painful. First, one where I responded poorly. Then I review 1 Cor. 13:4-7. I see where I reacted without Agape love. I make a new decision, and choose to respond with Agape love, the God, generous kind of love. I choose to respond with Agape qualities in the future. That’s not only a new decision, that’s repentance.

I mentally rehearse or practice having done that. Two or three times if necessary; though once will often be quite enough.

It’s done!

I check to see if my memory of that bad or painful memory is different or better. It usually is.

Then I do this again with a different memory, where I may not have reacted badly, but where I still did not respond with Agape love. I make a new and better decision, with the help of Jesus (which I ask for). A decision to respond with Agape love. Generously. Lovingly. The God-kind of love.

Afterwards, I again check the old memory, am I doing better now when I remember it?

Usually my own response to an event makes a huge difference in how painful the memory is or isn’t.

If I have trouble succeeding with this, I again ask Jesus, who is always near, always at hand (like his Kingdom) – within reaching distance – to help. And I ask for and receive by faith, more of Holy Spirit. I may not feel anything, but I notice I respond differently and can choose Agape love more easily and more deeply.

Let me know how you do with this, I’d love to know!

.

Thank you!

-David, David@DavidBurnet.com

P.S. Teach this to someone else, maybe by walking them through it. Jesus and the Jesus kind of love can minister to them, too!

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Conversation with God Discipleship Jesus's Communication Leadership Learning Ministry Success

Jesus Was Never Boring

Jesus Invites – by Sitara

Jesus never taught a class. You will find no classes taught by Jesus in Scriptures. He did not teach in a linear way. What he did was something far better.

Jesus had conversations. He responded to questions or things said by people he wanted to disciple or teach. He responded to what they were interested in.

Or he showed something, told stories or parables: he gave interesting, attention grabbing examples. Then continued the mutual conversation.

Sometimes he answered questions. Sometimes he changed the conversation – such as about not being so happy that even demons obey you – don’t lose perspective: what’s important is that your name is written in heaven. Notice that the starting point for changing a conversation or introducing a new idea begins with what the disciple, the person who is learning – what they are saying.

When I mistakenly try to teach people things, they resist – covertly, usually. Sometimes overtly. It does not work out well. And I have tried to do this too often. Too often I have been slow to learn.

But, when I respond to something that someone says or asks, I am building on what they are already interested in. Their motivation is already present. I even build on their metaphors: I use them or change them, or use them as an agent of change (when I transform a metaphor someone identifies with, they may also change.) Or I tell stories or parables or in other ways give examples, just like Jesus did.

This works out very well, I have their attention, interest and motivation: I am talking about things they are already interested in. Much more effective than talking about things I am interested in. Tremendous difference!

Have conversations. Start with where the disciple or the person who is learning already is. Build on or transform their ideas. Like Jesus does. He did it in Scripture, and he still does this in our hearts. You can join with Jesus and do this too.

Disciples and other people will learn more easily, learn better, and are more likely to remain interested and motivated.

If you want to have class outlines of what you want to teach, that’s fine for you. And you can use these powerful points in conversations, demonstrations, examples, stories and parables. Teaching more like Jesus. And teaching less like boring people who are trying to force their ideas onto someone else who is not yet ready, nor yet deeply interested.

Teach more like Jesus. You can do this!

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Healing Hearing God Holy Spirit Key Article Kingdom of God Ministry Worship

Your New Person – Healed, Hears God Easily & Ministers Powerfully

The Believers Two Natures

I’ve noticed several things that help me live out of my New Self, my New Person. So I make a list to help me remember and do this, especially when I am under pressure. (So read slowly & meditate, or even better, have a conversation with Jesus about these matters.)

Why is this important?

My Old Person has:

  • been marked by sin,
  • has wounds & is reactive (has trauma & PTSD) because of them,
  • is carnal and fleshly, selfish and mean. Feels smaller than I am.
  • does not please God.
  • Does not hear God except for audible voice, which is rare and something I personally have not yet heard.
  • Carries the curses of a broken world, including sin, sickness and disease. Feels bad.
  • Cannot minister effectively.

.

My New Person has:

.

What can help you shift into to your New Person, your New Self? Explore these & add your own:

  • Be more full of Holy Spirit; it’s easy, just ask and receive with faith.
  • Put the Kingdom of God first, with righteousness.
  • Love God with all your heart, strength and soul.
  • Love others with the love that spills through you from Jesus.
  • Worship God, easily experiencing more of the Presence of God.
  • Awe. Set off by thoughts or observations of God. Stillness. Peace.
  • Compassion, deep care.

.

See especially –

  • Romans 8,
  • Galations 5,
  • 1 Corinthians 13.
Categories
Discipleship Key Article Leadership Learning Ministry

Learning Contract

Even Joy is Learned in a Context – pexels-pixabay-51953

A Learning Contract is a special context for powerful ministry, including disciple making.

Most frequently implicit or ignored, it can also be explicit – and when there are difficulties – just about any difficulties, an explicit Learning Contract can be an immense help.

What situations call for a good Learning Contract? Ministry, including healing and exorcism. Discipleship, including teaching and learning. Counseling. Therapy.

One of the most common problems when learning and growth are not taking place as wanted is the lack of a good Learning Contract.

So…what is a Learning Contract? First, it’s a context. Context provides an element that is likely to control or limit and what will happen. When a situation is chronic and problematical, the context is nearly always a problem. Look for the context when things are not working well.

What sort of context is a Learning Contract? It’s an agreement to learn and an agreement to teach.

Counseling, teaching or other ministry without an agreement to learn and an agreement to teach – too often goes poorly. When ministry is not going well – make a Learning Contract.

Too often a people try to minister, counsel or teach without an such an agreement.

A contract says what people involved will do, and often what will happen if they do not do as agreed. It provides a context for learning and ministry of all kinds. It is an agreed upon context – without which it is difficult to make things to happen.

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Calling Create Discipleship Leadership Ministry Miracles The Word

God Speaks and Creates. You Speak & Move Your Mountain.

God Speaks and Creates; You Move Your Mountain – Becker Griffen, Unsplash

God said. And creation happened. God said – and what he said happened. You speak, declare, create, or call – in Jesus….

You can Declare. Let there be peace. Let there be love. Let Jesus be known.

You can create, in Jesus, who is the Word. Create peace in your family.

You can call. See Calling, Part 1 of 3. You can call a situation into being, into existence.

You can transfer power and authority. See Overview.

Jesus spoke to a fig tree, it obeyed. Jesus spoke to the wind and waves, and the storm quieted. Jesus taught us to heal, and demonstrated speaking to the need – we should do the same.

I have heard of people speaking to tornados, which changed course.

I have called for electricity to be restored, and when I am totally determined and single minded – easier to say than to do, I have experienced several times the electricity coming on within a second and a half. So many times this has happened, it cannot be a coincidence.

When you speak to your dog, your dog knows if you really mean it. When you really mean it, your dog is much more likely to obey. This is authority. You can feel it when you speak with such authority.

So speak to situations, to your mountain. As Jesus has been teaching you to do. And delight in results! Give thanks and rejoice!

Jesus, the Word, teaches and empowers you. Use what you have been given. Learn. Explore. Be willing for failure to take place – you can learn a lot this way!

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Discipleship Hearing God Holy Spirit Jesus Ministry Prayer Prophecy

The God Listener

Hearing the Voice of God

We all want to hear God well, and nearly all of us want to hear God better.

There are horse whisperers, people who pay exquisite attention to horses and learn; there are dog whisperers, people who pay wonderfully attentive attention to dogs.

What you may not know is that there are people who help you hear God better. Not prophets who hear God for us, sometimes. (Although since Jesus came, we are to hear God for ourselves, and what a prophet says should resonate because of Holy Spirit confirming to us what a prophet says.)

These are people who are what I sometimes call, “God Listener’s”, and their job is to help you hear God better for yourself. That’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?

There is a long tradition of such ministry, going back to at least the “Desert Fathers”, usually solitary monks who lived in the desert. From them a succession of ministers have helped people hear God for themselves.

Today we often call these people, “Spiritual Directors” or “Spiritual Friends”. You can look up these terms, they are well known. There is a long tradition of such people who help others to hear God better. This is a precious ministry.

They don’t listen for you; they help you hear God better for yourself. A ministry worth having, if not having always, at least sometimes.

We have all had periods of time that are rough. I remember one particular time when that was happening to me. My computers were not working right. My dogs were misbehaving. Around the house things were not working well or would break. I prayed about it, for these things and against these things. I finally decided I must be having a problem with demons. So I told them to leave. Usually not a problem for me – but the problems persisted.

So I called on a God Listener who I knew was very good with unclean spirits and asked for help. She managed to convey to me rather quickly that the problems were not demonic in origin. The problems were being caused by my own attitude. She told me that my wrong attitude and my own energy was causing the problems with my computers, dogs, and household appliances.

This was not what I wanted to hear. I wanted her to fix the problem for me. (Sound familiar?) But, I knew she was right. Holy Spirit confirmed what she was saying.

So I changed my attitude and my energy. The problems quickly went away and disappeared. I was blessed to have the help of a good God Listener, because I needed help to hear God well. And to solve problems that I mistakenly thought were being caused by demonic spirits when it was my own attitude and energy that was causing difficulties.

When you have big problems, opportunities you are not sure what to do with, when you need good guidance – a God Listener can be a huge help – so you can more reliably and accurately hear God for yourself – especially when doing so matters even more than usual.

You can easily learn more about God Listeners, Spiritual Friends or Spiritual Directors. There is more information than you might at first suspect.

One place you can explore and learn about Spiritual Directors is on Facebook, the Group, “Holy Listening-Spiritual Director“. Also on a related website called, “Holy Listening“.