Everyone called to the office of the prophet is sure to encounter a long and difficult process. There are many reasons for this. God is set on molding and shaping His prophets into instruments of purity and love. Fear of man, pride, loneliness and many other issues must be dealt with before they are ready for the office. But, the pursuit of Jesus will help tremendously. Here are six pursuits that go a long way in moving
1. Pursuit of Love - Shawn Bolz “You cannot have authority outside of love. The reason the church is not walking in more authority is because we have a lack of love.”
* John 15:12-13 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, then to lay down one’s life for his friends.” NKJV
* John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” NKJV
* I Peter 4:8 “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” NKJV
* I John 4:12 “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” NKJV
* I Corinthians 13:13 “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love” NKJV
2. Pursuit of Purity - Heidi Baker “As our hearts become pure, our vision becomes clearer”.
* Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” ESV
*Colossians 3:5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” ESV
* Proverbs 22:11 “He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend.” ESV
* Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” ESV
* Psalm 24:3-4 “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.” NKJV
3. Pursuit of Humility - Graham Cooke “Humility is where you realize there is a discrepancy between what you are portraying and who God is.”
* James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.” ESV
* I Peter 5:5-6 “Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you.” ESV
* Luke 14:10 “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.” ESV
* Proverbs 29:23 “A man’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” ESV
* Ephesians 4:2 “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” ESV
4. Pursuit of Relationships - Dr. Mark Chironna “Life was never meant to be lived in isolation. It was and is meant to be shared.”
* Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” ESV
* Colossians 2:2 “That their hearts may be encouraged being knit together in love, and attaining to all the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the knowledge of God’s mystery, both of the Father and of Christ.” NKJV
* Hebrew 10:24-25 “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” ESV
* Proverbs 18:24 “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But, there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” NKJV
* Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, So, a man sharpens the countenance of his friends.” NKJV
5. Pursuit of God’s Word – Bobbie Connor “You can increase your spiritual maturity by immersing yourself in the word of God; praying for revelation and asking the Spirit of God to open your eyes to the awesome things from God.”
* Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” NKJV
* Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” NKJV
* Luke 24:45 “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.” RSV
* Hebrew 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” NKJV
* I Thessalonians 2:13 “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” NKJV
6. Pursuit of Friendship with God - Jamie Gallaway “Friends of God have one defining characteristic …they spend time with God.”
* Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” RSV
* Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart.” RSV
* James 2:23 “The scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’; and he was called the friend of God.” RSV
* Psalm 27:4 “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” RSV
* Psalm 91:1-2 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shade of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’” NKJV
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