|
Week 6
March 30 – April 5, 2008
Chapter 9 p.97-105
As we
have already seen, Jesus' top priority was pleasing his Father by
obedience, doing the works he saw his Father doing. This was so
important that he claimed it as the validating evidence for all of
his ministry saying, “Unless I do the works of the Father, do not
believe me” (John 10.37). Jesus had a clear understanding of this
priority at a young age and pursued it regardless of the possibility
of causing another offense as illustrated by the account of his
staying behind in the temple in Jerusalem when Mary and Joseph had
already returned home. Johnson points out that Jesus was not afraid
of being misunderstood as he carried out his passion to please his
Father in heaven (98).
He in
turn, was validated by both the Father and the Holy Spirit at his
baptism by John (Matt. 3.13-17). Johnson interprets this in the
light of an old Jewish custom, the Father introducing his Son as the
same representation of Himself in all matters of business pertaining
to the Father. Throughout all of his ministry, Jesus continued to
reveal the heart and mind of his Father, his exact image in his
words and deeds (Heb.1.3), to the extent that he told his disciples,
“If you have seen me, you have seen the Father” (John 14.9). “Jesus
continues to point the way to the Father. It has now become our job,
by means of the Holy Spirit, to discover and display the Father's
heart: giving life and destroying the works of the devil” (100).
“We
are being trained to run the family business,” (94)
and this demands that we have an understanding of what that business
is: expressing the heart of God in displays of the Kingdom which
“bring salvation to the soul, spirit and body of (hu)man(s), thus
destroying the works of the devil” (99). This is our purpose and
only a dependence upon our heavenly Father like Jesus had will
bring “forth the reality of the Kingdom into this world” (100).
Johnson says it is impossible to serve God without discovering “the
extravagant heart of the Father for people”. Without this heart our
service might be compared to the Pharisees who desired to remain in
their comfort zones instead of embracing the changes Jesus' ministry
demanded (100).
Since
the Father's business flows from his heart, when we discover His
heart, all our ministry will then flow from what we have already
received in our relationship with him, from our time in His
presence. “Giving what we have received releases Him into situations
previously held in the grip of darkness. That is our responsibility
and privilege” (101). Johnson claims that if we want to understand
and fulfill our purpose then we must pursue God with reckless
abandon and offers these practical ways to grow in this area on a
daily basis:
- Prayer – and fasting, specific and
relentless for miracles in every part of your life
- Study – the Scriptures, especially the
Gospels, looking for models to follow and references to the
Kingdom, asking God to open to you their mysteries (Matt.
13.11).
- Read – books and materials by those saints
“who truly do the stuff”.
- Laying on of hands – an anointing for the
miraculous can be transferred so pursue those who demonstrate
anointing for miracle; make the most of ministry time to get
prayer from them.
- Associations - “If you want to kill
giants, hang around a giant killer. It rubs off” (103).
- Obedience - “No matter how much
preparation is done to increase the anointing for miracles in a
life, it never comes to fruition without radical obedience”
(104).
“More people are
healed when you pray for more people...Real learning comes through
doing” (104).
|
