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The Scribal Anointing
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Theresa H. Johnson
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Theresa H. Johnson
How do you define success as a Christian writer?
©
Copyright 2007 Theresa Harvard Johnson
For Permission to Redistribute Contact
Us
Many view success from two
perspectives: 1. Accomplishing or completing designated tasks that we
have established for ourselves; or 2. Achieving a level of prosperity,
fame or recognition among men.
This is the way our minds have been programmed to think. When we look around and see someone with a lot of "things" and our natural mind automatically assumes that a person has achieved a level of success.
Look at it this way, when you think of Oprah, Bill Gates, and Ted Turner we have already made up in our minds that they are "successful." Consider the large successful patriarchs we have in the body of Christ today: Rod Parsley, Miles Monroe, Mike Murdock, Joyce Meyer, Paula White, etc. Both groups mentioned above have obtained some material wealth, some measure of fame or notoriety, influence, power and surely we can say that they have completed many of the tasks set before them. This is good. They are merely examples here of people who we consider "successful." But when all is said and done, "Would we still define them as being successful? Will we use the outer appearance of their lives to measure success?"
Our Father wants us to have all the resources necessary to fulfill our assignments in the Kingdom. But success, from a biblical perspective, has a deeper meaning. Because of this deeper meaning, born again believers cannot get caught up in this world definition and begin the "compare" or "measure" their success in ministry based on name recognition or the accessing of wealth.
11Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are
absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
Who we are is measured by the person God
sees when the limelight is gone and the bank account is empty. It's who
we are at home with our families when the camera's are NOT on and no one
else is around to see us but God. Who we are is in our hearts.
12We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.
It is a terrible thing to compare
ourselves with others. It IS A SIN and a I hate this stronghold. So
many BORN AGAIN believers/scribes sit around comparing how they write
with how others write. They use someone else's thing as a benchmark on
how well they are doing it. We've go to stop this. Comparison breeds
division, jealousy, envy, strife, competition, and CONDEMNATION....
We are unique in God. What God has for LALA down the street is for LALA.
It's not for me. I should not covet what God has given her. This is
dangerous. It causes distractions and can cause our EGO to set a course
on a path that DOES NOT BELONG to us. This is serious ...and we see it
every day.
13We, however, will not
boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field
God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you.
Look at this. The scripture says that we will not step outside the
boundaries God has set for us. It says that we will "confine or
restrain" our boasting to the "boundaries" God has assigned to us. You
see, if we can just follow the path that the LORD HAS SET for our
individual lives ... the "FIELD WILL REACH US" ... we do not have to try
to REACH THE FIELD!
Too many people are STRIVING and trying GET SOMETHING FROM GOD! I pray
that you are not one of them. Don't miss this. You ALREADY HAVE what God
desires to give you. Just stay on course. Stay focused and let the FIELD
REACH YOU.
Notice that the scripture says the field will "reach you." Lord, don't
let them miss this. Get out of the JONES' vineyard and get back into
your own. Stop reading the SECRETS OF SUCCESS that some other man wrote,
and find out FROM GOD what the secrets of success are for your life in
your PRAYER TIME. How 'bout ASKING GOD.... whether you should turn left
or right.
I pray today that you FREE yourself from the boundaries and burdens and weights that YOU have afflicted yourself with -- and that you embrace the type of success that "our Father" set before us from the foundations.
Success is NOT based on completing or accomplishing tasks that WE have set for ourselves or on obtaining a level of fame, prosperity or recognition. Success is based on completing and accomplishing those tasks given to us by GOD, and by obtaining the kind of prosperity spoken of in 3 John 1:2.
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
True success is knowing
that you have PLEASED GOD. It is knowing that you have done all that HE
HAS commanded of you and now, you can obtain that PEACE that only the
Lord can give. This peace says, "Well done, my good and faithful
servant."
The purpose for material wealth is to fulfill our ministry functions and
to be a blessing to others. Yet, God also wants us to have the kind of
success that heals our emotions, promotes healing in our physical
bodies and brings us into a place of confidence and security in him.
Without the complete picture of "success" that God paints – which is
inward – we are not successful. Many outwardly wealthy people are
MISERABLE inside their hearts. What we see in the natural sometimes is
only a facade of success.
So often -- without even realizing it -- we can subconsciously seek to
amass the outward success as if it VALIDATES or AFFIRMS who we
are in Christ. Then, there are those who know better ... but are
motivated solely by greed. I tell you, amassing the kind of success that
is pleasing to man doesn't validate a person in the eyes of God. It only
offers validation to MAN and to flesh! The truth is that success has
absolutely nothing to do with things. Take a look at this scripture in
several bible translations.
Luke 12:15: Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot." (The Message)
Luke 12:15: And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." (New King James)
Luke 12: 15: And He said to them, Guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more); for a man's life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs. (Amplified)
As you read this, I pray you hear me in the spirit. You see, I thought my heart was correct and inline when it came to my REASONS or the MOTIVES behind my ministry. Yes, God presented me with Voices of Christ ...but at some point I began define the ministries success by how many members were on the team, how many events we did in year, how much media attention we received, how many requests to minister were coming in, and even how much money we were drawing from events. I went from having a desire to please God ... to counting up costs that were not mine to "count" in the first place, at least not with the attitude I was developing.
Then one day, my spiritual father asked me: "Theresa, how many lives are being changed through your ministry? Are yokes being broken? Are burdens being released? Is GOD getting the glory?"
Humph ...somewhere along the line I'd missed it. There I was again, going back to God in repentance. Somehow, I had managed to step out of being a success in the eyes of God to being a success in the eyes of man.
One thing I knew for sure was this: "I loved the Lord and I wanted to please him." The thought of having him take his hand away from me or give this ministry to another was more than I could bear. It was in that moment that he changed me --- AGAIN.
You see, everything is a process. Some steps we can by pass because we used the godly wisdom inside us. Some things ... well, we just have to learn the right path along the way – even with guidance.
In God's eyes, success is defined as accomplishing or completing designated tasks that lead to the perfecting of fruit in our lives. Success is living a life that ensures that we prosper outwardly, even as we prosper in our physical bodies and in our soulish realms. Full success is having confidence in who we are in Christ based on the word of God.
Once again I say to you ....let's KICK OUT the definitions that this world gives us, and pick up the meaning of words as defined in the scriptures. When we get this revelation, we can walk in a way ... that is truly pleasing to God and brings peace to our spirits.
Get FREE today! Allow no one to weigh your success in ministry or in life? Don't be deceived! More doesn't always mean better! Big is not always good! Follow the fruit....
Walk out of condemnation and shame! Break that stronghold of arrogance that demands that MAN stands in awe of your accomplishments and status! Break Free! If you fulfill your assignments in Christ righteously, then you have achieved success in God. It doesn't not matter what others think or even believe. TRUST GOD! Let the presence of CHRIST in you ... introduce you to men!
"Paul I know ...but you I do not know!" Be known for the presence of Christ in you ... not the amount of change in your purse, or how many books or CDs you've sold in the world.
Proverbs 3:5 - "Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding."