'by the will of God'

Eph 1:1

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,"

I'm going through Ephesians currently, but the first night I started on it again, I spent close to thirty minutes just on verse one. It is such a rich truth. Even in the past few weeks God reminds me of this verse and I find such a freedom in it! Some of you already know where I am going. This isn't new revelation...but it is fresh to me and invigorating to my soul.

The Obvious. No one but God makes me who I am. Events involving man may have catapulted you to the position you are in, but if God holds the hearts of Kings you best believe he holds the heart of your immediate authorities. I start off with this because i don't want this to be taken just for ministers. There is really no line between clergy an laity...just insecure pastors with co dependant believers making that lie. So you could say this:

" -your name-, an apostle, doctor, teacher, soldier, clerk, student, usher, whatever, by the WILL of GOD!"

If you are faithful and in God's will then then your position is also in God's will! That sets me free. If i am faithful where God has set me, then I can rest assured that if God put me here there is no way man is going to kick me out! That's why you see David dancing his clothes off when the Ark of the Covenant was brought back to the city. (2 Sam 6:22) What did he say? He said, 'I'll become even more undignified than this!" Why was he able to say that? It's because he wasn't dancing in a field, playing a harp, and watching sheep for man. He was doing it for God. He was 'David, King of God's people by the will of God!' That is so fresh in me. I can say to my enemies 'I'm not worried about you demoting me or being put over me, because you didn't put me where I'm already at! My God did that! And if I'm faithful in this little thing he has PROMISED to make me ruler over a big thing!'

On the flip side of this, if man got you where you are, then you have every reason to be afraid for your position. That is why when we see after God has rejected Saul as king, that he (Saul) still asked Samuel to go out with him in front of the people. You see, although God gave Saul the first kingship, he would have never been king if the people hadn't started asking for a king. People got Saul where he was at! So he needed to look good in front of them, even after God had rejected him. I'm afraid we have too many people looking good in front of the people who God has rejected as far as His Kingdom being established is concerned.

Although I said at the beginning I don't want this to be taken just for those in ministry, because we are ALL ministers, I do want to address those in full time ministry. And I want those that are under them to realize what they have!

Some of you are wondering why you are in ministry. Quite honestly some ministers are in the wrong 'line of work.' I've observed in my four years of Christianity that if you find someone who is intelligent and has an oratory ability, you shove them into ministry! Has anyone else noticed that? I was in prayer a few months ago and God spoke to me that abortion would have never passed if those he had called to be supreme court justices weren't trying to pastor a church! Media would not be where it is at, and culture would not be how it is if those I had called to work in the entertainment industry weren't trying to be evangelists! How sobering? But I'm not really talking to those of you that are called to something else other than ministry and trying to fit into a ministry box so to speak...if you got angry at that last statement, probably means you fall into that category. Just saying...

For ministers I want to point you to Eph 3:7, 'of this Gospel I was made a minister.' I defy any Greek grammarian to find a logical pattern of thought in the verses leading up to this conclusion. It's almost as if Paul is trying to logically explain why he is doing what he is doing and finally goes all the way back to the same idea in the first verse of the epistle. Of this Gospel I was MADE a minister.' I can't explain it. There is no logical reason. I didn't choose. I was made! I didn't choose to be an apostle to my generation. I'm am being made into one! Many of you didn't choose to be evangelist, prophets, what have you...there was something in you that made God say 'I'm going to make that man a prophet to America!' What freedom I find in that truth!

Another thing that brings freedom to ministers, and congregations need to grab hold of this, is that you are absolutely not in an office, you are a gift.

Eph. 4:7 'and when he ascended on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.'

-what gifts? Follow down to verse 11 and it tells you.

Eph. 4:11-12 'and He (Jesus) gave some to apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry and the edifying of the Body of Christ'

You absolutely are not in an office. What you are is a gift to the body, so that it can be equipped to minister. You know what that means? It basically means that although we preach the gospel, it is ultimately not your job to preach the Gospel, it's your job that the Gospel gets preached through equipping those God has put under you.

You know what else this means to me, especially concerning clergy politics? I am starting to feel that it is against God's design to vote on a pastor and that be it. I wish I could say that every church prays and intercedes and asks God for the pastor that they need, and then God answers them with that gift. But what usually happens is that position is voted on by the church after the minimum amount of prayer and they stick a guy in there that will 'Dr. Phil' them for an hour and have them in the buffet line by 12. When if they had been seeking and praying about what pastor God wanted for them to have, they would have a pastor that would get them to a deeper more meaningful relationship in God, putting a sword in their hands, equipping them to minister...not a cookie cutter, seeker sensitive heresy, your best life now cheerleader. I praise God that I haven't had to sit under such ministry as this, that holds their congregants hands while they walk them to hell. ...I'm really digressing. :)

The fact of the matter is, if you are operating in this capacity, you are 'an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher by the very will of God!' You were chosen for this! Of this Gospel you've been MADE and minister! Not only that, but you are an incredible gift, not your giftings, but you yourself are a gift, to those whom are in your ministerial charge!

If this isn't helping you it's sure helping me. I hope this helps bring a greater degree of freedom to you. It has for me. Man didn't get me here, and he sure won't be getting me out! Amen!


In Him,

Andrew Peters
Remnant Ministries