1. True Ministry is Initiated by God. Sets the stage, starts the work, equips the workers.

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1 7 Pillars 1. True Ministry is Initiated by God. Sets the stage, starts the work, equips the workers. 2. What God Initiates, God Anoints. Provides the power and direction. 3. Ministry is Received not Achieved. Not an accomplishment of men, but an assignment given. 4. True Ministry is not the Result of Our Efforts, but of His Surrender. We do not get God s results with our effort; He gets them through our surrender. 5. God gets the Glory for His Ministry. If men get glory, we are on the wrong track. 6. The Church is an Organism, not an Organization. Working together, yielding individual motivations to the life of the Body. 7. The Role of Church Leadership is not to do all the work of Service, but to Equip the Body. Looking at how the leadership in an equipped church is to function. God gets the Glory for His Ministry As we begin, let s look at some verses. Isaiah s vision Isaiah 6:1 3 In the year of King Uzziah s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the

2 temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory. Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images. Revelation 4:11 Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created. God shares His Glory with no man. Any ministry that points to the glory of Man rather than the glory of God is NOT a ministry the Lord will bless. o There may still be results, as the Lord is not bound by man o However He will not bless the ministry and ultimately after warning will remove the mantle of that ministry See Rev and the churches remove their lampstands The Lord alone deserves glory in and through ministry Therefore, all True Ministry will glorify the Lord I. What does Glory Mean? Glory is the word doxa which comes from dokeo meaning to think to think correctly of, to think of God correctly His Glory means the true identity of who He really is

3 Spiros Giving glory to God is ascribing to Him His full recognition. The glory of God is what He is essentially Zb. True identity II. How has God shown His Glory? 1) His Birth John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. o The Lord, who is Spirit John 4.24 The Lord is Spirit became flesh o The unique son of God humbled Himself, veiled His Glory, the true identity of Who He fully is, and took on the form of human flesh sinless human flesh o God has revealed the essence of Who He is by coming to earth in the Person of Jesus 2) His Transfiguration Luke 9:28 36 Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. 30 And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, 31 who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions

4 had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. 33 And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah not realizing what he was saying. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him! 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. 3) His Creation Romans 1:20 23 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. 4) His life John 2:11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. Manifested to reveal or bring to light Through His miracles and the power that He revealed over nature, disease and death

5 5) His death & Resurrection Mark 15:39 When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God! Luke 24:25 27 And He said to them, O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory? 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. III. What is the Glory of Man? Spiros The true glory of man is the ideal condition in which God created man what they are meant by God to be, though not yet perfectly attained How does sin impact this? Satan is an example of self-glory and the devastating result Pride is the epitome of self-glory Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 1:21 23 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and

6 exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. IV. How do we Glorify God? 2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. Paul tells us in Ephesians that all Glory is to go to God in the Church..forever John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. Ephesians 3:21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. John 15:8 My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

7 God protecting His Glory is Loving - as it is essential for us to see/walk in the reality of who God is and the reality of who we are Revealing - This is essential for unbelievers to see so they would come to glorify the Lord Zb. Pastor Steve Dyson Alexa Baptist Church in MO Romans 11:36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Philippians 2:11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.