Welcome back! This is our third and final week in this series. So far, we have detailed what things the Bible describes as God’s responsibility and what things are our responsibility. There are also several things that we are called to do together, in partnership with God.

As we lean in to Him, we start to reflect His heart. His desires become our desires. His actions become our actions.

“So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine. I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless,” (John 15:4-5 TPT).

Our relationship with Jesus is the anchor for everything we do. This verse plainly lets us know that when our relationship with God is healthy – good, fruitful stuff comes out of us as a result. When that relationship isn’t healthy, we are no longer fruitful and the Bible calls us “powerless.”

The following are things that God accomplishes in the earth in partnership with His children. All of these things (should) flow naturally out of relationship with Christ.

Love – “We love because he first loved us,” (1 John 4:19 NIV).

Blessing – “This generous God who supplies abundant seed for the farmer, which becomes bread for our meals, is even more extravagant toward you. First he supplies every need, plus more. Then he multiplies the seed as you sow it, so that the harvest of your generosity will grow. You will be abundantly enriched in every way as you give generously on every occasion, for when we take your gifts to those in need, it causes many to give thanks to God,” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11 TPT).

Healing – “And these miracle signs will accompany those who believe: … they will lay hands on the sick and heal them,” (Mark 16:17-18b TPT).

Deliverance – “And these miracle signs will accompany those who believe: They will drive out demons in the power of my name. They will speak in tongues. They will be supernaturally protected from snakes and from drinking anything poisonous,” (Mark 16:17-18a TPT).

Forgiveness – “Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you,” (Ephesians 4:32 MSG).

Restoration – “My beloved friends, if you see a believer who is overtaken with a fault, may the one who overflows with the Spirit seek to restore him. Win him over with gentle words, which will open his heart to you and will keep you from exalting yourself over him,” (Galatians 6:1 TPT).

Miracles – “Stretch out your hand of power through us to heal, and to move in signs and wonders by the name of your holy Son, Jesus!” (Acts 4:30 TPT).

Rest – “Are you weary, carrying a heavy burden? Then come to me. I will refresh your life, for I am your oasis. Simply join your life with mine. Learn my ways and you’ll discover that I’m gentle, humble, easy to please. You will find refreshment and rest in me. For all that I require of you will be pleasant and easy to bear,” (Matthew 11:28-30 TPT).

We have to see the pattern here: God loves us and expects us to love others. God gives to us and then expects us to give to others. God heals us and then expects us to heal others. God delivers us and then expects us to deliver others. God forgives us and then expects us to forgive others. God restores us and then expects us to restore others. We bring God our heaviness and He gives us rest. There is an element of cause and effect to this. It’s a dance between two partners: us and God.

None of these things happen in our own strength or abilities. All of this is possible because God has chosen to move in and through us as we surrender and submit to Him. It brings Him joy and glory for us to be His ambassadors on the earth.

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:16-21 NIV).

God has sent us all around the world to bring love, peace, healing, hope, and forgiveness to this earth. That is no little assignment. We have to stay connected to our source so that we will operate from a place of humility. We are called to keep our hearts focused on God first, then on the people we are ministering to. It is a huge honor and responsibility that God has trusted us to bring His kingdom to the earth but we should never cross the line into feeling like we are responsible for any fruit that comes. We are simply the branches. He is the vine.

What is it that God wants to accomplish through you today? Who does He want to bless? What if your simple obedience to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, changes someone’s eternity? That is the cost. When we decide to partner with God and play our little part in bringing His kingdom to the earth, we show people what Jesus looks like. We show them that He is always in pursuit of them.

I hope it makes you feel very valued by God that He would put that much stock and ability inside of you! You have the authority to bring love, blessing, healing, deliverance, forgiveness, restoration, miracles, and rest (and anything else that I forgot!), to the earth in Jesus’ name and strength.

Love,

Tif