Welcome back to week 2 of our Yours, Mine, and Ours series! I was curious to learn what I am spiritually responsible for so, I went digging in the Word. I hope this is helpful for you too.

Last week we learned what things are God’s responsibility. You can read that here. We can take our hands off the wheel in those areas and trust that He is steering us where we are supposed to go.

Today, we are going to learn what things are our responsibility. God has entrusted us with a few things down here. We need to know what those things are so that we can be faithful to Him. We are responsible to:

1. Obey. “If you love me, obey my commandments,” (John 14:15 NLT).
2. Go. “Now go in my authority and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19 TPT).
3. Preach the gospel. “And then he told them, “You are to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere,” (Mark 16:15 TLB).
4. Make disciples. “Now go in my authority and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,” (Matthew 28:19 TPT).
5. Trust. “Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make,” (Proverbs 3:5 TPT).
6. Seek. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you,” (Matthew 6:33 ESV).
7. Confess. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed,” (James 5:16 NLT).
8. Ask. “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it,” (John14:13-14 NIV).
9. Work. “If you don’t work, you don’t eat,” (1 Thessalonians 3:10b).

These aren’t suggestions. They aren’t good ideas for “super-christians”, pastors, or missionaries. These are expected and commanded for EVERY believer.

That breaks my heart a little bit.

It is important that we pause here and ask ourselves some hard questions. When was the last time that I preached the gospel? Made a disciple? Confessed my sin to another person? We are responsible for more than we think.

I often catch myself seeing someone who needs a touch from the Lord and asking God quietly under my breath to just take care of it. “Help them Lord. Fix that situation, Jesus.” I so often forget that I am a part of His plan and solution. He stuck me in that place so that I could be His hands and feet. He has chosen to partner with us. It is a command that we step out and share who He is with those who need Him.

“God created human beings;
        he created them godlike,
    Reflecting God’s nature.
        He created them male and female.
    God blessed them:
        ‘Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
   Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
        for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth,’” (Genesis 1:27-28 MSG).

God made us and immediately gave us responsibility over everything on the earth. Wow. What would it look like if God’s bride took her place of authority and believed what He said? What could we accomplish? Who could we encourage and empower? What would the world look like? I think the world is desperate to find out.

Let’s obey God and take our place.

Love,

Tif