Romans 12:1-13
It’s time for you to find your place of service. Our purpose as believers is to grow up and move toward maturity and ministry. God wants all of us to be in the business of serving Him, and He gave each of us a ministry.
Romans12 begins, “Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you’ll know how to do everything that’s good and pleasing to Him.”
So many Christians are floundering, unfulfilled, wondering, “What does God want me to do? If I have a ministry, what is it?”
The hour is desperate.
Militant atheism and lawlessness are everywhere. Yet people sit in churches apathetic and unconcerned. These days are ripe for revival.
In spite of the debauchery, people are hungry. They’ve tried sin and now they want to know, “Is the Bible true? Is Jesus Christ the answer?”
The hour is late.
The sands of time are running low. We're in a race against sin, Satan, and self. You must find out what your ministry is—in your neighborhood, your business, your school, your family.
Romans 12 offers four principles for discovering your ministry
1. Lordship (Romans 12:1-3)
Jesus wants you to know the will of God for your life far more than even you do. We were rebels, sin‑cursed, darkened, and on our way to Hell when in mercy He sought, saved, and secured us for Heaven. We’re not our own; we’re bought with the precious blood of Christ. (See 1 Corinthians 6.)
Present yourself to Him, available and submitted. He won’t make you do it. You must say, “Lord, I present myself.” Are you willing to do that?
If God isn’t answering your prayers, if you don’t have a ministry or know the will of God, or have His power and anointing, is it because you haven’t answered Romans 12:1 and you’re unwilling to be a living sacrifice. Does God have all there is of you? Or are you just playing church?
People want the blessings without His lordship, then wonder why they don’t know His will. One word sums it up: lordship. Submitting to Jesus as Lord will transform you and reveal your gift and ministry.
When Jesus was transformed on the Mount of Transfiguration (See Matthew 17:1-8.), His face shone like the sun. His inner nature—His deity—was revealed. When you yield to His lordship, available and submitted, your inner nature, Jesus, will come to the surface.
Your mind, too, is renewed. You’ll have the mind of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 2:16.), thinking with divine guidance.
2. Membership (Romans 12:4-5)
The Church is not an organization with Jesus Christ as president. It’s an organism with Jesus as its head. We belong to one another because we all belong to Him. Trying to find your ministry apart from the Body of Christ is arrogance, conceit, and pride. We’re not supposed to succeed without one another. If you want to find your ministry, you'll never find it outside the Church.
3. Stewardship (Romans 12:6-8)
You’re a steward of the gifts God gave you. Every Christian has one or more of these grace gifts to be used to bless the body of believers.
- Prophecy—speaking the truth of God’s written Word into a specific situation.
- Serving—identifying needs, finding available resources to meet them, accomplishing the goal.
- Teaching—perhaps teaching Sunday School, mission organizations, visitation or counseling.
- Giving—seeing needs, able to meet them, over and above normal giving.
- Ruling—leading, heading committees, coaching, directing special projects.
- Mercy—feeling genuine empathy for those in distress and acting upon it.
All these gifts are needed and valid. You must find and use your gift(s).
4. Fellowship (Romans 12:9-13)
These verses speak for themselves in describing the fellowship we should have in the body of Christ—and will have, if we find and exercise our gifts.
To summarize:
You’ve been called into ministry.
God has something He wants you to do.
Present yourself to Him as a living sacrifice.
Ask Him to help you find your gift and use it.
Not only will God use you, He will wear you out.
Many of us are in a rut. We gave our hearts to Jesus long ago, then took things for granted. But when we grow in grace and knowledge, seeing all Jesus did and thinking of the mercies of God, we want to say, “Lord Jesus, realizing more about You, I give You my life, anew and afresh.”
These are desperate days, but they are filled with opportunity if you are yielded to Him.
Present your body a living sacrifice. I pray there will be another level of commitment to Jesus Christ in your heart in these days that are desperate but bursting with opportunity for His kingdom.
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