COMMITMENT AND CONSECRATION OF CHRISTIAN WORKERS

INTRODUCTION
It is a precious gift to see today again and as a church, we should thank and appreciate God for the privilege of being alive. I want to therefore welcome us all to this segment of 2017 Workers’ Retreat where we re-equip ourselves for the task ahead of us.

The subject of discuss is Commitment and Consecration of Christian workers and we shall be looking at it from individual angle to general application within the church and effect of such on the growth of the church.

Commitment means the trait of sincerity and focused purpose.
Commit means to give in trust, to put into charge or keeping.

Consecration means to declare, to separate, to make holy, to be dedicated.

Christian worker: a Christian who has heeded call to salvation and proceeded to heed the call to service, thereby giving oneself to serve God in whatever capacity and in areas of gifting according to grace received. Romans 12:6

Commitment and consecration goes hand in hand and how committed you are will determine how consecrated you will be.

Being a Christian worker means you have voluntarily offer yourself for God’s use (as a vessel).

4 Keys to Commitment: R.A.T.E
Ready to serve – a Christian worker should always be ready at all time to serve not minding the conditions attached, not by men-pleasing but by pleasing God irrespective of how you feel.
Available – a Christian worker is always available to do his/her assignment without being forced or persuaded by anyone or anything.
Trustable – a Christian worker is God’s employee and should be trustable by the employer. God is trustworthy and wants a trusted man/woman to work for Him. To work for Him as a trustable worker, you must walk right with Him.
Experiential – a Christian worker becomes experienced as he/she keeps working progressively and grows matured in the assignment and life. Being experienced makes you able to put others through in the assignment.

Price of a consecrated life
• Walks, stands and sits in the presence of God – Ps. 1:1, Isaiah 52:11
• Strives to be godly examples – I Tim. 4:12
• Receives continual purging – I Tim. 2:20-21, Mal. 3:3
• Stands for the truth – II Cor. 13:8, Gen. 39:9

To become a committed and consecrated Christian worker –
• Offer your life on the altar of God as a living sacrifice
• Live a holy and acceptable life
• Renewing your mind unto transformation
• You become a prove of good, acceptable and perfect will of God
Romans 12:1-2

God expects us to be consecrated for Him and Him alone, separated both in church and out of church, replicating the life of God wherever we find ourselves. Our commitment should be more to godly matter and less to issues that does not glorify God.

Daniel was an example of Christian worker who was committed and consecrated – Daniel 1:3-9
Stephen was a committed and consecrated worker – Acts 6:5a, 8, Acts 11:24
Demas lost his commitment and consecration – II Tim. 4:10

There is a goal to be met and only committed and consecrated workers who lives and works blamelessly and righteousnessly would achieve that goal. To remain committed and consecrated, we must be connected always to the throne of grace and represent well our Lord and Saviour as we prepare for His return to take us home.
Leviticus 20:7-8 “Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD you God. Keep my statutes and do them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you”. NIV

My prayer: that we all will re-consecrate ourselves genuinely and re-ignite a fresh fire of commitment for the work of God in our hands so that we would receive the good reward and reign with Him eternally in Jesus name. Amen

Lecture delivered by Pastor Babawale Adekanye
At the Church 2017 workers' retreat

THE HEART OF A CHRISTIAN WORKER

INTRODUCTION
The way of achieving goals lies in the heart and how your heart operates determines how much achievement would be made. Dealing with the heart (mind) of a Christian is crucial and especially that of workers in the vineyard. May the Lord help our understanding in Jesus name. Amen

The matter of heart is important to God because He looks into man’s heart checking the purpose and intent of our actions. Men call or put people into assignment without knowing what is in the mind of such persons, but before God will call a person to ministry, He checks the mind (heart). Romans 8:27

God checks on our availability to function for Him most times and not ability. Our willingness to walk in obedience to Him serves as a yardstick to measure our hearts desire to serve as a church worker.

Let’s check the heart as an acronym: H.E.A.R.T.
H – Humility – keeping off all ego become humble in character and behaviour – James 4:6, I Pet. 5:5, Prov. 16:18, Prov. 11:2
E – Enterprising – being very able and brilliant in God’s business – II Pet. 1:10, Neh. 2:7-8
A – Active – possessing the power or quality to act in causing change, we should be change agents for God as His workers – James 2:22-24 (NIV), Luke 1:8-9
R – Responsible – personal accountability as a worker to God and becoming answerable to authorities for acts performed – I Cor. 9:16, Phil. 1:21-22
T – Teachable – willing to receive instructions (readiness to learn more to become better) in the assignment – Col. 2:7, Titus 1:9

How to prepare my heart as a Christian worker? I Tim. 4:13
• Give attention to reading – the word of God, Christian materials (books and journals) on the area of your assignment.
• Give attention to exhortation – listen to other people (ministers’ messages), tapes, godly counsel and discourse.
• Give attention to doctrine – doctrine means teachings, and strictly teachings of the Holy Bible which is the generally accepted Church Doctrine everywhere.

Concentrate on your gift – I Tim. 4:14
Most times, because of the wrong thoughts in our hearts, we neglect our given gifts, focusing on another person’s thereby making the duty post empty and unfulfilled. We are many members in one body functioning differently but towards one big GOAL (expanding the kingdom of God by winning souls for Christ). Concentrate more on your gift(s), learn and work towards developing it to be more fruitful and profitable for God. Remember the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-25). Acts 6:2-4.

To be progressive as a Christian worker with disciplined heart – (I Tim. 4:15-16)
• Meditate on what you read, heard and learn by the teaching of God’s word, they will transform your mind gradually and continually unto maturity.
• Be practical in doing what is right and what you have learnt to grow upward in your assignment and Christian life.
• Deal with your heart rightly and do not look back. If the devil cannot get your heart, he cannot get your life and assignment. CONSIDER.

When our hearts are filled with works of the flesh, our assignment will be frustrated because such a heart is unacceptable before God.
When we display the fruit of the Holy Spirit, it makes us flow like spring of living water and we are able to do that which God expects us to.

Personal check
Is my heart pumping well? What flows in and out?
With what mindset am I serving as a church worker?
What reward will I get if I am called to quit now?

Revelation 3:1-3 – General reading

My prayer – Faithful Father, help us to be faithful to you as we offer our hearts to You to work upon now and always in Jesus name. Amen

Lecture delivered by Pastor Babawale Adekanye

At the church 2017 Workers' retreat

FREEDOM

Freedom is the rallying cry of many deliverers that God is raising up. Three streams of revelation will become increasingly prominent. These streams mirror the three stages of freedom that Israel experienced as she left Egypt and inherited the Promised Land.

• The first level of freedom involved: Deliverance from slavery in Egypt.

• The second level of freedom involved: Learning the ways of God in the wilderness.

• The third level of freedom involved: Inheriting the Promised Land.

Deliverance from Egypt

The nation of Israel was enslaved in Egypt. They were the covenant people of God but they were not living in covenant provision. Those who are in covenant with God are connected with Him in a unique way. They intuitively know that they are destined for freedom. Covenant creates a yearning for intimate knowledge with the covenant partner. This knowledge brings freedom and fulfilment. Destiny is awakened at a heart level.

Many in the Body of Christ today are enslaved by spiritual forces that keep them feeling defeated and powerless. An intense cry for freedom is awakening in their hearts.

The children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. Exodus 2:23

There will be increased authority and revelation in the areas of healing and deliverance. It is not God's intention for His people to remain in bondage. God is our deliverer (Exodus 1-14) and our healer (Exodus 15:26).

Learning God's Ways

After being delivered from Egypt, Israel was alone in the wilderness. God met with them at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19). Encountering God set Israel apart from all other nations. During a forty-day visitation God gave Moses the blueprints for the tabernacle (Exodus 24-31). The tabernacle became God's dwelling place in the midst of the nation. It mirrored spiritual realities in Heaven (Hebrews 8:1-5). God used the tabernacle to teach Israel about the spirit realm and about His character, His nature and His ways. As the nation embraced this revelation they came into a new level of freedom. This freedom was necessary for them to inherit the Promised Land.

Through dramatic signs and wonders in Egypt, the nation was delivered from outward slavery. However, the slavery mentality still existed in their hearts. Through intimate encounters with the God of covenant they were delivered from inward slavery.

There will be increased authority and revelation in the areas of encountering God, moving in the spirit realm and learning His ways. God encountered Israel at Sinai. His greatest desire was to dwell among them. This desire was realized through the tabernacle. Through the tabernacle Israel came to understand the spirit realm and learn God's ways. Limited perceptions were smashed.

Inheriting the Promised Land

Deliverance from Egypt was dramatic. Learning God's ways was mind-blowing. However, the fullness of freedom didn't begin until they inherited the Promised Land.

• When Israel was in Egypt the nations despised her.

• When Israel was in the wilderness the nations feared her (Exodus 15:14-16, 23:27).

• When Israel was in the Promised Land the nations were influenced by her.

Possessing land enabled Israel to have an expression among the nations. Her unique culture began to disciple other nations. People were free to live out their God-ordained destiny. This level of freedom is true for us today.

Our land of promise includes fulfilling the creative endeavours God has uniquely assigned to each of us. The creative expression that is coming through Christ's Body will disciple the nations in His ways. It will include great innovation in business and finance, technology, the creative arts and education. There will be increased authority and revelation to inherit these and other areas of influence that the enemy has held for too long.

Preparation for Harvest

Here is a summary of the three levels of freedom and what they represent for us today:

1. Deliverance from Egypt: Freedom from outward slavery, demonic oppression and physical infirmity.

2. Learning God's ways: Freedom from inward slavery and limited mindsets. Discovery of the depths of covenant relationship with God. Inner transformation. Understanding the spirit realm.

3. Inheriting the Promised Land: Freedom of expression. Fulfilling our unique destinies. Great authority to disciple the nations (many express this as the seven mountain mandate).

Israel progressed from one level of freedom to the next as a whole nation. We are entering a season in the Church in which all three levels of freedom will advance simultaneously. Many churches and ministries will be uniquely gifted and called to focus on just one of these levels of freedom. God is preparing us for a great harvest.

Each stream of revelation must be strongly established so that people can easily progress from initial salvation to the fullness of their God-ordained destinies. Each level of freedom has a different emphasis. If these emphases are advanced in the wrong way, they can be used to come against the other levels of freedom. God is raising up prophetic and apostolic messengers who see the big picture. They will be entrusted with great authority to bring understanding and clarity about the whole process. This is God's mercy so that we don't end up fighting with each other.

The enemy fears our cry for freedom. Each level of freedom is only possible because a deep heart cry is ignited within us. We must determine to keep going until we live in the full measure of freedom that God intends for us (Ephesians 4:13)