Category:

Steps to Bringing Life to Your City (Insights in Prophets)

4/12/2013

To bring life to your city, sound the alarm for a sacred assembly so the body of Christ mourns and prays as it returns to a loving God who removes the world's scorn, provides provision to restore life and removes shame. Expect God to pour out His Spirit through prophesies, dreams and visions bringing deliverance, judgment, freedom and life in your city among those who call upon Him.

Declare a Sacred Assembly To Mourn and Cry Out to God
God told Joel to have various generations share what the locusts ate. He asked the drunkards to wake up and weep because of the wine. A powerful nation invaded God's land with teeth of a lion to ruin vines and fig trees. They mourned like a virgin grieving for her husband. Priests mourned since grain and drink offerings were cut off. Because the fields were ruined and harvest destroyed, farmers and vine growers grieved. The joy of people withered away. Joel commanded those who ministered before God to spend the night in sackcloth because offerings were withheld from the house of God. Priests were to declare a fast and sacred assembly for elders and everyone to cry out to the Lord. The day of the Lord grew near like destruction from the Almighty. Food and granaries dried up, fire devoured the open pastures and burned the trees (Joel 1:1-20). Declare a sacred assembly for everyone to mourn and cry out to God since the economy was destroyed.

Sound the Alarm to Pray Before Destruction
Joel said to blow the trumpet and sound the alarm since the day of the Lord was close. It was a day of darkness and gloom like dawn spreading across the mountains. Before the massive army, fire devoured the land into a desert waste. Nations were in anguish when the army plunged through defenses without breaking ranks as it rushed upon the city. The sun and moon were darkened. The day of the Lord was great and dreadful. Who could endure it? (Joel 2:1-11). Sound the alarm to pray before destruction comes upon your land.

Return To a Loving God to Stop the World's Scorn of the Church
God said to return to Him with all their heart in fasting, weeping and mourning. God was gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He could leave a blessing with grain and drink offerings offered to Him. Blow a trumpet, declare a holy fast and call a sacred assembly to bring elders, people and children together. Priests were to weep between the temple porch and altar to prevent God from making His inheritance an object of scorn among the nations asking, "Where is their God?" (Joel 2:12-17). Return to a loving God with weeping, fasting and prayer to stop the world's scorn of the church.

Praise God for Provision to Restore Life and Remove Shame
The Lord was jealous for His land, took pity on His people and sent grain and riches to satisfy them. In not making them an object of scorn to the nations again, He drove the northern army far from them. God told them to not fear, but rejoice in Him who did great things. He gave them a teacher for righteousness, sent abundant showers, filled the threshing floors with grain and overflowed their vats with new wine and oil. He repaid them for the years the locusts ate. They had plenty to eat and praised God who worked wonders for them. His people would never again be shamed knowing God was in Israel as their Lord (Joel 2:18-27). Praise God for His generous provision to restore life and remove shame.

Expect God to Pour Out His Spirit and Multiply Deliverance
Afterward, God would pour out His Spirit on everyone so sons and daughters prophesied, old men dreamt dreams and young men saw visions. He even poured out His Spirit on male and female servants. God showed wonders in the heavens and earth with blood, fire, sun turned to darkness and moon to blood before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Everyone who called on the Lord would be saved. Deliverance came in Mount Zion and Jerusalem among whom God called (Joel 2:28-32). Expect God to pour out His Spirit through prophesies, dreams and visions bringing deliverance among those who call upon Him.

Expect God's Judgment to Free People From the World
In those days, God restored the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem when He gathered and judged all nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. They scattered His people among the nations, divided up His land, casted lots for His people, traded boys for prostitutes and sold girls for wine so they might drink. Were Tyre, Sidon and Philistia repaying God for something He did? If so, God would return it back on their heads since they carried His silver, gold and finest treasures to their temples. They sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks where they were sent far from their homeland. God roused them from the places they were sold and returned on their heads what they did. He sold their children to Judah who sold them to the Sabeans (Joel 3:1-8). Expect God to judge the nations so He could free His people from the world system.

Trust God as Refuge and Stronghold to Bring Life to Your City
Joel told the nations to prepare for war, rouse the warriors for battle, beat plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears. God judged the wicked nations in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The day of the Lord was near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon were darkened and stars no longer shined. The Lord would roar from Zion as a refuge and stronghold for Israel. God dwelled in His holy hill with foreigners never invading Jerusalem again. In that day, mountains dripped new wine, hills flowed with milk and Judah's ravines ran with water. A fountain flowed out of the Lord's house and watered the valley of acacias. Egypt and Edom were desolate because they shed innocent blood in Judah. Judah and Jerusalem would be inhabited forever. God pardoned their bloodguilt (Joel 3:9-21). Trust God as a refuge and stronghold to bring life to your city.

Will you sound the alarm for a sacred assembly in your city?
Are you mourning, fasting and calling upon a loving God?
Do you desire to see God stop the world's scorn of the church?
Are you calling upon God for provision to restore life and remove shame in your life and the church?
Are you calling upon God to pour out His Spirit through increased prophesies, dreams and visions?
Are you calling upon God to bring deliverance and life into your city?

0 Comments

Church Designed to Rebuild Cities (Insights in Prophets)

1/12/2013

0 Comments

The church is God's plan for building healthy cities. Instead of taking personal responsibility, God's people often rely on government and non-profit organizations to solve problems in the city whether it is housing, jobs, violence or social opportunities. Jeremiah encouraged an expanded role for the church in the city by speaking the whole truth of what God commands from Genesis to Revelation in order to seek its peace and prosperity. Only a healthy and obedient church motivated by God's love and repentance bring healing to a city effectively. The law written on the hearts of believers through the New Covenant empowers people to rebuild the city's ruins.

Speak Everything God Commands
God instructed Jeremiah to tell Judah everything He commanded so they would listen and turn from their evil way. If they did not listen to the prophets, He would make Jerusalem an object of cursing among all nations like Shiloh. Everyone including priests and prophets said Jeremiah must die after he prophesied desolation for Jerusalem. He told the officials to reform their ways and actions by obeying God so He would not bring disaster upon them. By killing Jeremiah, they would bring innocent blood upon themselves. Some elders cited Hezekiah who feared and sought the Lord's favor by not killing Micah who warned Jerusalem like Jeremiah (Jer. 26:1-24). Speak everything God commands so the church obeys Him.

Speak Truth Without Lying
God told Jeremiah to put a yoke on his neck. He warned the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon that their countries would either serve Babylon or be destroyed if they did not submit to his yoke. Their prophets communicated lies saying they should not serve Babylon, which would result in ruin instead of life. The prophet Hananiah's told Judah to break the yoke of Babylon since God would bring back the articles of the Lord's house and exiles within two years. Jeremiah said prophets who prophesied peace were recognized as sent by the Lord if his prediction came true. After Hananiah broke the yoke off of Jeremiah's neck, he said God would replace it with a iron yoke on all these nations to make them serve king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Jeremiah told Hananiah that God did not send him even though he persuaded Judah to trust in lies. He died that year because he preached rebellion against God (Jer. 27:1-28:17). Speak truth without lying to obey God even when it is not politically correct.

Seek the Peace and Prosperity of the City
Jeremiah sent letter to exiles in Babylon exhorting them to build houses, plant gardens, marry and have children. They prayed and sought the peace of the city. Their prosperity was tied to the city's. After 70 years in Babylon, God fulfilled His promise to bring them back to Jerusalem. He planned to prosper and not harm them for hope and a future. They prayed so He would listen. They found Him and restored their fortunes when they sought Him with all their heart. The exiles and people in Jerusalem did not listen to God's words. Those who prophesied lies were put to death by Babylon (Jer. 29:1-32). Seek the peace and prosperity of the city where you live knowing God has a hopeful future.

Rebuild Your City As God Makes the Church Healthy
God told Jeremiah to write in a book every word He spoke concerning a time of trouble when He broke Jacob's yoke to serve the Lord. They should not fear since Jacob would have peace, security and salvation. God disciplined them with justice. Their wound was incurable with no one to plead or care for their cause. They had many sins and great guilt, but God restored them to health and healed their wounds being called an outcast. The city was rebuilt on her ruins and their community established before God with thanksgiving. A ruler arose from among them to be close to God. They were His people as He fully accomplished His purposes via His wrath (Jer. 30:1-24). Rebuild your city as God heals wounds and restores the church to health.

Allow God's Love and Repentance Bring Healing of the City
God gave Israel rest as they found favor in the desert. He loved Israel with an eternal love and drew them with lovingkindness. The watchman made their praises heard and asked God to save them. He gathered the blind, lame and expectant mothers from the ends of the earth. They came with weeping and prayer as God led them beside streams of water on a level path. He watched over His flock like a shepherd and redeemed them from those stronger than they. He satisfied the priests with abundance and filled His people with bounty. They went from weeping for children to having their work rewarded. God provided hope for their future as children returned to their land. Their repentance brought compassion from God (Jer. 31:1-20). Allow God's love and repentance of sin motivate the church in healing various parts of your city to bring hope, favor and abundance.

Rely On God's Law Written On Your Heart
When Israel returned to their towns, the Lord created a new thing when a woman surrounded a man. After God restored Judah from captivity, they said the Lord blessed the righteous dwelling as they lived together, refreshed the weary and satisfied the faint. He uprooted, tore down, overthrew, destroyed and brought disaster before building and planting. Everyone was responsible for their own sin. In the future, God made a new covenant with Israel and Judah different than the Mosaic covenant. He put His law in their minds and wrote it on their hearts as their God and His people. Everyone knew the Lord without teaching as God forgave without remembering their sin. Like the sun rising daily, He promised that Israel's descendants continue as a nation. God never rejected Israel's descendants again because of their works. Jerusalem would be rebuilt and holy to the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate never to be uprooted and demolished (Jer. 31:21-40). Rely on God's law written on your heart and mind through the New Covenant.

How will your small group rebuild ruins in the city? Let God speak to you about a simple and realistic project that your group could accomplish trusting Him to empower you.

0 Comments

Mourn Over Your City (Insights in Prophets)

12/7/2012

0 Comments

What can you do when families, churches and cities are breaking apart? It begins with mourning over your situation. Mourn until you love your family, church and city like a nursing child does with his mother. Remember that God continually reveals Himself even when you are pursuing your own thing. Pursue the cultural mandate in seeking God's blessings in practical areas of life (health, housing, work, economy and family life) and the spiritual mandate to make disciples in all the nations realizing that those without Christ will go to a place where the "worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched."

The preparation for this work is seen in Isaiah 61-64 where it instructs you to preach good news to heal captives and pray intensely day and night laying hold of God’s name in asking for His help to transform your family, church and city.

God Continually Reveals Himself
God revealed Himself to those who did not seek Him. He held out His hands to a people who pursued their own imaginations, burned incense on altars of brick, ate unclean meat and asked God to stay away. He punished them for their sin and their fathers' sin. He brought descendants from Jacob and Judah who sought Him so they could possess and inherit His mountains. He killed those who forsook the Lord when they spread a table for Fortune and filled bowls of mixed wine for Destiny (Is. 65:1-12). God continually reveals Himself to you but judges those who forsake Him,

Seek God's Blessing (Cultural Mandate)
God said His servants ate, drank, rejoiced and sang but they went hungry with anguish of heart and broken in spirit. He gave His servants another name. They invoked a blessing in the land by the God of truth who forgot past troubles. He created a new heavens and new earth where former things were not remembered. God created Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. He rejoiced over Jerusalem and delighted in His people who no longer wept. Infants did not die and the elderly lived to an old age. They built and lived in houses while planting and eating the fruit of vineyards so they enjoyed the works of their hands instead of others. They did not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune but became a people blessed by God. The wolf and lamb fed together, the lion ate straw like the ox and the serpent ate dust (Is. 65:13-25). Seek God's blessing in all practical areas of life to transform the environment.

Respond to God's Word Humbly
The Lord said heaven was His throne and the earth His footstool, but asked where they would build His house and resting place since He made everything. God esteemed the humble in spirit who trembled at His word. Those who worshiped an idol chose and delighted in their own ways leading to harsh treatment and dread. When He called no one answered and when He spoke no one listened (Is. 66:1-4). Respond to God's word with a humble heart.

Mourn Over Your City
Those who trembled at His word were hated and excluded by their brothers because of His name. They were put to shame when God repaid His enemies. While Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children like a country born in a day. Those who mourned over Jerusalem should rejoice and love her. They nursed and were satisfied at her comforting breasts while delighting in her overflowing abundance (Is. 66:5-11). Mourn over your city until you love her like a nursing child.

Receive Peace, Wealth and Comfort
God extended peace to Jerusalem like a river and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream. He comforted them over Jerusalem like a mother with her child. God revealed Himself to His servants and judged His enemies with flames of fire (Is. 66:12-16). Receive peace, wealth and comfort when God reveals Himself and judges your enemies.

Make Disciples in All Nations (Spiritual Mandate)

All nations and tongues saw His glory. God sent some to the nations of Tarshish, Libya, Lydia, Tubal, Greece and distant islands who had not heard of His fame or seen His glory. They proclaimed His glory among the nations. They brought all their brothers from all nations to His holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to Him like grain offerings. God selected some as priests and Levites (Is. 66:12-21). Make disciples in all nations by proclaiming His glory and equipping disciplemakers.

Consider Eternal Outcome
Their name endured like the new heavens and new earth. All mankind bowed down to God in every season. They looked upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against Him. Their worm did not die and their fire was not quenched so all mankind would be disgusted (Is. 66:22-24). Consider the eternal outcome of those who rebel against God.

Do you believe that people are eternally separated from God if they don't have Jesus Christ? Are you grieving over the devastation you see in families, churches and cities? Then mourn until it motivates you to pray. Gather others to pray with you. Then watch what God will do in raising up disciples among various niches and cultural spheres!

0 Comments

How to Experience Blessings in Your City (Insights in Prophets)

11/26/2012

0 Comments

To experience blessings in your city, first seek God's thoughts and ways, pray for all nations with other believers, be humble to experience His promises, meet needs of the poor, practice biblical truth through Spirit-led intercession and confession of sin, receive back children, material riches and favor to possess the land forever.

Seek God’s Thoughts and Ways to Bear Spiritual Fruit
Isaiah asked the thirsty with no money to come to the waters so they could buy wine and milk without cost. Why spend money on what was not bread and labor on what did not satisfy? If they ate what was good, their soul would live by delighting in the richest of fare through God's loving covenant promised to David. They attracted nations as a witness and leader because of His splendor. They turned to the Lord for pardon while the evil forsook his way and thoughts. Like the heavens above the earth, God's thoughts and ways were higher than theirs. His word yielded seed for the sower and bread for the eater to accomplish God's will and purpose. They went out in joy and peace bearing fruit for His renown (Is. 55:1-13). Seek God's thoughts and ways to bear spiritual fruit.

Pray for All Nations with Other Believers
God's salvation and righteousness was revealed to anyone, including the foreigner, if they kept the Sabbath and His covenant by serving, loving and worshiping Him. They received a memorial and an eternal name better than sons and daughters. God brought them to His holy mountain and gave them joy in His house of prayer. He accepted their burnt offerings and sacrifices on His altars since it was called a house of prayer for all nations. Israel's watchmen were blind, lacked knowledge and loved to sleep with unsatisfied appetites. Shepherds lacked understanding, turned to their own way and sought their own gain (Is. 56:1-12). Pray for all nations with other believers.

Be Humble to Experience His Promises, Revival and Peace
The righteous died to be spared from evil and enter into peace. God's people as offspring of adulterers and liars burned with lust and sacrificed their children to idolatry. Their strength was renewed even as they forgot God because of His silence. Their idols could not benefit or save them. But a man who made God His refuge inherited the land and possessed His holy mountain. Even though God lived in a high and holy place, He identified with the humble and lowly in spirit to revive their heart and remove obstacles. God would heal and comfort those with sinful greed and willful ways so they could experience peace. It was impossible for the wicked to have peace (Is. 57:1-21). Be humble to experience His promises, revival and peace.

Meet Need of Poor by Raising Up Foundations, Repairing Broken Walls and Restoring Dwellings
Tell Israel about their sins even though it appeared they did what was right. God did not see their humility and fasting because they exploited their workers and quarreled with one another. God heard their prayers when they loosed the chains of injustice, untied the cords of the yoke, set the oppressed free and broke every yoke. If they shared food with the hungry, provided shelter to the poor wanderer, clothed the naked and supported others, their light broke forth like the dawn, healing quickly appeared, righteousness went before them and God's glory was their rear guard. The Lord answered prayer immediately. By putting away the yoke of oppression, malicious talk, spending themselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfying the needs of the oppressed, their light rose in the darkness and their night became like noonday. The Lord guided them always, satisfied their needs and strengthened their frame to be a well-watered garden and spring whose waters never failed. They were called the Repairer of Broken Walls and Restorer of Streets with Dwellings when they rebuild the ancient ruins and raised up the age-old foundations (Is. 58:1-14).Meet needs of the poor by raising up foundations, repairing broken walls and restoring dwellings.

Practice Biblical Truth Through Spirit-Led Intercession and Confession of Sin
Sin separated and hid Israel from God so He would not hear. Blood stained their hands, lips spoke lies and their tongue muttered wickedness. Instead of calling for justice or pleading their case with integrity, they relied on empty arguments and spoke lies that birthed ruin and destruction without peace. Justice, righteousness, light and deliverance were far away because truth was nowhere to be found. It displeased the Lord there was no justice. He was appalled there was no one to intercede. God put on righteousness as His breastplate, the helmet of salvation on His head and the garments of vengeance to repay wrath to His enemies so men everywhere would fear His name and revere His glory. When the enemy came in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord put him to flight. The Redeemer came to Zion when Jacob repented of their sins. God's Spirit put His words in their mouths, their children and descendants from this time on and forever (Is. 59:1-21). Practice biblical truth through Spirit-led intercession and confession of sin.

Receive Back Children, Riches and Favor from Former Enemies
God's glory rose upon them so nations came to their light and kings to the brightness of their dawn. When their sons and daughters came from afar, their heart swelled with joy. Gold and incense came from Sheba proclaiming God's praise. Islands looked to Him as they brought Israel's sons from afar with silver and gold for the honor of God. Foreigners rebuild their walls and kings served them. Their gates always stood open so men could bring the wealth of the nations. Former despisers bowed down and called them The City of the Lord, Zion of the Holy One of Israel (Is. 60:1-14). Receive back children, material riches and favor from former enemies.

Experience Joy and Prosperity from the Lord to Possess the Land Forever In His Time
From forsaken and hated to eternal pride and joy among all generations so they would know that the Lord was their Savior, Redeemer and Mighty One of Jacob. Instead of bronze, He brought gold, silver in place of iron, bronze instead of wood and iron instead of stones. He made peace their governor and righteousness their ruler. Instead of violence, ruin or destruction, they called their walls Salvation and gates Praise. The Lord was their eternal light and God their glory that ended their sorrow. All their people would be righteous to possess the land forever. The least would become a thousand and the smallest a mighty nation. In its time the Lord would do this swiftly (Is. 60:15-22). Experience pride, joy, prosperity, salvation and praise from the Lord to possess the land forever in His time.

Humble yourself to pray for all nations and confess sin with other believers while meeting needs of the poor so you can experience pride, joy, prosperity, salvation and praise from the Lord in His time to possess the land.

0 Comments

How to Confront Spiritual Problems in Your City (Insights in Prophets)

3/27/2012

0 Comments

A congregation rallied other churches in a college town to pray downtown during an annual Halloween festival that brought 25,000 revelers resembling Mardis Gras with its drunkenness and sensuality. Police broke up fights, arrested out-of-control people, and hoped that a riot would not erupt. The cost for the clean up was nearly $100,000. Churches prayed together and worship teams sang praise songs in a gazebo in the center of downtown. The Holy Spirit descended and those who mocked and danced began to cry. Prayer team members walked up and led them to the Lord. Today, the church has a ministry to the police force and intercessors are present at every city council meeting. This is one example of what spiritual leaders can do when they confront a city's spiritual problem by working together in unity to build a dwelling place for God (Ps. 132-133). These same principles are illustrated in the history of Israel and Judah through their evil and righteous kings.

Abijam became Judah's king, walked in his father's sins and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God like David. The Lord established Jerusalem because David obeyed God except with Uriah. War continued between Rehoboam and Jeroboam in addition to Abijam and Jeroboam all during his life (1 Kings 15:1-8). God builds up a city when its civic and religious leaders' hearts obey Him.

Asa reigned 41 years in Jerusalem and did right in God's sight like David. He removed male cult prostitutes, idols his fathers made and Maacah his mother who made an Asherah. He did not remove the high places, but Asa's heart was completely devoted to the Lord (1 Kings 15:9-15). Obedient civic and religious leaders remove idols from the land.

Asa and Baasha king of Israel had war all their days. Baasha fortified Ramah so no one could meet with Asa king of Judah. Asa made a treaty with Ben-hadad king of Aram so he would break his treaty with Baasha to force him to withdraw. When Baasha ceased building Ramah, Judah carried away Ramah's stones and timber that were used to build Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah (1 Kings 15:16-24). Obedient civic and religious leaders carry on spiritual warfare through prayer to defeat obstacles and provide resources in building their cities.

Nadab son of Jeroboam became Israel's king and did evil, walked in the way of his father and made Israel sin. Baasha killed Nadab and reigned in his place. He struck down everyone in Jeroboam's household, according to God's word spoken to Ahijah because of Jeroboam's sins. There was war between Asa and Baasha all their days. Baasha did evil, walked in the way of Jeroboam and made Israel sin (1 Kings 15:25-34). God severely judges evil leaders who influence people to sin.

Jehu prophesied God's anger against Baasha while exalted as leader over Israel after he followed Jeroboam's sin. God consumed Baasha's house like Jeroboam where animals would eat their dead bodies. Elah the son of Baasha became king and was killed by his servant Zimri while drunk. Zimri became king and killed all of Baasha's household according to God's word because of their sin, which made Israel sin with their idols (1 Kings 16:1-14). Spiritual men prophesy God's word in confronting idolatry in the community.

Zimri reigned seven days and Israel made Omri, commander of the army, king over Israel. Zimri committed suicide by burning the king's house over him with fire. The people were divided between Omri and Tibni, but Omri prevailed and Tibni died. Omri bought the hill Samaria and named the city, Samaria. He acted more wickedly than all the kings before him (1 Kings 16:15-28). Evil and idolatry in the community grow worse if godly leaders don't act.

Ahab son of Omri did more evil than all before him. He married Jezebel, daughter of the king of the Sidonians. He made the Asherah and erected an altar for Baal that he built in Samaria. He did more to provoke God than all the kings of Israel before him. Hiel built Jericho and laid its foundations with the loss of his first-born and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son according to the God's word spoken to Joshua (1 Kings 16:29-34). Evil leaders disobey God's word and suffer severe consequences to their families.

God severely judges evil leaders who influence people to sin instead of confronting a city's spiritual problem by building a dwelling place for God like David. Use a chiastic structure beginning with the first paragraph: A, B, C, D, C', B' A'. We group together the content in A & A', B & B', etc.:
1. God builds a city when its civic and religious leaders' hearts obey Him, but it suffers consequences when His word is disobeyed
2. Evil and idolatry grow worse if godly leaders don't remove idols from the community
3. Obedient civic and religious leaders prophesy God's word and pray together in unity to confront spiritual problems, defeat obstacles and provide resources in building a dwelling place for God in their cities

0 Comments

How To Make a Difference In Your City (Insights in Law)

1/31/2011

0 Comments

A person can't predict how God might use them. Tough times may seem to disqualify you from effective service. It's those frustrating and seemly "wasted" circumstances that God redeems for ministry in your city. Joseph thought his life was over while serving prison time for a crime he didn't commit. Two years later, he unexpectedly gets a call from Pharaoh or the president of Egypt. What unexpected opportunity is God preparing for you that taps into your experiences, passion and gifts in serving your city? Learning the principles of preparation, prerequisites and product of successful city ministry will equip you in making a difference.

Preparation for Successful City Ministry
After two years, Pharaoh dreamt that seven ugly cows ate seven fat cows and seven thin ears were swallowed up by seven plump ears. No one, including all the Egyptian magicians and wise men, could interpret the dream, which troubled him (Gen. 41:1-8). Sense of need among key leaders opens doors and opportunities for city ministry.

The chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and told Pharaoh that he interpreted dreams accurately. The cupbearer was restored to office and baker hanged as Joseph predicted (Gen. 41:9-13). God sovereignly uses tough experiences and your gifting to serve Him strategically in the city.

When Pharaoh told Joseph that he heard about his ability to interpret dreams, the latter answered, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer." Pharaoh shared his dream with Joseph and said no one could explain it to him (Gen. 41:14-24). Listen to God and do what He says because ministry is not about you.

Prerequisites for Successful City Ministry
Joseph told Pharaoh that his two dreams revealed identical messages in emphasizing what God was about to do: seven years of great abundance in Egypt followed by seven years of famine. Repeating the dream twice meant God determined to bring about the events quickly. Joseph encouraged Pharaoh to look for a wise and discerning man to set over Egypt who could appoint overseers to exact a fifth of the land's produce during the seven abundant years to hold in reserve for the seven lean years, which would sustain people during famine (Gen. 41:25-36). God gives insights and strategies to influence leaders so they promote the welfare of the city's people.

The proposal seemed good to Pharaoh and he determined Joseph was the wise and discerning man to become secretary of agriculture or second in command in all of Egypt. Joseph was given the daughter of Potiphera priest of On, as his wife (Gen. 41:37-45). Sharing truths without drawing attention to yourself has the greatest potential to be adopted by those in authority.

The food Joseph gathered during the seven years of plenty that was stored in every city came from the surrounding fields in great abundance until he stopped measuring it (Gen. 41:46-49). Diligent preparation and executing strategy to serve local needs ensure success.

Before the year of famine, two sons were born to Joseph: Manasseh (God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household) and Ephraim (God has made me fruitful in land of my affliction) (Gen. 41:50-52). God prioritizes inner healing and spiritual character over ministry competency.

Product of Successful City Ministry
Seven years of severe famine came after seven plentiful years in all the lands, but in Egypt there was bread, which Joseph sold to the Egyptians and all the earth (Gen. 41:53-57). Obeying God in performing your ministry leads to worldwide impact in solving society's real problems.

Answer these questions:
1. What tough experiences have you gone through (character and passion development)?
2. If you could do anything in your life and not have to worry about money, what would it be (passion)?
3. What are your primary gifts?
4. Do you notice any alignment between the answers to the above three questions?
5. Prayerfully consider the preparation, prerequisites and product of successful city ministry listed above along with timing to determine when, where and how God might be leading in serving Him in your city.

0 Comments

Steps to Bringing Life to Your City (Insights in Prophets)

Church Designed to Rebuild Cities (Insights in Prophets)

Mourn Over Your City (Insights in Prophets)

How to Experience Blessings in Your City (Insights in Prophets)

How to Confront Spiritual Problems in Your City (Insights in Prophets)

How To Make a Difference In Your City (Insights in Law)

Archives

Categories