MAKING IMPACT IN GOD’S KINGDOM.
STUDY TEXT: Act 11:22-30
Acts 11:22-30:
22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.
24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.
25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.
28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.
Certain qualities were seen in the life of Barnabas, that made him to have a great impact in the kingdom of God. These qualities must be delligently pursued by any one who want to make a noticeable and acceptable impact in God’s kingdom.
The following qualities were observed in Barnabas:
1. When the church needed to send somebody, he was found as a reliable and trustworthy person.
2. A man that will rejoice in great things done by others.
3. A man who is close to God and desire others to come closer to him.
4. A man whose ministry expanded the kingdom of God.
5. A man with great interest in a new convert, and will labour to develop them.
6. A faithful man in church meeting and activities.
7. A man of great integrity, trusted with even financial and material things.
These qualities were seen and made possible in Barnabas because:
1. HE WAS A GOOD MAN.
- There are two ways of looking at a good man.
1. Character: A man can be said to be good if he is well behaved. A good man is a man of good character, a honest and reliable person with good interpersonal relationships.
2. Skill: A man can be said to be good if he is skilled and put excellence to what he does.
A. CHARACTER
- Your greatest impact is not in what you teach or say, but in who you are.
- Your greatest weapon of impact is your lifestyle or your character.
- Our lives preach louder than our sermons.
- Both character and charisma are needed, but the foundation is character.
- Living by the truth, honesty, integrity and transparency. 1 Peter 1:15-16
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
- We need to daily humble ourselves in fervent prayer to be sanctified, refined and purified.
- We should not be enticed by inordinate desire for success: fame, money, large congregation, that we care nothing about our true condition.
Features of the Good life.
1. Yieldedness to God: surrender all to the will of God . Romans 12:1-2:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
- The war against self is the greatest war confronting us.
2. Being clothed with humility: God will always give more grace to a man of humility so that he can do greater things in the will of God, while a proud man will be resisted.
3. Possessing love : Genuine love towards God and that will manifest as love towards mankind.
- That is pure, peaceable, easy to be entreated, and showing forth of God fruits. Matthew 22:37-40:
- Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
- 38 This is the first and great commandment.
- 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
- 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
4. Disciplined both at home and outside.
- We must live as role models that people can emulate and follow us and not miss God.
- Guide jealously your hour of prayer and bible study and self-examination let nothing compete with them.
- These are the factors determining how far you can go in your walk with God and your work for Him. This is where you receive spiritual strength and favour with God.
B. SKILL OR COMPETENCE
- You must strife to become skillful in what you have been called to do.
1. Catch clear revelation of what you have been called to do.
- Vision must be clearly defined. It comes as revelation, passion, burden, ideas and instructions.
2. Prayerfully seek divine strategy.
- You have to be open to the Holy Spirit to guide you in what to do and the best way you can go about it. Depending on your own knowledge, strength or experience will result in failure or unacceptable success.
3. Be structured – Get God’s structure.
- You can only do what you have to do in the kingdom of God with the standards and specifications of God, nothing more or less than that will not be acceptable unto Him and may attract His wrath. Saul was asked to destroy all the Amalekites, but he thought some good things should be reserved as sacrifice unto God, rather than commendation, he received condemnation.
4. Engage in life improvement action.
- Study, attend courses, seminars and conferences.
- Life improvement is a lifelong journey.
- Learn from others, from your mistakes and experiences.
- Read books and materials, seek information, ask questions, seek counsels and receive mentoring.
5. Be creative: creativity is the spice of life.
- Engage in thinking through what you do.
- Thinkers are finder. You will receive or discover ideas that can bring improvement on what you do.
- Visit what others are doing and get ideas for improvement, receive challenges for greatness but don’t be a copy cat.
6. Make room for change: life is dynamic.
- The true evidence of growth is change. There can be no growth without change.
- Change is inevitable if you will remain relevant in what you do and in the programme of God.
- There must be a process of review and revision of what you do, and recognize when to make appropriate changes for progress, without change stagnancy is imminent.
7. Pursue Excellence: Ask for the spirit of excellence . Isaiah 11:1-3:
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
- Do whatever you choose to do with the best of your ability.
- Have hatred for mediocrity; don’t follow the multitude, raise a good standard for yourself.
- Daily little, little improvement in what you do is the key to excellence.
- Excellence is the hallmark of God’s work . Philippians 4:8-9:
- Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
8. Commit to faithful men : 2 Timothy 2:2
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
- Delegate, don’t try to do everything alone, try to see some good qualities in others and encouraged them to do some things for you where it is feasible and necessary.
- Don’t hands off. People don’t do what you expect, they do what you inspect.
2. FULL OF THE HOLY GHOST.
- The mighty third person of the God head.
- The executors of God’s purposes.
- He is the initiator and enabler and director of kingdom work.
- The minister must operate completely in the power of the Holy Spirit. He empowers the work. Acts 1:8
- But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
- Growth is the act of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:17-18:
- And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
3. FULL OF FAITH.
- It is our faith that releases the grace of God.
- Whatever we can believe God for truly, God releases his grace or ability to accomplish. Romans 4:16-22:
- Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
