"THE KEYS TO A FRUITFUL MINISTRY"
Dr. Dennis Deese
ACTS 16:9-15
Without question, the Apostle Paul had a very fruitful and successful ministry (Note the words taken from Acts 16:5) .
Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
16:5 ESTABLISHED - 4732 stereoo {ster-eh-o’-o} It’s translated three times: receive strength 1 (Acts 3:7), make strong 1 (Acts 3:16) , and establish 1; 3. To make solid, make firm, strengthen, to make strong.
16:5 FAITH - 4102 pistis {pis’-tis} conviction of the truth of anything, have confidence; conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith.
The primary preposition of believe is (1537) {ek or ex} and it denotes origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause;).
16:5 INCREASED - 4052 perisseuo {per-is-syoo’-o} "Abounding" is used of a flower going from a bud to full bloom.
I believe that the verses before us give us some of the keys that led to his wonderfully success. There are at least four keys to a fruitful ministry in this passage. There is the key of:
I. PURITY 16:15 "Faithful to the Lord"
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
2Co 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
There are four words that will concisely define the means for purity.
A. Caution
1 Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
De 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;
De 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
Lu 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares.
Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
1Co 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
B. Closeness
Joh 15:4-5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
C. Confession
I Jn 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
D. Cleansing
Jo 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Ps 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word.
Ps 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
II. PERSISTENCE 9:6-9 "they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia"
What areas are essential to assure us of a fruitful ministry? We need to be persistent in these essential areas and in this sequential order:
A. Spiritual Growth
B. Sincere Commitment
C. Submissive Obedience
III. PERCEPTION 9:9-10 "a vision appeared to Paul"
What are the steps to a spiritual vision?
A. Conception - birth 9:9 "a vision appeared to Paul"
B. Clarification - analyzation 9:10 "Assuredly gathering"
C. Cultivation - development 9:10 "Immediately we endeavored"
D. Communication - support
E. Commencement - pursuit 9:10 "Immediately we endeavored to go"
F. Continuation - confirmation
IV. PRAYER 16:13 "Where prayer want to be made"
A prayerful:
A. Discipline - obedience
B. Dependancy - need
C. Desire - worship
V. POWER 16:14 "whose heart the Lord opened"
We are in need of the threefold power of God: His:
A. Serving power (the power of God on you - anointing & enabling power)
B. Saving power (the power to change people’s lives for eternity)
C. Sanctifying power (the power to set people and places apart for God’s glory)
