When Leaders Lack Support

In Search of Timothy: Traits of Great Supportive Ministers

By Tony Cooke

God the Father and Jesus are perfect in every way. Yet, both encountered problems in their leadership. Were their problems the result of poor leadership or poor follower-ship? The reality: Even great leaders cannot achieve optimum results without good follower-ship.

When Leaders Lack Support

Pastors often feel pressure because they do not have enough help. This problem is not new. Moses complained to the Lord: “I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me” (Numbers 11:14).¹

Paul was a great leader, but he did not always have the help he needed. Writing to Timothy, he said, “For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:20,21).

Even great leaders cannot produce great followers without cooperation. Had it been solely up to Paul, he would have generated dozens of Timothys. Many leaders have compelling assignments from God, but they struggle because potential helpers are consumed with seeking their own and will not help carry the leader’s vision.

No One Else Like Timothy

Paul needed a representative — someone to reflect his heart. A hireling would not meet the need. This person must genuinely care for and serve the best interests of others. Paul had only one person available and capable of doing this — Timothy.

Paul described Timothy as “like-minded,” a word meaning equal soul. Timothy knew and shared Paul’s heart, values, priorities, purpose, convictions, and attitudes. 

Timothy was not self-promoting or self-willed. He had no personal agenda; this is what made him so valuable to the apostle Paul. He wanted to serve God by helping Paul. 

How tragic that Timothy’s attitude was an exception when it should have been the norm.

Wealth is God's will for you!

Bishop McIver's blog 10 – 26 - 07
Deuteronomy 8:18 - Proverbs 3:9 ,10–Psalms 66:10-12–Luke 6:38-3 John 3:2

I believe that a time of great financial blessing is on the way to the Lord’s people!

It's ok if you talk about salvation: soul winning and the second coming of Christ. But the moment you open your mouth and mention money, you are almost immediately labeled a false prophet. There are groups around operating under the guise of Christianity who believe their ministry is to watch and expose ministries who raise large amounts of money (they especially watch and expose Pentecostals and Charismatics). These groups who are watching, are themselves sending out letters and making appeals for financial support. My question is; who is watching those who say, they are watchers? I have come to conclude that they are doing more harm than they are good. The enemies of the cross love these groups because they are hindering and casting doubt on those who are advancing the Kingdom Christ!

The Old and New Testament are filled with scriptures revealing that it is God’s will for His people to not only be saved from sin, but; be blessed financially. He has said that; He gives us power to get wealth and then He named the kind of wealth He is referring to (Deuteronomy 8:1-20, especially verse 18). It was not just spiritual wealth; it was financial and material wealth. There are many other scriptures throughout the Bible that reveals God’s will to bless us financially. The fact that there are those who have abused financial prosperity does not negate the truth of God’s will to bless His people financially. Instead of sending money all over the country to everyone who makes an appeal for money, every believer need to think first and give in a responsible manner.

The enemies and opposers of Christ and His kingdom would love to stop the advancement of the kingdom of Christ. Christ and His kingdom is the most feared Kingdom on the face of the earth! Why? Because it strikes a blow against the wickedness that’s in our heart and demand that we walk in Christ love! If the enemies of Christ can stop the cash flow from getting to those who preach the Kingdom of God: they have succeeded. God’s Kingdom of authority and love must be propagated and it is our responsibility to finance it. Therefore, the Lord has no problem with His people having plenty of money so that they are able to finance His cause.

It has been asked millions of times; why do people get so offended when a minister, or anyone talks about financial prosperity? Because, these mockers and attackers have serious issues of the heart. Through the years, I have observed that for the most part; the ones who launch these attacks are the one who are doing nothing, have nothing, give nothing and are jealous of those who are otherwise! Many of these people have had serious mental and emotion problems. They would never admit to it, but they have never been delivered from past anger, bitterness, resentment, abuse, rejection, hatred and much more.

These “watch groups” have become very slick in their money raising efforts; they have found a way to capitalize financially by supposedly exposing those who are raising large sums of money, but at the same time, they are raising money. It does not bother me that the “watch groups” are raising money for a cause. What’s troubling is: instead of preaching Christ and establishing the Kingdom of God, their cause is to oppose the one who are advancing the Kingdom of Christ.

What should the believer do when faced with situations like this? Study the scriptures and know the will of God for yourself. Don’t just take my word or anyone else’s, word, know the word and will of God for yourself! Regardless of what you are currently experiencing, is it God’s will for you to be poor, not be able to pay your bills, can’t buy clothes for your children and can’t support His Kingdom; or is it His will for you to be wealthy so that you may support the Kingdom of God, feed your family, drive a nice car and pay your mortgage? Don’t be influenced by criticism; be influenced by the word of God.

Blessings,

Bishop Jim McIver

www.lovehaitischildren.com
www.revchurch.cc

THE PRAYER OF FAITH SHALL SAVE THE SICK!

THE PRAYER OF FAITH SHALL SAVE THE SICK!

When we pray, we must be sure that we are praying specifically and correctly.  If we are not praying correctly, there will be no answer.  Always pray according to God's word and God's will.

As a matter of fact, we should just pray the word of God!  When you pray the word of God, you are praying the will of God because God's word is His will!  The word of God has it's own ability, it's own authority and it's own life!   When you speak and pray the word of God, you are speaking and praying life!  When you pray and speak the word of God, the answer is imminent! 

There are prayers that the Lord cannot answer, such as, God please heal me!

The reason He cannot answer that prayer?  He has already healed you!

We must quit praying and asking the Lord to do what He has already done!  You will never have a need that the Lord has not already supplied!  If you need it, it has been supplied!  It just takes faith to receive it and you have faith!   

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SICK AND FOR THOSE PRAYING FOR THE SICK...
Have the sick person to repent of their sins.  Minister the healing Word of God to the sick to develop faith in them.  Lay hands on the sick, rebuke the sickness, bind the sickness, curse the sickness and disease at the root. Be specific of what you are rebuking, binding and cursing.  Call it by name.  Speak with authority, loudly and command it to "go" in Jesus Name!

As you are laying hands on the sick, loose the Miracle healing power of God in their body. Believe that the Holy Spirit is manifesting miracle healing in their body as you are praying.

Have the sick person to receive and confess their miracle healing by faith.  Give thank to God for the miracle healing even if you are in pain!

Faith is not what you feel.  Faith is what you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth!

Your faith will destroy that infirmity!

Never allow yourself to say, I am sick......

We must know what Christ has provided for us and give thanks for that provision until it manifest!  Hold fast to your confession of the promises until the promise is fulfilled!  Faith is the substance and evidence of healing until healing manifest!

Faith fills the gap and becomes whatever is needed until whatever is needed manifest and burst forth!

Isaiah 53:5... By His stripes, WE WERE HEALED!! 

The Place Of God!

I was at the airport, heading for North Carolina.  It had been raining, it was dreary and overcast.  Visibility was not good at all.  We boarded the plane, the pilot taxied out to the run way and we waited our turn for take off.  The pilot keep the engine revved up all along the way.  Finally, our plane was cleared for take off.  The pilot revved up the engines full throttle and down the runway we went.  As we were ascending, the pilot came on and said we would be ascending to 38,000 feet.

Usually when I get on the plane, I adjusted my body as well as possible and go off to dream land. On this trip, I was sitting next to the isle and there was no-one next to me, I loved it!

As I was about to close my eyes, it got really bright outside. It was a little bumpy as we were ascending through the clouds, but in only a few minutes there it was, the sun, as bright as ever. I sat right up, had some awesome thoughts, got my pen and paper out and began to write. I thought, it is amazing how clear it is up here. What a difference a few minutes and being on the right vehicle can make!  Up here, the sun is out (It’s always shining somewhere) and it is as clear as can be, but down below it is still damp, overcast and dreary. 

God spoke to me to tell His people to quit stressing over their gloomy, overcast situations and come up on another level where you belong (Ephesians 1:19-23; Ephesians 2:4, 5).  God is always the same, Many times He is just on a different level than we are. He is trying to get us to take our relationship and experience with Him on the level He is on, His yoke is easy. 

Just as that plane’s engines were revved up and it took effort to get to 38,000 feet, it’s the same way with us. We have to get our spiritual engines revved up in the word of God, prayer, praise and worship.  Make no mistakes my friend, it takes effort to move to a higher place.

I've heard people say, I am not growing, I am not satisfied, I am not feeling God!  Maybe so, but it is your responsibility to move to another level. Even if you are in a Spirit filled, word preaching church, don’t blame the Church or your leader for your problems or lack of growth. You have to contact the air traffic controller (Holy Spirit) and get clearance to move to another level that has less turbulence. Sometimes you may have to go ten thousand feet higher to get above the storm and the overcast. You must do something about your situation! 

Some people get depressed because they think and do the same things over and over, but expect a different results.  That insanity!  Jude 20 and Ephesians 5:19 says; speak, sing and make melody to yourself.  Philippians 4: 8, 9 even tells us what to think on.  It doesn't get any better than that!  If you start stressing, getting uptight and the pressure starts building, stop! Ask yourself; am I putting the word of God in action with a positive confession? Am I putting forth effort to move to another place?  If you are not, you must change your focus from your trouble to your praise!

Sometimes we may think that someone else has to change or our circumstance has to change. There are times when God will use the circumstances to change us. Once we are changed, we will change our circumstance!

Are you praising, singing, worshiping, declaring the Word of God and speaking to yourself to ascend to a higher place where there is less turbulence?  Go ahead, rev up your Spiritual engine!  Your praise, worship, singing and declarations of faith will give you clearance and move you above the gloomy overcast, through the clouds, above the turbulence and to the place of God!  In His presence is fullness!!

Escaping Satan's Subtle Traps

Three critical times of the believer’s life.

1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

#1. Matthew 2:13-15 - Your most vulnerable moment is when you are young in Christ.

Christ is our example in each incident. Herod (enemy) tried to destroy Christ when He was young and seemingly vulnerable. Christ had parents who watched over His Life. Every believer needs spiritual parents/leaders. These principles are the same today. As a young believer, it is imperative that you stay as close to the altar and to your leader as possible. Be consistent in church attendance. Be filled with the Holy Ghost, spend time in prayer and spend time in the Bible like it is the last words you will ever hear. If you will stay saved, you must avoid ungodly influences (1 Corinthians 15:33). You must separate yourself from those who refuse to walk with God (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). After you have grown in Christ, you will have plenty of chances to witness to old friends and relatives.

As a young believer the enemy will seek to overwhelm you with pride or pity or the ways of the old life. I say young believers, but there are those who have been saved 10 or 15 years, but are still immature in the things of God. Before Christ came into your life, you were independent, selfish, rebellious, stubborn and opinionated. These kinds of attitudes will try to linger after your salvation experience. They will seek to hinder your walk with the Lord. As a believer, you must be humble, submitted, loving and kind. A word in season: Stay connected to your leaders!

#2. Luke 4:1-13 - Your greatest temptation could be directly after Holy Spirit baptism.

Christ is the example in this incident. When you receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost you will have power! Holy Spirit baptism does not mean that you have finally arrived. It means that you are just getting started! You will have gifts that you have no clue how to use. You must be humble and learn about the Holy Spirit within you. You must spend time with the Holy Spirit and learn His way, His wisdom, His direction and His administrations. This level of the Spirit realm attracts an attack from the enemy. Be aware of sensual and fleshy desires that seem to be from God, but are not.

Be aware of subtle manipulations of evil spirits to keep you from the presence of God or to get you to over spiritualize everything or to get you to use the gifts before you understand their administration. You must avoid pride and arrogance. Pride comes before the fall. Stay open to teaching/training from your spiritual parents/leaders. Receive correction as perfection, not rejection.

#3. John 6:14-17 - your greatest deception may be when God really begin to use you.

Christ is the example in this incident. Your greatest ministry is not preaching, singing, casting out devils or healing the sick. Your greatest ministry is ministering to the Lord and being an example and person of integrity; Job 2:7-10.

It is possible that a spirit of deception will try to force you to take on a role/identity that has not been assigned to you and to believe that you are someone that you are not. You are somebody! Just be confident in the “you” that God has created! The enemy will try to give you a false identity. Know who you are in Christ. Know your calling and gifting. Keep your calling and gifting submitted to your spiritual parents/leaders in the local church.

There were people who saw the miracles of Jesus and wanted to force an earthly position on Him.  The position the people wanted to force on Jesus was less than the one He already possessed!  Jesus knew that His kingdom was not of this realm.  When He perceived that men would come and force Him to be a natural King, He changed His location and got alone with the Father.  If people try to fill your head with great words of who you are and what you can do and where you can go, beware!  It may be God, or it may not be Him.  Check out prophetic words and motives with your spiritual parents/leaders.  Learn to be confident in who you are and stay where the Lord has assigned you.  The place of your assignment and leadership will provide love, nurture, guidance, protection, counsel and Holy Ghost Life!   

If your being used causes you to become unstable, disrupting your marriage, family, finances and leaving the covering you have been assigned to, you are being used (but not of God)! Never conjure up the belief or be deceived into believing that “your” ministry is more important than your marriage or your family. If this happens, it is time to get alone with God, talk with your spiritual parents/leaders and take some time off for reflections and corrections. It may be time to put aside all of your aspirations, take a look at your life and see who is Lord. God’s anointing will only sit on the identity He has established, in the place He has assigned you to. Fear not, there will be plenty of needs to be met after a period time off.

The devil’s finest moment is when he can deceive you into acting out someone you are not because it looks glamorous. If you are a teacher, be articulate, but a humble teacher. If God uses you in the healing gifts, get as many people healed as possible and give Him the glory. If you are used in the prophetic gifts, do so and keep your feet on the ground and your head out of the clouds! God did not give us gifts that we would be attracted to the gifts. He gave us gifts to attract our attention and that of others that He could win us to Himself!

Our finest moment is when God has used us, yet we remain humble in our gifting, abilities and identity giving Him the glory!

I Will Not Fear!

I want to expose a spirit that is more dangerous than any sickness, disease, poverty or sin. It derails destinies, causes depression and stress and accelerates sickness and disease.

This spirit will try to convince you that you are lost, broke, sick, and will never do better! Many people don’t recognize it for what it is or for what it does.

I am talking about the spirit of fear.  Fear is a latent spirit that manifests itself in times of crisis. You can read of an example of this truth in Mark 4:35-41.  The disciples were fine until a storm arose and then that latent spirit of fear manifested itself.  They were torment by fear.

Latent means;present but not visible, apparent, or actualized; existing as potential: remaining in an inactive or hidden phase; dormant; existing in unconscious or dormant form but potentially able to achieve expression: dormant or undeveloped.

That spirit attacks the mind and the emotions in times of crisis.  If a crisis occurs in your life and negative thoughts and emotions try to overwhelm you, you have just discovered something that may have been there all along, a spirit of fear.  Fear is a dangerous, tormenting spirit that, if allowed, will blind a person to the word of God and to faith that causes us to overcome!  If you ever have an experience of this kind, do something about it.  If YOU do nothing about it, it will control your thought and your emotions when adversity arises.  YOU must acknowledge that evil spirit, rebuke that evil spirit, bind that evil spirit and command it to depart from your soul and the very atmosphere around you!  Then you must loose from the throne of God, His love, His peace, His power, His joy and His authority into your very spirit, soul and body!

After you have done those things, lift your hands and begin to praise, worship and magnify God for His victory in your total being!  Fear and torment does not come from God.  Treat fear and torment like the enemy it is!  Crush it with the word of God!  Speak words of faith, words of life, words of healing, words of victory, words of deliverance, words of success and favor over your life!  When you get rid of fear and it's torment, you can get rid of sickness, diseases, defeat, poverty depression and stress!

Read 1 John 4:18...Overcome fear by developing your love life and your faith life.  There is no fear in love....Galatians 5:6 Faith works by love....Love’s passion is the fuel of faith....John 14:23, 24, The evidence of love is obedience to the word of God....2 Timothy 1:7, God did not give you fear… 1 John 4: 18, Fear has torments... it causes disease, depression, stress.  Job 3:25, Fear attracts the very things you are afraid of.

If you are afraid of cancer, fear is attracting cancer and is developing it.  On the other hand, faith attracts and becomes the very things you are in need of.  Faith becomes our miracles and healing!

Faith is the supernatural, Divine, tangible substance and evidence of the heart that says, I AM MORE THAN A CONQUEROR THROUGH CHRIST AND I CANNOT BE DEFEATED!

Faith believes and confesses the promise, not the problem. Anyone who confesses the problem instead of the promise has a greater revelation of the problem than they do of the promise.  Meditate in the word of God until it becomes miracle life in you, healing life in you, peace life in you, joy life in you, authority life in you!

Your faith should stands in the gap and confessed the promise until the thing confessed becomes the thing possessed!  Fill your life with so much miracle healing word until there is no room for sickness, disease, infirmity, poverty, depression or defeat!

Read Psalms 118:6, be determined; I will not fear!

The Blessings And Benefits Of Paying Tithes!

Psalms 103:1-5 The Lord wants us to understand that there are benefits to serving Him. Philippians 4:19; God is, and has all of our supply. Genesis 8:22; His process is seed, time and harvest; 1 Corinthians 16:2, God established seed time; on the first day of the week (Sunday) an amount is given as God has prospered you. Genesis 28; 22There is an amount to be given; and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee. Numbers 18:21; reason for tithing; tithing was paid to support the work of the priest in the Tabernacle (storehouse); it was given to the priest. Malachi 3:7-13: Tithing; a blessing when you do, a curse if you don't. Why? Tithing is an issue of obedience, trusting God and caring for His house. New International Version 6 "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. 7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' 8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. John 16:13, Ephesians 2: 17-19, Tithing gives us access to the presence of God for information/revelation. Deuteronomy 8;18; Tithing gives favor with God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth. Luke 6:38; Your sowing should give you favor with man and produce a large increase. The place to sow is where you are fed. 2 Corinthians 9:6-10: You will reap according to your sowing, sparingly or bountifully; give cheerfully in faith; God makes all grace abound toward you that you always have all sufficiency in all things; God ministers seed for you to sow and bread for your food and then multiply your seed sown. God then increase the fruit of your righteousness. Or in other words; you can live right (free from bitterness at God for poverty) and see the fruit of your righteousness. Genesis 12; and thou shalt be a blessing. God bless us to be a blessing! Tithing was not under the law, it was before the law. Abraham paid tithe before the law (Genesis 14:18-20). Abraham tithed out of gratitude to God for who He was. He didn’t pay tithe because a law required it of him. Abraham was under grace; Abraham was justified when there was no law to guide him and he tithed when there was no law to enforce it (tithe)! Matthew 23:23; Jesus declared that the scribes and the pharisees paid tithes. Tithing is talked about very little in the New Testament because it was not an issue; it was embedded in the Jewish religion and they did so faithfully and consistently. Exodus 36:4-7; the Tabernacle of Moses and the temple were built on the freewill offering of the people and not the tithe.