Holy Women Fulfilling the Strategies in Ministry
Audio on YouTube and Outline

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17

Holy Women Fulfilling the Strategies in Ministry
Text Outline

The following is a text outline of Dr. Pete's message. Foundational Scripture:  Matthew 20:20-28

1. Ministry Defined
1. Before we can explore the topic we must understand the definition of ministry.
1. Ministry is SERVICE.
2. Ministry is doing something for the benefit of someone else.
2. Jesus is our EXAMPLE of a Minister
1. Jesus defined the word minister in Matthew 20:25-28.
2. The word minister used in Matthew 20:26 (KJV) comes from the Greek word diakonos, which means one who executes the king's sentence.
3. Jesus said, 'I come NOT to do My own will, but the will of Him that sent Me'. (John 6:38)
4. Jesus was God the Father's MINISTER!
5. God the Father's sentence was that Jesus give His life a ransom for many.
6. Jesus EXECUTED God the Father's sentence.
3. A minister of Jesus Christ is one who EXECUTES the Jesus' sentence.
4. Rephrase the Topic:  Holy Women Fulfilling the Strategies in EXECUTING the Lord Jesus' sentence.
   
   
2. Strategy Defined
1. Proverbs 19:21
1. New King James version:  "There are many PLANS in a man's heart, nevertheless, the Lord's counsel -- that shall stand".
2. King James version:  "There are many DEVICES in a man's heart, nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand".
3. One translation uses the word PLANS, the other translation uses the word DEVISES.
4. The word devices used in Proverbs 19:21 (KJV) comes from the Hebrew word machashavah or machasheveh. It means thought, imaginations, intentions, purpose, plan or means.
5. Merriam Webster Online Dictionary defines the word strategy as "a careful plan or method; the act of devising or employing plans".
2. Rephrase the Topic:  Holy Women Fulfilling the careful plans for EXECUTING the Lord Jesus' sentence.
   
   
3. The Strategies for EXECUTING the Lord Jesus' Sentence
1. STRATEGY 1 - The Plan for Executing the Lord's Sentence MUST Originate with Him.
1. Jesus teaches us to be fruitful (John 15:2), but He also said without Him we cannot bear fruit (John 15:8).
2. Jesus said, 'Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15), but He also said not to go without the Holy Ghost (Luke 24:49).
3. One MUST consult the Lord to find out what to do. If you do not know what to do, seek the Lord until you find out. (Colossians 3:1)
2. STRATEGY 2 - Understand What the Lord's Sentence Is.
1. The Lord's Sentence is Evangelism (Mark 16:15) and Discipleship Training (Matthew 18:19,20).
2. Anything you do must fall into one or both of the categories.
3. STRATEGY 3 - Understand and ACCEPT the fact that God DOES NOT Use Everybody the Same Way.
1. Let God be God in your life.
2. In Ephesians 4:11, Apostle Paul said (talking about preachers) God gave SOME...
3. If God does not use all preachers alike, He also does not use persons who are not preachers alike.
4. Consider Romans 12:4-5.
5. Consider Ecclesiastes 3:9-12.
6. DO NOT compare yourself with others.
7. Consider 2 Corinthians 10:12.
8. When you compare yourself to others, you will always come up short.
9. Men are NOT the standard of ministry.
10. Jesus is the standard of ministry. Jesus is our EXAMPLE of a minister and not man.
11. No matter how successful you or others consider someone else's ministry to be, that person is not the standard of ministy.
12. It is okay to admire others and appreciate what God has done through them, but DO NOT make them the STANDARD of ministry. The way God used them may not be the way He wants to use you.
4. STRATEGY 4 - Work with What God Gave You.
1. Consider Romans 12:6a.
2. When Moses was going before Pharoah to tell him to let God's people go, God told Moses to take Aaron and have Aaron throw down his rod so that it would become a serpent. Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord. Pharoah called sorcerers who also threw down rods that became serpents. Aaron's rod swallowed up the rods of the sorcerers. Aaron defeated the Pharoah by using what God gave him.
3. David defeated Goliath by using what he knew how to use, his sling shot.
4. Moses, faced with the Red Sea before him, Pharoah behind him and the Children of Israel upset and afraid, used what God had given him -- his two hand and his rod to defeat Pharoah once and for all.
5. When going up against the enemy, use what God has given you.
5. STRATEGY 5 - Be Faithful at working with What God has given you.
1. Consider the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30, concentrating on the two servants who had been given two and five talents respectively.
2. Both servants doubled what they had been given.
3. Both servants heard their master say, "Well Done".
4. Man would call the servant with four talents nothing because he still had less than the five that the other servant started with. That attitude is not of God.
5. God does not look at situations the way man does. God looks at the heart. He sees the work and the results of the work.
6. God is not concerned about the size of one's ministry. He is concerned about one's faithfulness to work the ministry.
7. Everyone should strive to hear the Lord say, "Well Done".

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