Faith Leaders fulfill many roles. Some are Senior Pastors; others are Assistant or Executive Pastors or Staff Ministers. We’ve got itinerant ministers in our Faith Leaders’ group as well as business owners, government leaders, and lay leaders. Although the titles and natural job descriptions vary greatly, every Faith Leader has one common assignment from God.
The Common Assignment
The Apostle Paul revealed the assignment every Faith Leader shares in his letter to the Ephesians. Ephesians 1:18-23 says, The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
We are the body of Christ, and Jesus is the Head. God has put all things under Jesus’ feet; so, if they’re under His feet, they’re also under ours! When we have revelation knowledge of the authority we have in Christ, we can fulfill our God-given assignment we all share. It’s described in the last verse, above. As Jesus’ body, we are the fullness of Him that filleth all in all. The word fullness means completion. Therefore, the job of every member of the body of Christ, especially leaders, is to complete Jesus’ mission on the earth.
Equipped for the Assignment
What was Jesus' mission on the earth? 1 John 3:8 succinctly answers that question. It says, For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
The works of the devil include sickness, disease, mental and emotional illness, lack, and confusion. Acts 10:38 tells us how Jesus destroyed the works of the devil. It says how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Many people wrongly disqualify themselves from doing what Jesus did because they don’t understand how He healed the sick, raised the dead, and turned 5 loaves and 3 fishes into enough to feed 5,000 men and probably another 10,000 women and children! “Of course, Jesus could do those things because He is the Son of God. I’m just a human being,” they reason. However, if you are born-again and filled with the Holy Spirit, you, too, are a son of God (John 1:12) and you’ve got the same equipment Jesus had.
Spiritual Gifts
The nine gifts of the Spirit, listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, equip today’s Faith Leaders to do the same things Jesus did. Those verses say, for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.
You can study these gifts biblically, but I want to encourage you to step out in faith and act! It takes faith to ask a limping person in the grocery store if you can pray for them. It takes faith to release a tongue and interpretation or a prophecy in your church service. It takes faith to give a word of wisdom or a word of knowledge to a stranger, but that stranger may have just prayed and asked God to confirm His care for them. Spiritual gifts lead the lost to hear the truth of the Gospel. Spiritual gifts allow us to continue Jesus’ work on this earth, destroying the work of the devil in people’s lives. Spiritual gifts operate as the Spirit wills, but also as we cooperate. The Holy Spirit never forces anyone to do anything! So, stay in communion with the Holy Ghost. Pray constantly and listen to Him. Pay attention to that tug on your spirit and respond. Your Christian walk will never be more fulfilling than when you’re fulfilling God’s assignment for you: completing Jesus’ mission on this earth.