From the desk of Steve Shultz:
Catherine Brown ministers to many and is the real deal. Here is another incredible teaching and healing message from her. God WANTS to set people free... that is in His VERY NATURE and we are His vessels. Restoration can and should come from His Body to those who need it.
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Catherine Brown:
Grace and Prayer – Doing Good to All: The Ministry of Restoration
Galatians 6
I have a passion to see people walk in purity and fulfill their destiny in God. Similarly, I also have a passion to see people restored in every aspect of their lives. As a servant leader, I am frequently approached by people from all walks of life and presented with situations that require Christ's wisdom, love, and authority as counsel and input is requested from me for those who are facing difficult circumstances and/or have been "caught in sin."
Apostle Paul's words are a challenge to everyone – both those in leadership and others as we consider what it means to see someone "restored gently." Christ's heart is not that we should compromise His standards of righteousness in our faith walk, but neither is it to destroy the broken. Christ always lifts up the one who humbles him or herself in repentance before Him. What a challenge in grace, yet what a privilege to see a life restored.
Restoration is most often a process. It may mean a time out and much needed rest for some; it may mean repentance, renouncing a destructive way of life, and divine healing and/or deliverance that leads to restoration. It could mean a total change of ministry and/or life direction. For the leader walking with another in this situation it will mean an investment of prayer, love, counsel, and time at the very least. His grace is sufficient for all our needs. Perhaps today you know of someone who is struggling and in need of restoration? May this short study be a means through which God brings forth His Kingdom in each one of us, especially for those in need of restoration.
For His glory,
Catherine
Grace and Prayer – Doing Good to All:
The Ministry of Restoration
Galatians 6
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual* should restore him gently**. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Galatians 6:1
To be caught is to be completely exposed and caught in the act of sin with no hiding place except the shelter of the grace of God. The role of apostles/leaders is not to further expose those caught in sin – it is to provide a place of restoration. Grace is NOT a hiding place for our sin, but it IS a place of covering for the sinner who humbly repents! As leaders, we must cultivate grace in our hearts for those whom we minister to who are "caught" in the act of sin.
The role of apostles and other leaders in this regard is to:
· Bring restoration – bring back to former glory
· Bring reformation – bring back into alignment with God's will
· Bring reconciliation – bring back into unity
Apostles/leaders have authority, but we must not operate out of a "correction" mentality. If leaders only view themselves as those who rebuke and correct others, then we have misinterpreted and misunderstood the Father heart of God that should be evident and operational in our ministries. At times, discipline and re-directing of sin are necessary, but the main focus is not the rebuke but restoration.
"You Who Are Spiritual"
The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment. 1 Corinthians 2:15
We are to operate in godly wisdom – in thought, heart, and speech.
We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 1 Corinthians 2:12-13
We do not judge by the standards of the world, but discern and apply God's wisdom by the Holy Spirit. Our thoughts, speech, and actions should be executed in godly wisdom.
"Restore Him Gently"
Paul instructs that we are to correct "gently." To be gentle does not mean we lack authority. Jesus was gentle, but His authority is absolute. Paul encourages the brothers to extend forgiveness and love to the sinner. Too often we hate the sin and forget to love the sinner:
"Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him" (2 Corinthians 2:7-8).
As leaders we must be careful to follow the teaching of Christ in relation to a brother who sins:
"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector" (Matthew 18:15-17).
Paul says in Galatians 6:1 that we must be careful not to be tempted when correcting another. How could that be? Paul's words are perhaps a warning to leaders not to become complacent, proud, hard-hearted, and judgmental. It's not so much as we will be "contaminated" by another's sin, more that our hearts and minds have the potential to become hard and corrupted by a lack of mercy.
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
In order to carry something for someone else, you need to come alongside them. You cannot carry from a lofty position. As we come alongside those who are in need of restoration, we can "carry" their burdens to the Cross. We carry them in:
· Prayer – exposing what is ungodly; delivering prayer from demonic influences and oppressions; healing and restorative prayer
· Wise counsel and discernment
· Loving them back into the restoring arms of Abba Father.
Paul knew how to come alongside people without compromising his integrity in the Lord. He had learned to love people where they were at without rejecting them because of their condition or circumstance.
To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 1 Corinthians 9:21
Jesus' yoke is easy and His burden is light. We are to emulate our Master and show compassion for, be concerned about, and care for others. We must keep in step with the Holy Spirit. As spiritual people we have the mind of Christ, we have the power of grace in our lives, and the love of God. We have the Holy Spirit. We are called to obey the royal law, which is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves (see James 2:8).
As Leaders We Must Operate In the Humility and Love of Christ
If anyone thinks he is something* when he is nothing, he deceives himself**. Galatians 6:3
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant... Philippians 2:6-7
* For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3
* Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs us up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:1-3
As Leaders We Must Operate In Godly Wisdom
** Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight... 1 Corinthians 3:18-19a
We are deceived to the extent that we do not see things through the eyes of Christ; pride causes us to have spiritual "blinders."
· Pride has different guises. Arrogance is just one expression of pride.
· Pride takes root in our insecurities about ourselves and others.
· Pride bears fruit in jealousy, judgment of others, and in a withholding spirit.
· Pride may be very subtle or extremely overt and can lead to a lack of love and carelessness about our thoughts and actions.
· False humility is another form of pride – to operate in false humility is when we reject (knowingly or otherwise) who we are in Christ. It is also a rejection of who others are in Christ.
· False humility is when we say we are "nothing," but we secretly believe we are "something." The focus is self and the foundation is unstable because of insecurity over identity and calling.
· True humility is when we consider ourselves as "nothing" whilst believing that our lives hidden in Christ amount to "something" in Him. Our foundation is strong because it is founded in covenant relationship and revelation as legitimate sons and heirs.
· Paul speaks about the grace and mercy of our Lord to receive him as the worst of sinners. He was once a "blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man." "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of who I am the worst" (1 Timothy 1:15).
· Christ Jesus has unlimited patience with us.
...The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6b
May God keep us from pride and allow His humility to guide our feet in paths of righteousness.
Catherine Brown
Founder/Director, Gatekeepers Global Ministries
Co-Founder, Scottish Apostolic Networking Enterprise
Email: admin@gatekeepers.org.uk
Catherine Brown is the founder/director of Gatekeepers Global Ministries (GGM) and is a sought-after national and international preacher and teacher. She is presently leading a global evangelism and discipleship mission entitled "GGM 7 Million Souls" and is working with her team and valued partners from many nations to achieve the vision objectives. She operates in an impacting apostolic/prophetic mantle with a strong revival thrust on her preaching, serving the Church and the lost through Christ's Gospel of love. She has ministered in Europe, Africa, Israel and the USA and has had the privilege of seeing people saved, baptized, healed and delivered in the glorious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, with signs and wonders following. Catherine's passion for Christ and His Kingdom is contagious and wherever she ministers people are envisioned, equipped, empowered and mobilized. Catherine is married to Stephen and they have four lovely children and live in the West Coast of Scotland.
