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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Risk (05/17/12)
There are many reasons why many individual believer’s do not pursue the true post salvation spiritual life, but the primary one seems to be that most believers do not choose to be sufficiently edified enough to enjoy the freedom that “continuing (John 8:31)” in the Word will develop.

Instead of seeing the true post salvation spiritual life as one’s opportunity to be all that God created one to be, many perceive it to be an impediment to experiencing the “best” that life here in the devil’s world has to offer.

Thank God that it is!

It is much easier to enter into and remain in the comfort zone and support of the majority that exchange spirituality for religion than it is to take the so-called risks involved with totally devoting one’s post salvation spiritual life to the Lord.

Without learning the Biblical answers to such age-old questions as the reason that God created Man and for what specific function(s) He created each one of us, the born again believer is an easy prey for all of the alternative plans that Satan endorses in the name of religion and human reasoning.

The un-edified believer will attempt to identify and execute his/her spiritual gift by assessing his/her human talents and abilities.

Scripture reveals that the selection of our gift and the enabling power to execute it comes from God the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 12:18/John 15:5).

The identification and development of one’s spiritual gift is a major part of one’s post salvation spiritual life. Accordingly, Satan desires that the believer never learns of it.

Should a believer, through human desire or viewpoint, misidentify his/her gift, or where or how God wants him/her to execute it, there is no need for fear. There are no risks involved.

I learned from a pastor named Rory Clark that just like GPS navigational systems we have in cars, God provides us with a new set of directions along the road of life when we fail to miss the turns that were according to the plan of God.

Wrong turns can involve “testing the waters” in areas of ministry that is not the one that God has chosen for us.

David desired to build a temple for the Lord, but that job was given to Solomon. We are here to do the work that God assigned to us; not to someone else.

Deliberate disobedience to respond to the call of God by an advancing disciple’s is another matter.

By the time a born again believer has received and applied enough Bible Doctrine to be in a position for God to reveal his/her spiritual gift, he/she has already been the recipient of much of what the Bible (1Cor. 2:16) calls, “the mind of Christ”. To whom much is given, much will be required.

Whenever a turn requires a compromise or rejection of a known principle of Scripture, it is a not a mistake, it is a deliberate act of disobedience.

Deliberate acts of disobedience do not involve risks, but the certainty of divine responses. Among them is divine discipline (Hebrews 12:6).

Once the gift, ministry, and details have been made known to the advancing disciple, failing to go forward can result in one finding him/herself in the “belly of a large fish” (Jonah 1:17) of one form or another.

As any advancing disciple who has received and applied the spiritual gift that God has chosen for him/her can tell you, once it is revealed to you, there is never any doubt about it. Next to his/her relationship with the Lord, the identification and execution of one’s spiritual gift becomes the focus of one’s 24-7 walk with the Lord.

God may or may not change the geographical location or the manner in which a gift is to be applied, but the gift and the type of ministry that comes along with one’s gift are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).

Even if post salvation sin by one who was an advancing leads to the destruction of a ministry or one’s ability to serve in the same manner, the gift remains.

As long as God chooses to leave a born again believer here on Earth, He has a plan for that soul no matter where he/she is or what circumstances he/she finds him/herself.

When it is God the Holy Spirit engineering the twists and turns of life, He always opens a new door when closing the present one.

Whatever is lost taking a risk for God will be replaced with something better!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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This article has been read 1237 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
05/25/12
You make some great points. God does expect certain things from us, they may not always be easy but the reward is great.

I did struggle with understanding some of your message. I felt like Iwas reading a Master's level thesis. You may want to use examples that a larger audience might understand.

You did make me stop and think and that's always a good thing. Nice job.
C D Swanson 
05/25/12
Excellent and well written entry. You have illustrated several good points, and obviously put a lot of thought into this piece.

Brilliant...and this would be a wonderful entry for an insert into a "devotinal magazine" or a church bulletin. Great job. I truly enjoyed it. And, the Lord does have a purpose for all of us. The gifts are revealed to those who have the acceptance and understanding of which it is given.

Thanks for this!

God bless~
Mildred Sheldon
05/28/12
This is a very thought provoking piece. Makes one use the brain God gave us. Thank you for sharing and God bless.
Sandra Renee Hicks 
05/29/12
Hi -

Thank you for sharing this - we need such reminders indeed.

Isn't it wonderful that our Lord is worth it all?