Are you living up to your God potential?

[Pastor Michael Samuels]

First, none of us is God but God has ordained that we walk like God in the earth (Genesis 1:26-28). Are you walking in the true and full spiritual authority that God has called us to? Are you doing the things that will ensure personal and constant growth and success in the Kingdom of God? We all know that the church is definitely not walking in its true Kingdom authority in the earth. How can we get the church going and growing where it walks in great spiritual pwer and authority in the earth? What are the hindrances?

[A.W. Bowman]

Speaking from personal experience. My hindrance has been by failure to walk in the Spirit, i.e., to walk in the steps of Jesus. This translates into my walking in the flesh and for my flesh. In plain terms this means that even when working in ministry, I am looking for what I can get out of it. There is an element of personal pride (ego) that says, "What can I personally get out of this ...." What is my reward, recognition, benefit, etc.?

Regardless of our confession, as long as our hidden agenda is personal (glory, honor, fame, wealth, etc.) then any results of our labor is due to our God's faithfulness to respond to someone else's faith - not our calling, authority, spiritual power or our right standing before God. This also explains how one can receive the Spirit of God at the laying on of hands of a preacher who is actively engaged in adultery. The preacher proclaims his vindication before God, while the truth is that God is keeping His word and responding to the faith of the repentant sinner.

Another hindrance is that most saints have been taught that they are not authorized to exercise their calling, gifting or ministry without the training, approval and continued guidance of the pastor or another assigned spiritual leader (church authority). This places some folks under the "training" of incompetent instructors.For example, I am not a prophet - so if I am a pastor, how do I recognize, train, and guide a prophet? I can either turn him/her loose on the world, or I can "sit him/her down" and quench the Spirit within them. Both approaches are apposed to the will and purpose of God. So, where does that leave me? Playing God in another person's life.

As long as we accommodate power plays, spiritual right/wrong games, and seek after personal glory (mastery over others), we have stoped serving our Lord and are actually serving ourselves. The result: While the calling and gifting are without repentance, there is no real spiritual power being exercised because the assigned authority has been perverted.