Apostle to Men

When studying the word Apostle, which means “one sent” as a messenger, authorized agent, or missionary, I see myself as that, sent by God to help men escape their vices and struggles. So, in essence, I’m an Apostle to men. The book of John has a verse that has encouraged me on this topic of being sent by God. It reads, “There once was a man, his name was John, sent by God!” John 1:6 (MSG). Wow, to know God has sent you! I wonder if that had much to do with John’s life passion. I believe it did; it sure has in my life.

I want to talk with you about the significance of you being a man who sees himself as sent by God. Do you ever think of yourself like that? But that is precisely who you are –“a man sent by God!” You’re not here on this earth for no reason. There is a mission on your life. Ephesians says, For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good Life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. Ephesians 2:10 (AMP)  Did you see that - “God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time].” It’s incredible to know God had planned good works for me beforehand and then sent me to this earth to do it.

In the book of Easter, Esther was told by her cousin Mordecai, who raised her, that she was “born for such a time as this!” (Est. 4:14). Men, you need to know that you were born for such a time as this! In essence, we are men of providence! It’s time we stop living as men of provocation. What is the difference? Providence means living with divine foresight or prudence, whereas provocation is living with annoyance, anger, irritation, harassment, indignity, or offense. The story of Gideon is a good example. When God appeared, Gideon was angry, fearful, and frustrated with his life. Gideon was living way below the privileges that God provided for him, and God was about to change his life by giving him a “sent by God” mission.

Let’s pick up the story in Judges 6:11-14 (NIV): “The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” “But sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian.” The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

Gideon did not realize that God called him to be a mighty man of valor because his divine destiny was shrouded by provocation, leading to him living by default instead of design. He didn’t want to accept that he was being sent by God. Someone once said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate but that we are powerful beyond measure.... It is our light….Not our darkness that scares us most.…we ask ourselves, who am I to be? Here are three principles I have learned from Gideon’s story and how they pertain to our sent by God life.

  1. God’s perspective of us is greater than we think: 
  • God called Gideon a Mighty Man of valor; why didn’t Gideon believe it? “…O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” (Judges 6:15). Midianites had oppressed Israel for so long that the young men like Gideon had grown up and settled for a life with a glass ceiling. Today, the same men and women are so pessimistic about who they are that they won’t believe they can do anything great, even if an angel shows up and tells them differently. The Bible says we perish when we don’t have a sense of destiny or vision (Prov. 29:18). Life becomes just an experience instead of a purposed life. God’s perspective of you is greater than you think.

 

  1. God has put more in us than we think:
  • “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. (Judegs 6:14) Gideon had strength in him; he knew not off. You have strength in you, you know not of.

Your self-image is everything – How you see yourself controls your daily life. When God gives out invitations, He doesn’t need to hear your limitations. “...Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.  (Zechariah 4:6) This is why it is dangerous to compare ourselves. Paul warned us of this, “Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don’t compare yourself with others.” Galatians 6:4 (CEV) One of the reasons Paul was used so extensively by God was that he knew he was a man sent by God; therefore, he refused to be distracted from his purpose by comparing himself with others. For one thing, comparison undermines your ability to be grateful for what God has given you. It also leads you into discontentment because you will always find people who appear to be better off than you. I call this the “Orphan spirit.” An orphan spirit constantly compares and competes for acceptance to validate their identity. An orphan spirit is someone who compromises to be someone other than who they are because they are empty of self-worth. “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” Proverbs 23:7 (AMP) Living in fear is a tale-telling sign that we have embraced the orphan spirit. The Bible says, “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him, we cry, “Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8:15 NIV). You are a son of the living God, and He has put more in you than you think.

 

  1. God empowers us; therefore, it’s less about us than we think:
  • Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Life” is history’s number-one Christian-selling book. He starts the book by saying, “It’s not about you.” Shut the book; drop the mic was how I felt when I read that because it’s such a powerful truth. Paul said, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, (1 Cor. 2:4). When I first began to preach, I was afraid to embarrass myself until one day I realize this is about God, not me. When I hear people complain about a church service or music, I want to tell them, “ I thought church was about God, not you!” Gideon was the one who said, “Jehovah Shalom, “The Lord is my peace.” As God’s men, we must walk in that peace and quit living below our potential because it’s safe and predictable. That’s what default living is, not what we were designed for. We are men with a mission. Providence is a sense of purpose beyond yourself that gives you peace and gives no room for fear!  Andrizo Ministries, which started in a garage with twelve men, has reached over ten thousand men nationally and now globally. I believe God has sent me to men as an Apostle; what do you think? Better yet, what do you believe about you? Do you believe God sent you? There once was a man, his name was ______________, sent by God!” Will you dare to write your name there?

 

Andrizo,

 

Pastor James