3) Ministry Like Jesus

"A disciple, when he is fully trained, will be like his Teacher"

Photo: Patti Graetz

Note: This is Part 3 of the series which deals with the delayed return of Jesus, but it also stands alone. 

For continuity, or to see the big picture read also:

Part 1  The (Delayed) Return of Jesus

Part 2  The Mystery of The Ages

Ministry Like Jesus (This page)

Ministry Like Jesus - Methods

Ministry Like Jesus - Outcomes

Choose a topic from the list below, or scroll through to begin at the introduction.


Ministry Like Jesus

Introduction

Jesus had a unique style of ministry which very few people follow today. He successfully taught, first His twelve disciples to do ministry like He did, and they were very successful. (See Luke 9.)

Then He taught another seventy disciples to do ministry like He did, and they were even more successful. (See Luke 10.)

We know that His methods later worked very well for some because Acts 5:12 tells us: "Now by the hands of the apostles great signs and wonders were being performed among the people." 

But what happened to the seventy? And what happened after that?


Know Your Enemy


Note: the enemy are not fighting God, they are fighting God’s people and the whole of Creation. “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God.” Rom 8:19


2 Corinthians 2:11 “...to keep the adversary from getting the advantage over us; for we are not ignorant of his tricks." 


Unfortunately, many people are ignorant of some, even most of the tricks of the enemy. Some of those tricks are to get people to think that the devil is working by himself to cause all the evil, that the devil is everywhere, that we (humans) can rebuke the devil, and more.


Genesis 2 & 3: See the pages on Equality and Love.


Job 1-2 See the pages on Mistakes.


Note in Job 1:6: “... and the adversary (literally: the satan) also came among them.” The word used for adversary is the Hebrew word “satan” which means “enemy” or “adversary,” one who is against you. It is pronounced "sah-tahnʹ" in Hebrew, with the emphasis on the second syllable. It is not the devil's name. Do not make him important or equal with God by using a capital letter “S.” It is a descriptive word, like pastor, bishop, president, doctor and so on. In every instance that the word appears in Job, and also in Zechariah 3, it is preceded by the Hebrew definite article 'ha' or 'has' (which is translated in English as "the") to emphasise that this is not a name but a description. 


In addition, the Hebrew word satan, which is used as a noun (the name of an object, thing or person) in the example above, can also be used as a verb (a word which describes an action). Zechariah 3:1 demonstrates this clearly:


"And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and the satan (adversary) standing at his right hand to satan (oppose) him."


This Hebrew/Aramaic word also appears as-is in the New Testament, which is written in Biblical Greek and, unlike a name such as Peter, or Paul or John, continually (but not exclusively) appears with the Greek definite article, which is translated in English as 'the'. And so we read in Mark 1:13 "And He was in the wilderness forty days, undergoing trial by the satan (the adversary)." It is unfortunate that translators give the adversary more prominence than deserved by turning his description into a name. This, and many other passages should read, "...undergoing trial by the adversary," or whatever the context shows. In other words, that Hebrew word satan should be translated as 'adversary' or 'the adversary' almost all the time, rather than being treated as a name.


Note Job 1:7 - The devil is geographically limited to one place at a time.


The Lord said to the adversary, “From where have you come?” The adversary answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”


The following passages use prophetic imagery to describe the enemy leader.


In Isaiah 14 (below) the words "light-bringer and daystar" are often replaced with the word "Lucifer."


Isaiah 14:12-16 (AMP)

How have you fallen from heaven, O light-bringer and daystar, son of the morning! How you have been cut down to the ground, you who weakened and laid low the nations

[13] And you said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit upon the mount of assembly in the uttermost north.

[14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.

[15] Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol (Hades), to the innermost recesses of the pit (the region of the dead).

[16] Those who see you will gaze at you and consider you, saying, Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms?

[17] Who made the world like a wilderness and overthrew its cities, who would not permit his prisoners to return home.


See also verses 18-21


Note also Isaiah 33:1 “Woe to you, destroyer, you who are not destroyed; you deal treacherously though they did not deal treacherously with you…”


See also Isaiah 24:21-23 about punishment of the enemy angels.


Ezekiel 28:12-18 (AMP)

[12] Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: You are the full measure and pattern of exactness, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

[13] You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering...On the day that you were created they were prepared. [Ge 3:14,15; Isa 14:12-15; Mt 16:23.]

[14] You were the anointed cherub that covers with overshadowing [wings], and I set you so. You were upon the holy mountain of God; you walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire

[15] You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until iniquity and guilt were found in you.

[16] Through the abundance of your commerce you were filled with lawlessness and violence, and you sinned; therefore I cast you out as a profane thing from the mountain of God and the guardian cherub drove you out from the midst of the stones of fire.

[17] Your heart was proud and lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I lay you before kings, that they might gaze at you.

[18] You have profaned your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities and the enormity of your guilt, by the unrighteousness of your trade. (This next part = future) Therefore I have brought forth a fire from your midst; it has consumed you, and I have reduced you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who looked at you.


It's important to remember the character of the devil, as a liar and murderer.


Note the lies in his claims to Jesus during the temptation in Matthew 5:8-9.


"Again the devil...showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them;

"And he said to Him, "These things all taken together I will give You, if You will bow down before me and worship me."


The devil did not and does not have all the kingdoms of the Earth to give to anyone. Just because something is written in the Bible does not automatically make it true - we always have to look at who is speaking and who they are talking to, and what the circumstances are. See also Psalm 24:1 in this context: "The Earth is the Lord's, and everything in it; the world and all who dwell in it."


A similar lie from the adversary is found in Genesis 3:5, where he claims that God is intimately connected with evil. He (God) has no darkness (evil) in Him at all. See 1 John 1:5


Luke 4 contains similar misinformation from the enemy. “And the adversary said to Him, “To you I will be giving all this authority and the glory of them, for it has been given up to me, and I am giving it to whomever I will.” Verse 6


As a known liar the adversary is making claims that cannot be backed up by any Biblical evidence. His promise, therefore, becomes highly suspect.


John 8:44 “...the devil...was a murderer from the beginning. There is no truth in him; when he speaks a falsehood he speaks what is natural to him...for he is the father of all that is false.”


John 10:10 “The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy.” All loss, destruction, sickness, pain, injury and death come from the evil one, never from God. Also included are things like destructive lightning, floods, fire, wind storms and earthquakes. See 1 Kings 19:11-12


This next passage is seldom taught on:


John 14:30, 31 “I will not talk with you much more for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has no part in me. But I do what the Father has commanded me. Get up, let us go away from here.” 


There are two important points from this passage:


If the kingdoms of the Earth belonged to the devil then slavery would have never been abolished in America, apartheid would not have been abolished in South Africa, and the so-called Eastern bloc countries would still be in the control of the Soviet Union, which somehow mysteriously disintegrated as well. Yet many Christians believe that because this lie and others are written in Scripture, they must be true.


Where we follow God's prescription for situations the devil and the enemy spirits in his control are stripped of their power.


They have no defense against us. This is ably demonstrated in Luke 10, where Jesus sends out seventy followers in pairs to minister like He had been doing. They produced a greater result than just sending out the twelve, even though the twelve had probably been following Jesus for longer.  See a fuller exposition below, in the next section: Know Your Friends.


Ephesians 6:12 “For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood but against the despotisms, the powers, the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly realm.” (AMP)


So much teaching in recent years has focused on "enemies" as being people who are trying to harm us through gossip, lies, deception and outright theft. Paul nails this error squarely when he says that our enemies are never humans but are always evil spirits stirring up trouble by using humans as the weapon. 


The correct method to deal with enemies is double-pronged: "When a man's ways please the Lord He makes even his enemies be at peace with him," is Proverbs 16:7. In other words, if we are not doing things correctly, we could end up with people who seem to want to work against us. However, from our understanding of Ephesians 6 we now know that they are being manipulated by the enemy.


The second prong in dealing with perceived enemies is to follow the words of Jesus in Luke 6:27-28: "Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you..."

 

1 Peter 5:8 “Be well-balanced; be alert at all times, for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.” But they simply cannot devour us. The most they can do is kill us, destroy our body, which is going to be replaced at some stage, anyway.


Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body. Rather fear him (the adversary) who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” Matthew 10:28 


Revelation 12 “Then another was seen in heaven, a huge, fiery red dragon. His tail dragged down a third of the stars and flung them to the earth.

“...Then war broke out in heaven, Michael and his angels going forth to battle with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, But they were defeated, and there was no room found for them in heaven any longer.

“And the huge dragon was cast down, that ages-old serpent who is called the adversary (Hebrew word = ‘satan’)...was forced out and down to the earth, and his angels were flung out along with him.” Revelation 12:3, 4, 7-9


And in the end (this has not yet happened):


“Then I heard a strong voice in Heaven saying, Now it has come, the salvation of our God, and the power of His Christ (Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren, who keeps bringing before our God charges against them day and night, has been cast out.” Revelation 12:10


Note that the underlined words are an accurate description of what the accuser has been doing since Creation, and will keep doing into the foreseeable future; the last part of the verse describes what will eventually happen.


This list is not necessarily complete, but the verses illustrate the point in different ways.


Know Your Friends


“I will put none of these diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:26


“Praise the Lord... Who heals all your diseases…” Psalm 103:2,3


“Then He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from destruction.” Psalm 107:20


“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows...and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-5


“When evening came they brought to Him many who were under the power of demons, and He drove out the spirits with a word, and restored to health all who were sick.” Matthew 8:16 plus v17


“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel (good news) of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” Matthew 9:35


“Then Jesus called together the twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases. And He sent them out to announce the kingdom of God and to bring healing.” Luke 9:1-2


Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with Spirit and strength; how He went about doing good and healing all those who were oppressed (tyrannised) by the devil.”

There are many more verses which could be used in this section, but they appear in the sections to follow.


Three Types of People Influenced by Jesus


1a) Believers - through preaching or teaching


“And as He said these things many believed on Him.” John 8:30


1b) Believers - through signs and wonders


“This first of His signs Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and His disciples believed in Him.” John 2:11


But believers have little depth; they are like the seed thrown on the roadside or in the rocky ground where they never take root or develop. Believers can just as easily turn on the One in whom they believe.


“So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you hold fast to My teachings and live according to them you are truly My disciples. And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free….So they took up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus concealed Himself by mixing with the crowd and went out of the temple enclosure.”  John 8:9, 59


2) Followers - when believers take in the truth after they believe and start to take on the things Jesus spoke about and taught. Jesus had many followers.


Jesus' invitation: “And Jesus called the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone wants to come after Me let him deny himself, take up his cross (literally “stake”) and follow Me. For whoever would preserve his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it.” Mark 8:34, 35


“And Peter started to say to Him, Behold, we have given up everything and followed You.”  Mark 10:28


The problem with followers is that they tend to become attached, but not involved. They are like the seed thrown on poor soil, among thorns, and when tough times come they wither and fall away. When things get tough they can stop following Jesus. See John 6:66. 


"After this, many of His disciples drew back and no longer accompanied Him."


Even though John describes these people as 'disciples' their actions (leaving when the teaching became difficult) depicts them as just followers. In the next section we will see Jesus' description of a disciple.


3) Disciples - when followers start to do the same things Jesus did. 


Examples of Disciples at Work:


He taught the twelve, first, to do what He did and then sent them out, with great results. In Matthew 10


“And Jesus summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of diseases and infirmities.” Verse 1


“Jesus sent out these twelve, charging them...And as you go, preach saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand!!” Verse 5a, 7


“Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse the lepers; drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Verse 8



Are you ministering like Jesus?


Are you using His methods?


Are you seeing the same sort of results?


“So have no fear of them (those who try to oppose you), for nothing is concealed that will not be revealed.” Verse 26. In other words, anything we need to know about doing ministry like Jesus did (and anything else) will be made available to us.


Luke gives a similar story to Matthew 10, in Luke 9, but with one extra detail - he reported the results.


“And departing they went about from village to village, preaching the Gospel and restoring the afflicted to health everywhere.” Verse 6


What is the Gospel? 


Gospel means “good news.”  What Gospel did Jesus bring? What good news do you bring?


John the Baptist stated this Good News (gospel) revelation like this:

i) "Repent (change your mind), for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Matthew 3:2

ii) "I indeed baptise you in water...but He who is coming after me will baptise you in Holy Spirit and fire." Matthew 3:11


iii) The implication in John's words is that, while water baptism is important, an even greater baptism will be performed by Jesus. This prophetic declaration is the only one recorded in each Gospel and the book of Acts, where Jesus repeated John's words in Acts 1:5, and then, shortly after, poured out the Spirit on the gathered disciples in Acts 2:1-4. He continued to baptise new and older believers in Holy Spirit and fire throughout Acts, as He also has done since that time, and today.


iv) There are two aspects to his instruction to repent (to change your mind about something). The Jews had been waiting a long time for Messiah - their wait was now over. In the presence of God people often confess their sins and desire to see personal change as well. This was a real revival happening.


What does "the kingdom of Heaven is at hand" mean?


After John was imprisoned for publicly criticising the governor of the province he sent his disciples to Jesus and asked, "Are you He who was to come, or should we keep on expecting a different one?" 


The implication is that John had heard of the miracles that Jesus was performing and was hoping that He would perform one for him and get him released from prison. Jesus' reply to John leaves no doubt about what the kingdom of Heaven is about.


"Go and report to John what you hear and see:

"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them." Matthew 11:4-5.


Five signs, wonders and miracles (see the preceding verse), plus sharing the good news (Gospel). That's the way the kingdom of Heaven presents itself on Earth.


But there's more.


What is this Good News (Gospel)?


In John 3:3-7 Jesus explains that we enter the kingdom of God when we are born again. In verse 15 He uses another metaphor to say that everyone who believes in Him has eternal life. In verse 18 he says that whoever believes on Him is not judged, and does not come under condemnation.


Even more remarkably, in Luke 17:21 Jesus says that when we enter the kingdom of God, the kingdom of God enters us. 


"The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed. Nor will people say, Look! Here, or See, there! For the kingdom of God is within you.


Just like Jesus we carry this same kingdom of God with us and in us and can bring it to bear in the lives of others, just like Jesus. That's good news! 


In Matthew 5-7 Jesus speaks extensively about how to live in this kingdom of God, but references to life in the kingdom are spread throughout the four Gospels. He doesn't major on sin, nor does He say anywhere that we enter the kingdom by repentance (changing our mind), or by confession of sin, or by putting sin away from us. 


Instead, according to John's Gospel, Jesus emphasised faith, the act of believing Him and believing in Him. Instead of us working to get our actions right for us to be acceptable to God, Jesus said that His Father, our Father, would make our relationship right with Him by adopting us as His sons and daughters. While Isaiah 63 and 64 refer to God as Father to Israel, Jesus revealed God as Father to each one of us individually.


Here is a part of the Good News of the New Covenant in His blood, that Jesus shared extensively in John 14, but which a lot of people read in the wrong way. First, the prophecy from Ezekiel 11:19-20 about this very thing to come:


"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new heart within them; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;

"That they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. And they shall be My people, and I will be their God."


Jesus put it this way, in John 14:23.


"If a man loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come and make our home with him."  In other words, if we love Jesus we will surrender to Him, which then makes us a suitable home or dwelling place for Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That's why I emphasised the word 'will' to show that loving Jesus results in changed behaviour; it is not that our changed behaviour brings the love of Jesus into our life.


This verse could be seen as having been written a little bit in the manner of an old covenant promise, where God does something because we have done something. The author later corrects this so that we don't get the wrong idea, in 1 John 4:19 where he says, simply: "We love Him, because He first loved us." It all starts with God.


Jesus extends His ministry to more than the immediate twelve disciples


In Luke 10 the writer (who was not one of the twelve disciples) shows that Jesus extended His ministry to even more people.


“Now after this the Lord chose seventy others and sent them out ahead of Him, two by two into every town and place where He was about to come...Wherever you go into a town...heal the sick in it and say to them, The kingdom of God has come close to you.” Verses 1, 8a, 9.  



With a multitude of people doing the same thing, the same works in God, the same works as Jesus, there was a dramatic result.


“The seventy returned with joy, saying, Even the demons are subject to us in Your name!”  v17

“And He said to them, I saw the satan (= the adversary) falling like lightning from heaven.” v18.  Verse 18 is most definitely connected to verse 17!


Think of that for a minute or two, or a lifetime. The power of disciples going out in pairs to minister like Jesus did is so great that it demolishes the work of the enemy. In this case the enemy leader was obviously in heaven “accusing the brethren” (the believers, the saints) before God. 


When he saw that evil was being stopped at one particular place on Earth he flashed down in such fury and haste to deal with his lieutenants who were supposed to be stirring up strife, that it appeared like a flash of lightning.



The Single Purpose of Jesus’ Ministry


1) “For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest: to destroy the works of the enemy.” 1 John 3:8


Jesus did this by showing us how we can defeat all manner of sickness, pain, misery, defeat and oppression, and by His death and resurrection.


The Two Directions of Jesus’ Ministry


2) Teaching


3) Miracles, Healings, Signs and Wonders


Three Aspects of Jesus’ Prayer Life


These first two examples were repeated on more than one occasion.


4) With the Father, always in private.


He would go by himself late at night into the mountains to pray, Luke 6:12; Matthew 14:23


He would go by Himself very early in the morning into the wilderness to pray.  Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16


Because people were always pressing around Him, demanding His time, He chose quiet, secluded places to connect with His Father. After the two mountain prayer experiences He came down in power. In the first He chose the disciples, and in the second He walked on water to meet the disciples.


How did Jesus pray?


Like Moses.


Jesus was confined in a human body subject to death before His resurrection. As such He was not able to personally meet with His Father in those secluded places that He chose for prayer. Instead, He had to rely on the same system that we do.


a) By definition, prayer is communicating with God, our Father. It is not reading something that someone else has written, nor is it reading aloud something that we have written. It is simply communication from the heart or the head to Someone that we love, Who loves us even more.


b) Prayer is meant to be two-way communication, just like Moses experienced in Exodus 33:11, which describes his time on Mt Sinai receiving the terms and commands of Israel's new covenant with God, which today is known as the Old Covenant.


"And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, like a man speaks to his friend."


But there is a problem with that verse. If we go a little further along we see that Moses asks to see God's glory, and God agrees to give him that request. God will pass by Moses but will hide Moses in a cleft of the rock, and cover him with His hand as He passes by, so that Moses only sees the back parts of God, for "no man can see My face and live." Exodus 33:20


So what happened back in verse 11?


Early copies of early books in the Old Testament were memorised, because writing had not yet been developed. When they were transferred to parchment they were copied by hand and copyists made mistakes. This verse makes perfect sense and does not take away from the truth of it when we rearrange one phrase, like this:


"And the Lord spoke with Moses like a man speaks with his friend face to face." The content is still the same and now agrees with verse 20.


c) How do we speak with our friends face to face?


Do we shout at them, wave our hands around while striding back and forth? 


Do we use their name, or just call them 'friend' or 'brother'? (The word 'God' is a description, not a name. 'Christ' is also a description, and not a name. 'Jesus' is a name, and what word did He invite us to use when we talk to God?)


Do we tell them (our friends) how wonderful they are all the time and then ask them for things?


If our friends did all the talking and did not let us get a word in, how long would we stick around?


 


5) In public, with others around, always as an act of thankfulness for their benefit, never as a means to request something.


“Jesus lifted up His eyes towards heaven and said, “Father, I thank you that you hear Me. I know that You always hear me, but I say this for the people gathered around that they will know that You have sent Me.” John 11:41-42


6) For others (commonly called 'intercession')


This example of intercessory prayer (praying on behalf of or for the benefit of someone else) is unique (that is, there is only one example). Jesus prayed for His disciples and us, on the night He was betrayed. See John 17.



The problem arises because the word used in Scripture, translated 'intercede', has quite a different understanding now to what was originally intended:


"Christ Jesus is the one...who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us." (ESV) Romans 8:34.


Likewise, we have Hebrews 7:25 which is also misunderstood:


"Consequently he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them." (ESV - Note that ESV does not capitalise pronouns referring to the Godhead.)



You can read more about this in Job - Why Things Go Wrong - here.



Four Methods in Jesus’ Miracle/Healing Ministry


7) Hands - Luke 4:40 “Now at the setting of the sun (indicating the end of the Sabbath) all those who had sick with various diseases brought them to Him, and He laid His hands upon every one of them and cured them.”


Note: it is not necessary to lay hands on the sick for them to recover. I went for two years without ever doing this, after starting to minister, and people were healed of many things: from addiction, to HIV, from hemorrhoids to chronic pain. I occasionally touch someone for a particular purpose, but never lay hands on them in the Biblical sense. 


(The full reason and explanation with examples will be given later. The simple reason is that, when someone is receiving spiritual ministry through another person, once that ministry becomes physical through the act of touch, the person receiving ministry can also receive 'bad' things from the person performing the ministry. This will not normally happen in 'hands-off' ministry.)


8) Commands - either to the person or a spirit molesting them.


“When evening came they brought to Him many who were under the power of demons, and He drove out the spirits with a word, and restored to health all who were sick.” Matthew 8:16 


What word did He use? 


While it could be a figure of speech used here we have also found that pain and sickness will generally leave immediately when someone in authority, or even just the person afflicted, says, "Pain, Go," or "Sickness, Go."


“He then said to the paralysed man, Get up! Pick up your sleeping pad and go to your own house.” Matthew 9:6


9) Actions - could be by Jesus or from the person He ministered to.


“But when the crowd had been ordered to go outside, He went in and took her by the hand and the girl arose.” Matthew 9:25


“Then He said to the man, Reach out your hand. And the man reached it out and it was restored, sound as the other one.” Matthew 12:13


“He took the seven loaves and the fish, and when He had given thanks He broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.” Matthew 15:36


10) Declarations


“Then to the centurion Jesus said, Go. It shall be done for you as you have believed. And the servant boy was healed at that very moment.” Matthew 8:13


“And when Jesus saw their faith He said to the paralysed man, Take courage, son, your sins are forgiven you.” Matthew 9:2


Six Keys to Jesus' Success


People tend to think that Jesus could do anything because he was the Son of God. However, He continually referred to Himself as 'Son of Man', a figure of speech by which He showed that He was totally human. Biologically speaking, He was the Son of God the Father, but as these verses show, that connection did not confer any special favours or privileges upon Him, nor did He try to assume any special favours or privileges to Himself.


When Jesus came as Son of Man He emptied Himself of His godliness to show, to demonstrate that He was as human as we are.


"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." Philippians 2:5-7 (ESV)


Being human is described in Hebrews 2:9a as being "made for a little while lower than the angels."


If we consider Luke 2:52, we can see that Jesus had to work for the status that He eventually achieved. It was not a foregone conclusion that, because of His heritage, He would automatically do well.


"And Jesus increased in wisdom and favor with God and man." (AMP)


John's Gospel shows the philosophy and methods by which Jesus performed so well.


11) "I have come in My Father's name." John 5:43


Jesus did not come for Himself (in His own name), but came representing His Father (in His Father's name). 


"I am not in search of honor for Myself; there is One who [looks after that;]...and He is the judge." John 8:50 (AMP) 


In our turn we come in Jesus' name, as representatives of Jesus. The following verses highlight what it means 'to come in someone's name', and 'to do something in someone's name'.


12) "I am able to do nothing from Myself...because I do not seek My own will, but only the will of the Father who sent Me." John 5:30 (AMP)


Acting 'in someone's name' means that whatever we do, we do as if it was that person doing the actions. We don't present ourselves as the 'doer', but whatever we do is as that other person's representative. "Not my will but Your will be done."


13) "I assure you, the Son is able to do nothing from Himself, but He is able to do only what He sees the Father doing." John 5:19 (AMP)


That's interesting: where did Jesus 'see' His Father doing these sorts of things? He said this after some of His earlier miracles:


"The Father dearly loves the Son and shows Him everything that He Himself does. And He will let Him see greater things yet than these." John 5:20 (AMP)


One way is figurative - He is saying that He 'does' or 'works' according to what He can see, in the spirit, that His Father would be doing if His Father was there. He must have had an entirely different revelation as to what His Father was like, compared to the way the Jewish nation saw God then, and even today.


The other way that Jesus saw what His Father would be doing was by looking at Old Testament records with Holy Spirit understanding. That's why He was recorded in John 5:17 as saying:


"My Father is working until now, and I am working." (NET Bible)


In other words, God the Father had never stopped doing good, and now Jesus was following on in His Father's (figurative) footsteps. 


In Exodus 15:26c God tells Moses to tell the Israelites on their way from Egypt to the Promised Land:


"For I am the Lord who heals you."


In other words, and this still applies today, when someone gets healed, that is God at work. 


Nehemiah 9:21 says, "Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell." (AMP)


Those 40 years of wandering were not from any deficiency on God's part, but a result of the older generation (those over twenty years of age) not believing that God would bring them through any and every difficulty. In spite of this God still protected them from wear and tear.


14) "So whatever I speak I am saying what My Father has told me to say." John 12:50


Jesus was not putting His own ideas forward, but His Father's ideas.


To come 'in His Father's name' meant that even His speech, even the words Jesus used were not His ideas but were crafted and passed down from His Father. When we do something in someone's name we don't promote our own ideas, but those of the person that we represent.


15) "Jesus said to them, My Father has enabled me to do many great works." John 10:32a


Jesus' atttitude (His approach and the methods He used) produced great works in His Father's name, which then testified further to the Father's backing of what Jesus was doing:


"The very works that I do in My Father's name bear witness concerning Me." John 5:25 (AMP)


This very same principle will work for us, also.


16) Jesus continually gave credit to His Father as the source of every mighty work that He did:


"The Father who lives continually in Me does the works." John 14:10.


In my youth I attended a traditional Christian secondary school which impressed upon me that Jesus was able to do 'His' miracles because He was the Son of God and could do anything. That idea is still very popular today. However, in a number of verses Jesus refutes that idea. 


Jesus stated clearly that He Himself claimed no inherent Godly power and that it was the presence of the Father living within Him that achieved what was considered by many to be impossible, even today.


Because of Jesus attitude He saw great results - He promised us the same at least, and much better at best.


Four  Ways in which Jesus' Success Becomes Our Success


Jesus didn't claim this close relationship as something exclusive to Him -  He guaranteed that we could enjoy the same close connection, too.


17) "Jesus answered, If a person loves Me he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our home with him." John 14:23


This verse is a picture of what happens at salvation, where we respond to Jesus reaching out to us, and His Father adopts us as His very own. We become immersed in the Father's love, in effect 'baptised' into 'the name of the Father'. 


The key takeaway here is that once we enter into that special, born-again relationship with Jesus, He and the Father will come to dwell with us. We, therefore potentially have the very same close connection that He enjoyed, which enabled Him to complete many mighty works.


In the above quote I have emphasised the word will because this is a lesser-known component of the New Covenant: that when we are born again we receive a new spirit and a heart of flesh so that we will keep God's words. This is Ezekiel 11:


“And I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh. v 19

“That they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. And they shall be My people, and I will be their God.” v20



You can add other parts that you think are appropriate. It is really that simple. Something special will happen as you do this.


18) Jesus' powerful ministry only began after He was baptised by John in the Jordan River. 


Since Jesus had no sin this was not a baptism of repentance as John was used to performing. Instead, He was showing the sequence that should occur after a salvation experience, which heralds a new beginning, just as Jesus was about to enter into something quite new as He began His ministry.


In referring to what happened immediately after he baptised Jesus in the Jordan, John the Baptist said, "I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of Heaven, and it dwelt on Him." John 1:32. (AMP). 


It was at this point where Jesus was baptised in Holy Spirit that He received the special impartation from God which enabled Him to do the mighty works, signs and wonders, along with healing and teaching, for which Jesus became famous. This was the point of empowerment.


Then, in chapter 2, John the author tells the story of Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Verse 11 provides important context:


"This, the first of His signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee...and His disciples believed in Him." There were no signs, wonders or miracles until after Jesus was baptised in water and Holy Spirit. But then they just flowed as He worked together with the Father.


Jesus was also demonstrating what would later be known in the book of Acts as being immersed or 'baptised into the name of Jesus'. These examples always show that water baptism followed immediately after conversion. It was not a demonstration of faith, but a figurative and often very practical way to 'cleanse' the person from the mistakes of their past life, in preparation for the new.


"...all of us who have been baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death.

"We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might habitually live in newness of life." Romans 6:3-4 (AMP)


There is more to baptism into Christ Jesus (water baptism by immersion for believers) than just symbolism. 


i) It is a burial and resurrection for us so that we might habitually (continually and normally) live a new life that identifies with Jesus in every area. 


ii) It is also a powerful opportunity for us to wash away our sins and break from the past.


Paul describes what happened when Ananias visited him after his dramatic encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. After his sight was restored, Ananias said to him:


"And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name." Acts 22:16 (ESV)


Over the years I have heard a number of stories, all secondhand but believable, of remarkable things happening in the physical realm when people were baptised in water: physical and emotional healing, one guy had his offensive tattoos washed away, and more.



However powerful and important baptism in water is, there is something even more desirable, if we can believe John the Baptist and Jesus Himself.


19) Baptism in Holy Spirit and Fire


"I indeed baptize you in water because of repentance. But He who is coming after me is mightier than I...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" Matthew 3:11 (AMP)


This prophecy, originally spoken by John the Baptist about a particular ministry for all believers to be performed by Jesus, is remarkable in that it appears in all four Gospels, and then in the book of Acts, where it is repeated by Jesus just before His ascension. It is addressed to all believers as a promise to be fulfilled at or soon after salvation. 


Since it is the only prophecy of its kind (with such repetition and contrast) it must be important. In fact, in the way that the promise is constructed, comparing it with water baptism, there is a strong suggestion that when Jesus "will baptise you in Holy Spirit and with fire" the effect will be remarkably greater. 


Note that baptism of either type is actually described in the Greek as "in" rather than "with" water or Holy Spirit, but Bible translators seek to accommodate the large body of both Catholic and 'mainline' Protestant churches which believe that a mere sprinkle with water is enough for someone to be "buried with Christ," or to wash their sins away. 


If there is any doubt that it was "in" rather than "with" we just need to read Matthew 3:16.


"And when Jesus was baptized He went up at once out of the water..."


 And then John 3:23 gives another strong clue:


"...John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, for there was an abundance of water there..."


And when Philip baptised the Ethiopian returning home by chariot it says, "...and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and [Philip] baptized him. And when they came up out of the water..." Acts 8:38b-39a (AMP).


What is this baptism in Holy Spirit and fire?


a) It is for everyone, every believer


When talking to His followers during the forty days before His ascension, Jesus' words are described like this:


"He commanded them to...wait for what the father had promised, Of which, He said, you have heard Me speak. For John baptized (in) water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized in Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4b-5


We don't have any records of the words which He used to teach His disciples about this great action, but we know the message was important, because it again became His main focus on the day of His ascension.


b) The fire component in this baptism is partly figurative


It was literal on the day of Pentecost, in that tongues of fire were seen on the heads of the followers of Jesus as they were baptised in Holy Spirit. However, the figurative 'fire' has since moved people who had had no prior direct connection to Jesus to go to the uttermost parts of the Earth to proclaim His name. And it sometimes moved them to proclaim Jesus right where they were.


c) The fire component also results in practical lifestyle and ministry changes


i) Peter went from a man who denied Jesus under pressure to a man who continually refused to deny Him afterwards, and preached Jesus at every opportunity, even under arrest. Acts 4:16-19; Acts 5:29, 41-42


ii) Stephen, a man described as "full of Holy Spirit and wisdom" in Acts 6:3, quickly went from being one of the brethren to being a deacon (serving the church members) in Acts 6:5, to being "full of grace" (operating in the giftings God provides) so that he "worked great signs and wonders among the people" (just like Jesus, I guess we can assume) in Acts 6:8. He quickly became a gifted speaker as well, such that "they were not able to resist the wisdom of the Spirit with which he spoke." Acts 6:10.


iii) It wasn't just the leaders who were affected:


"And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread, and prayers.

"And a sense of awe came upon every soul...

"And all who believed were united;

"And they sold their possessions and distributed the price among all, according as any had need." Acts 2:42-45 (AMP).


d) It's a full, immersive experience, not just a sprinkling or a temporary phenomenon


In the times of the Old Testament "holy men of old spoke as they were moved by Holy Spirit" for "no prophecy came by the will of man in olden times." 2 Peter 1:21 (paraphrase). 


When the prophet Samuel was preparing to anoint Saul to be king he told him:


"Then the spirit of the Lord will come upon you mightily...and you will be turned into another man. 

"And when [Saul] had turned his back to leave Samuel...God gave him another heart." 1 Samuel 10:6,9. 


For these Old Testament heroes the dramatic effect of a new spirit and a new heart did not necessarily last - the Spirit of God would come upon them specifically to get a particular job done. Even Samson had no great, innate strength - when he killed the lion, slew 30 Philistine men to get their garments to complete his wedding vow, and then allowed his fellow Israelite countrymen to bind him with ropes and hand him over to the Philistines, on each occasion it says:


"...and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon [Samson]..." to show that God was the source of his empowerment. Judges 14:6, 19; 15:14. Samson was not normally able to move in this way - his mighty strength lasted while he had a job to do. His strength had nothing to do with his hair!


It was the same with the prophets of old - when they did not have a message, they did not have Holy Spirit.


On the day of His ascension, someone asked Jesus about restoring the kingdom to Israel. He had no news about that, but He had even better news for each one personally. He cut back to the same message that He had given them previously - this is what was important for them to know, this is what He wanted them to focus on:


"But you shall receive power when Holy Spirit has come on you, and you shall be My witnesses..." Acts 1:8 (AMP)


This immersive, all-enveloping Holy Spirit experience for each person would empower the believers to do amazing things like teaching, healings, signs and wonders in the same way that Jesus had done them, and thus testify (witness) to His ongoing presence. Unlike under the Old Covenant, it was now a gifting that endured, for everyone.



Paul the apostle later confirmed the permanency of this baptism and its after-effects: 


"For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable - He never withdraws them when once they are given..." Romans 11:29 (AMP)


Baptism in Holy Spirit is just as necessary, just as needed, just as effective today as it ever was in the days of the apostles.


e) Baptism in Holy Spirit , which is performed by Jesus, can come at conversion or later


At conversion:


i) Peter was sent by Holy Spirit to a centurion, Cornelius, who had gathered his family and friends at his house in Caesarea to hear from God. As Peter preached that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name, something amazing happened. "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message...For they heard them speaking in languages and magnifying God...and he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." Acts 10:44, 46, 48. (AMP). Some argue that Peter and Co needed a convincing proof that God was going to treat the Gentiles like the Jews, which was a totally new concept for them. However, God generally acts outside of our expectations and any limitations we might try to impose on Them.


Later:


ii) Philip (the deacon) went to Samaria to preach, and many people were saved. When the apostles back in Jerusalem heard about this they sent Peter and John to see what was happening. They discovered that the converts had only been baptised into the name of Jesus (water baptism) but the Holy Spirit "had not yet fallen on any of them. Then [the apostles] laid their hands on them one by one and they received the Holy Spirit." Acts 8:16-17. (AMP)


iii) Saul, who was later called Paul, was on his way to Damascus to imprison Christians when he encountered Jesus along the way. Three days later a Christian in Damascus was sent by God to where Saul was staying. "And he laid his hands on Saul and said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you along the way by which you came here, has sent me that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Acts 9:17. Something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, he rose and was baptised in water.


iv) Paul found some disciples at Ephesus who had not received Holy Spirit when they were saved - they had also only been baptised according to John's baptism. (Note: according to the teaching in the four Gospels, baptism in Holy Spirit is something that Jesus does, and as shown throughout Acts, is not accomplished by using or adding the words "I baptise you in the name of the Holy Spirit.". As will be shown shortly in this article, there are suitable ways to produce or induce this baptism in believers.) 


The absence of Holy Spirit baptism was not due to not knowing about Holy Spirit, since Cornelius and his family and friends experienced it without any prior knowledge, but was due primarily to the wrong baptism having been administered. Jesus was not going to do his part until the believers did theirs, in this case.  "...Paul came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed. And they said No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. And he asked, Into what then were you baptized? They said, Into John's baptism." See Acts 19:1-3.


Paul was looking for a reason for this failure and he found it. For him and the believers involved, there was no problem in a second, correct baptism that actually washed sins away. (In some parts of the world people are re-baptised when they sin, which just shows a complete misunderstanding that baptism into the name of the Father rebirths the believer into a new family, the family of God, and there is no formula for anyone to break either a physical or spiritual genetic connection between parent and child. Sin cannot do that, as the parable of the prodigal son shows.)


"And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, continually telling the people that they should believe in the One Who was to come, that is, in Jesus. On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And as Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in foreign languages and prophesied. There were about twelve of them in all." Acts 19:4-7




















20) If anyone believes in Me...










There Were Two Great Commissions


21) “Go nowhere among (the other nearby nations)...But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (your own people)...


"And as you go, preach saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Or the hand or presence of God is touching you.)


“Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse the lepers (these days HIV); drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:6-8


This first commission given by Jesus (above) is to go to our own people. 

The second commission (below) is to go to people further afield, neighbouring states and other countries.


22) “Jesus said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.


“Go then and make disciples of all nations, baptising them…

“Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded (or instructed) you…” Matthew 28:18-20

In my experience winning souls is easy, and is much like making a human baby. Making a spiritual baby, also, frequently just takes one night, even a brief or chance encounter somewhere is usually enough. It's the next part, "Raise up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it," that takes commitment, time, effort and money. See Proverbs 22:6

I can see why Jesus asked us to do one (make disciples) and not the other (win souls).


Note Jesus’ definition of a disciple:

“...a disciple, when he is fully trained, will be like his Teacher.” Luke 6:40  Most people in outreach ministry today are concentrating on winning souls, which is something that Jesus never commanded or taught.

When we do things in God's preferred way the results are amazing.

This on-the-spot result happens continually in text, as well as in face-to-face ministry.  Note the timeline in the screenshots below. 

Part 1  The (Delayed) Return of Jesus  

Part 2  The Mystery of The Ages

Part 3  Ministry Like Jesus  (This page)

 Ministry Like Jesus - Methods

 Ministry Like Jesus - Outcomes