Entrusted Co-workers

“For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full as­surance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Col. 2:1-3.

How much of this has God been able to reveal to me? It is impossible for unfaithful people to come to faith that they can attain such glory. There must be absolute, uncompromising faithfulness to God, as far as the light shines. Jesus saw that Paul was faithful, and He placed him in the ministry. He was an entrusted co-worker, a steward who understood how to give food to the church and help them attain growth and fel­lowship. God will also raise up His co-workers today from His field. 1 Cor. 3:9-10.

God tests His servants—often the tests involve power and honor. If a person is faithful in his trials, God will entrust him with unspeakably important things. Such a man has authority from God—he understands God’s will and acts according to the counsel of the Lord. Such faithful people have power in their spirit to bind and to set free. They have an invisible spiri­tual power, a power that no carnal person has. It would be horrible if carnal people had such power. Only God’s co­workers can build the church. The field cannot do that. There­fore, everyone who wants growth in God must submit himself precisely to those things that entrusted co-workers of God tell them. These co-workers know God’s heart, and they teach us to know God. There is a vast difference between entrusted co­workers and other servants. Each of us is always a field for God’s Word and a field for His co-workers.

“Of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” Heb. 5:11-12.

Most people, even among us, are slow to hear God’s Word. A man becomes dull of hearing because he has been slow to do the things he has already heard. Many who should have become teachers are still babes in Christ. They have not de­veloped their senses, and they have not become competent in using the Word of righteousness. Consequently, they find it difficult to differentiate between right and wrong. All of the friends must learn to listen to what God speaks in their heart. When a person is obedient to the voice of the Spirit, his senses will develop, so he does not have to constantly seek counsel from others.

It is absolutely critical for the church that priests according to the order of Melchizedek grow up. These people do not fight for their own honor, and that is why they get power in the church of God. In the old covenant, the king went to the priest to get advice in difficult situations; but in the new cov­enant, the king and priest must be united in the same person. The thoughts of the flesh must be sacrificed so that you can receive power in your spirit, so you can proclaim God’s mar­vellous light. A love for Jesus’ life and for Him personally must always compel us to be given over to death. This is absolutely necessary if His life, rather than our own self-life, is going to be manifested in our bodies when we come into various situa­tions.

Paul knew the whole law; he knew all of the regulations and all of the punishments. But to come to mature manhood and to be able to help people, you must get into their hearts and understand why they react the way they do. The Spirit enters into the innermost parts of a person—the hidden places. That is why it is so important to hear and obey the Spirit. If you cannot understand the subtle nuances, your judgment will often be completely wrong. You cannot reach the goal through knowledge and a good memory—you have to hear the voice of the Spirit. Our ears are opened through chastisement. God’s chastisement often works by showing us that we have been much too lax in our spirit.

“So let us . . .”—this exhortation is often repeated in the letter to the Hebrews. We must not depart from what we heard from the beginning—that which the apostles touched and handled of the Word of life. This salvation is so great that He who sits at the right hand of the majesty of God in heaven wants us as His brothers and as His joint heirs!

A servant of the Lord cannot be concerned about his own honor and reputation. He must never consider things from a human viewpoint so that he can be popular. If he does, he will lose his power, and every servant of the Lord must be full of the Spirit of power. In a war, some strongholds must be taken by a direct attack, and then tremendous power is required to drive back the enemy. It is just the same spiritually. People who have become puffed up and exalted in their own eyes may require some spiritual “rough treatment.” These people cannot be won through “humility.” In these situations, you must stand firm and unyielding until those who have commit­ted injustice lose their strength. May we become more effec­tive in “sniffing out” what spirit a person is in. Jesus did not work with people who were offended. Trying to make of­fended people happy in the church is insanity, spiritually speaking. “The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above.” Prov. 14:14. Perhaps some people have not been entrusted with the things they believe they should have been entrusted with in the church. Often such people go around dissatisfied and half­offended. They need to be chastised by the circumstances of life, humble themselves and come into thankfulness and goodness. Then, and only then, can they experience growth and development in God.