POWER SHIFT 4.0

CHRISTIAN NEWS TODAY VOLUME 2.4

THE POWER TO BECOME

 From Adoption To Stewardship

We are still on the pathway of the power to become: 

We have a destination. And our destination is to lay hold of the power shift. Volume 1, part 1 of this edition has laid down the four power experiences that activates the power shift. Our objective in this edition of the power shift is to take the very first part of the power experiences; which is the power to become, that we may establish the very first fundamental principle of the power shift. 

Surely, we are on the pathway of the power to become and we must by the grace of God be transformed by the heavenly revelation of Jesus Christ the light; to who we are in Christ. 

The power to become does not abandon the believers at the point of adoption, he takes them further on and make them stewards.  

Stewards? Why stewards? 

Because when you move on from the redemption experience to the adoption experience, you are by spiritual birth and by right everything that Jesus Christ is. And not only that, you are also a possessor of everything that he has. 

The scriptures says that if we are the children of God, then we are‘’ heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:17 

Therefore as children of God, we are inheritors of all that the father has. But there is a major issue to sort out at this stage; and it is that of stewardship.  

Look at what Paul says about the heir that refuse to grow up to maturity: ‘’Now I say that the heir as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all.’’ Galatians 4:1 

The children of God though appointed to be the lord of all; is not qualified to be given the responsibility of lordship and governor over the fathers possession; because he is still a child. 

If we have passed the stage of redemption to adoption and we now fully manifest the nature of the father and truly exhibits the Christian virtues. And we by now bear the name: ‘’Sons of God.’’ There still remains the stewardship test to pass, before we can be in charge of the fathers business. 

This is about growing up, it is about maturity; it is about becoming like the master and the Lord as much as becoming sons of God. 

Concerning John the Baptist; the bible says: ‘’ And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the desert till the day of his shewing forth unto Israel.’’ Luke 1:8 

Also the Lord Jesus Christ ‘’ increased in wisdom and stature.’’ Luke 2: 52. Physical growth without spiritual growth will only produce a child with manhood physique but spiritually and mentally he is merely a child. 

When God makes you a son indeed by the power to become, the next step is to make you a steward indeed by the same power. Get ready beloved for the transforming power that makes a true child of God a steward of all the resources of God your father.  

It is your heritage in Christ. Move on brother and go on that you may climb up higher.  

From Adoption to Stewardship 

Stewardship is rapidly fading out from the church. The church desire the inheritance as children of the most high God, but they dislike the process of becoming a true steward by the power to become. 

We know we are children of God, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, we have that understanding very well; and we want the inheritance. But we do not want the training that brings all the children from adoption to stewardship. 

You see, there are two categories of Christians; the prodigals and the elder brothers of the prodigals.  

The younger son said to the father: ‘’give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.’’ And the father right away divided between the two of them his living. 

Immediately after collecting his own portion of the inheritance, the prodigal gathered all together without saving any for the future, there was no plan for the future. Then he went far away from the father and wasted all the resources. Read Luke 15:11-13. 

Now what is the difference between the prodigal son and his elder brother? The prodigal received the inheritance without the prior confirmation of stewardship. He abandoned the school of stewardship and separated himself from the tutelage of the of the father and went far away from home. 

The truth is possessing your possession, though it is yours, without preparation will definitely lead to dis-possession. Stewardship prepares you before positioning. Again, positioning without preparation only prepares the ground suitable for dis- position. 

Stewardship also prepares you before receiving the empowerment. This is the point I am trying to pass across; that stewardship empowers and position us as kingdom trustees and kingdom treasurers. The father’s business can only be rightly managed by those whom the father has prepared to function in the capacity of stewardship. 

The fathers seeks for children that has become sons and for sons that are good and faithful stewards to manage the kingdom resources and the kingdom affairs. Because stewardship is a major prerequisite to being entrusted with the blessings, the riches, the wealth, the wisdom, the knowledge, in fact all the heavenly treasures and the treasures of the earth. 

My dearly beloved in Christ; do you know that there is a spiritual college of the Holy Ghost and that there is a learning process at the feet of the master couple with the training ground by the Spirit of the master. 

The very first step into stewardship is apprenticeship. Show me a steward and I will show you a man who has a master. Who at one time or the other has gone through the stage of apprenticeship. An apprentice is a learner. 

You say you are a master with a masters degree to act in the capacity of a master, and you have not a master. How did you get your master’s  degree without a master. You are nothing but a fake, an impostor. 

Though we have the Lord as the master of us all, yet by divine arrangement, he has positioned every one of us under that particular person for apprenticeship.  

Elijah produced Elisha and Moses produced Joshua; likewise Paul produced Timothy, all by the divine process of mentoring by apprenticeship. Brethren, the condition of apprenticeship must be met before you can be entrusted with that which is your own, even by inheritance. ‘ 

The test of stewardship: 

There are certain test we must pass in order to be a qualified, heavenly ordained stewards of heavenly resources right here on earth. They are:  

1. The Loyalty Test 

2. The integrity Test 

3. The obedient Test 

4. The accountability Test 

5. The wisdom Test 

The Loyalty Test: 

The very first step in the college of stewardship is the loyalty test. Stewardship demands for all of your heart it; is all of your heart or nothing else. Loyalty is faithfulness to the core and faithfulness originates from the heart. 

When the heart is divided dis-loyalty steps in. Jesus Christ, our Lord and master made it very clear to us that it is impossible for anyone to serve two masters at the same time faithfully. 

 ‘’And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own.’’ Luke 16:12 

Joseph was loyal to the core. He was loyal to God and at the same time loyal to his master; Potiphar. He passed his own loyalty test when he refused to sleep with his master’s wife.  

We all are positioned by God at every phase of life to undergo learning and training necessary for the fulfillment of purpose and destiny.  

Therefore in every place and with every man we have been positioned to serve in life by God; there is a demand for faithfulness, not only to God but also to the man we have been placed under. 

The Integrity Test: 

Integrity is a state of uprightness. The man of integrity will stand by his word. He will not compromise neither will he shift his ground on the matter of principles and conduct.  

Our integrity must be tested; without passing the integrity test we can not move further on from adoption to stewardship. The divinely appointed stewards, which are to be entrusted with the kingdom resources and the heavenly resources must be a man of his word.  

The word of God is the standard; our uprightness of heart goes far  beyond standing by the principles and the right conduct we have come to accept in the society as that which is appropriate and right, but every relationship and every action must be guided by the word of God. 

Total and complete integrity is that word of God in your heart; that has become the confession of your mouth and finally the belief you hold on to without compromising your stand in the hour of temptation and adverse conditions. 

The Obedience Test: 

Absolute and total submission to the will of God is the hallmark of obedience. Partial obedience can not meet the office of stewardship, it is all of the master’s will.  

To pass the obedient test as a steward your will must become the master’s will and the master’s will must become your will. Obedience is not the eradication of your will as a man, but a state where your will does not contradict the will of God. 

When we know without doubt that his perfect will is the perfect choice for us in every situation and circumstances of life; the surrender of our will for his will becomes a natural way of life.   

The declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ; ‘’nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.’’ Is the perfect obedient to the perfect will of the father. He was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

The Accountability Test:  

The prodigal son gathered all the portion of his inheritance together and wasted it all. Something is fundamentally wrong with the prodigal son. It is the accountability factor. 

Wasters do not have the sense of accountability; when you know you are accountable to someone there will definitely be caution in spending. Everything is given unto us in trust; your life, your giftings, your talents, and your wealth.  

Without passing the accountability test, we can not move on from the stage of adoption to the stage of stewardship.  

The Wisdom Test: 

In the book of Luke 16, we read about the parable of the unjust steward. The unjust steward failed the accountability test; but strangely received a commendation from the Lord: ‘’And the Lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely; for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of God.’’ Luke 16:8 

The wisdom displayed by the unjust steward is not the wisdom of the just one; it is not that wisdom that descends from above, but the wisdom that originates from the selfish and self-centered souls of men.  He knew that he has failed the accountability test and was sure he was going to loose the stewardship; now to secure the future he started using the fund kept in his charge to buy favour in order to secure his future. 

The point the Lord wants to make clear to us is that the office of stewardship is given to us and it is to be discharged by wisdom. Position, power, prestige, privileges and so many more are benefits attached to the stewardship office and they are to be used for positive impact. 

What is wisdom? Wisdom is the application of the knowledge that you have, through proper and thorough understanding of the same knowledge. It is not merely knowing what to do, but knowing what to do and doing it.  

It is the divine ability to discharge responsibilities and duties appropriately. The kingdom steward holds the responsibility to manage and administer heavenly resources on behalf of his master and Lord. And without passing the wisdom test, we can not move on from adoption to stewardship. 

In conclusion brethren, redemption is great; but to be redeemed and to have the Spirit of adoption without experiencing adoption is partial redemption. Also to experience adoption without experiencing stewardship is to be disqualify for kingdom service. 

And so it is; from redemption to adoption, and from adoption to stewardship. But there still remain a step further to go by the power to become. This is for the next and last edition of this volume on the power to become. 

My prayer and my heartfelt desire for you is that: you will live to become a living and useable vessel in the hand of your maker. 

God bless you. Amen