A Mini Participation With God

There are three different “mini-sters” of God in the Bible: Angels, Governments, and Christians, and each has a different “mini-stry.” The reason for the “mini” is simply because both the “ster” and the “stry” are such a mini little tiny part of what mighty God is doing. In his own twisted way the devil also has a mini-weenie-stry.

Each agent has an authority, or a spoon, given to them by God that allows them to “ster” into the physical and spiritual things of this world that God be cooking.

The funny thing about some of us Christians though, is that at times we like to try and stick our spoon in the pot of the government or maybe the pot of the angels and help them stir. Silly Christians. By now we should know that we were never meant to stick our spoon in the pot of the government—it is just not our “stry.” Our ministry is of a different kind.

Sometimes the angels wish they could look into our pot to see what we are stirring (1 Peter 1:12) but they know better then to be sticking their spoon where no authority has been given to them. Perhaps we should learn from their example.

“Then the devil left Him and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” Matthew 4:11

“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God……..For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.” Romans 13:1,4-6

“Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.” 2 Cor. 4:1

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” 2 Cor. 5:18

As Christians we need to resist, even as Jesus wisely did, the temptation of Satan to go sticking our spoon where no authority or mandate has been granted to us. Let us learn from Luke 4:5-8

“So he took Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to Him, ‘I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If You, then, will worship me, all will be Yours.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”

If we want an answer as to “why do the nations rage, and the people plot in vain,” it is simply because the nations or kingdoms of this world are under the authority of Satan (the prince and power of the air). If we wish to change that fact, we must not think that the authority given to us by Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 is something that is meant to be exercised from a position of worldly government.

“Then Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”

Jesus clearly stated that his “kingdom is not of this world” because if it were, his “servants would fight.” If we are going to teach the people of the nations to observe everything that Jesus has commanded then we must teach them the simple truth that our fighting and wrestling is not with the physical principalities but with the spiritual. The spiritual existed long before the physical and something at me hints that it might be the more real of the two realities.

No matter how seductive the pot of government control might appear, let us stir our spoon where Christ has taught us to stir. For we have been given the ministry of love, peace, reconciliation, and much more.