Whose Business Are We About This Year?

Did you make any new year resolutions at the beginning of January, and how are you doing with them.? The gym I go to is so full at the beginning of the year, but within the first couple of weeks enthusiasm drastically reduces. About three years ago, the Lord gave me the assignment to pray for the ladies at my gym as we exercise so when my 'gym enthusiasm' wanes, I remember the Lord's Heart for each of the ladies, and this assignment (business) keeps me going. This year, one of my new year's resolutions is to be more intentional in 'being about my Father's business', like Jesus always was.

You may be wondering what this means, but I will begin by explaining what Papa's business is. We find this in Mathew 28:19, where it tells us we should go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. This simply means teaching and equipping people to do all that Jesus did as we read in the Gospels. This includes, healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, and rebuking the demonic (Matthew 10:8). So, as Bill Johnson explains, whichever office you work in or job you do, you should still be living out Matthew 10:8, and in that way, God's Kingdom will be extended and God's Will done on earth, as it is done in Heaven.

The next question then, is why do we have to do God's business or, why can't I do mine while God finds someone else to do His?

Firstly, I always say that Jesus has to be our model. He came to show us how to live on earth, totally yielded to our Loving Father and there is no better place to glean from the principles he lived by than the Gospels (read thoroughly!).

When Jesus was 12 years old, His earthly parents took Him to Jerusalem. On their way home, they assumed He was in the travel company, and when they couldn't find Him, they returned to the temple in Jerusalem and found Him surrounded by the learned, asking questions. When they got upset with Him for having stayed back, He pointed out that they ought to have known He would be in His Father's house - about His Father's business. (Luke 2:41-52)

Again we read in John 5:19, where Jesus said He only does what He sees His Father doing. To see what our Father in heaven is doing, we have to allow ourselves to be drawn into an intimate relationship with Him. Sometimes, we confuse being friends with God with being servants of God. Servants don't really know all about their master's business, but just obey without necessarily having that heart connection. But friends on the other hand discuss, spend time together, and share ideas (John 15:15). God has ministering servants and He really doesn't need any more. He is looking for true worshippers (John 4:23). Worship comes from the heart, so He is looking for those who want to yield their hearts to Him in worship, fellowship, and then walk in the obedience that comes out of a loving heart, delighting and desiring to enjoy Papa's Presence. In that place of Presence, we then get downloads of what and how to do Papa's business, and we can connect and co-labour with Him. Then, God's business is carried out such that His Will is done on earth as it is done in heaven.

Notice that obedience should not be out of a place of duty or fear. Papa would have made robots if He needed that. It shouldn't be forced or coerced either. That would be returning to legalism as opposed to walking in God's grace. Rather, Papa is looking for hearts that choose to be yielded in love to His, out of which will come the type of obedience Jesus showed. Jesus' even said His food was to do the will of His Father, to accomplish and finish His works (John 4:34). This is what I would call, passionately being about His Father's business. He also went on to encourage us to look up and see that the harvest is ready, and waiting (John 4:35), so our Father's business is ready and ripe all around us.

The idea here is not necessarily to leave your 9 to 5 job and and travel as a missionary. The harvest is everywhere, as Jesus said. We read about Daniel in the Bible, who served in one of the most challenging conditions under Kings like Nebuchadnezzer and Darius. But Daniel was about His Father's business. He disciplined his flesh, prioritised The Lord's empowering Presence, such that He could operate with an excellent Spirit (Daniel 6:3). He brought great Godly wisdom, courage and insight, ending up in a high government position where the King of Babylon abandoned his ways and encouraged his subjects to believe in Daniel's powerful God.

I pray that as we go about our Father's business, the world will see our powerful God working out in their purposes and will thus bow to Him.

Sometimes however, we are held back from pursuing His business, because of insignificance, cares, fears, insecurities and challenges of this world. But God says we should cast our cares on Him, so we will not be encumbered, and can go about His business. His business might be to give some prophetic word (casually) in a meeting, or pray for healing for a sick colleague who has been wicked to us, or give a bold opinion based on His Word, even if it may seem unpopular. Whatever it is, our desire to make Him known to others, in love and power, shows God that He is important to us. And I often notice that while I am going about God's business, He is always taking care of mine.

Finally, to be effective in doing our Father's business, we need the power of The Holy Spirit. This was why the disciples were told not to leave Jerusalem until they had the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). In other words, they were not to proceed with the Father's business until they had the Enabling power. It is impossible to carry out the Father's business effectively without the Holy Spirit, and His continual in-filling. Jesus required this power, and received it at His baptism. All the miracles that the Apostles carried out in the book of Acts required the power of the Holy Spirit, and we are no exception if we want to be effective at doing our Father's business. 

I pray that The Lord may cause us all to find favour with God and man as He empowers us through the Holy Spirit to be about His business. 

Love,

Mina x