Topic: Emptied on Purpose
Text: 2 Timothy 2:20-21
Key Verse: But you, Timothy, must not see your life and ministry this way. Your life and ministry must not be disgraced, for you are to be a pure container of Christ and dedicated to the honorable purposes of your Master, prepared for every good work that he gives you to do. – 2 Timothy 2:21
A winning mindset prepares you for service. Though everyone is welcome to serve in the kingdom, the quality of service offered is dependent on the kind of container you are and your level of purity.
God in his infinite wisdom, has created different kinds of containers for service.
In a palace, you find many kinds of containers and tableware for many different uses. Some are beautifully inlaid with gold or silver, but some are made of wood or earthenware; some of them are used for banquets and special occasions, and some for everyday use. – 2 Timothy 2:20
Your intrinsic value was determined by God and your usefulness is determined by where you are deployed. No container is useless whether you are seldom used for special occasions or you are for everyday service you must view yourself from God\’s perspective.
How do you see your life and ministry? Significant or insignificant? Valuable or not valuable? It\’s in your hands, God is waiting on you to do your part and become suitable for the quality of life you desire.
The container must be pure and emptied of all filth to be suitable for service in the Palace. The worst kind of filth is the ones that proceed from the heart.
But what comes out of your mouth reveals the core of your heart. Words can pollute, not food. You will find living within an impure heart evil ideas, murderous thoughts, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, lies, and slander. That’s what pollutes a person. Eating with unwashed hands doesn’t defile anyone.” – Matthew 15:18-20
Your life and ministry must not be disgraced, identify the different things that have stained your container and made you unfit for the master\’s use, and begin to clean them out.
I was defiled by anger and offense for a very long time in my life, l had the capacity, was full of performance but my character was filthy by God\’s standard. I would have suffered disgrace in my marriage if l didn\’t help myself to deal with my impediment.
My ministry in the kingdom would have remained small if I did not empty myself of these limiting traits and tendencies. Jesus didn\’t need to empty himself of these things because he did not inherit the sin nature. We have the inherent sin nature.
Instead of doing what I know is right, I do wrong. And so, if I don’t do what I know is right, I am no longer the one doing these evil things. The sin that lives in me is what does them. – Romans 7:19-20
Today, the Lord invites you to separate yourself to discover the different things that want to cause you to disgrace in life and ministry, repent of them and empty yourself of them in Jesus\’ name.
God is waiting for you to do your part so that you will be eligible for recruitment for fruitfulness beginning today. That\’s the result of a winning mindset.
God bless you as you work with this truth.
Roses&Thorns
