 Good morning, Krishna. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to BC 11th row identity in Christ. So I hope as we are studying on this course, week after week, are we getting ourselves into this new identity where we are able to identify ourself in Christ? Is this class helping each one of us to identify ourself in Christ? Anyone from the class online? On campus, how is it helping you identify yourself in Christ? Are there any hints that you were reminded of yourself by the Lord saying that hey listen, no matter where you are, what circumstance it is, no matter what others are talking about you. Remember your identity. Your identity is in me. Anyone from the class? Anyone from the class? Yes, Nina. Could you pass the mic to Linda, please? There's some chat. Let me check from online. Yes. So many times actually, when you go through tough times in life, so down. But I have to preach to myself that I'm a child of God. God loves me. And I literally look into what Jesus has done for me and who I am in Christ. This is really encouraged. Otherwise, it's a very sad situation. Yes. If I'm not remembering about that. Amen. Thank you. Thank you, Nina. Very encouraging. Chira, you would like to share? Yes. Please pass the mic to him. Yes, we know that we are child of God. We are sitting before God with God Jesus. So I feel like the authority, right? Sometimes, the circumstances came in our life. I feel that I am child of God. I have that authority to rebuke the things that really help me to grow. Amen. Thank you for sharing. Chira, anyone from the class? Karen, from online, would you like to share? You can unmute and speak. Karen, you can unmute and share your experience. Was there any instance in your life that you identified yourself, that you are in Christ and you are an overcomer? Hello, Pastor, can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. So, Pastor, I've always identified based on my class with standard I'm studying in. Pastor, can you hear me? Yes, yes. Go ahead, Karen. So, when I joined ADTS, that's when we taught us our identity that we are identified like who we are in Christ and how Jesus is the one who helps us with our identity. Okay. Thanks for sharing, Karen. Thank you. That sounds good. It's sometimes very important for us to renew our mind and understand that who we are in Christ. Krisha, Shiv Kumar, Samuel, would you like to unmute and share how the word, the class, the teaching from the classes helped us to renew our mind and it has ministered to each of us how to handle and overcome our situation. Good morning, Pastor. Can you hear me? Yes, yes. We can hear you. Yeah, Pastor, like many times when we act our human nature, when we act in flesh, our identity in Christ reminds us how we are supposed to be like Him and act like Him and behave in every way like Him. So, yeah, that's how identity in Christ helps us. Thank you. Thanks Krisha. Yes. Anyone else from the class? I see Jachin has shared a comment on the chat saying that recently someone close to me who knew me from a childhood, okay, spoke something against me and the ministry that I'm called to do. I was upset and getting emotional when God reminded me of who I am in Him. God's word told me that He is my righteousness and my battle belongs to Him. I'm fighting from victory ground. This truth set me free. Amen. Praise God. That's a wonderful way to set our mind on the word and what the Lord speaks about each of us that helps us not to take up the battle on our own but then allow the Lord to work on behalf of us. We are also allowing the Lord to defend us. We are not defending ourselves but then we are asking, God, will you take my back and you defend us? Okay. Anyone else would like to share offline or online? Even before we could begin our session with a word of prayer? Anyone? Rin and Sean are pondering what to share, what instances? There are so many but we had to think on what we can because when we walk every day, when we walk with the Lord every day keeping Him in our mind, I think every moment is a testimony because we are trying to lead our life that pleases God. And that cannot be done with our own strength. That's not possible with our human strength but then we seek God. We ask God, God, you move and you work in and through me. There's also another chat on the status I see from Shiv Kumar says, when Satan put thoughts of discouragement in our mind, identity in Christ helps me to resist and overcome. This is what the scripture says, when you speak the word to the enemy, it flees from you and you resist Him with the word of God because the word of God has the power to make the enemy flee from each of us. Okay, so in today's class, we're going to study, we're going to look into, in last class, we actually studied on what being one body with Christ, being one body with Christ. I'm just taking the notes, just give me a minute. Okay, we covered on being many members in Christ. So last class, we looked at being one body in Christ that was on section 11. And today, we're going to study about how we are ministers and ambassadors in Christ. That's in section 12. We're going to look at how we are ministers and ambassadors in Christ. Even before we could begin with this section, can I request one of us to lead us in prayer? Who has the mic? Lord Jesus, Lord, we thank you for this time. We thank you for this class that we are hearing, Lord Father. And Lord right now, Lord, we submit our minds and we submit ourselves before you, Lord Father. And Lord, whatever your teaching goes through, Diana, Ma'am, Lord Father, let your word be sown into our hearts and let your truth be established in our life, Lord Father, and help us, not to just be the listeners of your word, but help us to be the doers of your word, Lord Father, and help us to be aware of who we are in you and help us to carry our true identity in you, Jesus. We give you all the glory and honor in Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. So we are the ministers and ambassadors of Christ Jesus. Let's turn to our notes to page 107. It says each one of us, each one of us and we identify ourselves in Christ Jesus. We are the ministers and we are the ambassadors of Christ Jesus. So at our church, at our APC ministries, we believe and we emphasize that every believer is a minister of God. What do we emphasize on and what do we believe? We believe that every believer is a minister. Every believer is a minister. So can we please place our hand on ourself and say, Lord, I am a minister of God. Can we declare it over ourself? I am a minister of God. I am the ambassador of Christ Jesus. So today we are going to talk on this heavenly call. We all would have studied this in fulfilling God's purpose, the minister's foundation under fulfilling God's purpose. We would have studied that each of us have a call and have a purpose in our life. Do you all believe that we have a call and a purpose in our life? From where did you get this call and a purpose? From where did you get this call and a purpose? From God. God himself has called you. Now how do you know the confirmation that God has called me? How do you know? Because many times when you put this thought in your mind, you are incorrectly believing that there is a call on your life. It's nothing like that. But then we need to get back to the word because the word has the power. Because the word is correct. There is no error in the word of God. So the word of God says, I have called you in your mother's womb. Even before you were formed in your mother's womb, scripture says, God knew each of us by name. Each of us, even before the foundation of the earth. This is what in Ephesians chapter one four says that, I knew you even before the foundation of the earth. I know you. And even before I could knit you in your mother's womb, I know you. And in Psalms 139, very clearly God says like, you know, there was nothing hidden from my eyes. Your bones were formed before me in your mother's womb. And you were wonderfully, you were fearfully and wonderfully made. You are not a mistake. You are created according to God's plan. So there is a call and there's a purpose. No matter what circumstance you are going through, no matter what situation you are been placed in, you need to trust and believe that you are part of God's plan. God is working in and through you. We may be in a place where we do not know the full picture. But then God is saying, you are not alone. That's what the word of God says. Wherever you are, you are placed as per my plan. You are placed as per my plan. And I am working in and through you. You are a work in progress. Each of us are work in progress. The Lord who called us is faithfully working in and through us. This is what we see that there's an heavenly call to each of us through God. So let's turn to Philippians chapter 3 verse 12 to 14. I'll read it this time. I'll get you all involved. So not that I have already attended or I'm already perfected, but I press on. That I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has lay hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do. Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. So what do we see here? See that Apostle Paul setting his mind on certain things ahead of him. He's saying no matter what problem I'm going through, no matter what is happening around me. The situation where I am right now may not be very pleasant, may not give me a picture that I'm part of God's call. But then there is a call that God is called and I'm setting my focus on that, the end picture, the end result. And I'm setting my mind on that end result, no matter what I'm going through. No matter what people may talk about me, but then I'm setting my focus on the end result. I'm marching towards that goal. So we need to set our focus on that very well. A scholar's purgeant says it this way. But while the work of Christ for us is perfect, the work of Christ for us is perfect and it we believe to think of adding to it the work of the Holy Spirit in us is not perfect. That means the spirit of the Lord who is in us is actually working in and through us that we may be Christ like. The work in us is in progress so that every day, every day we are working to be more like Christ Jesus. So this is what it is. It is a spiritual journey that Apostle Paul is talking about. He is asking each one of us. As he is sharing about his point of view, he's encouraging each of us as a man and woman of God, as a servant of God. They would be hurdles around our way. They will be trials that we may have to face. They would be sufferings that we may be enduring in our life, in our ministry. But then he's encouraging you and me saying, set your focus on God. Don't allow the situation to declare what your life is ahead of you. That is temporary. Our emotions, our feelings are temporary. But the call on what God has placed on your life, that's permanent. So your Apostle Paul is encouraging each of us. Set your focus right. Set your focus right. So that our heart will be strong to endure the present trial, the sufferings that we may be in. Or the situation that we can overcome. Because we are setting a focus on the greater reward of what God has called each one of us through Christ Jesus. This is what he says that I press towards the... Where is that verse? I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. This is what even in the Gospel of Luke chapter 9 verse 62 where it says, When a man steps into the plow, is it good for him to look back? No. A servant of God steps into the ministry. Look ahead because you are not alone. Look ahead that Jesus is your strength. So Paul is encouraging each of us. When we put a hand to the plow, we should refuse to look back. That we may press towards on what Jesus wanted each of us to do. So that God's will will be fulfilled in and through us. There's a purpose. There's a call and there's a purpose. And when we cooperate, it is not like, okay, God is called. So it is God's work to fulfill all that he has called on purpose that he has in store for me. What did we start in fulfilling the purpose? We see that. Yes, there's a call and a purpose that God has for us. But God is a gentle God. He is expecting each of us to cooperate with him, to partner with him so that we can be fruitful. So that God can fulfill his call and purpose through us. So what we need to do, we need to do our part by cooperating with God's call and purpose. Again, we're going back to John chapter 15 where it says, when you abide in me and I abide in you, only then we can be fruitful for each of us to be fruitful. We need the strength of God. Because the life that we lead, the path that we walk is not something natural. That we can handle with our natural ability. It is something to do with God. We need God's strength in us. So that can only happen when we abide with God and E-N-M. And we can together lead so that we can fulfill the ministry that God has called each of us. So is it easy for us to know? Okay, now we are in a place that we know our call, know our purpose. Now as we know the call and the purpose, the journey is not very easy. It's not a one-day journey, isn't it? It's a lifelong journey. So as a human, there are days when it is good, when it's bad. There's an ups and downs, the feeling we have mood swings each and every day. There are times we may question, is this what God wants me to do in my life? Or am I doing it everything on my own? Is there God's call in my life? You know, an enemy can bring this thought, this very question to our mind. When others are leading a normal and joyful life, why are you pressurizing yourself and disciplining yourself and saying that you have a call on God? You have a call of God on your life. Now the enemy may put this question in your mind. If there's a call of God in your mind, why is it so difficult? The path should be so easy. It should be like the bed of roses, isn't it? Because it's God's call. But if you look back in the history from the very beginning till in the Old Testament or in the New Testament, when God calls, the journey was not too easy. But what God promised that he was with that person. God was with Abraham. Even though when he stepped out in faith into an unknown journey, God fulfilled every promise that God promised to Abraham. Isn't it Genesis chapter 12 verse 1, 2 and 3? Every promise that God promised to Abraham, God kept his promise. Was Abraham's journey very pleasant? No. He went through life and death threats. He went through difficult times, famine. He went through his own brother buttering many, many seasons in his life. But throughout the season that we see is he was a man of faith. He was a man of faith. So what did God call Abraham as? Father of faith. If you take the life of Moses, was it very easy? God called Moses supernatural deliverance from Egypt. Isn't it? Tell me what God didn't do for Moses? Was his life very easy? No matter how much the Israelites saw the hand of God move upon Moses, each time when they faced the difficulty, they were ready to stone Moses. But Moses was a great leader. So was his life very smooth, very easy? How about David? God anointed him as a king. Isn't it? Even when Saul was a king, God anointed David as a king. Now the scripture says David was a very courageous and a bold man. He faced Goliath and he killed him. He beheaded him even though he didn't have any soldiers training. Or he never looked equal to Goliath. But God was with David. Just because God was with David was this journey very pleasant. Saul was chasing David to kill him. Isn't it? So David had to run away from him. Run away from him, cave to cave, mountain to mountain, with his family, with his children. Not very easy. Hey God has called him anointed him as a king. Did David defend himself? Hey listen king, I am the king. Not you. God has taken away the favor from you and he has put on me. You are no more the king and I can kill you. Even though he had many chances to kill Saul, but he refused to do it. What did God call David as? A man after God's own heart. In every situation he sought God. He inquired with God. What would God do? He had the heart of God. Even though the situations that he fell, but he still seek God. He repented. He repented. He has God created me a cleaner that I may be like more like you. He cried out to God. So what happened to the disciples when we come to the New Testament? How was the call and purpose in their life? Was it very pleasant? They lived with Jesus. They saw Jesus face to face. But how was their life? Was it very pleasant? Though Jesus promised a comforter that he will give them and he gave them the comforter on the day of Pentecost, they were very courageous and they were very bold after that. But they had to face a lot of trials. But what was constant in them was not giving up attitude. They took a hold of God's call in their life. This is the call that God has placed in my life. I need to lay hold of and walk, keeping my focus ahead so that I may lead my life to fulfill that heavenly call through Christ Jesus. So today, you and I have been invited into this to fulfill the ministry that God has called each of us. There is a call, there is a purpose. Now God is asking, look at that call and the purpose that I have placed within you so that you may take hold of that. This is what it says that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus was also laid hold of me. Each of us call and each of our purpose may be very different. But God has called each of us and he is saying that I have laid hold of it. Can you take up this call? Can you take up this ministry so that you may fulfill it in your time? So this is what we see in the book of Colossians. Apostle Paul is encouraging Archipelus. He's saying Colossians chapter 4 verse 17 he says, And say to Archipelus, take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord that you may fulfill it. See, Apostle Paul is not directly declaring or directly saying this to Archipelus. But he is writing to the people of Colossians. Maybe Archipelus was in a leadership in certain leader and he was appointed or he was in charge of the people of Colossians. And here Apostle Paul is writing to the Colossians, the people and the Colossians to encourage the leader because in our journey with the Lord they would be ups and downs. We need encouragement. We need support to do what God has called us to do. Here Apostle Paul is encouraging Colossians to encourage the leader they have. Archipelus is saying that take heed, take special interest in the ministry that God has placed in you. And also in the other letter, in the letter to Philemon chapter 1 verse 2, he mentioned saying that Archipelus is a fellow soldier and to the church in your house. So some of the scholars still debate that Archipelus may be Philemon's son because Philemon was one of the person who encountered Lord who came into the knowledge of Christ through Apostle Paul and he had a ministry in his house. So some of the scholars are still debating but it's not confirmed that Archipelus may be Philemon's son. Why? Because he is inquiring about Philemon, Philemon's wife and then of Archipelus. Maybe Archipelus was Philemon's son or some other scholars talk about saying that maybe Archipelus was a pastor or a leader in the church. Okay, so that's still a debate. But what is important point here? Important, something important here is Apostle Paul is asking the people of Colossians to encourage your leader to do what God has called him to do. Because we need encouragement. So we need to quote on but take heed of the ministry that God has placed in us. See, it's not that every time we would be encouraged by the people or encouraged by a ministry leader's way we are but then we need to realize that this is God's work and it is God's ministry. We are serving God and we, the scripture says whatever you do, you do it unto the Lord. So whatever you're doing, you need to keep in mind that you're doing unto the Lord. So when you're doing unto the Lord, you will not expect encouragement or an appreciation from people around you. So you will not be a men pleaser, as simple as that. People look at me, my leaders look at me, people look at me or no but I do what I'm called to do by the Lord. My labor in the Lord, that Lord will reward me because the scripture says your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Let's turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 58. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 58, the last verse in the chapter talks about therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor not in vain in the Lord. Your labor in the Lord is not in vain. So here Apostle Paul is not talking about we serving in the Lord or we working for God. Work is something that is very limited. You say, okay, I work from 9 to 5 and that's it. Do not expect more from me. But here God is not calling us to work. He's asking us to labor. Labor means going beyond your time limit. Going that extra mile, doing everything for God. Above and beyond that has been expected because that's how God blesses us, isn't it? He never blesses us with a measure. Efficiency 320, how does God bless each one of us? Exceedingly, abundantly, above and beyond that we could ask, take or imagine. We are the representative of God. We are the ambassadors of God. So the nature of God should be in us. If God is asking us to work, we need to labor in Him. So in one of the comment in Mother Teresa's ministry, she says, I'm looking for volunteers to serve in my ministry but I don't want any volunteers to come and work in my ministry and I want them to labor. What does labor mean? Being ready to serve the Lord despite the time, night and day. Labor means somebody who's working very hard beyond their ability, beyond their strength, like complete strength. Sorry, complete strength. Depending on God, God, I've gone, I'm weak. I'm done with my strength. I need your strength to do what I have to do, depending on God. So each of us, when we are called into God's kingdom, we are not expected to work. We need to labor in the Lord, go beyond our ability. This is something that has been placed within us. It is not a favor that we are doing. It is something, a command. It is something that duty, that we need to do. Labor in the Lord, we need to labor in the Lord. That is one of the quality of God's servant. That I labor in the Lord. All say, I labor in the Lord because I receive that reward from Him. Even if I labor, even if, you know, you don't, you're not been encouraged by people around you, by your leaders, by your ministry people, that's okay. Set your focus on God because your reward is from the Lord. Because the word of God says that every work that you do will not go unnoticed from God. Because a God is a God who sees. A God is a God who sees. And he also looks at your heart attitude. You're saying, Lord, I'm doing this for you. I'm doing this for you. So whatever you do unto the Lord, Lord will reward you. Maybe this is the time that you're serving in a different ministry. My God would have called you for a greater call, a God would have called you for a greater ministry. But then, before God could allow you to step into the area of your ministry, He has asked you to serve in other ministries. So this is what the word of God says. If you're faithful in little things, He will bless you with much more. When you're faithful. So when God has given you the small things in your hand, especially as you all are in the Bible college, you're serving in different areas, different areas. But when you serve, I encourage you friends, look up to the Lord saying, Lord, I'm doing it for you. As I'm serving you faithfully, I know my reward is from you. When you place me in a bigger ministry, you will help me. You will lead me. You will give me the help that I needed. You will add the destiny helpers into my ministry. Lord, as you're watching me, as I'm serving you faithfully. Now, how can we say that we serve God faithfully? Only when we actually put that work in our hand. When we faithfully serve is when we can look at God and say, Lord, I've served you faithfully. So whatever area you're doing, do it as though you're doing it unto Lord. Be God conscious. Every area you say, Lord, here I am. I'm doing this for you. Though it is very hard, it is very difficult. It is above and beyond my ability. It is costing all my strength. But I'm going beyond what I can do because you are in me. You are strengthening me. There is a heavenly call in Christ Jesus. We all move towards this heavenly call. So as we speak, it is a spiritual journey that Apostle Paul is talking about. This divine heavenly call that each of us should have this in our mind so that we can lay hold of it and work towards completing that heavenly call. So how do we fulfill our ministry? We see in Colossians chapter 4 verse 17. We are on page 107. Colossians chapter 4 verse 17. It says, yeah, take heed of your ministry. We finish labor in the Lord. Yeah. So page 108. The work flows out of our life in Christ Jesus. How does this work that we do flows out of Christ? Let's turn to Romans chapter 15 verse 17 to 19. It says, therefore, I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me in word and deed to make the Gentiles obedient in mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God so that from Jerusalem and round about to Ierchem I have fulfilled preach the gospel of Christ. So we read also in Romans 17 to 19, the Passion Translation. We see that Paul is confident about the ministry that he was able to do through the help of Jesus Christ. So he recognized that this ministry is from God. It is not on his own. He knows the very dramatic encounter that he had on the way to the road of Damascus so that not Paul nor others will take the call that God has placed on Paul's life for granted. He had a very dramatic call so that each time when this thought comes when this doubt comes, knocks his mind and he has this question, am I called by God? Why should I endure all these suffering and trends? But each time when he has this doubt God reminds him of this dramatic call that he had on the road to Damascus saying that Apostle Paul it's not you on your own taking up this it is that I who called you. Do you remember that you were made blind that you lost your sight? Do you remember that I sent you to Ananias to pray for you so that you get back your sight? So it was not something that you have taken up on your own. It was I who called you. So similar way each of us, God has called us. God has called us. The very encounter that you may had with Jesus he will remind you till the end of your day that you have not chosen me but I have chosen you and I'm the God who is faithful to fulfill the call that I've placed in you. So with confidence, with boldness go ahead and do the ministry that God has called each of us because this is what God keeps reminding each of us every time. If you want to see your ministry being fruitful let John 15 be in your heart and mind that you may abide in him and he may abide in you so that you see the work of God bearing fruit in your life in your ministry where you are. So the minute we know that we are serving God we need to serve in boldness and in courage because this is not an earthly call it is not somebody who has appointed you from this earth but it is God's call. It's an heavenly call. You are the minister of God. You are the ambassador of Christ Jesus. You are the representative of the heavenly God. So you need to walk in boldness and in courage. So how do we walk in boldness and courage? We remember the instance, isn't it? After the death of Jesus and his resurrection what happened to the apostles? They flee. They were filled with fear. They ran away. Some of them were back to their work that they were doing but then God called them all back into one place though they were all fearful and came together in the upper room they all prayed. When prayed what happened? The spirit of the Lord the comfort to whom Jesus promised will abide with them forever came into them. Few minutes back the disciples were so fearful of people they were literally hiding behind the wall but after the encounter after being filled by the Holy Spirit here they are out speaking boldly addressing 3,000 men out there and Peter being a fisherman didn't have any eloquent in speech but then he is addressing each one of them with boldness and with courage with eloquent of speech now we didn't get this boldness, courage and speech the spirit of the Lord who guides in them enabling him to be bold, to be courageous to speak in knowledge of Christ the one who didn't have any academic skill he never went to a college or like the other Pharisees and Sadducees scribes who studied the scriptures or the Torah as well but from where is he speaking? the spirit of the Lord who is in you will guide you and will teach you when you align yourself to the will of God you see God speak and move in and through you now if the God can speak in and through Peter who was a very simple fisherman was so fearful do you think God will not do that through you and me? don't look down on yourself let's not look at you know that we are some we are not capable enough to do what God is called to do a God has made a wrong choice by calling each of us God is looking at each of us and saying, I have called you and I have not made a mistake by calling you the God who called you will equip you for that greater call He is ministering in and through you don't consider yourself less He knows your end from the beginning He knows our background He knows our weaknesses but God is saying I can glorify myself in your weakness when you trust me if you have weakness within you, praise God because that is the very area that God could help you work through because the people the 3000 people when they heard Peter minister to them they looked at Peter and they said he is a fisherman isn't he a fisherman from where did he get this knowledge from where did he get this courage the boldness thinking when we do God's call God himself will back us up he himself will back us up all we need to do is hold on to God be soaked in his word and in spirit God will lead each of us set our mind our heart aligned to what God has called us when we set our self right to what God has called us you see God will lead us God will lead us so let's end the session here and we will continue later from where we are stopped from page 110 okay we will pray let's ask God God here I am I surrender myself as I am into your hand so that I may be an ambassador a minister of God and help me to serve you with courage and with boldness Father God here I lift up each one of us in your hand of Father Lord despite our weakness Father we come before you declaring your strength over us Lord I pray that Lord as your word says in John 15 as we abide in you and you abide in us you will make us full of Father Lord I pray and declare your strength over each one of us Lord I pray that you will equip us in your word and in your spirit of Father you will lead us and guide us as the Lord you were with each of the servant of God so shall you be with us and you will lead us you will guide us will strengthen us to fulfill that call that you have called each of us and Lord because the scripture says the God called you is fulfilled enough to fulfill the call that he has called each of us thank you Lord that we are assured that you are holding our right hand and you are leading us in this journey and we are not alone but you with us thank you Father for that assurance thank you that you will never leave us nor forsake us thank you Lord thank you Father in Jesus name we pray amen amen thank you so much for joining today's session I hope it was a blessing to each one of us let's hold on to what God has laid hold on each of us thank you and God bless