Jesus said in John 16:7, "It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you."
The Holy Spirit could only come into the disciples after Jesus was glorified. It was to the disciples' advantage, because they would be able to do what Christ did and more (Jn 14:12).
This is EMPOWERMENT! Jesus wanted them to receive dunamis (power) so that they could walk in it.
Today, the same Holy Spirit is IN every believer. But not every believer thinks and lives that way. The hindrance lies with the main minister because he doesn't go away. He keeps staying at the pulpit.
If the pulpit is our security, then our identity is not in Christ. If you take the pulpit away from a minister and he feels lost/helpless, you know that he has built his identity in the wrong area.
So many are holding on to the pulpit for security reasons ---- financial stability, self-elevation, popularity, control, etc.
It is NOT to the flocks' advantage when we keep holding on to the pulpit and keep ministering.
Jesus showed us the way to lift up and empower His disciples. His focus was on their advantage. If He were to stay, they would never grow up. They would never mature. They would never do what He did.
The flocks are kept on the pews doing church ministries without dunamis (power) when the focus is on the pulpit.
Sometimes, getting out of the way is the best for the flocks to mature.
As a father, I realised that releasing my son empowers him to grow up. I had to get out of the way so that he learnt to do what I did, albeit with some mistakes, but he kept growing.
If you feel a need to keep staying at the pulpit and be the one ministering, maybe you have built your security in idolatry without realising it.
Whose advantage are you seeking?
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