The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. —John 10:3-5
As individual believers, we stand in two positions in regard to God’s invitation to us. We first must feed our own spirits on the truths of this Bridegroom God’s heart and personality, and then we will arise as shepherds in the body of Christ to feed others. Therefore we must become people with a clear focus on personally discovering who Jesus is in all of these dimensions of His Bridegroom heart. At some point in this process we will be equipped to lead other believers who are entrenched in compromise. We’ll take them by the hand and show them into the freeing and empowering encounter of what our God is like. It’s not enough to tell people that God is a Bridegroom and we are His bride. It must come from our hearts. It is transformation by personal revelation. Shepherds will train people and feed them on specific parts of God’s emotions and personality, and then, little by little, like a flower in spring, the listeners’ spirits will open up and be transformed.
{ PRAYER STARTER }
Feed my spirit, Father, that I may be counted worthy of feeding Your flock. Help me to bring Your message of transformation to the lost around me.
We can’t feed others if we don’t feed
ourselves first.
