.png)
The Apostle Paul and his team were bold and had the ability to suffer long. They would focus on the “regions beyond”, where no one had ever gone or worked before him. They ventured into untouched territories. Once they arrived, they would preach the gospel, drive back darkness, and press forward shining the light of Christ to spiritually colonize a region until the culture and life of the church was established.
2 Corinthians 10:16 so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory.
If you are a true genuine apostle you will have the anointing or grace to travel to many different cities or regions to establish God’s kingdom with a crew of people in the form of church planting. You are a leader of leaders. You will not be easily moved or offended, and you have the ability to suffer long and be patient. You have tough skin. You have revelation knowledge, and you’re bold enough to share what Jesus said in spite of persecution. You are bold and confident. You have a spirit of faith and a grace to do all of this with no support. Even if you have to go homeless, you’re willing and capable of doing it. You have the ability to raise up pastors, train them, and then appoint them to there position. You establish churches like a serial entrepreneur establishes businesses and like a ship admiral establishes new communities in new territories. Do you still think you’re an apostle?
There are many people calling themselves apostles and they OBVIOUSLY don’t have the anointing or grace to do or live like I just described.
The attitude of a real apostle:
· 2 Corinthians 4:12 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit o] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.
· Philippians 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
· Acts 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
My wife and I have fulfilled these Scriptures. We have been persecuted, hungry, homeless, and broke, but we have also been loved, fed, rich, and sheltered. We have learned to be content. We have sacrificed for the mission and will continue to do so. We set our own stage. We go on our own dime and time. We don’t wait for support. God is our Source. We trust Him and He has been faithful. Our job is to do the mission and God is faithful to back us and help us. We walk by faith! We don’t beg for partners, money, or support, and we don’t host revivals to raise money!
We suffer long with JOY. We have patience and can endure long. One sign of a true apostle is their patience. Their ability to endure hardship WITH JOY!
2 Corinthians 12:12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.
Patience is a form of the Greek word hupomone. It means to remain in one’s spot regardless of how heavy or hard the situation, to keep a position, to resolve to maintain territory gained.
It described the attitude that holds out, holds on, outlast, preserves, hangs in there, never giving up, refusing to surrender to obstacles, and turning down every opportunity to quit. It pictures a soldier ordered to maintain their positions even in the face of opposition.
A genuine apostle has supernatural endurance and they do not abandon ship.
Paul shares his testimony of how Satan attacked him, but he still maintained his faith and kept going.
· 2 Cor 11: 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
2 Cor 4:8 We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
Doc Murphy