The Secret of the Life of Paul (PART 1)
In our last post, we dealt with two secrets that formed the basis of the life of Apostle Paul. We postulated that any believer who subjects his/her life to the same dealings and procedures that Paul went through would eventually become a strong weapon in the hand of God.
Again, it is necessary to emphasize that there is no way to escape these processes if you intend to become anything serious in God’s hands. Even though we are using the story of Paul as an allegory, these were the same dealings and procedures men like Moses, Joseph, Daniel, and Peter had to go through to become what they became.
After a believer has been captured and conquered, there are two other steps they must go through to prepare such a person for exploits in the kingdom of God. The two other procedures are described below:
3. Captivated
This is the third stage, where things become really interesting. After God has captured a man and conquered him, the next thing He begins to do is to captivate that man. To captivate means to attract and hold someone’s interest and attention, to charm.
Whereas the first two steps mentioned above (capturing and conquering) involve an active work of God geared towards subduing the object (in this case, the believer), this stage of captivation involves God deliberately yet gently wooing the conquered believer to fall in love with Him. Because of the nature of the work of God, the love relationship God demands is not casual. It is deep and all-encompassing, the kind of love that will make the believer willing to lay down his life if need be.
A conquered believer has no more natural energy. A conquered believer has forgone all his rights and privileges in life. A conquered believer is a slave to the core. A conquered believer has genuinely laid down ownership of all that he has.
When a believer reaches this point, God begins to reorient that believer into loving Him and His purpose. This is the process of captivation. He begins to fascinate that believer by showing him the wonders of His person. Having stripped him of every natural love and affection, God starts to become the affection of that believer. Having disconnected the believer’s heart from all the cares of this world, God begins to become the care of that believer.
Having brought that believer to the point of giving up his life and being dead to the world, God becomes the only reason for which that believer lives. When Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain”, he had come to that point of being captivated by God.
Only a deep and thorough work of the Holy Spirit can bring a believer to this point. If you are not yet so captivated by God, it could be because He has not yet succeeded in conquering you enough. A captive will be stubborn and resistant until he is conquered. After he is conquered, he becomes utterly obedient to the instructions of his captors.
When he is captivated, however, he becomes obsessed with the mission of his captors. He becomes willing to go on dangerous missions to bring in other captives like himself. He sees no greater reason for living than to advance the cause of the kingdom that captured him. He becomes willing to die (if need be) to see the advancement of that kingdom.
Nothing can dissuade him (not even his family), no one can convince him otherwise, nothing can discourage him, and he is not afraid of death (as a matter of fact, he even considers dying for the advancement of his kingdom a privilege).
No kingdom truly advances without people like this in its ranks. The religion of the bondwoman has thrived simply because they have no short supply of captivated agents willing to die to see their ideology advance. People who have come to this point are completely dangerous and have become ready for the final stage.
Dear Reader, have you been captivated by God? Has God succeeded in wooing you to the point where you see nothing else of value in this world? How deep is your love for God? To what extent do you value your relationship with God?
One songwriter sang with these words: “…You are the treasure that I seek, You are my all in all…Seeking You as a precious Jewel, Lord to give up I’ll be a fool. You are my all in all.” If that is not your song, you are not ready to be used by God in any serious manner. You will need to bow your head and pray for God to captivate your heart.
4. Commissioned
Just as only a captured believer can be conquered and only a conquered believer can be captivated, only a captivated believer can be commissioned. It is dangerous to commission a believer who is yet to be captivated. He may renounce your kingdom when he meets opposition at the battlefront and become an asset to your enemies.
To commission means to send on a mission. A commission is simply a commanded mission. This is the final crucial step when the kingdom’s authority is delegated to one who has been captured, conquered, and captivated. The kingdom’s resources are also made available to him, and an emissary of guards and fighters is discharged to accompany him on his mission.
This is the stage of being authorized to act on behalf of the king. This is when the king begins to let you in on his secret agenda as a trust. This is the stage where your specific mission ammunition is handed over to you, where you’re clothed with the mantle (armour) for your ministry. This is the stage of empowerment for ministry. This is where your commands and instructions become equivalent to the king’s since you have been authorized to act on His behalf. This is a very glorious stage that many Christians admire and love to get to.
Even though this stage is only a product of the previous three stages, it is not less crucial than any. To go on an assumed authority is to expose yourself to the enemy’s fiery darts. Going on a mission you were not commissioned into is very dangerous. But when you wait for a commission, God will ensure you’re adequately trained and equipped with the tools, ammunition, backup, and secrets to execute that mission accurately. Acts 13:1 was an example of when Paul was commissioned.
Dear Reader, are you rushing into being commissioned because of how glamorous it looks to be equipped with the power of God? I counsel you not to go in a hurry. Wait until the Holy Spirit thoroughly deals with you.
Even though these four stages have been made to look distinct for the purpose of understanding, they usually happen concurrently in many instances. Even after one has already become a vessel in God’s hand and is used on an assignment, when it is time for God to commission that same person into something deeper, He may go ahead to capture, conquer, and captivate that person afresh. Each round will be more profound than the previous one. This is the pathway to genuine spiritual growth and effectiveness. Will you subject yourself to these, Dear Reader? Bow down your head and pray now.
Emerick
I am yours, Lord Jesus. Be it unto me according to Your Word.