What's In Your Tool Box?

It probably doesn't take a lot of convincing for us to buy that God is working in our world to save humanity. The Lord, rightfully so, is understood to be powerful, faithful and active. You could say he has every tool at His disposal to bring His will to bear. I'm good with that.

Now how do we get in on the action? We have been charged with building ourselves up in the Lord and building up others as well.

The work consists of having our mind renewed to think like Jesus thinks so we can deliver the Gospel, serve our brothers and sisters and teach others how to do the same. So this begs the question, "if we are builders, what's in our tool box?"

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. - Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT

Work Hard, Work Smart

Goal number one, once we believe in Jesus as our Savior, is to know Him. The second is to do the works that accompany salvation.

We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. - Hebrews 6:9-10 NLT

This process entails us becoming like Him and doing the things He does. As we get closer to Him and understand what the Lord is doing and how he does it, our mind is transformed and we become imitators of God.

Just like there is armor to protect us as described in the book of Ephesians, there are tools to perform the work God has charged us with.

A Quick Start But A Strong Finish

Can we begin right away as a new Christian? Yep! We sure can. However, we become more effective and more skillful in the Word as we grow. We acquire better tools!

Have you ever worked on a car? It's not my thing but I've had to do it.

Here's how that process goes:

• Something breaks. 
• It needs to be removed. 
• Then it needs to be replaced. 

It's not exactly plug and play I'll have you know! There are as many tools required to repair a vehicle as there are parts to the car. Maybe more.

So when I had to do my first alternator, I knew I didn't have all the right tools but I was thinking, "Yeah, I've got a great set of tools I can get by with. So no problem."

Ugh! Things didn't exactly go like I thought they would. It was frustrating, dirty, greasy, painful and never ending. I was breaking parts I needed because I didn't have the best tools for the job.

Rethinking My Strategy

I had to stop what I was doing and get more information and instruction on how to do the work. I had to procure the correct tools for the job. It took time. It took resources.

Yet, when I did the work with the new information and the appropriate tools it was pure joy! The frustration was gone and I had a real sense that, "hey, I'm the man!"

Good instruction and the right tools for the job was a true confidence builder.

The nuts, bolts and various pieces were easier to access. I didn't strip them, break them or tear my hands to pieces. The work became so much easier. The frustration turned to joy. The next encounter with my car wasn't nearly as scary and I developed a process and approach that allowed me to be effective and efficient.

Tools Of A New Creation

If we are struggling to deliver the Gospel, it may be that, although we have tools in our tool box, we just don't have the best tools available.

Let's take the time to develop our skill and expertise in the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit can work with you if you only know a little. However, we can make ourselves even more useful to the Holy Spirit if we are closer to the Lord and know a lot.

When we are full of the Word we have more tools to bring to bear and our opportunities to deliver the Gospel and do the work God has for us will be everywhere.

The Holy Spirit isn't random. He works with you and confirms the Word of God. Those are three key components. You, the Word and the Holy Spirit.

And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. - Mark 16:20 NASB

The Gospel is very specific and the Holy Spirit isn't going use random persuasion. He is going to bring conviction using the Word. Let's become expert in delivering it.

A Very Brief List Of Tools

Tools here can be thought of as an expertise or a skill.

• Delivering the Gospel.
• Describing salvation.
• How to be peaceful.
• How to persevere.
• How to pray.
• Describing faith. 
• Describing walking in the Spirit.
• How does one make good decisions?
• How do I become like Jesus?
• ... and there is so much more.

What tools do you have readily available? Which ones do you need to get?

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Take Action!

How do I develop the expertise and tools the Lord has for me?

Be willing to learn them.
Develop your curiosity about the Lord and His ways.
Understand who you are in Christ.
Build fortitude.
Count the cost of following Christ.
Galvanize your heart.

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! - Philippians 3:10-11 NLT 

Please, add your thoughts in the comment section.

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