There are key strategic endeavors to be accomplished for every season, brought forth by God to crank the engine that drives and directs our movement on the journey of ascension to Christ the head and the completion of His divine plan. Paul declared in Colossians 1:25 that he became “a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God.”
The word “stewardship” in Greek is oikonomia. It is a word related to the stewardship and management of God’s economy. Paul’s was a stewardship from God—a work assigned to him for the people of God, to fulfill the will and Word of God. It was a stewardship led by the Holy Spirit, backed by heaven, and administered in union with angels. His ministry began in a meeting of the apostles and prophets. As they were fasting and ministering to the Lord, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2).
God’s strategy for taking the gospel out to the nations was about to begin through Paul and Barnabas—their sending and ministry were key to God’s plan for that era. For the apostles and all the leaders called forth for that time, it was a plan that required their stewardship—the responsibility was theirs to get the job done in the power of the Holy Spirit, working with them and through them.
For those chosen to be born and live in these fullness of times—in the day of His power, the call to ministry is to the high call of stewarding and administering the life of Christ with a greater level of power and authority.
The Stewardship of Biblical Leaders
Let’s have a look at this stewardship in relation to leaders in the Bible. Throughout the Bible, there is great body of evidence of the many great leaders and saints who lived out the principle that God raises up certain people and prepares and equips them to administer His blueprint for their times.
Moses, Aaron, Miriam and the leaders of the tribes were mandated to oversee the massive responsibility of moving millions of people out of captivity on a 40-year journey that led them to the gates of the promised land (Mic. 6:4).
Once Moses said yes to God and entered into an agreement with Him for His plan to come forth, he did not capitulate. Moses stayed faithful until the end; he completed his task to bear witness or give evidence to God’s unfolding plan.
“Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future (Heb. 3:5).
Joshua was one of God’s greatest leaders, raised up to cause the people of God to conquer and possess the promised land. Joshua never wavered in his devotion and was faithful to all God had called him to accomplish. See Joshua 24:31 is a demonstration and testimony of his good leadership: “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua.”
Deborah is another great example of a leader called to steward the times she lived in to represent God’s kingdom interests. She was called forth as a deliverer to the people of God, to move them out from under the oppression of the enemy into freedom and liberty. In triumph she sang: “When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves—praise the LORD! … Villagers in Israel would not fight; they held back until I, Deborah, arose, until I arose, a mother in Israel” (Judg. 5:2,7).
Many times, in Scripture, Daniel was referred to as a “man greatly beloved” because of his faithful service to God while living under enemy rule. Daniel stewarded the purposes of God for his times, as an intercessor in communication with the kingdom realm, and as a prophet, he stewarded significant revelations given for a future generation at the end of the age.
“I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you” (Dan. 2:23),
Every objective of God to be accomplished in every dispensation is a vital and crucial part of His unfolding plan. Each part causes momentum to build, moving history forward toward the day of completion, at the climax of times, at the end of the age.
The prophets of Israel were called forth as stewards of the oracles of God and as witnesses of the living God. They lived supernatural lives functioning in gifts and abilities sourced in another realm. Let’s examine the biblical world view of stewardship: “Utilizing and managing all resources God provides for the glory of God and the betterment of His creation” (Holman Bible).
Wikipedia describes, “the central essence of a biblical worldview of stewardship is managing everything God brings into the believer’s life in a manner that honors God and impacts eternity.”
The High Calling of God
God will have an administration suitable for this dispensation, tailored and equipped to meet the challenges of these times—this is our destiny. It is, therefore, necessary to God’s interests that we:
— Understand the dynamics of the times.
— Understand God’s intentions for the times.
— Know the framework and boundaries of the times and the enemy’s limits in the times (Dan. 7:25).
— Receive directions and tactical assignments to implement the plan of God.
For this present hour, in the culmination of history, the people prepared and brought forth to serve God will be a unique people, bold and courageous, bearing the likeness of the Lion of Judah. They will have walked through the fires and have not been burned and through the waters and have not drowned (Isa. 43:2).
This army coming forth will stand resolute, tethered to the Lord by humility and the fear of the Lord. They are friends of God—the glorious vanguard moving ahead as one man to prepare the way of the Lord in union with Him.
They are called forth to the stewardship of a unique season of fullness, when everything has matured to its fullness—kindness, goodness, love and compassion, hate, evil and deception. Ephesians 1:7a-10a (NASB 1995) is written for these times and these people:
“… according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.”
The word “administration” in this passage, translated as “dispensation” is oikonomia, spoken of earlier also as stewardship in other translations (Col. 1:25). In the context of this passage, it is used to refer to God’s administration or stewardship of a certain period of history to which Paul described as “the fulness of times.”
By their union with Christ, this passage also takes into account the Lord’s servants appointed to this administration. They carry out His will and execute His campaign with authority, working to bring to union everything in Christ.
Regarding this stewardship, the New International Version puts it this way, “… to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment,” and the English Standard Version describes it as “… a plan for the fullness of time.”
The summing up in these times in Christ means to bring everything under one head—in a time when things have come to a head. Jesus is the head—the people of God are now growing up to the head, to the stature of the fullness of Christ, according to Ephesians 4:13.
The body of Christ is being separated from everything opposed to God’s mind and heart, where He alone steps forward to administrate His kingdom as Lord … and this through a people fully submitted to His lordship and fully yielded to Him.
Listen to this episode of The Sound of the Trumpet on Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}
Faith Marie Baczko is the president of Headstone Ministries International—a ministry that is rich and robust in the purposes and plans of God. She is a prophetic teacher and author, bringing significant revelation to mobilize, equip and strengthen the body of Christ for this momentous hour of history. Faith is an international speaker and has garnered enduring relationships with leaders united in passion for truth and enduring Revival. Faith is an author of several books; her latest release, now available on Amazon, is called A Rising Called For! Contact her or support her ministry at [email protected]. By supporting this work, you help this ministry to keep bringing you these timely messages.
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