The Great Need For a New Revival
Message Six
Shepherding according to God
THE EXTRACT OF THE OUTLINES
Scripture reading:
1 Pet. 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion but willingly, according to God; not by seeking gain through base means but eagerly;
I. In the Lord’s recovery today, there is a desperate need of shepherding—John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2. (Monday & Tuesday)
II. Shepherding is the all-inclusive, tender care of the flock and refers to caring for all the needs of the sheep; all the sheep need to be fully provided for and well taken care of—John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28.
III. Christ is the good Shepherd, the great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd, and the Shepherd of our souls—John 10:9-17; Heb. 13:20-21; 1 Pet. 5:4; 2:25:
A. The Lord Jesus as the good Shepherd came that we might have life and have it abundantly; He laid down His soul-life to accomplish redemption for His sheep that they might share His divine life—John 10:10-11, 15, 17.
B. Christ as the Chief Shepherd shepherds His flock through the elders of the churches; the elders’ shepherding should be Christ’s shepherding through them—1 Pet. 5:4.
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IV. For us to shepherd according to God, we need to become one with God, be constituted with God, live God, express God, represent God, and minister God—John 14:20; 1 Cor. 6:17; Eph. 3:17a; Phil. 1:21a: (Wednesday)
A. Only those who live God can shepherd according to God; God’s eternal purpose is to work Himself into us as our life so that we may express Him—Phil. 1:21a; Gen. 1:26; Eph. 1:11.
B. To shepherd according to God is to minister God to others; if we would minister God to one another, we need to speak words of grace, truth, spirit, and life to minister the processed God who has been worked into us—Eph. 3:16-17a; 4:25, 29; John 6:63.
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V. Peter’s charge to the elders to shepherd the flock of God according to God means to shepherd according to God’s nature, desire, way, and glory—1 Pet. 5:2: (Thursday)
A. To shepherd according to God is to shepherd according to what God is in His attributes; when we are one with God, we become God and are God in the matter of shepherding others—1 Pet. 5:2.
B. For us to shepherd according to God, we must become God in life, nature, expression, and function; we must be filled to the brim with the divine life and become God in His attributes of love, light, righteousness, and holiness—John 4:14; Col. 3:4.
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VI. The shepherding that builds up the Body of Christ is mutual shepherding; we are sheep and also shepherds, mutually shepherding and being shepherded, and through this mutual shepherding, the Body of Christ builds itself up in love—1 Cor. 12:23-26; Eph. 4:16. (Friday & Saturday)
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Word of Appetizer
Spiritual Burden
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
The Experience of Life
Practice and Application
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6