Mighty Men Do One Thing Well, they stay “in Christ!” Sons who do exploits in a great or small measure have the same testimony as Jesus; it is the Father, living in me, who is doing His work (John 14:10). There is nothing more refreshing or life-giving than to see the Father’s wind in our sails and see His word confirmed with signs following. True worship that blesses the heart of God is much more than words. What thrills Father’s heart is Workship; when sons connect with the desires in their heart, so from the heart, they co-labor with Father’s heart to build the Kingdom.
My point in this blog is that evidence of the Father in our work is not an accident. It is a daily, intentional consequence of us being in Him; in His purpose; in His love, in His name; in His anointing, in His will; in His rest; in His council; in every word that proceeds prophetically out of His mouth. Living in God’s purpose and bearing the fruit is something we can all learn. In this blog, we are sharing practical ways to do that.
John 15:5-8 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. …7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. NIV
Rom 8:1 – Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus NIV
Religion can kill you – Man’s attempts at being in Christ leave us with a sense of impossibility. They have driven the religious to odd extremes of monks in monasteries trying to isolate themselves from the world’s carnality. By contrast, mighty men find their Father in the fray and the works of life; sons have their hearts set on bringing Heaven to earth. Heroes of this faith are not perfect themselves, but they are perfectly aligned with their Father’s heart, and they demonstrate their faith by doing their Father’s works.
John 5:17 – Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”
The simple secret is insider knowledge. Sons are part of the Father’s family, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers, and Father is delighted to invite them into the presence of His council. Mighty men start in God’s council in Heaven and, like Jesus, they see what Father is doing, and that’s what they do on earth (Jn. 5:21). Everyone one of them appears before God in Zion (Ps. 84:7). Jesus paid a price so that we could be friends, brothers, sons, kings, priests, warriors, ambassadors, heirs… “family.”
Heb 2:11-12 – Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12 He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” NIV
Deut 8:18 – But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth (chayil), and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. NIV
Ps 84:7 – They go from strength (chayil) to strength (chayil), Every one of them appears before God in Zion. NASU
Might men are Valiant – The Hebrew word (Chayil, H2428) doesn’t just refer to producing wealth. It refers to a force, whether by means or men, and comes from a root word that conveys giving birth. It’s the same word used for the people Moses, Joshua, and David chose as mighty men in the verses below. They weren’t preachers and teachers! They got things done because they valiantly co-labored with their Father’s purpose.
- Moses chose able men Ex 18:25 KJV
- Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour Josh 8:3 KJV
- The congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the valiantest Judg 21:10 KJV
- they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host. 1 Chron 12:21 KJV
Righteousness (G1343 Dikaiosune) is usually the moniker for those on God’s good side. We think of it as being sin-free. It really means equity of character or act. In modern vernacular, it means sons are on the same page with God, sharing His purpose and doing His works. You are righteous when you share your Father’s purpose!
How to become a son who lives “in Christ” – It’s not a leap, it’s a lifestyle, and it doesn’t happen in a day. Jesus learned obedience by the things he “experienced,” and so do we. We get one thing right and take on the next, one step at a time. The biggest help is learning to measure and then celebrate daily progress, “wins.”
- Strength to strength Ps 84:7; Glory to Glory 2 Cor 3:18; Grace for Grace Jn 1:16
- Line upon line Isa 28:10, 13; Valiant to Valiant Deut 8:18; exploit to exploit; Word to word Mt 4:4
#0 Start here – You will not finish these exercises or implement the wins on an intellectual level. Every aspect of your purpose has to have a prophetic ring that signals it’s in the Father’s heart too. Religion is the fig leaf that pretends the ideas of men are the purpose of God. When you connect with what God wrote in your heart, the works that flow from that purpose will be fun and fruitful, and you can be yourself. Mighty men are made in God’s council; a relationship that goes beyond obedience.
2 Cor 3:6 – not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. NASU
#1 What God wrote in your heart – We use a mind map to capture our unique purpose and the related objectives in 1) value creation (job or business), 2) our ministry, 3) our relationship with God, and 4) our family. None of us have clarity on our calling until we get it writing. The Nail your Purpose Field Guide is a great place to start. This life strategy God wrote in the desires of your heart is confirmed in the council.
#2 Record your daily progress – Now that you have the big picture strategy in a mind map, you can measure your prophetic progress in daily wins. I read The Gap and the Gain – It’s secular (occasional to frequent BS) but has a great exercise at the end that I summarize below.
The gap is measuring yourself against an idealized future(s) that is not reachable and staying frustrated. Measuring yourself against lofty goals and comparing yourself to other people leads to performance, works, stress, (funding the self-improvement treadmill industry with no results via gap thinking).
The Gain keeps the Strategic ideals on your mind map but measures the progress of your tactics (gains) backward from where you are now relative to where you came from on the way to your ideal future. Distinguish between strategy (the future purpose in your Heart Plan mind map) and tactics (daily implementation) yet link them. Your tactics (daily wins) should show progress on your Heart Plan strategy. If you’re measuring progress forward from where you are against an ideal (gap thinking), then every day feels like a failure. “Labor” to enter His rest and operate out of His purpose and power instead of our own.
Here’s the Daily Exercise (summarize it at weekly, monthly, and quarterly intervals)
- Every day, write down three prophetic and practical wins that Father was in (gains).
- Before bed, write down the three wins from Father you hope for tomorrow.
- Don’t pull them out of your intellect; get them out of your book, your heart’s desires, and your Father’s heart. The standard is “prophetically correct” and “in Christ.”
- Position your heart / Holy Spirit to instruct you at night and go before you by day.
- Go to bed in faith and expectation for tomorrow’s specific “wins.”
- Celebrate them in your heart when they show up
- If you have a failure or setback, the “win” is what you learned, the adjustment you made. (Rom 8:28 – fits a pattern for good)
Writing your daily wins is an exercise in being thankful for where you’re at and gains God has given you (Ps. 16:5-11). Thankfulness (remaining in Christ) sets you up for the next step on your path for tomorrow. When “in Christ” becomes a habit, you will be a courageous, mighty man or woman of God.
John’s examples, more explanation, and blank templates are here.
We help businesses with a heart for people ‘see’ their book and live their dream. More here:
- Nail your Purpose Field Guide (A place to start clarifying your heart’s desires)
- Intentional Reformation Intro (A diagnostic you will enjoy along with our purpose & Values)
- OnlineHeartPlan.com (Our web site, Courses on Zoom)
- The USA Book (proof we can get our arms around the books of people, businesses, and nations)
Cutting room floor
Mighty men do one thing well – They stay “in Christ”
- flow with Father = His power, His anointing, His battles, His victories, His love
- Stay in Him, in His name, in His purpose, in every word that proceeds, prophetically correct
The difference between serf and son; gap and gain; FOMO and Faith is – “In Christ”
Phil 2:12-13 – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. NIV
John 3:21 – But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. KJV
John 5:17 – Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”
John 6:27 – Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: KJV
Luke 12:32-34 – Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in Heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. NIV
John 15:5-8 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. NIV
Acts 17:28 – ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring (sons).’ NIV
Rom 8:1-2 – Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. NASU
Rom 16:12-13 – Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. NIV
Gal 3:28-29 – There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. NIV
Gal 4:4-7 – But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. NIV
Eph 2:10 – For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. NIV
Col 1:26-27 – the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. NIV
1 John 3:24 – Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. NIV
Heb 4:9-11 – There remains, then, a Sabbath — rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. NIV
Life in Christ
Matt 4:4 – Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God NIV
Rom 8:1-3 – Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. NASU
John 1:4-5 – In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. NIV
John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. NIV
John 14:3-7 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. NIV
John 14:10-12 – Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. NIV
John 6:48-51 – I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from Heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. NIV
John 6:58 – This is the bread that came down from Heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” NIV
2 Tim 1:1 – Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, NIV
