The Bible says you need other members of the body. You need them to pray for you. You need them to watch with you. You need them to love you. You need them to correct you.
You need them to strengthen you. We need each other, and we always will. God gives everyone certain gifts, but He doesn't give anyone every gift. Hello and welcome to Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepard. It's always a pleasure to have you with us.
Well, God did it that way for a reason, so that none of us could get by on our own. Today an important message about just how much we need one another. Here's Pastor Paul with today's message titled, Unwrap Your Gifts and Give Them Away. God determines your calling. We didn't vote.
On who was going to be what in the body, God determined that. When God called me to do what I'm doing, I didn't want to do it. I told him thanks, but no thanks. I got another plan for my life. I don't plan to be a pastor.
I saw my dad pastor folks for years. I'm not interested. Church people are special, Lord. I don't want that. I did.
I tried to talk him out of it. But when God has a calling on your life, You can think whatever you want. You can argue all you want. When you get through, God says, Thank you for sharing.
Now go do what I told you to do. And all of us need to say yes to God about our. In fact, if you want more. Be faithful over what you have.
Well, God, I have a dream, a desire that I believe would glorify you. And I would love to see you elevate me to another level of ministry so I can serve you, so that I can minister to more people. Nothing wrong with putting that before God, He knows it's in your heart anyway. Nothing wrong with it. Paul said in one place: nothing wrong with striving for mastery, but do it lawfully.
And the spiritual law is I want to be faithful over a few things. Luke 16, Jesus said, If you can't take care of another man's property, who's going to give you property of your own?
So God proves you even in the days when you don't have much exposure, you don't have many gifts, but you take what you have and you give God a return on his investment. And wait and see what God will do in your life thereafter. And so we need each other. And we always will. We need each other because we minister to each other.
You gotta understand, I don't care how many gifts you have. You're going to need somebody to minister to you. In fact, When you are a person who is actively serving, those of you who are in multiple ministries and you're out for this ministry, and then you go serve in the outreach, and you go to the nursing homes, you do that, and then you go over here, and you are busy using your gifts to glorify God. You got to understand when you give out, you are drained. God has to send somebody into your life to fill you, to help you, to strengthen you.
Because you are outward focused, and so God will send ministry to you. Or sometimes you are so busy ministering that you are not guarding your own life. Paul told Timothy, watch your life and your doctrine closely. Don't just watch what you teach and how you preach. He said, Watch your life.
And sometimes you get into the habit of serving so until you don't take care of some of the details of your own life. And God will send a person to minister to you and say, Look, you need to focus on this area or that. God wants to strengthen you where you're becoming weak. We'll always need one another. We'll always need somebody, you always need somebody riding shotguns, spiritually speaking.
the young folk don't know what in the world that is. That's an old expression for riding in the passenger seat. Not everybody can drive the car.
Somebody needs to be in another seat, seeing a different perspective.
Somebody needs to be able to tell you what's on your blind side. And so God sets up the body so that we are inter. Dependent. We need each other. You will never not need other people.
in the body of Christ. You see somebody walking around and they're too spiritual to be in a church. They are in spiritual danger. I know those kinds of folk. And they they they'll visit every now and then.
But they say well, I just I just go wherever the Lord leads me That means they don't want to be connected, they don't want to be committed. They don't want to be under spiritual authority, the banner of a pastoral team and elders. They want to do what they want to do and they want to feel like they're super spiritual, and really, nobody can pastor them. See, I have a hotline. The Batman used to have that red phone.
Remember that? Adam West. It was the character, not these new ones they had. Adam was the one. That's Batman.
That will always be Batman. I grew up in the, you know, 60s watching the real Batman. With that corny car. And uh they they had in their manner A red phone. When that one lit up, business about to pick up.
Because before long he's got to go push that button. and slide down into the back cave.
Somewhere from the top to the bottom, he got in his outfit. Did y'all ever figure that out? I never did figure out.
Now, when exactly is he changing his clothes? And there are believers, not you, but people you know. And if you don't know him, I know him. Who are so spiritual they think they have a hotline red phone with God. God tells them everything they need to know directly.
And they don't need you. You are inferior. Spiritually speaking. They'll speak for God to you. But you cannot speak to them for God.
Let me tell you something. If you are afflicted with that, my brother, my sister, You need a healthy dose of humility and reality. Because the Bible says you need other members of the body. You need them to pray for you. You need them to watch with you.
You need them to love you. You need them to correct you. You need them to strengthen you when you're discouraged. You need other people in the body of Christ. We need each other.
And we always will. They'll never, don't even try to outgrow your need for other people. In fact, some of us have found the deeper you go in exploring your calling and the way God wants to use you with these gifts. The more you come to depend. upon the other members of the body of Christ.
Because the higher you go in your calling and exploring the things God has given you to do, the more you're dependent upon the foundation underneath you. Because the stakes are higher. And I've got to depend. That foundation's got to be strong. And so the outfront people are doing one thing, but the behind-the-scenes people are very important in any ministry, in any act of service.
You need some folks who, while the upfront folk, right now, while I'm preaching, there are some people whose gift it is and ministry it is, and they're praying. And they pray over the service. And they say, God, touch the hearts of the people. God, take that message and speak it and re-preach it in people's hearts so that they are convicted. And without those prayers, preaching is insufficient.
See, we are interdependent. And I love how Paul helps us understand it. He says in verse 26, for instance, when one part suffers, every part suffers. It's really true. If you experience suffering, the body will help you.
If you experience a need, the body will help you. If you experience a crisis, the body is there for you. Because I don't care how spiritual you are, you're going to hit a crisis. I don't care how gifted you are, you're going to hit a crisis. Don't think the anointing is going to exempt you from trials.
In fact, the anointing will cause you to have to experience some trials that some folk don't have to experience. Depending on your calling, there are some problems, there are some crises, there are some challenges that are sort of built into a calling. And so you got to understand that there are some things you're going to go through, and you're going to need some folk to help you. You're going to need some people to strengthen you. You're going to need some people to suffer with you and to minister to you.
as you go through what you have to go through. He says when one part suffers, the body gets hit up. Stay with us. The rest of today's Destined for Victory message with Pastor Paul Shepard is coming right up. And as you know, Pastor Paul always had a desire to keep his messages going and destined for victory long after the Lord called him home.
But right now, this ministry is facing a serious financial deficit. Please stay tuned because at the end of our program today, I've invited his wife Meredith to share a bit more. If you can't stay with us, more details are available at our website, pastorpaul.net. That's pastorpaul.net. We weren't designed by God to be islands unto ourselves.
We've been created for community, not autonomy.
Now, here's the rest of today's Destined for Victory message: Unwrap your gifts and give them away. You're going to need some people to suffer with you and to minister to you as you go through what you have to go through. He says when one part suffers, the body gets in on it. You heard me illustrate it before. When you stub that toe in the dark of the night, You walk past the end of the bed or something, or some chair.
Yeah. And you stubbed that last toe? And it's a pain that is indescribable.
Now, if that toe doesn't have the support and the help of the rest of the body, it is up to Cree. But thank God the body is working together tonight, fighting with a, if the hand's fighting with the toe, it says, oh, well, that's you. But when we're acting like we ought to, you stub that toe. The other body parts get in on it. to help you with your suffering.
Your mouth flies open. Isn't that right? Your mouth flies open, your vocal cords express what the toe cannot say. You say, oh. Oh Lord.
That's those of you who are sanctified. You say, Oh, Lord. You who haven't sanctified your speech yet, you say some other things. I know you got your big Bible, but you know what I'm talking about. Your mouth flies open.
Your vocal cords express what the toe cannot say. Your hand says, I'm coming. It grabs it. The foot that's not hurt hops you back. To the band.
Your behind says come on down Sit down, take the load off. The hand rubs. the toe. You grown! When one suffers We get in on it and help out.
We've got to be connected. It's the only way it's going to work. You got to get rid of division. You got to get rid of a sense of, I don't need you, I'm more important than you. I got preacher friends, I just don't get them to save my life.
Who, because God uses him to speak his word. They act like they are above people. I don't understand that. Because when God gives you the wonderful privilege of speaking into people's lives. It's a trust from heaven.
Don't you know that the God who anointed you is looking at you? How dare you get arrogant and stuck up? And conceited. when just a few years ago you were out in sin. On your way to hell, somebody, some of these people you're preaching to now, had to pray you out of sin.
And so we're all called to recognize and honor the fact that we need each other. You need people whose personalities are unlike yours. You need people who have a different perspective on all kinds of things. But what brings us together is a passion to see the gospel of Jesus Christ. Preach to see people led in the things of God growing in their faith.
And that brings us together, and the ground is level at the foot of the cross. And all of us have a place. Where God wants to use us. for his glory. And I want to let you know that we need one another.
Now one more thing I want to say and I'll let you go. As we look at this passage, there's one more thing, one more aspect of this that I want you to catch. Not only do we need each other, but E, the Holy Spirit will refresh and empower our lives if we drink. Him. Did you notice in verse 13?
What it says, look at it again. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free. And we were all given the one spirit to drink. I want to let you know that is not a mistranslation. That the Bible literally said, that Paul literally said, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
That we have been given the Spirit to drink in. to take in The Holy Spirit will refresh you, will empower you. If there is thirst, if there is dryness. If there is a loss of energy. The Holy Spirit is available.
To fill you, to be drunk. He says, I want to be poured out. Over and over in your life. I want to tell you, you can't afford to be a dry Christian. You can't afford to be someone going through the motions, but you don't have the power.
Ministry gets awfully tiresome when you're not operating in the power. In fact, you'll come to resent people. Instead of feel honored to minister to them. And so you need to drink in the Spirit. And the Bible talks about the Spirit in liquid terms.
Some places you'll see the Bible refer to him as water. Jesus said in John chapter 7: if anyone is thirsty, And he got up, it was in the midst of a feast. And this was the day of the feast that was waterless. It was the fast day of the feast. No one was drinking water.
Jesus was always operating in perfect timing. He gets up on the waterless day of the feast and says, if anyone is thirsty, he had everybody's attention. He says, let him come to me and drink. For out of your belly will flow rivers. Of living water.
Sometimes he's spoken of as water. Other times the Spirit is spoken of as wine. and influencing wine. And that's the implication on the day of Pentecost. Remember on the day of Pentecost when those folk were struck by the power of God, the Holy Spirit fell on them?
They spilled out of that upper room. Speaking the wonderful works of God, same folk who were scared. Do you know the reason why they were in the upper room? They were scared. They were up there.
Jesus had said, Don't go anywhere. They said, Don't worry, brother, we're not going anywhere. Our Savior is gone. We have a hostile world around us. No, no, we're not going anywhere.
But when the power hit Those folks, those scared people. Spilled out into the streets of Jerusalem. Speaking the wonderful works of God, many of them in a language they had never learned. They were operating under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Now, watch it. Read it when you get a chance in Acts 2.
Some of the folk looking at them scoffed and said, These people are full of wine, they're drunk. Watch Peter's response. Peter said, These are not drunk as you suppose. In other words, they're not drunk on what you think they're drunk on. He said, because the bars aren't even open.
He told them the hour of day. He said the bars aren't even open. They're not drunk on wine. He said, but this is that. which was spoken by the prophet Joel.
That in the last days, says God, I will pour out my spirit. Upon all flesh.
Sons and daughters will prophesy when they get poured out on. Old men will dream dreams. Young men will see visions. He's painting a picture that there is a kind of stimulant that the Holy Spirit is, but it's not that which comes from wine. And Paul picked it up in Ephesians 5 and said, Don't get drunk on wine, but be filled with the Spirit.
I need to tell you something before I quit here in a minute. You can't afford to be spiritually sober in a day like this. You can't afford to be sober. You need a buzz. Come on, somebody.
Working where you work, living in the home you live in, with those crazy folk around you, you can't afford to get up, just go running out into the world. You will not minister for Jesus, you'll be in your flesh. You will hurt somebody out here in this world. You need to say, God, fill me. God changed me.
God influenced me. Let me operate under the control of the Holy Spirit. I need so much of your control until folk are wondering what's the matter with me. I need your power so I can love unlovable people. I need your power so I can minister in your name and serve everybody you bring into my sphere of influence today.
And you need to get there to Joel's bar and say, fill her up. Can't afford to be sober. I don't plan to leave here sober. And you need to drive under the influence. Not of wine, but of the Holy Spirit.
So that you won't flip people off. Come on, somebody. You need to drive under the influence. You need to go to work under the influence.
So you won't curse out your supervisor and lose your job? Um We need the Holy Spirit. And he will refresh us. That's the water analogy you see in some places, and he will empower us. That's the wine analogy.
If we drink him. And he's as available. as you'll allow him to be. to empower your life. Uh Jesus said, Apart from Him, we can do nothing.
We need the power of the Holy Spirit, not only to impact the world for His glory, but to receive the full measure of His blessings and promises. As we read in 1 Peter 5, verse 6, Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and He will exalt you in due time. Thanks so much for being here for today's Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepard.
Now, here's a very important message from Pastor Paul's wife, Meredith. Hello, Destined for Victory family. This is Meredith Shepherd, Pastor Paul's wife. This is the first time you're hearing from me since my beloved husband went home to be with the Lord, and I want you to know your prayers have carried me. Your letters, your messages, cards, books, the ways you've reached out during these months, they've strengthened me through the shock and the grief in ways I can't fully express.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You know, Paul often said that he wanted to be the black J. Vernon McGee. He'd say it with that grin of his, but behind the humor was something deeply serious. A vision to create a teaching library that would outlive him, that would keep speaking biblical truth long after he was gone.
And that's what he did. For decades, Paul poured himself into buildings destined for victory. not just as a radio programme, but as a legacy. He wanted to make sure that timeless truth would be available to help people live victorious lives no matter what generation they're in. That's why I'm talking to you today, because what Paul worked so hard to build needs your help to continue.
Recently, we experienced a change in one of our major funding sources, and for the first time in this ministry's history, we're at risk of losing radio stations, of having to pull back from communities where people depend on this teaching. I don't want my husband's voice silenced. I don't want the work he dedicated his life to building to disappear because of funding. We need to preserve what Pastor Paul poured himself into creating.
So I'm coming to you, this family that's already been so supportive, and I'm asking. Will you help us? if destined for victory has encouraged you challenged you, or helped you grow in your walk with God, would you consider giving to day? A monthly gift would especially help us stabilize our funding and keep Paul's teaching on the air in every community that needs it. You can give at pastorpaul.
net. And as our thank you, we'd love to send you Paul's hardcover book, Becoming an Excellent Steward, a collection of his last year of teaching that our family just finished editing. It's a beautiful reminder of his heart and his wisdom. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for standing with us.
And thank you for your generosity in helping to preserve this legacy. God bless you. Thank you, Meredith. The hardcover book is called Becoming an Excellent Steward, and it's available today as our thank you for your best gift of twenty five dollars or more. Thank you in advance for your help in addressing this financial deficit and keeping Pastor Paul's teaching legacy alive on this station.
Remember, all gifts received or postmarked by tomorrow night at midnight are tax-deductible for 2025. You can give by phone by calling 855-339-5500. That's 855-339-5500. or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. Or mail your gift, postmarked by Wednesday night, to Destined for Victory, post office box 1767, Fremont, California, 94538.
God loved us just as we are in our sins. He died for us. He loved you as you were, but He never had any intention of leaving you as you were. Never, never, never. God doesn't save you to keep you the same.
He saves us to change us, to make us like Himself. That's next time at our message, The Process of Becoming New. I hope you'll join us. Until then, remember. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.
In Christ, you are destined for victory.
