Flow

by Tom Johnston

When it comes to ministry, we try so hard. We want to “make it happen,” or “git `er done.” While I admit hard work is part of ministry – and life in general – the most fruitful times we experience are the result of not our action alone, but rather when we are acting in concert with God. I call it being in the flow.

There is a convergence which comes when, by our obedience, we are in the God-authored place/circumstance/situation of service and we are functioning in the grace empowerment on our life – that God-authored combination of our personal wiring, experience, spiritual gifting, and natural talents. When this happens, we are flowing with and in the Spirit of God, working seamlessly, and often effortlessly, with Him, and He through us. Jesus said it this way –

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. John 5:19-20 ESV

God’s grace on a life is not just for salvation, but for the empowerment of destiny – and produces the unique contribution to the Kingdom economy only that individual can make. This empowerment of God by His grace, and the consequent destiny should determine our assignment – the place of service we are engaged in. When it grace empowerment and assignment match, we can flow with the Spirit, doing the Father’s will, and bear much fruit for His glory.

So, how can we be “in the flow” consistently? Jesus gives us several keys, both from His words and His life-pattern. First, let’s take a look at how he wraps it all together. He sums it up in the Vine & Branches metaphor and calls it abiding:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 14:4-5 ESV

The “abiding” is not action-oriented, but relationally-oriented. It is a state of being in Christ, not a state of doing for Christ. The vital life of Jesus flows into us from our regular and continual communion with Him as we abide in Him through the Spirit. This is Jesus’ pattern:

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. Mark 1:35-39 ESV

Jesus went from one place of prayer, one place of communion with the Father, to another – and in between He spoke the truth, brought healing to the sick, forgiveness and acceptance to the “sinners,” broke demonic powers, delivered justice to the oppressed and spoke prophetic rebuke to the religious elite. He was always abiding, He was constantly in concert with the Father, constantly “in the flow.”

My encouragement is for us all to spend more time communing with Him through reflective prayer informed by the Scripture, so that as we move through our day, we can be in the flow, guided and empowered by the Spirit. I would also encourage us to reflect on our current ministry assignment – does it fit our grace empowerment, or is there some change needed – in us or the circumstance or way of ministry – that needs to come so that we can flow with the Spirit, bearing much fruit for the Father.

May the Lord teach you how you specifically can abide in Him, and may you flow in your grace for His glory.