John Bevere - Harnessing the Power of Mission
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You’ve made it! You’ve stayed the course. We’re on lesson 10. I am proud of every one of you, and I’m telling you, I hope to see you somewhere in the world while I’m traveling, so I can hug you and say thank you for taking this seriously. Just the fact that you’ve stayed for all 10 lessons shows me that you have a passionate desire to walk free and help others get free. Once you are free, please help others do what I’m doing: be open, be honest. It’s hard to relate to a message if you can’t relate to the messenger. Something Lisa and I have strived for in our ministry is to be vulnerable and honest. We’re honest about the things we were stuck in and how God showed us to overcome them. Vulnerability can sometimes go a little too far; we need to share in the areas where God has delivered us.
I remember when Lisa and I were young and in the ministry, we looked at our teachers and said we could never preach the gospel; we felt like failures. But God was going to get us through those failures so we could help others in real-life situations, which is why I love this course. I love that you’ve taken this course because this is a real-life situation, especially when you hear the stats from lesson one. In this lesson, we will discuss displacement time and strengthening time. What do I mean by that? The key idea for this lesson is that getting free isn’t just about saying no to something; it’s about saying yes to something else. I love this quote by Erwin McManus: «Sin is what happens when we have too much time and too little purpose in our lives.» What a phenomenal statement from that man of God!
You know, David was tempted this way. He was this great king and prophet—not only was he king, but he also wrote many prophetic Psalms. Yet we see him have a colossal downfall when he had the situation with Bathsheba. People wonder how in the world this could happen. In 2 Samuel 11, verse 1, it says, «In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab.» Kings go to battle, not kings who send their officers to battle. David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites, they destroyed the Ammonite army, and laid siege to Rabbah. However, and I love how the Bible says this, «David stayed behind in Jerusalem.»
You know what happened next: he was out there, idle, walking on his balcony, and there was Bathsheba. We all know the story. David was not engaged in his calling. Jesus makes a statement that is one of the most powerful regarding finishing well. Listen to what He says in John 4:34: «My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.» Think about this: Jesus is saying here that He gets strength from doing the will of God. Why do people succumb to temptation? A lack of strength. The idle person is the easiest target for the enemy, which is why we must be about our Lord’s business. We have to focus on what we are called to do. Many people look at Lisa and me and ask how we manage to do this. Come on, John, you’re traveling all over the world!
Just two months into this year, I had already traveled around the globe—I was in Peru, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore. Just in December, before this year began, we were in two places in Asia and Europe. People ask us how we do this and if we need to slow down. I always revert back to this: «My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.» I am energized by doing the will of God, and I’m strengthened to stay away from temptation by doing His will. So, I’m telling all of you: yes, we have the grace of God to empower us. We’ve learned how to renew our minds and neurological pathways by reading the Word of God and developing intimacy with Him.
But there’s one more element: being missional. We are all called ambassadors of the Kingdom of God! You’re not on this earth just to have a joyride and someday go to heaven. You are here as a stranger, as a pilgrim, as an ambassador of another country to do something for the King of your kingdom. You must find out what that is.
If you’re struggling with this, I have good news: I did an entire course on this. I highly recommend that you go through that course because I find that people who get in trouble are the ones not engaged in their calling. You might say, «John, I know pastors involved in pornography; pastors who cheat.» You know why? They weren’t engaged in their true calling. Yes, they were getting paychecks from their church, but they were not engaged. Lisa and I constantly seek God: «Is there another book You want us to write? Is there another city You want us to go to?» We stay engaged. I’m turning 60 soon, but I’m not thinking about slowing down; I’m re-firing!
That’s how you have to be. If we all think this way, we won’t get hung up on the distractions that keep us from being missional. So, remember, displace, displace, displace! Find your mission. If you are a teacher, figure out better, more unique ways to communicate wisdom and knowledge to your students and be a witness. If you’re a coach, be a witness of what it means to be a man of God. Let them remember how you led, even if your school says you can’t tell them about Jesus on the playing field. You have all kinds of ways to share Jesus: through actions, behavior, and how you present things to them. Pray and believe God for opportunities.
Whether it’s in healthcare, government, Hollywood, or professional athletics, you are called by God—not just us preachers, worship leaders, or missionaries. Every man and woman of God has a mission. He wrote your story before a single day of your life began—read it in Psalm 139. Every day of your life was written down in a book by God before one day began. Your steps are ordered by the Lord; there’s work He’s called you to do, and you need to finish it.
When you’re engaged in your calling—whatever it is—whether feeding the poor or reaching out to someone in need, you don’t have time to mess around with pornography. It’s off your radar because you’re too busy about your Father’s business! I cannot stress how important it is for each of you to find your mission and get engaged in it. If you’re on social media, use it! Preach the gospel on social media; share what Jesus has done in your life. You don’t have to use chapter and verse like I do, but just share your testimony. If you see someone hurting, tell them you’re praying for them.
Focus on others! The most miserable people on Earth are those who don’t serve. The most miserable Christians are those focused on themselves: «Why aren’t I married yet? Why don’t I have a boyfriend?» You are too self-focused! Step out and love people! When you do, you displace the desire for fleshly things that have tripped you up in the past. So ask yourself, who has God called you to serve? Are you serving them? What battles has God called you to fight? Are you fighting them?
What healthy habits can you bring into your life to replace the time you previously spent struggling with porn? When I got free, I spent hours in the Word of God. I wasn’t preaching behind pulpits; I was diligently writing notes as if I was already writing books. I was just an errand boy for my pastor but preparing because I knew God had called me. Spend time in God’s Word; this is like eating every day.
How can people spend two hours on social media and not even five minutes reading the Word? Do an experiment: go four months without eating, going to church just once a week for a light meal. Tell me how long you last! Job said he treasured God’s words more than his necessary food. One pastor friend, Rick Renner, said, «I will not eat physical food until I’ve read something in the Word of God.» I love that!
Spend time in God’s Word. Develop a consistent prayer life. It’s essential because it builds intimacy between you and God. Pursue healthy relationships with other believers. Find believers who pursue holiness and not those trying to figure out how close to the line they can get without falling in. Don’t be deceived: bad company corrupts good morals. Stay away from people like that. Love them, reach out if they need help, but make friends with those who pursue holiness.
Community is essential in our walk with God and meets many of our legitimate needs for love and connection. We are most vulnerable when isolated—which is why wolves find isolated sheep.
Find somewhere or someone to serve—there are needs around you! Serve! It’s crucial to take your eyes off yourself and onto others. You’d be amazed at what’s released in you when you perform simple acts of service. Begin now, and you won’t look for distractions to relieve that pain or emptiness. Whatever God tells you to do, just do it! Give where He tells you, serve where He tells you, and pray when He tells you. Become missional, and you’ll find it easier to displace the desire for pornography.
We’ve come to a close, and I am so proud of you! Now, I want to pray for every one of you. I believe something special happens when you complete a course like this, and I believe a blessing is coming your way.
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for every brother and sister who has watched every lesson and stayed the course. They come to You, genuinely wanting to be free from pornography, longing to see people as You do. Holy Spirit, I ask You to do this for them. I speak to the demonic forces that have plagued them, going back generations, and I break your power off them. Father, I release the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ—may it be multiplied in their lives so they may walk free. I also pray that You will reveal to them every person listening and praying with me right now. Reveal to them the amazing calling You’ve placed on their lives. I ask that Your presence overwhelm them now and that I speak freedom into their lives in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.
I love you so very much, and I am again so proud of you. Walk in your freedom and tell everybody about it!