Guest Post by Luis Rey
I had a desire to preach about Jesus, and I always said that if whatever I wanted to be didn’t work out, then I would be an evangelist. I never wanted to be a “pastor” in a church, even though many people thought I would be one. After pursuing a career in music for a few years and having some success, I felt the “call” to full-time ministry (more on this below).
Through the years, I constantly struggled with my consistency in my walk with God, and at times, felt the pressure of “being better” being in a position of authority in the organized church. What I didn’t understand was that I was walking in ignorance.
You see, I had asked Jesus to come into my life when I was a child, but I never understood what it meant to receive the life of Christ in exchange for my life. I walked in great zealousness for God, trying to either earn my relationship with Him, or working to prove I was worthy of His blessings. My friends, I lived a life much like a Pharisee, trying to please God by following all the rules, because that’s what I thought a good Christian does. I had a mental assent that Jesus would forgive me, but to me that included feeling a lot of remorse, tireless confession, depression and even desperation. There were things in my life that were destroying me and I found myself without the strength to conquer them, and instead of trusting in the Spirit, I thought it best for me to try even harder. My faith wasn’t in Jesus, it was on my ability to make things right with God.
But God in His great mercy and patience had other plans for me. You would think after serving in some powerful churches, several mega-churches in fact, and serving as a pastor and student pastor that I would walk in understanding, right? I tell you that just because a man has a position or title does not mean he walks in truth. In the quietness of my heart and through a desire to overcome my frustration with my life that had a form of Godliness yet without power, I heard the true message of Jesus. This message filled my soul as I truly heard of what Christ has done for us, according to the great grace and love of God.
I began to hear the gospel of God’s work reconciling the world unto Himself, which included me, without any help of myself. The power of the Spirit revealed to me that I was no longer a slave to my sin, that in fact, my old-self HAS been crucified with Christ, and if I am like Christ in His death, then…get this…I am assuredly like Him in His resurrection… in THIS life! The New Covenant of the loving Father began to wash over me, in which He says, “AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.” Father began to reveal Jesus in me, as I began to walk as a new creation, not because I had tried to become one, but because in Jesus, I am one!
The true Good News, the Gospel, of Jesus Christ invaded my life, my heart, my soul, and my mind. I truly had to come to repentance, changing my mind about where my righteousness was found, and I now place my faith in the grace of Christ Jesus alone. I discovered that in being transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of the Son, that I am no longer working as a slave to please God, but I am resting in the truth that I am a son, and if a son, a co-heir! And though I “serve” God today, I serve Him as a son, prayerfully doing whatever it is He asks of me.
Out of this great awakening from my slumber, I realized that there is no such thing as “full-time” ministry, that ALL who are in Christ Jesus have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Through this, Father began to open my eyes to His Kingdom beyond the four walls of the modern-day expression of the church. As part of that awakening, my wife Ashley and I gave up the assurance of a full-time paying job at a church and began a journey being led of the Spirit to preach and teach the Gospel wherever doors open.
There is so much more to our journey with our beautiful children, and we are hungry to preach this beautiful and powerful Gospel of Jesus to as many people as possible. We also want to encourage you in your ministry of reconciliation and we ask that you join us in furthering the Gospel throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
Visit Axiom Ministries - http://axiomministries.com/
