Power in a team is not a one-man show. Instead power comes by a giving up of one’s self . . . so that God may be praised unto the heavens.
The other night I was woke up with a whisper from the doorway, “Mom!” Sometimes when that happens, I find it hard to go back to sleep. So finally about an hour later, I decided to take myself off to the living room.
Realizing that I had forgotten to have my devotions that day, due to a big swimming day with the kids, I picked up my Bible at 2:30 am . . . and God led me to Priscilla and Aquila. It’s amazing how God can do that!
As a family, we like to use the KJV Life Application Study Bible. It is one we like to purchase for our children when they get older. It has many study notes and historical introductions to each book. One of the features I enjoy about this Bible is the character profiles on certain Bible characters. It lists unique information about them and their strengths and weaknesses.
An Effective Team
The profile on Aquila and Priscilla struck me. I will share some of it with you here:
Some couples know how to make the most of life. They complement each other, capitalize on each other’s strengths, and form an effective team. Their united efforts affect those around them. Aquila and Priscilla were such a couple. They are never mentioned separately in the Bible. In marriage and ministry, they operated as one.
I have always been impressed with this biblical couple. They not only “laid down their own necks” for Paul (Romans 16:3,4), but they also corrected Apollos in a godly way. They heard him preach and realized he was not preaching the full gospel – he had only heard John the Baptist’s message. So they quietly took him to their home and showed him the rest of the story.
What a powerful couple! They could have looked down their noses at Apollos for him not having the full story like they did – instead they meekly corrected him, enabling God to work even more powerfully through him.
Oh this both convicted and blessed me. Conviction because of the times I have wanted to do things my way, thinking it was the more better way. And blessing because I have been humbled at how God has worked powerfully when Lowell and I join together as a team.
This kind of power is available not only to married couples, but to churches as a whole – those married and those single. I have been blessed to see this working together in our own church! It takes different people, led by the Spirit at different times, to move in certain situations. It is not done by one hero. God doesn’t work that way . . . some plant, some water, but God alone gives the increase.
When you work with your husband as a dynamic, effective team or with your church as a body of warriors that can bring down Satan’s strongholds – you must do several things.
- You must honestly admit that you need your team members – really and truly need them. This is humbling, but God is glorified in it. For only He is powerful enough to discern a situation, work with different people, and bring healing to all involved.
- You must stop looking at the faults in your spouse or fellow brethren. Learn to look outside of your team – not inward. You will never be an effective team member if you are constantly picking at the faults of others on your team. This is Satan’s tactic to break your team apart.
- Be willing to do what the Spirit says to do.
- But also be willing to step aside when the Spirit says it is someone else’s turn to fight the battle. Like John the Baptist, let us be willing to say, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30 I realize John was saying this of Jesus, but I believe it is the attitude we should have as a living, breathing, working body that is led of the Holy Spirit.
A team is most effective when they live with this motto:
Whether it crushes me or prospers me, if it brings God glory . . . then so be it.
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