SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:3-9

In 1 Peter 5:3-9, Peter reminded us that if we shepherd like Jesus then the reward is a crown of life that will not fade away. That raises the question of, how does Jesus shepherd? Peter portrayed Jesus as Savior and Judge! Peter said there is a conflict we are going to have with the enemy and we are commanded to prepare the church to resist him in order to be victorious. He also inferred there is a price in this resistance because we must stand up for Christ. That price is adversity and we are going to pay it. Peter made it obvious that the issue of shepherding was the issue of training the church how to go to war with an adversary who was like a roaring lion looking for people to devour. But we are to resist him with everything in our ability and everything in our power. When we get to the book of Revelation we find out that resistance includes a rod of iron with which we strike the enemy. We can strike those who champion the enemy’s agenda with a rod of iron declaring prophetic justice over them. Jesus demonstrated this dimension by speaking to a fruitless fig tree. We can expect the God we serve, “after we have suffered a little”, will deliver us. Peter proclaims that promise. Shepherding means teaching the church how to release the dominion of Christ. Does the average person view a pastor as an agent of God’s dominion? Does our culture look at shepherds as those who teach the church how to handle the dominion of Christ? Do we look at shepherds as the most passive people on the planet? Pastors are ultimate servants sent to help dysfunctional, needy people. Most people view pastors as “turn-the-other-cheek” counselors for people in need, with no ruling authority, no dominion and no demonstration of the judicial Christ. What if God decides to elevate pastors with a judicial anointing? What if pastors pray and champions of evil die like drug dealers, abusers or political and spiritual pimps? Would the fear of the Lord return to the nations if the judicial Christ were to move on our shepherds? It is time to pray for the true emerging shepherds to shoulder their anointing and rise to the occasion. That time is here. Let God arise and our enemies be scattered!