Least, Last, Unworthy!

Accepting My Unworthiness!

The Lord continues to speak to me about this topic of my unworthiness before Him and only He can take me from being a “nothing” to being a “something” for Him as I penned in a previous oracle.

I do not make myself worthy through my own religious works, intellect, education, self-religious efforts, traditions, routines, etc., and what I think needs to be accomplished for the Kingdom of God.  

My worthiness comes from Him, enabling me to serve, labor/work alongside Him, and move in the anointing and power of the Fruit and Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  It is not about me, but about “Making Christ Great Again” (MCGA) in our nation and in the lives of the people He leads us to.

Accepting my unworthiness, seeing myself least and last before others and humbling myself from my selfism and self-importance is a key to my moving in the supernatural aspects of the Kingdom of God. 

It is only then that I truly become His bondservant, His anointed messenger and ambassador of delivering His Word and observing Him affirming that Word with signs, wonders, and miracles which we rarely observe in the modern church world.

Jesus Calls!

       Jesus told His disciples and us today,

And He sat down

and

called the Twelve [apostles],

and

He said to them,

If anyone desires to be first,

he must be last of all,

and

servant of all.

Mark 9:35 (AMP)

The Message Bible says,

He sat down and summoned the Twelve.

“So you want first place?

Then take the last place.

Be the servant of all.”

Mark 9:35 (MSG)

Striving for Greatness, First Place, and Recognition!

Those who strive for greatness in serving the Lord should realize that God does not look for greatness in those who follow and serve Him. We might say that striving for greatness involves striving in the flesh and desiring to be noticed or recognized – to be out front – to be the leader – to have others look up to you – and to be centered in self and not consider others as more important.

       Exalting oneself to greatness in serving the Lord does not gain the favor of the Lord.  Self-elevation brings one down in the Kingdom of God whereas humility, brokenness, and lowliness raises one up for Peter records:

 Therefore

humble yourselves

[demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation]

 under the mighty hand of God,

 that in due time

He may exalt you…..

 1st Peter 5:6 (AMP)

The operative word in serving the Lord is “LEAST” for Jesus told His disciples…..

…..whoever receives

and

accepts and welcomes this child

in My name and for My sake

receives and accepts

and

welcomes Me;

and

whoever so receives Me

so also receives Him Who sent Me.

For he who is least

and

lowliest among you all—

he is

[the one who is truly]

great.

 Luke 9:48 (AMP)

The church can look for those who are considered great in some way – a great preacher, a great teacher, a great communicator, a great person, a great theologian, a great evangelist, or a great T.V personality while neglecting the LEAST person who is not the greatest because the LEAST person thinks of himself or herself as a “nothing” or as “unworthy” to serve the Lord. 

Inward Surrender and Going Downward!

The "LEAST" love the Lord more than they love themselves or the work they do for the Lord.  They do not think highly of themselves but think highly of others. They first serve others before they serve themselves. They truly know what the meaning of "servanthood" points to - sacrifice self for the good of others as Christ demonstrated by His life and His being nailed to the Cross.

They believe self is LEAST and LAST in the Kingdom of God and not that important which runs counter to the America way of life where everything points to “me, my, and I.” 

For most in America it is “onward and upward” lifestyle where in the Kingdom of God it is an “inward surrender and going downward” walk with the Master (Jesus).

       In the first – self-rules while in the second Christ rules which can be a challenging path for those married to Christ. For the born-again Christian, the war between self-dominance and surrender to Christ to become least, last, and unworthy in all things is a huge spiritual battle or challenge.

Jesus said:

But

many who are the

greatest now

will be

least important then,

and

those who seem

least important now

will be the

greatest then.

Matthew 19:30 (NLT)

Apostle Paul Speaks!

Apostle Paul considered himself LEAST of those called by the Lord and VERY LEAST of those he served. 

For I am the

least of the apostles,

 and

 not fit to be called an apostle….

1 Corinthians 15:9 (NASB95)

To me,

the

very least of all saints,

 this grace

 was given,

to preach…..

Ephesians 3:8 (NASB95)

But the Apostle even goes further of thinking lowly of himself and being LEAST by considering himself as “the scum of the world….the dregs of all things”…..(1^st Corinthians 4:13)….. “a fool for Christ…..weak…..in disrepute and contempt …..without honor…..last of all….. despised….” (1^st Corinthians 4:10)….. “a spectacle to the world….." (1^st Corinthians 4:9).  He defined LEAST with these descriptions.

God's Man of the Hour!

The Apostle was God’s man of the hour and as God’s servant the Apostle gladly accepted being the “LEAST” and “LAST”  in God’s Kingdom rather than being a “Great One,” a “Great Apostle,” a “Great Preacher,” a Great Teacher,” a Great Evangelist,” or a “Great Promoter of Self.”

Apostle Paul was the “LEAST” and “LAST” of the apostles, the“LEAST” and “LAST” of all the saints and not fit to be called an Apostle as he called himself.

  He was a broken and contrite servant of Christ and the Father in heaven and knew his place as just a lowly and humble servant of God called by God to shepherd God’s people and equip them for the work of service or ministry (Ephesians 4:12).

  Because he was “LEAST,” “LAST,” and “EMPTY” of self, Christ filled and exalted Him to possess an intimate relationship with Him and to go into the world preaching the Gospel of Christ being an anointed messenger of the Word of God and a channel of the healing power of Christ to those held in sickness, disease, and demonic bondages.

The Missing Element in the Church World!

Where are the men and women of today who think and live of being “least, last, and unworthy” while walking out their lives in lowliness, humility and brokenness? 

Where are the men and woman of today who allow the Cross of Christ to crucify the flesh, desires, ambitions, and self-promotions and consistently live “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ” as Apostle Paul penned in the Book of Romans, chapter 8:2. 

Where are the men and woman of “LEAST” and “LAST” who are filled and overflowing with the anointing and power of the Holy Spirit healing the sick, casting out demons, flowing with the Gifts and Fruit of the Holy Spirit as well as confronting the evil which has pulled many into all kinds of bondages?

Where are the men and women willing to wash each other's feet in utter humility and brokenness as Christ demonstrated in the picture at the beginning of this oracle?

  My Take on "Least!":

  L   =   Lowliness, Least, and Last

(My continuing position before

            the Lord and others).

E   =   Exalted 

(God will exalt me in due time for I am least and last

            in His Kingdom).

A   =   Anointed

(God anoints me for living a life of last and least

            for serving Him in the power and anointing of the Holy

            Spirit)

S   =   Sent 

(God sends me into the world as a least and last

             servant of His to witness and testify for Him).  He chose

             me to go and bear fruit, much fruit (souls) for the

             Kingdom of God.

T  =   Thankfulness

(My least and last position before Him for

            everything He does for me which I do not deserve).

How about you my friend?  Where do you stand in relation to considering yourself “LEAST” –  “LAST” - “UNWORTHY” - and “UNIMPORTANT” in the Kingdom of God? Your answer will determine your usefulness to the Lord in serving Him and His Kingdom.

God Speaks to Me!

Let me close by sharing with you a prophetic word the Lord recently spoke into my heart which I pray will encourage you in your walk with the Lord.       

UNWORTHY

I say to you My Son

that even though you see

yourself as unworthy

 as you stand

before me,

I see you as

worthy because

of what My Son

accomplished

for you on His Cross.

You are worthy

to Me because

 you have been

 washed

 and

made clean by the

 blood of My Son.

All those

who come to Me

I see their worthiness

while they see themselves

 as unworthy.

It is those

 who see themselves

 as unworthy

 who are the ones

 who walk

 and

live in humility

 and

 brokenness

before Me

 and

who I greatly use

to foster

My Kingdom Light

 into the

world of darkness.

Those who see

themselves as

unworthy

are the ones

 who penetrate

the darkness of the world

 and

 bring My Life of Salvation

and

healing to the lost

and

to those falling away

 from

My Word and Ways.

So,

I want you

 to know there is

nothing wrong

with your feeling

 of

unworthiness

when you come to Me

but

know in My eyes

you are a

 worthy servant

whom I have

 call to serve Me.

Allow me to add that as we see ourselves as LEAST, LAST, and UNWORTHY to serve the Lord and His Son, 

…..[They – Father and Son]

…..have

 crowned [us]

with

glory,

and

majesty

to

rule

over the works of

 [Their hands]

and

…..have

put all things under

[our feet].

Psalm 8:5-6, (NASB)

Thank you, Jesus, I praise and exalt Your Name!

Help me to be

"LEAST, LAST, AND BROKEN BEFORE YOU WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

Rich Arnold

Servant of the Lord

311 Adelaide Ave SW

Hartville, Ohio 44632

330-704-9306

richarnold3@gmail.com