So much interpersonal human damage is done by highly gifted (“anointed’) but relationally dysfunctional people. You can be a water-walking, Bible encyclopedia, “super apostle-prophet” or whatever, full of good intentions, and not truly know God, yourself, or others. You can preach, bring forth “outstanding revelation and insights,” and do wonders and be blind to the trail of human carnage behind you. It need not be so.

We can be very “biblically literate” and utterly relationally dysfunctional. This need not be so. Jesus has come to reintegrate (heal/make whole) the broken human soul (psyche/self) (Isa. 61, Ps. 147). The making whole of the person, the reclaiming and reconstitution of the image of God in humanity, is the second thing that is supposed to happen to someone after he or she has responded to the gospel!

We often skip that on the way to “let’s do ministry!” “Let’s get results!” “Let’s flow in the anointing!” “Let’s experience His presence!”  Because we emphasize things like loyalty, honor, submission, anointing, miracles, power, money (God forbid!), preaching ability,  gift identification and expression, etc.,  over personality wholeness and identity reintegration in Christ through His cross and the transformative power of His indwelling Spirit, we end up with unhealed, unwhole, and unsafe, but highly gifted and talented people in positions of influence, and a relational train wreck is usually the result.

Don’t let the fruitful function of your “gift” fool you into thinking you are a relationally safe person, or that you are de facto, endorsed from heaven. You could be one of the most dangerous people on the planet: a blind man with a gassed-up chain saw out to mow the lawn. It will not go well for you–or others.

Christ has come and made all provision necessary to avoid the relational wreck, but we have to value the things He values, and yield to His cross. If we are motivated by other things: carnal ambitions and drives, insecurity-driven need for validation from authority figures and “anointed” ministries, false centers of identity and significance, well, then that is like volunteering for slavery. That’s like carrying a sign on your back that says: “Please violate me, please hurt me.” Don’t be surprised if your life is characterized by repeated cycles of relational pain and disappointment. Some how along the way, you have missed a critical element of the gospel. Your birthright in Christ is more than that. It need not be so.

________________________________________________

#www.badchurchexperience.com

Copyright 2014,  Dr. Stephen R. Crosby, www.swordofthekingdom.com. Permission is granted to copy, forward, or distribute this article for non-commercial use only, as long as this copyright byline, in totality, is maintained in all duplications, copies, and link references.  For reprint permission for any commercial use, in any form of media, please contact stephrcrosby@gmail.com. #www.badchurchexperience.com

Would you like to partner with us in distributing our materials and perhaps generate some income for yourself?  Please go to www.stevecrosby.com for details of our Affiliate program. This ministry is sustained by the freewill offerings of those believe in the message of a radical grace in a new covenant understanding. If this article has been a blessing to you, would you prayerfully consider making a tax-deductible contribution through our Paypal button to help? Thank you and God bless you.