What is a man of God? Is it someone who imitates His speech and actions? And how does one reach attain that status?
“Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7 ESV)
I believe the term “man of God” has more to do with ownership than vocation or ministry.
A man of God is a man God has formed into His likeness, and has the life of God in his lungs. Therefore, the man of God is owned by God; he accepts his place and knows he’s been created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10).
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying a guy becomes a man of God overnight. The Hebrew word for “formed” is “yatsar”, which means “to mold into form; to squeeze into shape”. The word also carries with it the idea of purpose.
Formed on purpose, for a purpose.
God, the Creator/Father uses a number of different ingredients and experiences in forming a man/woman of God.
Here are three general parts to the process.
Just as He took a handful of common, ordinary dirt to make the first man of God, Adam, today’s man of God is formed out of the common, ordinary things of life.
God takes the ordinary and, with His special wisdom and grace, makes it extraordinary.
Why doesn’t He use gold dust, or something that can only be found in Heaven?
For one thing, He doesn’t form the man of God to be venerated or mounted on a pedestal.
God doesn’t form icons.
Besides, just as God created the dirt, so it is with us. He knows us, and what it will take to reshape us into His image.
The man of God is formed to be God’s representative; relating with His creation, and revealing His will to the world He loves so much.
Formed out of life’s experiences and challenges, with His mercy and grace mixed in to help the form keep its shape.
Formed into the image of God through squeezing and shaping; life experiences which have the ability to affect our life forever.
Summarizing the first step: one must stay close to God, even if it’s uncomfortable.
Another part of the process: He uses other men/women of God to help frame, restore, mold, and put us all in order.
There’s a Greek word, “katartizo”, which is used in a number of verses – Matt. 4:21; Gal. 6:1; Eph. 4:12; Heb. 11:3. It’s translated as mending, restoring, equipping, and framing.
Ephesians 4:11,12 reveals God uses apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the perfecting (equipping, mending, restoring, and framing) of people like you and I, so we in turn are able to minister to others.
Bypass this part of the process and God cannot finish His work. There must be an active relationship between God’s equippers and “equippee’s”.
In other words, to become a man of God one must be connected to others in God’s kingdom, and be teachable.
The third part of the process?
Stay with the process. God has promised to finish what He starts, so it’s up to us to stay with it.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6 ESV)
What is a man of God? Maybe it’s better to ask “who is a man of God?”.
People who let God get close enough to breathe into them His breath of life. That special, creative life also known as the Spirit of God.
People who allow godly men and women to sow into their lives doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
People who remain faithful, steadfast, and unmovable, in spite of the pressures or uncertainties which may arise.
The world desperately needs men and women of God.
Will you be one?
Jan Grace 