VCF Spiritual Imperatives

1. Get an encounter with Jesus Christ.  Acts 9:1 - And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 - And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.  3 - And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:  4 - And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  5 - And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.  6 - And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

2. Get deeper knowledge and revelation of the Word of God.  2 Timothy 2:15 - Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Ephesians 1:17 - That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:  18 - The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 - And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power…

3. Get baptized in the Holy Spirit.  Luke 11:9 - And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.  10 - For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  11 - If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?  12 - Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  13 - If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

4. Get out of debt.  Romans 13:8 - Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  Proverbs 22:7 - The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.  Malachi 3:8 - Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.  9 - Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.  10 - Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.  11 - And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.  12 - And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

5. Get another person on the train to Heaven.  Luke 19:10 - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.  Matthew 18:11 - For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.  12 - How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?  13 - And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.  14 - Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

6. Get involved in the ministry.  Matthew 25:20 - And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  21 - His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.