We hear a lot these days about the “FIVEFOLD MINISTRY”.  The disciples were trained under Jesus to imitate Him, to love the heavenly Father with all their heart, mind, soul and strength, and love their brother as themselves.  Jesus clearly lived that life in front of them every day.  The Lord Jesus granted the disciples power from on high to carry on the Father’s will upon the earth.   In Ephesians 4, the apostle Paul gave us insight into what the purpose of the “fivefold ministry” really is.  Let’s read about it.
Eph 4:1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Eph 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
 I’d like you to take notice of verse 8, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.   By taking upon Himself ALL THE CURSE, ALL OUR SINS, ALL OUR DISEASES, the Lord Jesus didn’t leave anything lacking for us to go back behind Him and clean up.  Yet there are some today who would lead people to think the Lord Jesus didn’t get the job done.  They insist upon going back and “DELIVERING” people from curses, as if somehow they were able to deliver them from something Jesus could not.
 They go around telling people who have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior that they have “generational curses” upon them that need to be cast out.  WHAT NONSENSE!  Either the Lord Jesus delivered those who receive Him from ALL THE CURSE, or He delivered them from none of it!!  It is written in Galatians 3:13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree…Either the Lord Jesus is who He said He is, and He did what He said He did, or we’re all still in our sins, headed for hell.  I know if you’ haven’t received the Lord Jesus and been “born-again”, you’re still under the curse, but I’m referring here ONLY to those who are born-again. 
There’s something that needs to be cleared up: the Lord Jesus delivered us from all our sins, but He left us in charge of our flesh.  Some have said, for example, that if you have several generations who are alcoholics in your family that you’re under a generational curse.  While that may be true if you’re an unbeliever, when you receive the Lord Jesus, the curse stops right there for you.  The curse can’t cross the Blood of Jesus.  Now, does that mean you are instantly delivered from drinking?  You are delivered from the generational curse if there is one present, but you still have the power to drink if that’s your choice.  It’s YOUR responsibility to rein in the lusts of the flesh, and if drinking is a lust of the flesh for you, then it’s YOUR responsibility to quit it and bring your flesh in line with the Word of God, not God’s responsibility.  God will give you the power to quit if you want to, but He won’t MAKE you quit.  HELLO? 
You see, too many people want God to do everything for them, refusing to take responsibility for their lustful behavior.  That’s what “repent” means.  It means STOP doing sinful behavior.  The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27, But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.  Do you see the difference between taking charge of your flesh, and a generational curse? Jesus didn’t leave anything lacking in delivering us from ANY curse.  That was Jesus’ job, not ours.  And Jesus got the job done. He didn’t need your help or mine to do it.
Incidentally, that’s why many Christians have so much trouble receiving healing, they have been led to believe that Jesus didn’t get the job done.  Is it any wonder there are so many sick Christians around?  They’re still “waiting to be delivered”, when the Lord Jesus delivered them over 2,000 years ago, and it was foretold in Psalm 103:2-3, Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases.   It’s time we quit waiting for today’s disciples of Jesus to do what only Jesus himself could do, and that is to deliver people from curses.
 Now, let’s move on and talk about what the “Fivefold ministry” that so many speak of today IS supposed to do.
What were some of the gifts the Lord Jesus left the church?  We can see the answer to that in verse eleven: And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  Why?  For what purpose? 
Again, there’s no mystery here, Paul told us clearly, 12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 
It was NOT for the purpose of delivering anyone from the curse.  Do you see “Deliverance ministries” listed with the others?  No?  Why not?  Only Jesus could do that, and He got the job done.  OUR purpose as modern day disciples is to PREACH THE GOSPEL!   Let the LORD JESUS deliver them! 
The Lord Jesus charged believers with Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give.  Do you see that?  Along with healing, cleansing lepers, and raising the dead, all believers have the authority to cast out devils, and it isn’t called a “deliverance ministry”.  If we, His disciples will do the works the Lord Jesus commanded, then the body of Christ, namely the church, will be multiplied.  New converts will be brought daily into the body, and those who are called to do the work of the “Fivefold ministry” can concentrate on training them up into mature believers, who are able to go out and win others to Christ Jesus.  Are all called into the Fivefold Ministry?  No, but some are, and if you are, you know it.  How long do we need to do that?  Again, the scriptures are clear: 
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
 Are we there yet?  Apparently no, as long as there is strife among the body, and we are not in unity with one another as Christ Jesus is with His Father.  Sometimes it looks like we will never get there, but what the Lord Jesus started in us, He will finish, rest assured.
 When we see people being no longer carried away by every wind of doctrine, we will start seeing the Church rising up and doing the work it was called to do from the beginning.
But let those who are called disciples, and those who are called into the “Fivefold ministry” not try to take glory for themselves.  Don’t touch His glory!  You or I can no more “deliver” someone from sickness or a curse than your pet goldfish can.  Only Christ Jesus can do that.  But we can preach the Gospel to the world and let Jesus do what only He can do.
 Remember, Jesus bore the curse and delivered us from it.  Our job as disciples is to preach it.  Don’t try to do Jesus’ job.  Just do yours.  Each believer has his or her area of service in which the Lord will use them to edify the body of believers.  Each knows by the Holy Spirit what capacity they are called to serve in.  And if it draws glory to YOU, then God is not getting the glory, is He?  Remember, Jesus is the Deliverer.  We’re merely His messenger service.
 That doesn’t mean we should see ourselves as lowly worms.  Rather, we as believers are trusted with the most important message in all of history, that the Lord Jesus saves, heals, and delivers, and we should be bold about telling the world.  And He will confirm the Gospel being preached with signs and wonders following.