nuggets for ministers.
Precious dear minister, never allow anyone to talk you out of the MEASURE of GRACE upon your life.
Often in ministry, you will meet people, especially ministers who stylishly talk down on YOUR AREA OF STRENGTH in ministry.
Never succumb to cheap blackmail because you want to please everyone. The truth of the matter is that you can’t please everyone and you will start losing relevance trying to please everyone.
You see, it is your duty to HONOUR ALL MEN but never fraternize with anyone who attacks your area of strength in the ministry.
The fact that ministers are called into ministry does not mean that all ministers operate at the same level of operation, dimension and maturity.
There are diversities even amongst the five-fold offices.
For instance, two prophets are completely different from each other, their mode of preaching, teaching, prophesying, ministrations, displaying of the power of God, their own personal testimonies , their encounter with Christ, and so on….
You see, CALLING is one thing, ANOINTING is another, yet MATURITY is a different ball game all together.
The kind of spiritual maturity that flows from ministerial sensitivity is what galvanises
inter- ministerial collaboration that is rooted in and founded on the tenets of LOVE.
GUARD YOUR AREA OF STRENGTH & SPECIFICATIONS jealously in ministry . That’s your cutting edge and it is your key to global impact and generational relevance.
Whether you know it or not, there are funny characters in ministry who specialises on talking down on your area of strength and distracting you as to follow their own templates .
But like how Nehemiah maintained, you must know that you are DOING A GREAT WORK.
As long as it is Christ that has sent you and you are walking in your mandate, I want you to know that you are doing a great work , regardless of how anyone tries to talk you down.
The kind of politics and politicking that goes on around ministry is more sophisticated than any political party but you must continually guard your heart and WALK IN LOVE towards all the saints of God.
The truth is, don’t be intimidated or demoralised by any minister against you especially those of your fold, KEEP WALKING IN LOVE.
MATURITY CELEBRATES DIFFERENCE BUT INFERIORITY IS THREATENED BY IT.
If your area of strength is church planting, they will say it’s not about having so many churches around, Sir and Ma, carry on despite the ridicule….
If your area of strength is social media ministry, they will tell you that genuine ministry is not done on social media ( despite the fact that lives are getting transformed around the world through social media platforms)
If your area of strength is mentoring, discipleship and raising ministers, and you have a school of ministry , they will tell you that you are not qualified to raise anyone in ministry.
If your area of strength is TEACHING THE WORD, they will tell you it’s not about
WORD MINISTRATION but POWER DEMONSTRATIONS.
If your area of strength is the prophetic, they will tell you that you lack depth In the word.
( all though every gift of the Spirit must be subject to the word of God)
If your area of strength is deliverance ministry, they will tell you , you lack decorum and that you are very unorthodox.
If your area of strength is preaching and teaching relationships and marriages related topics , they will tell you that you are not preaching the full council of God.
If your area of strength is evangelism, they will tell you that is not what is fashionable today.
The list goes on and on but you must faithfully walk in your assignment and be true to your calling.
Evangelist Billy Graham only preached on ” Salvation message “. Because he was true to this call, he is one of the few evangelists in history who arguably had the largest crowds and multitudes attending his crusade campaigns.
Pastor Benny Hinn only preaches on ” Healing, Salvation and cultivating your intimacy with the Holy Spirit ” and this mandate has made him carry the healing mantle across nations and continents. Right now if you mention the healing ministry, probably he is the first preacher that will pop up in your mind.
Dr Morris Cerullo preached on ” Healing, Discipleship, school of ministry etc ” . It is said that Dr Morris Cerullo is one of the few generals of God that went to nearly all continents preaching the gospel of Christ and establishing schools of ministry.
This is a great legacy.
Arch Bishop Duncan Williams teaches and preaches on ” Spiritual warfare ” and this has made him have a cutting edge in ministry, in terms of opening the body of Christ to the reality of the spiritual realm.
We can mention many names in Africa of great men and women who were and still true to their area of strength in ministry and made and still making impact.
Pastor Dr David Yongi Cho of blessed memory pastored the largest congregation in the world but Dr Kenneth Haggin was not so much into church growth yet his ministry and books have shaped the Pentecostal tradition globally.
Now, who would you say was the most successful amongst the two?
Answer. NONE WAS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN THE OTHER BUT BOTH WERE SUCCESSFUL and their inputs into their generations differed. Simple!
Dear minister, be loud about your MEASURE OF GRACE, ANOINTING and MANDATE and don’t allow any critic to talk you down out of it.
Emphasize on it very strongly , magnify it very greatly and speak glowingly about it but never do it at the expense of the measures and dimensions of others.
Remember that we are all called by God but our individual assignments differ from one another.
Romans 11:13.
” For I speak to you GENTILES in a much as I am the apostle of the gentiles, I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICE. “
Magnify your OFFICE not YOURSELF!
You should be open to learn from others with different measures.
God may want to expand the frontiers of your ministry, you should therefore be sensitive to the dimensions that God is bringing into your life.
In addition to your teaching grace, God may want to open you up to the prophetic.
In addition to your prophetic ministry, God may want to open you up to church growth.
In addition to your manifestation of various gifts of the Spirit, God may want to open you up to media space. And so on…
So be open to the Spirit of God . Remember that Apollos was a great teacher of the Word but God opened him up to the ministry of Aquila and Priscilla for better operational efficiency in ministry . ( Acts 18: 24 – 28)
Walk in love and let the Spirit of God take your ministry from glory to glory.
I pray for grace to maintain the boldness, confidence and balance on your calling and assignment in the face of the changing times and seasons in our world.