Ministries…
There are many new ministries being birthed…
There are many growing up and going global…
But what is OUR role in these ministries…
Are we to just attend them or are we to pray for them or should we avoid them? These are some of the questions that haunted me, when a new ministry pops up…
Attend?
Now each ministry is different, and in some cases a season will come where you attend, and sometimes even help to build a ministry. I was part of a few ministries… Some could have different views on this…
In the first place, there were times where i did serve in a ministry, I have served in a few and this means being trained and prepared for something.
Another reason I was also in a ministry, was where I had to help build it up, help lead it and shepherd it to become what it could be…
So attending a ministry is not just about the ministry, it is about what God has installed for you while being a part of that ministry…
Pray?
Now to start things, we should pray for all ministries that we know, especially if we attend them…
What do we pray for?
1) We pray for God’s guidance in the ministry
2) We pray for the leaders, for God to rule over their lives and that they will be filled for the fear of the Lord…
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.(Proverbs 1:7 NIV)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10 NIV)
3) We pray for God show the ministry where to go next.
Thus praying is a must for any ministry, and even church.
Avoid?
Wait, WHAT? You just said avoid?
Yes, some of the ministries out there are not based on what God wants and may not be in line with God’s Word. These should be avoided, yet prayed for…
Another thing may be that God has something else installed for you that is much better at this given moment for you… We should always listen to the yearning of Holy Spirit when it comes to this…
But how does one know which is to be avoided?
God tends to show me when something goes wrong for a ministry, and then my time at that ministry becomes shorter…
There are symptoms to look out for…
1. NON BIBLICAL TEACHING AND FALSE PROPHECY
This is not mentioned as to be avoided in total, yet when this becomes a total non-founded sermon or teaching, then you should consider running…
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 NIV)
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1 NIV)
2. NO FRUIT
Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. (Luke 6:44 NIV)
Now if the fruit of a tree is rotten, then I would also suggest running… A rotten fruit is badly contagious…
But what should the fruit be?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. (Galatians 5:22-23 ISV)
3. THE PRACTICE AND PREACHING DIFFERS
Now every person is flawed, if you see someone slip up, this is natural…
The problem is actually more or less, when someone preaches one thing and practice a whole different lifestyle…
Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2:17-24 NIV)
We so badly want to be teaching in the ministry, yet we do not want to live in it…
These are just some of the ways you can see if a ministry is to be ran from, however I suggest that if a ministry is feeling dodgy, inquire of God before you do anything…
The Birth…
Ministries do not just fall from the sky…
Well, they should be birthed….
NOT FROM US, YET FROM GOD…
David did not choose to be a king, God anointed him…
Long before he was king, God birthed the calling in him… and God trained him…
The birth of a ministry works the exact same way…
We should not jump on a ministry, just because we could or just because of a prophecy…
I know that I should work with young men, yet I am not even there to be able to train them to become the men they were called for…
I AM NOT READY AS OF YET, AND THAT MEANS I CANNOT DO A DECENT JOB, IF I START NOW…
A premature ministry could end up in a few ways, thus God is crucial in the whole process… We do not just start because of people… We start on God’s go ahead…
God bless…. Remember we all are called, yet we all have to choose God…
God did call you to be something great…