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THE MINISTER AND HIS MINISTRY.
The next thing after being convinced that you are called by God to serve in His vineyard is to pray that He will show you the area He wants you to serve him.
I Have advised believers on several occasions not to dabble into any ministry without clarification from God about what He wants you to do, where
He wants you to do it and when he wants you to do it. If you have done this it will help you to hold God responsible when challenges come while you are serving Him. I have discovered that God will not give you the grace to function in a ministry which He has not call you to carry out.
One of the hindrances to effective ministry is lack of understanding of the areas of ministry one is called to fulfill. When you don’t know what God has called you to do it will affect every other thing you are doing.
You cannot make any meaningful progress in the ministries if you don’t know exactly your ministry in the body of Christ. If one ask you now, what is your ministry in the body of Christ what will you say?
Look into your life and the ministries how far you have gone in carrying out your responsibilities as pastors, Prophets, Apostle. Church planters, ushers, Sunday school teachers, children department teachers, church leader’s choir master etc.
LET ME BEGIN BY THIS QUESTION.
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Do you understand what God has called you to do in the local church where you are? This question is important because, God can never sponsor or give you the grace to run any ministry he has not called you to carry out.
If you don’t understand your ministry, is either you are not called or you have not made any effort to ask. God what he called you to do?
I. Examples abound in the Bible of the calling of God
a. The first person God called was Noah. Genesis 6:11-18;
i. According to this passage when God called Noah He told him what He wants him to do.
ii. Noah obeyed God in doing exactly what He told him to do and God saved him, his family and other creatures. Genesis. 6:22;
b. Abraham was the second person God called.
• What was his assignment and ministry? Genesis. 12:1-3
i. He must separate from his family, community and nation.
ii. He must go where God will show him as his inheritance.
iii. God promised to bless him and use him to bless others.
iv. His ministry was to be a blessing to others.
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Though Abraham’s life was filled with in consistencies which led to delay of God’s promise to him; but he later learned his lessons after God confronted him, in (Genesis17:1) which led to God blessing him as he promised and used him to bless many families of the earth as it is today.
C. Moses also was called and commissioned to deliver Israel from Egypt. Ex. 3:7-10
The book of Hebrews 11:24-29 shows us how he was able to fulfill this assignment.
D. Joshua was also commission as the captain of the Israelite armies to fight and conquer the Promised Land and divide the land to God’s people Deuteronomy. 3:27-28; Joshua. 1:1-9.
Joshua did exactly what God told him. Joshua11-15
E. Jesus Christ came here with a mission
Matthew 1:21,
Luke 4:16-18,
Luke 19:10,
John 10:10
He was able to fulfill his mission on earth because he knew his mission and was committed to it.
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F. Peter was commissioned to feed Christ’s lamb and sheep.
John 21:15-17;
He was also given the keys to open the kingdom doors to the Jews and Gentiles. Matt 16:19.
He fulfilled these twofold ministries.
i. By taken care of the young church.
ii. On the day of Pentecost he opened the doors to the Jews and about 3000 souls entered.
iii. Also he opened the doors to the Gentiles when he preached in the house of Cornelius. Acts 10:17-48
G. Paul the apostle understood his ministry and stick at fulfilling it.