THE ABILITY TO TALK

"FOR OUR GOSPEL DID NOT COME TO YOU IN WORD ONLY, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake."
1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NKJV)

• Ministry is not about being oratorical

• I have met people who think they will succeed in the ministry work, because they are good orators.
• Ability to speak persuasively is not what makes one a good and also a successful minister.
• It is good to be articulated in speaking, albeit, that is not all about the ministry work.
• Someone said, Ministry is about thirty percent of preaching and seventy percent of other things (2 Corinthians 11:6).
• I have seen people who are oratorical but had nothing much to write home about in the ministry work.

1. “And I, brethren, when I came to you, DID NOT COME WITH EXCELLENCE OF SPEECH OR OF WISDOM declaring to you the testimony [mystery] of God.
2. AND MY SPEECH AND MY PREACHING WERE NOT WITH PERSUASIVE WORDS OF HUMAN WISDOM, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”
   1 Corinthians 2:1,4 (NKJV)

• Developing your ability in public speaking is commendable, however, if you trust in the Holy Spirit you will have a better result.

• You may be an introvert and not vocal, that does not mean God cannot use you.
ALSO being an extrovert, born talker, does not mean you can excel in the ministry work without the help of God.

• The point I am making is, our trust should not be in our physical abilities.
• Your physical ability could be a plus if you subject it to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
• God specialized in using those who are weak, those who will not ascribe the glory of their successes to their human abilities—themselves.

1. “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
2. BUT GOD HAS CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS OF THE WORLD TO PUT TO SHAME THE WISE, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
   28.and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
3. THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE.”
   1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NKJV)

• God will not share His glory with any man (Isaiah 42:8).
GOD would not want anyone He made to ascribe the glory of his making, success, to the self—personal skill or ability (Isaiah 48:11).

• I believe in skill development, however, you should have it in your mind that with all the skills acquired and the abilities possessed, God is the reason for success.
• I have met some people who believed if they could have additional certificates they will succeed in the ministry work, yet after they had the additional certificates, one could not see any significant change in their lives and ministries.
• Now, additional certificates could be a plus if you do not see that as the reason for success.

• Promotion comes from God

1. “For exaltation [promotion] comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south.
2. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another.”
   Psalm 75:6,7 (NKJV)

• Promotion and lifting come from God and God alone.
• God will use your ability that is submitted to Him.
• God does not want you to lean on your own understanding—ability.

1. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, AND LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING;
2. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
   Proverbs 3:5,6 (NKJV)

• Like I said God uses weak and base things
PAUL said:“I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling.”(1 Corinthians 2:3).

• Watchman Nee said, God does not use opinionated people.
  YOUR opinion is not needed by Him.
  GOOD idea is not God's idea.
• I have met some people who are just coming up in the ministry but are full of pride—they have a lorry-load of pride in their lives.

1. “Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
2. But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE."
   James 4:5,6 (NKJV)

• It is pride that is making some people to experience setbacks in life and ministry.

• God is the One resisting some people because they are full of pride, they fail to acknowledge Him in all they do.
• When you are PROUD you set yourself against God.
  WHEN you are PROUD you have God to contend with.
• What some people called boldness is pride or foolhardiness.
  BEING foolhardy or assertive could be a pride.
• Some lack manners and their language is not polished, they talk rudely.
• Some people's assertiveness makes them not depends on God solely.

• Note: Some ministers use their pulpit to fight those who offended them in their congregations (Titus 3:2)
DOING that is an abuse of pulpit.
PULPIT is meant to minister blessings, solace or comfort to those who are in distress.

• Some leaders treat the people under THEIR leadership unkindly.
  A MINISTER must have a large heart, heart to love the people (1 Kings 4:29).
  IN the ministry work, people will hurt you, wound your heart, however, you must always have the heart to forgive.
  THE largeness of your heart determines the largeness of your ministry.
  THERE are things you do not talk on your pulpit, that should be settled amicably (2 Timothy 2:23-25).
• Some ministers have used their mouth to scatter what they have laboured to gather over the years:“He who guards his mouth preserves his life, BUT he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction" (Proverbs 13:3).

• Admonitions:

• If you are the talking type, you need to bridle your tongue: “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles”(Proverbs 21:23).

• Let the Holy Spirit sanctify your tongue:

1. “So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.”
2. Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
3. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged [atoned for]."
   Isaiah 6:5-7 (NKJV)

• Ask the Holy Spirit to always give you what to say to edify people NOT to put them down:

1. "Let not corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
2. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour [loud quarreling], and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice."
   Ephesians 4:29,31 (NKJV)

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!