A FRUITFUL MINISTRY 4

"YOU did not choose Me, but I CHOSE you and APPOINTED you that you should GO AND BEAR FRUIT, And that your FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you."
John 15:16 (NKJV)

• In the Ministry, there usually be a time or season of isolation or solitariness, hardships and trials; a time when you are kept in a place, to try or test your heart, in order to know the motivation behind whatever you are doing or wanted to do—for God.

• It is the time and season of circumcision; a time to circumcise your heart—abscission, remotion, or the act of cutting off some things that could hinder or hamper the fruitfulness in your life (Romans 2:29; Philippians 3:3).
• If you did go out to announce yourself before your time, the prince of the Air (Ephesians 2:1), the devil, could rise to attack and destroy the person of you and the work of ministry you do (Luke 1:80).
• There is always a time to be prepared or made ready for whatever assignment you claimed to have been given by God:
  "JOHN GREW UP AND BECAME STRONG IN SPIRIT. AND HE LIVED IN THE WILDERNESS UNTIL HE BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY TO ISRAEL" (Luke 1:80 NLT).

1 THEN Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, RETURNED FROM THE JORDAN AND WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE WILDERNESS, 2 BEING TEMPTED FOR FORTY DAYS BY THE DEVIL. AND IN THOSE DAYS HE ATE NOTHING, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. 14 THEN JESUS RETURNED IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT TO GALILEE, AND NEWS OF HIM WENT OUT THROUGH ALL THE SURROUNDING REGION."
Luke 4:1,2,14 (NKJV)

• In some cases, If God wanted to start a new thing in your life or ministry, that is, If He wanted to move you to the next level, the next phase of your assignment or ministry or work. He would call you aside and ask you to stop some things which you are doing at the time.
a. It could be that you would need to stop some programmes, or start some new ones, or change the location of your work or ministry, or whatever.
b. And If you were neck-deepened in the work, in which God found it difficult to get your attention to communicate His mind to you, about the new development. He may permit a turbulent or a problem in the work or ministry, or in your personal life.
WHEN you come to Him, in order to get or receive solutions to the turbulence, He would get or pass the message across to you—He would let you know whatever He wanted you to know and do. Know that God is a moving God, and He is not stagnant.

• What is being shared here, always occurred after you had waited and stayed with Him, and had allowed Him to have His Way in your life and ministry.
• If you had not pass the test brought your way in the season of isolation, or hardship, God might not move you up to the next level in your work; the level of being known or having abundant Increase or fruitfulness.
• In other words, God would not announce you, If you had not passed the test of waiting for the appointed Time.

• AND THE CHILD GREW, AND WAXED STRONG IN SPIRIT, AND WAS IN THE DESERTS TILL THE DAY OF HIS SHOWING UNTO ISRAEL."
Luke 1:80 (American Standard Version)

• This section of the teaching is fully Expanded in another article of ours.
• Note:
  a. And the Child grew.
  b. Waxed strong in spirit.
  c. Was in the deserts.
  d. Waiting till the Day of his showing or Manifestation unto Israel.
• Every Minister would pass through this process for Manifestation.
• The truth is:
  a. There is a Time to grow in the knowledge of the Word of God. He would take you through challenges of life in the ministry work that you may be strong.
  b. There is a Time to wax strong in the spirit. God would train you in the spiritual warfare and how to depend on the leading of the Holy Spirit (Judges 3:1,2).
  c. The time to be in the deserts. This could be a time when you find yourself in the desert of finances, basic needs of life, or the desert of lacking or needing faithful companions in ministry—those to work with you for the fulfilment of the Vision and whatever.
  d. The day of showing or manifestation to the people. This is the time when your ministry or work is being announced and the doors are being opened for you, either to spread your work, If it is church based work, or being invited to minister in other places; towns, cities, and Nations which your work had never been before.
• God determines the time of showing or manifestation of every individual minister and their works or ministries.
  a. It is usually based on the cooperation and the yielding of the minister in question, how he or she handled what they were allowed to pass through—when such was in the wilderness or deserts.
  b. This time of showing or manifestation is usually determined by the magnitude or enormity of the assignment which God has for the person.

• Listen, If you did announce yourself before your time, you might go into the oblivion. You become a nobody!

• Many ministers who failed to pass the test of waiting or staying in the deserts, would always find themselves being driven to the deserts or wilderness, at one time or the other, in their ministry life and journey.
• Such might never come to a place of rest and prominence. This could be the reasons why some ministers have been on the same spot for many years.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.

• If you are having any ailment in your body As you read this piece, receive your healing now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• The hold of sicknesses is completely broken in your life today and never to rise again in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  Peace!

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. Ask that He will write your name in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace!