STAGES OF PIONEERING WORK IN THE MINISTRY 7

1. "BUT WHEN IT PLEASED GOD, WHO SEPARATED ME FROM MY MOTHER'S WOMB AND CALLED ME THROUGH HIS GRACE,

2. to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood."
   Galatians 1:15,16 (NKJV)

3. "WHO HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US WITH A HOLY CALLING, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began

4. TO WHICH I [Paul] WAS APPOINTED A PREACHER, AN APOSTLE, AND A TEACHER OF THE GENTILES."
   2 Timothy 1:9,11 (NKJV)

-> Church government

• Church government is theocratic not democracy.

• Church is not ruled or governed by committee, God is a military, He is not a democrat, He rules by decree.
• Any church that is governed by committees, God would not be part of it.

• Reasons:In most cases what God would ask His servants to do may not be logical Or commonsensical, because the things of the spirit cannot be understood by carnal minds (1 Corinthians 2:13-15).

• At times what God would instruct a servant of His to do may not be logical or reasonable, thus He would not want man’s interference than to comply with the instruction.
• If you as a pastor, the founder of a ministry, surrounded yourself with a wrong people, you have already placed a limit on your progress.
  YOU have ruled God out of your ministry.

• Take note:

• Choose the people who are to work with you based on God’s leadings, and not on tribal sentiment, money, and other ephemeral reasons:

1. "Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, AND CONTINUED ALL NIGHT IN PRAYER TO GOD.
2. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; AND FROM THEM HE CHOSE TWELVE WHOM HE ALSO NAMED APOSTLES."
   Luke 6:12,13 (NKJV)

• Train your leaders: train them before you put them to work, and give them on the job training, periodic training—for effectiveness and progress.
• Pray for your leaders—those who are working with you (Colossians 1:3).
• Let your spirit be with them (1 Corinthians 5:4).
• Talk to God about them and let God direct you on how to lead them.
• Do not do things by the promptings of the flesh; make sure you take their matters to God in Prayer before you take any step on whatever pertains to them.
• Be a good example to the people you are leading, because they learn by observation also: "nor as being lords [masters] over those entrusted to you, BUT BEING EXAMPLES TO THE FLOCK" (1 Peter 5:3).
• Expose them to the spiritual principles that you know which you are practicing.
• Pray for their wellness and be available to counsel them about their family and other matters.
• Give God the opportunity to train them, do not be possessive or domineering.

• Take note: Endeavour to please God, not the leaders around you or the church members.

• All you do, whatever you do, should be by God's LEADING.
  LET God lead you and be part of every decision you are making.

-> The need of a minister is an avenue for lifting or promotion:

• Needs in the life of a servant of God is a medium, channel, of blessing and lifting for whoever cares to meet such needs.

• The way some believers treat the ministers whom God has used to bless them, grieved His heart.
• The same pastor who labours in Word to reveal the keys of blessings to them, pray and fast to ensure it is well with them, and put his time at their disposal just to serve them, ready to help them in any way he could, ended up being neglected after they have been blessed.
• While God is blessing them through the ministry of the minister and they are changing cars, buying or building houses, the pastor is living in a squalor.
• If you are being spiritually, materially, or financially blessed under a Ministry or minister and it does not reflect in the life of the person who ministers to you; you are undoing your blessings.
• You may think you are starving the pastor, No, it is Jesus you are actually depriving and He will respond.

• You do not need to get all the money in the world before you start giving to the minister who blesses you.

• Start with what you have, God knows your size.
• Can God not meet His servants need?
• God has any number of ways to bless His servants, but He uses the needs in the lives of His servants to create opportunities for His children, believers, to be blessed.
• Ministers' needs are the vehicles that the people who are sensitive usually used to get their desired blessings.

• The method

1. God uses the need in the life of a minister to keep such humble and learn how to receive from the PEOPLE because it takes humility to receive.
2. The need in the life of a minister is a test to the sensitivity and obedience of the potential givers, the believers Or those whom the minister is ministering to.

• The truth is:
I. Many have missed their blessings because of the insensitivity, greediness, stinginess, callousness and disobedience.
II. Know that God will test you before He grants your requests.
III. Your blessing will not be released if you do not pass God’s test.

• How to do it
I. Be sensitive to the needs in the life of the minister who is ministering to you.
II. Think about his family, his well being.
III. When going to a minister to receive counsels and be ministered to in prayer, or whatever, do not think of your own needs alone, think about His own needs also, and look for a way to meet such needs.
IV. Believe in his ministry and be ready to be part of the work, either by giving your money, time, or whatever.
V. You should not be receiving from a minister or ministry without doing anything for him or the ministry, that is being PARASITIC.
VI. If you are parasitic, your blessing might be delayed, and if it comes, it may not last.
VII. Also, do not deceive the person who is ministering to you, you are undoing yourself, if you do that.
VIII. When you give to meet a minister's needs, or to the needy, or the work of God; do it with gladness of heart, be cheerful: "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, NOT GRUDGINGLY OR OF NECESSITY [compulsion]; FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER" (2 Corinthians 9:7).
IX. Do not do it with the motives to control Or emasculate the person.
X. Do not do it to show off, Or to receive glory or praise of men, if you did, you have already received your reward.
YOU should do it with the humility of heart and see it as a privilege (2 Chronicles 29:14; Psalm 50:1).
YOU should know that God does not really need you to meet that need, but it is for your good, that He may bless you, and lift you (Psalm 50:12; 1 Chronicles 29:14).
DO not expect thanks, if you do, you have already received your reward.

IT should be known to you that whatever you do for God's servants, the needy, and for His work; He will bless you in returns in multiple folds (Hebrews 6:10).

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