SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE IN MINISTRY
Introduction
Every
Christian has a calling to fulfil, from the generic to the specific calls, you
have to discover your own calling and take steps to fulfil it. Whether
you are called to ministry, to be a pastor or an Evangelist, if you are a born-again, God has a purpose for your life that will further His kingdom.
He strategically places His people all over the world—not only in the pulpits and on mission fields, but in homes, offices, schools and the marketplace. The work of shepherding God’s flock is not as easy as it looks, because the human vessels are spiritually weak, naive and sometimes unprepared.
Many of the men and women called by God to serve in different capacities are afraid of battle. Many of them are still double-minded, some are afraid of the life of poverty they see with existing Pastors and many others have zeal but lack experience.
He strategically places His people all over the world—not only in the pulpits and on mission fields, but in homes, offices, schools and the marketplace. The work of shepherding God’s flock is not as easy as it looks, because the human vessels are spiritually weak, naive and sometimes unprepared.
Many of the men and women called by God to serve in different capacities are afraid of battle. Many of them are still double-minded, some are afraid of the life of poverty they see with existing Pastors and many others have zeal but lack experience.
Success does not come overnight, it is a process. Excellence in ministry after the order of Jesus Christ is more technical. It is measured by your focus on teaching, and preaching the Word of God, Soul winning and raising godly people.
When you desire excellence in ministry, you have to understand what it means and document your thoughts for your team to see and follow.
Initial Training
God will always train His people along the way, in the field and in the Churches. Experiences will vary, but surely there will be hardship, persecution and loss of worldly reputation involved. The wilderness experiences, financial difficulty and lack of basic things will ultimately teach the ministers how to persevere and wait on the Lord.
In addition, they will learn patience and how to pray until answers come. They will learn to trust in the Lord and serve Him diligently. The work of God is done diligently and patiently. It is not done in a hurry, neither slothfully.
God will always train His people along the way, in the field and in the Churches. Experiences will vary, but surely there will be hardship, persecution and loss of worldly reputation involved. The wilderness experiences, financial difficulty and lack of basic things will ultimately teach the ministers how to persevere and wait on the Lord.
In addition, they will learn patience and how to pray until answers come. They will learn to trust in the Lord and serve Him diligently. The work of God is done diligently and patiently. It is not done in a hurry, neither slothfully.
To
succeed in ministry isn’t as simple as heeding the call. It takes planning,
praying, evangelizing, preaching, teaching and other administration
activities. It takes commitment, taking
the right decisions at the right times.
It takes mobilization of human and financial resources required at each
time and remaining focus.
Desire Excellence
For a minister to be a vessel of blessing, he has
to develop his faith and raise it to a Strong level mentioned in the bible. He would learn how to walk with God and be an
effective intercessor. The minister should also desire excellence Spirit and pray
for it. He should watch the
following traps of the enemy and ensure he does not slip into them.
1. Sin
2. Pride
3. Worldliness
4. Abomination
Road to Excellence
The ministry of Jesus is a ministry of excellence and once you confirm your calling, you are expected to return to the Lord for direction and instruction on what to do, and how to do it. You should establish a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, your guidance and comforter and submit to the leadership of the Holy Ghost in everything.
The ministry of Jesus is a ministry of excellence and once you confirm your calling, you are expected to return to the Lord for direction and instruction on what to do, and how to do it. You should establish a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, your guidance and comforter and submit to the leadership of the Holy Ghost in everything.
If you are want to reduce your struggle, then you
pray without season in tongues and be expectant to hear His instructions on
what to do daily. You pray for the Holy Spirit to direct you to the right
places and people.
There will be roadblocks, physically and
spiritually, but the Holy Ghost will tell you what to do. The ministry of the
Holy Ghost is the ‘Engine Room’ of every successful ministry, it is not
prayer. Prayer will keep you at His
throne and make your ears light to hear the instructions and leadings of the
Holy Spirit.
To be effective and fulfil God’s purpose for your ministry, you need to get on the road to excellence, run the race, and “obtain the prize.”
To be effective and fulfil God’s purpose for your ministry, you need to get on the road to excellence, run the race, and “obtain the prize.”
Making your Calling Count
To make your Calling count requires hard work
and faith. That’s why Paul told the
Hebrew Christians that God is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour
of love. However, he counselled them to
be diligent and not slothful, following the footsteps of those who through
faith and patience inherit the promises of God - Hebrew 6:10-12.
God is looking for diligent and patient
workers for His work. These are skills that are obtained on the field, not in
classrooms. So, God trains His men on
the job, until they mature. Many people are not aware of God’s training and the form it
takes. The bible says Jesus learnt
patience by the things He suffered, this is true of many servants of God.
The pursuit of excellence will make your ministry efforts yield more fruit than
otherwise. To excel is to rise to the highest place in quality. It means to be distinguished by the quality of
Word preached and the resultant effect on the lives of people.
Excellence in the way the church is organized and run will bring the hand of God down to bless the people always. If the church is known for holiness, offering acceptable sacrifices, you can be sure it will affect people's life and spirituality. If God comes down to fellowship with his people, there will be supernatural miracles taking place in the Church.
God
cannot be in a place and He will not speak to people, or heal the sick. God likes to communicate and where ever God
is, the supernatural will take place.
Excellence
in ministry should touch the lives and transform people into better Christians. Excellence in ministry should
address the issue of eternity in Christ, teaching people how to follow Christ, walk in faith and live holy. To honour God, pursue excellence
and find success in your calling, consider the following factors:
Desire the Spirit of Excellence
Whatever
we ask of the Lord, He gives it to us.
So, the moment you ask for the Spirit of excellence in life and
ministry, begin to act in excellence, because the Lord granted your
request. Whether you are a Prophet,
Evangelist or Pastor, be diligent in everything you say or do. Make sure they are done and spoken
excellently. Take responsibility for
your actions and ensure they come out best always.
See
that you grow in this excellence lifestyle, not rushing things and accepting
ungodly short-cuts. The ministry of
excellence does not plan to fail. It plans to succeed with documented steps and
activities, all delivered with excellence.
Be led by the Holy
Spirit
The
path to excellence in life and ministry is basically the same for a born again
Christian. The Holy shall teach you all
things, even the things to come. The
Holy Spirit is the most important factor of success in ministry.
You
have to know Him personally, and follow His leadership. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit will
get you into the right place to flourish and fulfil your calling. Only the Holy Spirit can lead to the
particular ministry and place of service that God has ordained for you. He is the One that sends worker into the
Vineyard, the Spirit of Excellence you are asking for. He will lead you into excellence in life and ministry,
beyond your imagination.
A
person who desires the ministry of excellence should learn how to pray in
tongues for hours, and particularly before you preach or minister. This should
not be reduced to a routine, but an earnest search for His presence and
utterance. For answers to the problems of the people of God.
You are a Steward -
Remember
that it’s ultimately God’s ministry, not yours. Instead of trying to minister
in your own power and ability, consider relying on the unlimited power of God,
the Holy Spirit. Do everything to ensure
you are led by the Spirit of God in every decision-making process for the
Church. Surround yourself with spirit-filled labourers in the church Board and in the departments.
Get
their opinion in some important decisions then waits on the Lord for the final
decision – through the leading of the Holy Spirit. Simply do your best and trust the Lord for a positive
outcome.
Study the Word; We already know
that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17,
NKJV). So, to achieve excellence in ministry, look to the Word of God day and
night. It will guide you and keep you on the road to excellence. It will keep
you from turning to the right or the left or using worldly wisdom to determine
the path of your ministry.
Exalt
the Word in your life and ministry. Eat the word as food, so you can retain
important words in your spirit, so it will work for you. Learn how to speak the
word to your situations, applying God’s wisdom to it. Speak and act only on the
Word. If you exalt the Word, people will be delivered.
Set boundaries. Establish and
maintain clear personal boundaries so you can focus on what matters most, both
professionally and personally. Don’t live from crisis to crisis; instead, try
as much as possible to align your daily and weekly tasks with what’s important.
Protect
the time you need to invest regularly in your relationships with God, your spouse,
and to prayer and fasting. Set boundaries that will help you resist sexual
temptation and maintain purity if you’re single or a healthy marriage if you’re
married.
Place
boundaries around the way you spend your time and money. Think before you speak and before reacting to
what others say to you Maintain diligence in the way to do things.
Fast often - To keep in tune
with the Holy Spirit in your ministry, spend time fasting. The spiritual
practice of fasting will help you hear from God and keep your flesh in line. Fasting
gives you spiritual boldness to confront tough battles without fear. Fasting is a tool that puts you in a position
of spiritual power.
Take care of
yourself.
Understand that if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of the
people you serve through your ministry. Don’t neglect your own physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Make time every day to nurture your
body (getting enough sleep, eating nutritious meals, exercising, etc.). Study the bible and other inspired books from men
of God you appreciate. Make sure you are
learning something new each day to keep your mind engaged and active.
Spend
quality time in prayer, studying and meditating on the Word of God.
CONCLUSION
Ministry
is interesting when we are doing what God sent us to do. It is very important that you are doing your assignment
in the place God ordained it and how He wants you to do it.
FIRE...
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