By Pastor Bimbo Animashaun
As much as possible in ministry, a young minister must guard his heart continually and stay away from offences.
Offences cut the lives of people short in ministry and bring their ministry to a standstill, and the Scriptures as well as human history are credible witnesses to this.
One area that you will have to look into is the area of comparing yourself with other people, and in this piece, the focus is on people with whom you’re submitted to the same spiritual father or authority.
You see, one major thing that you will have to clear off your mind is that the very mere fact that two or more of you are submitted to the same spiritual father does not automatically mean that you all are on the same lane.
I cannot say that enough! Your SPIRITUAL FATHER did not call you into ministry; it’s THE HEAVENLY FATHER that called each one of you into ministry and He has different assignments for you all.
Your spiritual father has been chosen under God’s authority to serve as a COACH in order to harness your individual callings, so you need wisdom and revelation to deal wisely especially when other sons and daughters are involved.
It is possible to pick up offences because you feel less important than other sons and because you’re trying to compare yourself with others.
Truth is that even in the natural family, children don’t have the same destiny. They don’t sometimes study the same course in school and the parents deal with individual issues in their lives.
That a son in your spiritual family is doing a kind of ministry doesn’t mean that God has called you too to do the same, even though there will always be a common heritage in ministry.
A spiritual father who has ministry sons and daughters under him is like a Football coach who gives general instructions to the eleven players as to THE GAME PLAN but specific instructions to individual players as to their of ROLES and WINGS.
So, there’s a general instruction to the team, and then the strikers, midfielders, defenders, and goalkeeper have their individual instructions.
Even though they’re all playing on the same team, they are in different wings and they have different roles.
The same way, we all are pursuing Kingdom cause but our individual assignments are different, and you need to transpose that reality to your approach in relating with your spiritual family and lineage.
Never get threatened, intimidated or offended because another son or daughter in the house is toeing a particular line of ministry.
Spiritual sons and daughters always manifest in peculiar ways even under the same spiritual covering because of individual assignments and divine allocation of grace.
And all sons and daughters are at different stages of the plan and programme of God for their lives, so there’s no reason for comparison.
The father nurtures everyone by revelation, and then trust is required on your part if you’re a son or daughter.
By God’s Grace, I’m in ministry and I know what I’m talking about. Sons and daughters in a spiritual family can easily get offended if certain truths are not taken into account.
Let’s go Scriptural now. Remember that Esau and Jacob belonged to the same family but their destinies were different from each other – Gen.25:23-27.
When Jacob blessed His twelve sons, he didn’t bless them equally – each one had a specific word for him.
Moses led about 3.5 million people but remember that Joshua and Caleb, even though had THE SAME SPIRIT – Num.14:24,30, did not have the same destiny – Joshua became Moses’ successor – Deut.34:9, Josh.1:1-3 and Caleb received Hebron as his inheritance – Josh.14:13.
Solomon, Absalom and Adonijah had the same father, in the person of David but Solomon was God’s choice while Absalom and Adonijah met their waterloo because of a wrong heart – 1Kgs.1:5, 2.
Jesus had twelve apostles under Him but we see them manifesting differently (in terms of divine calling and placement) in the New Testament.
Paul had sons in ministry but Timothy stood out among them all – Phil.2:19-24.
In contemporary times, we have fathers in the Body of Christ who have sons and daughters in ministry but doing different things for the Lord.
Dear friend, it is very instructive for you to know that you don’t measure or determine your success by another man’s success.
And don’t ever compare yourself with other sons or daughters in the house -; you’re not on the same lane.
Remember how Jesus Christ instructed Peter to keep following Him and should stop looking at how John was following – Jn.21:22.
This issue that the Holy Spirit is dealing with here is of utmost importance because it boils down to matters of the heart.
I have been in a meeting before where the father was praying for three sons.
To the first one, he said, “I see wealth; great wealth before you”; to the second one he said, “I heard the word ‘DELIVERED’, your goods are delivered – there’s business prosperity before you”; and then to the third one he said, ” I rebuke confusion around you”.
Now the third son might take offence but you never knew what the father saw. The moment you begin to think that some sons or daughters are preferred above you in your spiritual lineage, then you’re on your way to catching a “flu” – OFFENCE.
We all need to continually guard our hearts and trust in the Grace of God daily to walk in alignment with His will, plan and purpose.
May the Lord help us all!
Amen!!
I trust this meets us well Sirs and Mas?
Blessings!!!
Source: Bimbo Animashaun Teaching Ministries |Published with permission.
Aphorism CITY 