(Master Key To Transforming Your Word Ministry)
– Pastor Bimbo Animashaun
Reading the Bible from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 twelve times in a year “ALONE” does not make you a great teacher of God’s Word.
Infact, one can come to a point in the Word ministry where he’s so full of the “head knowledge” of the Bible that he becomes a confusionist to himself and to the people that listen to him.
There’s A SPIRITUAL FORCE with which God’s precious Word is communicated and disseminated to the edification of God’s people.
Am I downplaying the necessity of extensive personal Bible reading and study. No No No!
As a matter of fact, one cannot become a great minister of the Word without a studious life in the Word either.
The point being stressed here is that that in itself does not stand alone.
There’s a vital spiritual Force that releases the Word to become a MINISTRY to God’s people.
That Force is the Force of the Spirit and it is released by both aggressive and extensive prayers.
I think this is a major error that some ministers (especially in the Word of Faith Movement) of God’s Word make – they seem not to see consistent prayers as a trigger for the ministry of the Word.
There’s this unconscious thought and idea that in ministry, it’s only prophets, apostles and evangelists that do a lot of praying and fasting.
It’s a subtle impression in the subconscious mind and it has robbed many ministers of an impactful ministry.
It stylishly posits that prophets are the ones who do all kinds of prayers and fastings on the mountain while teachers only read the Bible at the corner of their room.
But that is not consistent with the Father’s template for the Word ministry.
To buy into that theology hook line and sinker without balance is to extinguish the substance of your teaching ministry.
We realize from the New Testament that prayers and the ministry of the Word go hand in hand.
The Apostle Peter, speaking on behalf of the twelve apostles said:
ACTS 6:4
But we will give ourselves continually to PRAYER, and to the MINISTRY OF THE WORD.
There’s a principle I learnt from Dr. Frederick K. C. Price some years ago. He said, “One way to know what a Bible passage says is to know what it does not say”.
For instance, this passage of Scriptures does not read, “But we will give ourselves continually to the ministry of the Word and to prayers”.
No, that’s like putting the cart before the horse. It says PRAYER FIRST. The Holy Spirit used this scripture to revolutionize my teaching ministry some years ago.
He said to me, “Notice that the word “ministry” is used along with the “Word” and that it comes after prayer”. I said “Yes”.
He then told me very clearly, “IT IS WHEN YOU GIVE YOURSELF TO PRAYERS THAT THE WORD BECOMES A MINISTRY THROUGH YOU”.
The Holy Spirit further told me, “YOUR PRAYER LIFE IS THE BACKBONE OF YOUR TEACHING MINISTRY”.
That was a big one for me! As I began to go deeper in teaching by God’s Grace, it became clear to me that TEACHING BY INSPIRATION is the most important thing, and that the Force of the Spirit is this Agent of inspiration – 2 Pet.1:20-21 while prayer is the stimulant – Acts 4:31.
2 PETER 1:20:21
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
ACTS 4:31
And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Notice that the prophets of old spoke mainly BY THE INSPIRATION OF THE SPIRIT.
And then, notice the sequence in Acts 4:31:
(1) The Apostles PRAYED.
(2) The became “filled with the Spirit”.
(3) They spoke THE WORD with boldness. In other words, their Word ministry exploded – they spoke by THE INSPIRATION OF THE SPIRIT, but they started out with PRAYERS.
Teaching the Word without INSPIRATION makes it an ORATORY while teaching the Word by INSPIRATION makes it a MINISTRY.
Men of prayers are given to inspiration. Men of deep prayers are given to great inspiration.
Jesus came out of PRAYERS, and He began to TEACH, and God’s power was present to heal – Lk. 5:16-17.
He concluded forty days fasting and prayer, returned in the power of the Spirit – Lk. 4:14, opened the Scroll to read and to preach, affirmed the Spirit upon Him and the entire atmosphere changed – Lk. 4: 16-22 – gracious words flowed out of Him effortlessly and all eyes were fastened on Him.
The reader is reminded that the Word is spirit, and it can alone by preached and taught IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT – Jn. 6:63, 1 Cor.2:4-5.
And one major way to trigger this vital Force of the Spirit is prayers. We see this in Acts 4:31.
They early Church prayed and that influenced the Word ministry – they spoke God’s Word with boldness.
The best way to get your spirit prepared to teach by revelation and inspiration therefore is to cultivate a regular and sustained prayer life IN ADDITION to extensive study of the Word (note that you don’t study the Word to PREACH but to FEED).
And out of the good treasure of your heart, you will bring forth good things by the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit – Matt. 12:35.
The best form of prayers here to my mind is to PRAY IN TONGUES REGULARLY; TO PRAY IN THE SPIRIT REGULARLY – it gets your spirit ready any time, any day.
Your spiritual antenna will function at its best and you will be able to pick on divine signals. You will come to a point where God’s thoughts are transfused into your heart by the Spirit.
These inspirations will sometimes come to you in prayer, in the library, in the living room, in the rest room, while driving, in the kitchen, any where any time (location is not a barrier) because your spirit is constantly charged to pick up the slightest signals in the Spirit.
Any investment you make in praying in the Spirit is not a waste, whether your body is vibrating while praying or you’re just praying under your breath – power is being released!
Paul was a man of deep revelations and solid Word ministry to the extent that Apostle Peter testified about it – 2 Pet. 3:15-16.
But what was his secret? He said, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all” – 1Cor.14:18.
This was a man who always delivered what he received directly from the Lord to God’s precious people – 1 Cor.11:23.
Ever wondered why Dad Hagin’s books are still blessing lives all over the world like no other, even while he’s gone? The words therein are SOAKED IN AND WITH SPIRIT!
Have you ever picked up any of Kenyon’s materials to read? How did it feel? You were in another “world” entirely. The words therein are spirits!
I told a Pastor sometime ago that if anyone reads Watchman Nee’s books and he’s not broken, nothing can break him again in life and ministry !
I mean these are materials you lay your hands on and you will literally feel a spiritual force being released from the pages.
Make no mistake about it beloved; there’s A SPIRIT FORCE in teaching. Personally, I live a fasted life. It has become part of me by God’s Grace.
About 95% of the posts I write on Facebook are written in fasting, including this one. I don’t load myself with pounded yam to start typing on my phone.
I don’t load my stomach with stuffs to go pick the microphone to preach or teach.
Yes it is all about THE GRACE OF GOD but I have a duty as a minister to provide a conducive atmosphere for the unhindered flow of that Grace.
I was trained in ministry such that I could pray in tongues for 1 hour to take a 5 minutes charge.
You understand that friend? Heavy emphasis on the preparation of the spirit man in prayers!
We’re in ministry for serious business and God’s Grace is sufficient for us.
Teaching therefore is more than reading the Bible ALONE but it also involves praying regularly in the Spirit.
That way, the Word will flow out of you like a river of life through an uncluttered pathway to water the lives of people and the Name of the Lord shall be glorified.
Therefore beloved,
Give yourself to READING!
Give yourself to MEDITATION!!
Give yourself to PRAYING IN TONGUES!!!
Your fountain is blessed forever!!!
Trust this is a blessing Sirs and Mas?
Much Love!!!
Aphorism CITY 