(The Time Is Now)
– Pastor Bimbo Animashaun
The fastest way to poverty and frustration for a minister is to abandon the call of God and pursue something else.Every God-given vision is God-funded. Every God-given ministry is Grace-funded.
The work of the ministry is designed in such a way that the more you pursue it, the more your passion becomes reinforced.
There’s a time when ministry work becomes unappealing and the minister is not just passionate about it, as he ought to, and that time is when he has consistently compromised the pursuit of the vision.
To maintain a current form in ministry, you must be an active minister, not one who sits on the fence to analyze the ministries of other people.
God didn’t call you to analyze other people’s vision; He called you to face your own work and give it all it takes.
There’s no challenge you’re going through today that someone else didn’t go through before, so brace up and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MINISTRY.
You will often realize that the same conditions and circumstances that are making you to have a rethink about ministry work are what other ministers are facing (even more) yet they’re still going out all the way despite the challenges.
Therefore you have no excuse. In ministry, IF YOU FAIL, IT IS YOUR FAULT; IF YOU SUCCEED, IT IS YOUR FAULT, NOT GOD’S FAULT, according to Dr. Frederick K. C. Price.
You see, no man can fulfill your ministry for you; they can only encourage and inspire you, but ultimately you will have to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
Paul once said:
COLOSSIANS 4:17
And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
You will have to TAKE HEED to your ministry, and you will have to FULFIL IT.
You said there’s no sufficient funds and that’s why you left ministry. Well, you will meet people who didn’t only have sufficient funds; they didn’t even have any fund at all but they bore it all the same and they fulfilled their ministry.
You said people didn’t believe in your vision, and that’s why you left ministry.
Well, at the Judgment Seat of Christ, you will meet people who were betrayed by the most trusted people in their circle yet they rose against all odds and they fulfilled their ministry.
You said spiritual oppositions were too overwhelming, and that’s why you abandoned the call.
Well, you will meet people who didn’t only face spiritual oppositions but also physical oppositions, family oppositions, financial oppositions, in-house oppositions, and MUCH MORE but they dared to pursue the call to the end.
You see, NO EXCUSE IS ADMISSIBLE ENOUGH TO LEAVE MINISTRY.
No matter what you’re facing today dear friend, the Scriptures tell us that the same afflictions are accomplished in our brethren that are in the world.
1 PETER 5:9
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
You remember the parable of the talents? The three servants were under THE SAME CONDITION, given talents by THE SAME MASTER, and they were to trade with their talents in THE SAME WORLD.
While the first servant was given five talents and gained five more, likewise the second servant given two talents and gained two more, the third servant given ONE TALENT went and buried his and began to give excuses.
Let’s read the story here:
MATTHEW 25:16-29
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Two things were responsible for the undoing of the unprofitable servant:
(1) OFFENCE
He began to accuse the Master. He began to tell the Master, “… Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:” (verse 24).
He allowed offence in his heart. These words could only flow from an offensive heart.
There are ministers today who are ” angry” with God. They feel God has blessed other people but He left them alone to be on the same level, and that’s of course not true – GOD DOESN’T ABANDON ANYONE.
When you hear statements like, “When did he start ministry sef? Is he the only one that God is using?”, then you know that offence is hibernating somewhere in someone’s heart.
(2) FEAR
The unprofitable servant said, “And I WAS AFRAID, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine”.
Now this fear is not the fear of demons or the fear of a rattlesnake; it’s the fear of the unknown – the fear of starting small, the fear that tells you that, “Look at that man, he has five talents. Look at the other man, he has two talents. Now look at yourself, you have ONLY ONE TALENT. You had better don’t embarrass yourself. Ministry only works in the hand of those who have much to start with”.
This was the kind of fear that the Apostle Paul dealt with in Timothy, his precious son in ministry, encouraging him to explore all the possibilities of God in him:
2 TIMOTHY 1:6-7
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Dear Friend, if you want to fulfill your ministry, you must deal with these two enemies:
(1) OFFENCE
(2) FEAR
There’s no place that’s too small to start what God has committed into your hands.
Wherever God calls you is a starting point. It is ALWAYS from the place where you are, but you will not remain there, and we see the same pattern in the journey of Father Abraham.
GENESIS 13:14-16
14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look FROM THE PLACE WHERE THOU ART northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
You see friend, IF YOU KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING, ANYWHERE IS A STARTING POINT.
Therefore stop giving excuses. Brace up. Brush up. Lift your head very high and lean on His Grace.
Time is counting and time is running out as God is bringing the events of this age to final consummation.
Therefore,
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MINISTRY!
His Grace Is Sufficient For You!!
Amen!!!
I trust this is an encouragement Sirs and Mas?
Shalom!!!
Aphorism CITY 