(Wisdom For Eternal Relevance In Ministry)
– Pastor Bimbo Animashaun
When you see a man of God being unjustly and uncharitably criticized, being unnecessarily subjected to media trial and propaganda and being dragged day and night for no just reason, yet GOD KEEPS LIFTING HIM, there’s something to learn from him.
If you know any father in the Faith who, despite years of verbal attacks and public opprobrium against his person, still breaks new grounds in ministry, then know for sure that there’s something the human eye is not seeing.
People call him proud and arrogant YET GRACE IS LIFTING HIM EVERYDAY, know definitely that there must be something he’s getting right that is not known to his critics.
By God’s Grace, I have been in ministry for 20 years and I have seen within the Body of Christ ministers being subjected to public criticisms and sometimes these criticisms could also come from within the Christian fold, but today, those ministers are still standing strong in ministry but you don’t hear much about their attackers.
You see, dear friend, MINISTRY IS A LEARNING CURVE – we keep learning everyday and we keep getting better everyday.
Around the year 2003 and 2004, one of our fathers of Faith here in Nigeria who had an unusual flow of the healing anointing came under heavy fire – both government, media and some in the Church criticized his ministry heavily but today, the man of God is still standing strong and breaking new grounds.
You see, whatever is built on the Foundation of the Word will stand the tests of time no matter the boisterous windy tempest, but if it is built on something else, the people involved will eventually get tired – we have seen that happen over and over again.
This is just a simple piece of counsel – if you know any minister whose ministry is built on the Foundation of the Word and whose ministry fruits bear witness to the testimony of Jesus but people say all kinds of negative things about him or he’s being criticized needlessly and yet GRACE IS LIFTING HIM, know for sure that he’s got something right – HE HAS A HEART.
Now he may not be the most perfect minister that exists and of course he may have his own Achilles Heels but HIS HEART IS RIGHT WITH GOD.
You may not like his style of ministry. You may not like the way he talks or conducts his ministry affairs.
You may call him arrogant, flamboyant or unsound but this you may not be able to take away from him – HIS HEART, and God reckons with that.
ISAIAH 66:2
For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
You see, God doesn’t see the way man sees. Man looks at the OUTWARD APPEARANCE; man is programmed by the fall to operate that way but WHAT GOD IS LOOKING FOR IS THE HEART.
1 SAMUEL 16:7
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, BUT THE LORD LOOKETH ON THE HEART.
Wisdom therefore tells us not to allow anyone drag us into their own personal issues with other ministers.
You know; there are people who for the only reason known to them pick up issues with others, and they’re always looking for others to join them.
DON’T EVER JOIN SUCH FOLKS. They’re carnal and driven by the flesh.
If you join them, you may be fighting your own destiny helper. Never let anyone with sinister motive make you develop ill feelings towards your destiny helpers and future enablers – BE PRINCIPLED WITH YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER MINISTERS.
The irony is that today, you see some ministers drag and criticize other ministers publicly but same people are “Nicodemusly” following the ministries of those they are attacking in the private.
But you see, that’s hypocrisy. And remember that HYPOCRISY IS THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES.
That’s why in most cases the keys such folks learn under those they’re attacking publicly don’t work for them because you can’t eat your cake and have it.
You can’t for instance be knocking and attacking Dad Hagin and expect the principles taught by Dad Hagin to work for you. No, you have violated a spiritual law.
The GRACE you ATTACK, you cannot ATTRACT. THE GRACE YOU SPEAK AGAINST CANNOT SPEAK FOR YOU.
Saul kept ATTACKING David and sought for every available opportunity to kill him but God kept shielding David and Grace kept lifting him until King Saul met his Waterloo on Mount Giboa.
In all the attacks hurled against David, when he had opportunity to strike King Saul, David said:
1 SAMUEL 24:6
And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
Such is A HEART that God would commit to ANYTIME, ANYDAY.
As I close, I beseech you by the mercies of God – NEVER FIGHT A MAN THAT GOD IS WITH. NEVER FIGHT WHAT GOD IS DOING IN PEOPLE’S LIVES. NEVER REPLACE GOD IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE.
Know your limits and boundaries as A MAN OF GOD and know God’s unlimited authority as THE GOD OF MAN.
Today, in ministry, there are fathers of Faith whom the enemy thought would have disappeared and abandoned on the dunghill of history for a long time but lo and behold, THEY’RE STILL STANDING STRONG TODAY.
We can learn from that. God is God and Man is Man and DON’T EVER FORGET THAT.
Always remember that there’s no amount of negative things you can say about a man of God that will make God to change his mind concerning him, and THIS SHOULD HUMBLE ALL OF US.
If God were to reckon with the opinions of men concerning us, many of us would not be in ministry today.
Therefore ensure that you rightly discern the Body of Christ always and PUT LOVE AHEAD OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
This is just one key lesson I learnt about UNNECESSARY CRITICISM and it has helped me by His Grace to maintain my balance and to be steady in the work of the ministry.
I trust this made little sense Sirs and Mas?
May the Lord help us all!
Aphorism CITY 