Speaker 1your name be exalted may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Ghost maru hunger Saffi the Ingo Sander by Baro Malak to such in my life the fans are not we are grateful father thank you Jesus we received and grafted word which self to save ourselves and we are never the same in Jesus name the Son of the Living God amen hallelujah praise God all right so this blessed Monday Monday afternoon I want to speak on them five important lessons about ministry praise God five important lessons about ministry are you here today lessons about ministry hallelujah I wanted to slap your chest and say God can use me and God will use me the first point is that God does not call the qualified but he qualifies the cold God is not going to use you because you are qualified but when God calls you he will qualify you hallelujah he doesn't call you because you are qualified but what he calls you he qualifies the cold so the Bible said that we are not sufficient in ourselves to think anything as of ourselves but our sufficiency is of God who has made us able ministers of the new covenant second Corinthians chapter 3 verse 6 so we are not sufficient we are not competent in ourselves to think anything of a of ourselves but about says that our qualification our sufficiency our competency is of God who has made us or who has qualified us to become able ministers of the New Testament hallelujah praise God so spend 20 yesterday from this five to six all right so there was a time at the beginning of the gospel when our Lord Jesus Christ walked the earth John the Baptist had some disciples one of them was called Andrew then there was another unnamed disciple who is probably John and one day John the Baptist was with with Andrew and John and he saw Jesus that he pointed his hands on towards Jesus and said behold the Lamb of God at the moment John introduced Jesus behold the Lamb of God Andrew and John went to Jesus and asked him Rabbi where do I list down Rabbi or teacher where do you stay then Jesus said come and see where Jesus took them to his house Jesus is a lovely man hallelujah took them to his house now after that encounter now Andrew had a brother by name Simon who later came to be called Peter so Andrew told Simon about his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ that Andrew took Simon to see Jesus so the first time Simon saw Jesus John chapter 1 verse 42. now the instant Jesus saw John Jesus says you are Simon the son of Jonas that shall be called Cephas hallelujah Cephas is an Aramaic word Aramaic which means a stone so the moment Jesus saw Simon he began to speak prophetically about Simon he said you are Simon the son of Jonas Jonas is the same as John that's that was the name of his father then Jesus said that shall be called Cephas and Cephas is the same as Peter Cephas is Aramaic which means a stone that's amazing now the name Simon means hearing but the name Simon in the Bible is a symbol of a reed shaking with the wind the wind is unpredictable you cannot tell where the wind is blowing it's blow it where it's listed and when you see a reed a reed is very weak so whichever direction the wind blows that is where the reed follows that's the meaning of Simon one who is indecisive who is on very unpredictable who is unstable one who cannot make solid decisions or one who is easily tossed to and through by the opinions of others and that's a symbolism of the name Simon and that was actually who he was in character I know Simon he's the one who can pledge allegiance to Jesus and tell Jesus look I'll never deny you I'm prepared to go to you with you even in prison in imprisonment and although all these disciples deny you I will never deny you so he will pledge his allegiance and deny him thrice he is the one who can receive revelation from the father Jesus will say who do men say I am and he will speak by the oracles of God and say that were the Christ the son of the living God and Jesus will say blessed are thou Simon but Jonah for flesh and blood has not revealed this one today but my father which is in heaven and just after a minute after God had used him Satan also used him he took Jesus to and rebuke him for saying he was going to die then Jesus would now address him get it behind me Satan so this is a man who can walk on water after what he'll begin to sink so he could see that he's very tossed to and through. That was actually his character. One who is very indecisive. But when Jesus saw him, Jesus called him a stone. Now a stone is a symbol of someone who is solid in his convictions. Someone who is stable. Someone who is unshaken. Who is forthright. Who knows what he is doing. But that was actually opposite to who he was. Jesus knowing he is Simon, saw him and called him a stone. Jesus knowing his weakness, could see something beyond his weakness. Jesus knowing he is very indecisive, he called him just opposite to who he was. You know what he does? He calls forth those things which be not as though they are. He sees what we don't see. You see yourself in weakness, but there is something God is saying. You see yourself incapable, but there is something God is saying. If God wants to use you, he is going to use you. Despite the kind of weakness you have, God can go beyond it. God is amazing. So never disqualify yourself as an instrument for the ministry. Hallelujah. God is amazing. Remember when the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon. Gideon began to talk about all his weakness. Do you have an idea? Do you have an idea where I come from? I belong to the least tribe in Israel. And even of the least tribe, I belong to the least family. So he was spelling out all his weaknesses. I am this, I am this, I am this. You know what the Lord said? After talking about his weaknesses, God says, go in this thy might. Now God called his weaknesses his might. He says, go in this your might. It's amazing what God does. I think of Jesus and when Jesus began his ministry on earth, he chose the 12 as his apostolic team. That was his apostolic college. And he wanted one to be a treasurer. But the one he appointed to manage his money and the money bag was a thief amongst them. Have you ever thought of that? He made a thief the treasurer. There is no human institution that will do that. Why would you commit financial resources to a thief? That means there was something he was saying that others were not saying. That means within our weakness, we can find strength to actually prevail. The Bible says of the human being, of faith the fifth Hall of Fame out of their weakness were made strong and they waxed billions in a fight they tend to flight the armies of the of the aliens so where you think you are lacking God can show himself stronger let me give an example assuming we have two people one speaks very well one is very eloquent in fact when he speaks he speaks with the flowers of eloquence he can speak so well then we have another person who is a stammerer and you need a lot of patience to hear what he's saying now these two people are standing before you which of them qualifies to be a great preacher obviously naturally is an eloquent speaker is that not so and that is natural but the opposite is true the one that is difficult for God to use is the eloquent person and God can use both of them but it is more easier for God to use a stammerer than the one who is eloquent you know why because he is fluent chances are that he can become self-dependent and self-absorbed to know he has the natural ability to just flow by himself but the one who is a stammerer being conscious of what he cannot do you know what he will do will keep relying on the Lord lean on the Lord trust the Lord hope in the Lord Lord I cannot do it Lord by your strength I will prove it he will lean not on the arm of flesh because he cannot but he will lean on God's ability and you know what is happening he has gone through the power of the cross he self-empties himself stands on resurrection grounds because there's there's no more trust in himself and he trusts the Lord to flow through him that's what God expects when it comes to ministry totally depending on his ability not in our natural talent or ability praise God so I'm telling you that what you think you cannot do your minuses are pluses before God they are pluses before God because you know Apostle Paul said and he said unto me my grace is sufficient for you for my strength is made perfect in weakness 2nd Corinthians 12 verse 9 then it says most gladly therefore I will boast all glory in my infirmities that the power of God may rest upon me hallelujah so God can use you and when he calls you he qualifies you you may see yourself as Simon but God sees a stone in you you may be conscious of your weakness but his grace will qualify you and he will empower you for what he has called you to do you see your calling brethren that not not many mighty not many wise not many noble but God has chosen the foolishness of this world to confound the wise and the weak things and the things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are that no flesh will glory in his presence hallelujah for instance the twelve Apostles something happened just before Jesus Jesus ascended now turn with me to the book of Matthew chapter 28 and let's read from 16 do you know that even that apostles Jesus had been with them for three years when Jesus was ascending they even doubted him they really doubted whether he was the one because in his resurrection many at times he appeared in another form then the eleven disciples Judas was not part went away into Galilee into a mountain where Jesus had appointed in the 17 and when they saw him they worshipped him but some doubted I can imagine these people have been with Jesus for three years they were worshipping but somewhere doubting them in their minds worshipping Jesus but somewhere doubted although they were doubted look at what look at Jesus's response best 12 best 18 and Jesus came and speak unto them saying all power in heaven is given unto me in heaven and in earth verse 19 go ye therefore they were doubting some who even doubted him yet he commissioned them and trust him the destiny of the gospel to men who were even doubting men who have had been with him for three years they were doubting their Jesus tent and commission them you know why his trust is not in man his trust is in the spirit that's in those men because the Holy Ghost in man will accomplish everything praise God now what God is looking for you is a willingness and availability and he's going to use you praise God never think you are not worthy or never think you are not ready never disqualify yourself he himself is the one who qualifies us and makes us competent ministers of the new covenant hallelujah praise God praise God so the first point is that God doesn't call the qualified but he qualifies in the cold hallelujah praise God now secondly I want you to understand that we are all called to fulfill our ministry every believer is called to fulfill his ministry every believer is called to fulfill his ministry I'm not saying they're all supposed to open churches that's not what I'm talking about but there's a service that is called to fulfill his ministry every believer is called to fulfill his ministry I'm not saying they're all supposed to open churches that's not what I'm talking about but there's a service that is called to fulfill his ministry I'm not saying they're all supposed to open churches that's not what I'm talking about but there's a service to fulfill in as much as you are in the kingdom of god every one of us it is in god's books there is something that is pre-ordained pre-designed pre-arranged for us to fulfill on earth as part of our purpose and our assignment and the second time jesus our lord met peter was actually matthew chapter 4 verse 19. and the first time was john 1 verse 42. now the second encounter with jesus the second time peter met jesus was actually matthew 4 19. when jesus encountered him peter and his brother andrew were fishing they were casting nets they were fishermen and jesus said follow me and i'll make you fishers of men now that was when jesus called them into ministry now jesus called andrew and peter into ministry now he called them into full-time ministry praise god now he called them from their occupation and their business into full-time ministry understand that not every one of us will be called into full-time ministry but definitely some will be called to lead their businesses but not every one of us are supposed to be in full-time ministry because god needs some of you in the marketplaces some of you will be sent as marketplace apostles but no matter what you are called to serve in his vineyard in gospel vineyard you are called to save and that's what you must know you have been called to serve in his vineyard as much as you are a believer now we see that that in the book of ephesians chapter 4 from verse 11 and verse 12 and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry verse 12. for the perfecting so the the reason for the five-fold ministry is for the perfecting of the saints now in the original greek there is no comma there's no comma so when you read it there's no division the greek goes like this for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry so the five-fold ministers perfect the understanding of the saints so so that the saints can do the work of the ministry praise god so we perfect the saints so that the saint can do the work of the ministry there is no comma there so who are those to the work to the work to do the work of the ministry the saints hallelujah the saints must do the work of the ministry now it is very imperative that each one of us will be enlisted in the work of the ministry praise god we all have a ministry turn with me to the book of jude chapter one verse four jude chapter one verse four there are two systems god deals with there is god's system of grace and there's god's system of administration in jude 1 4 the bible says that there are certain men cracked in honor worse who were before of old ordained to this condemnation and godly men turning grace of our god into lasciviousness and denying the only lord god and our lord jesus christ denying the only Lord God. Now, in the Greek, it is better translated, you know, the English says end, but the Greek is better translated even. Kai, even. So you can read it this way. And denying the only Lord God, even our Lord Jesus Christ. What it means is that this verse tells us Jesus is God. The only Lord God is Jesus Christ. Are you here with me? It is unveiling the deity of Jesus Christ. Denying the only Lord God, even our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Lord God. Hallelujah. But the emphasis here is this. You see the word Lord appear twice. Do you see it in the text? Denying the only Lord God. And our Lord Jesus Christ. Say Lord, Lord. Now, in English, the word Lord and the word Lord are the same. But in Greek, they are different words. Now, the first Lord and the nine, the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ is the word despotis. And the second word is the word kurios. So the Greek is different. Lord, Lord. The same in English, but the Greek is two different words. Despotis and kurios. Praise God. Despotis and kurios. The truth is that Jesus must be both your kurios and despotis. I want to explain. The day you gave your life to Jesus Christ, you came under Jesus as the kurios. K-U-R-I-O-U-S. When you received Jesus Christ, you confessed his Lordship. Is that not so? Yeah. The Bible says, if thou shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Romans 10. Verse 9. So you confessed his Lordship because Jesus is the Supreme One. You confessed him as Lord. And that was how you got saved. True or false? The moment you professed and confessed his Lordship, you came under him. You were baptized into him. You came into the kurios. The word there, receiving Jesus as Lord, in Romans 10. Verse 9, is the word kurios. You came under the kurios. Praise God. But there's another word for Lord here. In Jude 1.4. Which is the word despotis. You can be under the kurios, but not under the despotis. Now, the word despotis is used 10 times in the New Testament. And despotis describes is the word for the CEO of a corporation. Like when you go to work, your boss is a despotis. Now, the word despotis is connected with the administrative wing of the church. It describes the executive branch that are directly under his control. So, we are talking about the administration of the church, the ministry. Now, when you got born again, Jesus became your kurios. But the moment you submit into the ministry, or the moment you get initiated into a service, you come under the despotis. Hallelujah. So, Jesus must be your Lord and your Lord. You understand? He must be your kurios. As a son, Jesus is your kurios. But as his servant, he is your despotis. We are both sons and servants. You got born again, you are his son. But as a servant, you must pledge to serve him in the ministry. You've come under the despotis. So, there are people who deny their boss. So, don't deny your boss. Praise God. Your boss is telling you to do this, and do that, and do that, and serve here, and serve there, and serve there. You are content with your own life and enjoying your faith. But there is service for you to embark. Because you are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. There are works to fulfill. And the moment you get engaged in ministry, to do what he's called you to do, you come under another, covering Jesus as your despotis. Praise God. Yeah. Hallelujah. Say, "Jesus is my Lord." As the kurios. But he's also my Lord. As the despotis. Yeah. He must be your Lord and your Lord. So, as the kurios, you are his, you are a son. But as the despotis, you have become his servant. A slave. Now, when we get to heaven, understand this, that there are two kinds of inheritance for the believer. There are two kinds of inheritance. There is sonship inheritance, and there is reward inheritance. Sonship inheritance. Now, under the kurios, what you're going to receive is called the sonship inheritance. But under the despotis, what you're going to receive in heaven is called reward inheritance. Now, what is sonship inheritance? The spirit bearer witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. If children, then heirs. Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Romans 8:16 and 17. So, we are heirs. The fact that you are born again means that there are so much inheritance for you. It is called sonship inheritance. There is much inheritance for you. In this world, and also in the next. But there is another category of inheritance for those who are saving in his vineyard. It is called reward inheritance. Now, we see that in Colossians 3:23 to 24. It says that whatsoever you do, do it heartily, not unto God and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord, you shall receive the reward of your inheritance. So, as you said, faithfully in his vineyard, there's a crown for you. There is a reward for you and when the chief shepherd shall appear, he shall give unto you a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter 5:4, there is a crown of glory for faithful service. Praise the Lord. Hallelujah. Now, under the kurios, under Jesus as your Lord, when he got saved, I'm telling you, you are not disqualified. You are qualified, and you will not be disqualified because Jesus Christ is a qualification to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved. We are accepted in the beloved, Ephesians 1:6. To be accepted in the beloved is to be acceptable as the beloved. Hallelujah. Jesus Christ is our acceptance. That's it. Because as he is, so are we in this world. This is our representation before God. Under the kurios. But under the despotis, you can be disqualified if you don't serve well. Now, that doesn't mean you don't make it to heaven. No, you'll be in heaven, but you will lose some crowns. You understand? You'll be in heaven. The Bema Seat judgment takes place in heaven. It takes place after we are glorified. You understand? But you lose certain crowns and rewards. Hallelujah. So, praise God. That's how it is. There is the reward inheritance. So, Apostle Paul said, "Know ye not that in a race all run, yet one receiveth a prize, so run that ye may obtain? For every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now, they do this to obtain a corruptible crown, but we are incorruptible." Now, we are not corruptible. Now, we are not corruptible. will give you an opportunity to receive Jesus as Lord. That means, Lord, my heart is open to enter into your service. To serve you, that is the reason for life. After you are born again, you are enlisted in his service. The Bible says, Jesus himself said, the harvest is what plenteous, but the laborers. The Greek says, the workaholics. The workaholics are few. You know who is an alcoholic? The workaholics are those who give themselves entirely to the work. Those guys are few. Those guys are few. But may you be a faithful servant. That is why he said, study to show thyself approved unto God. A workman that needed not to be ashamed. So as a workman that is under the despotis, you can be ashamed. Under the kurios, he says, my people shall never be ashamed. Joel 1.7. But under the despotis, he says, a workman that needed not to be ashamed. So don't be ashamed. Find out your calling. Find out your work. Find out your placing. What are you called to do? You shouldn't be ashamed of your works. Otherwise, you will forfeit your inheritance when we stand before the Lord. Hallelujah. Praise God. Praise God. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Say, I'm taking my place. In the ministry. According to the will of God. Hallelujah. I know you don't want to lose your reward on that day. On that day. It will be a glorious day. Our faithful service for him is going to be rewarded. That's amazing. If a man strives for the masteries, he must strive lovely. We are striving for the masteries. Take your place in ministry. Take your place in his vineyard. Take your place. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Now, thirdly, one important lesson concerning ministry is to submit to the will of God. To submit to the will of God. The will of God. The will of God. Many are ignorant of God's will. But it's very important. Listen. Jesus met Peter first in John 1.42. The second time he met him was Matthew 4.19. That was when he called him from his profession, from his occupation, into the ministry. Do you know that Peter didn't fully obey? Peter actually left the net, left his occupation to follow Jesus, but he went back. Peter went back into fishing. In Luke chapter 5. He went back into fishing. Now, in Luke chapter 5, now, Peter, and amazing, let's see Luke chapter 5. And it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret. Let's go on, please. Let's go on, please. And saw two ships standing by the lake. But the fishermen were gone out of them and were washing their net. And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would trust out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people out of the ship. And when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a drought. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all night. And have taken nothing. You see, Jesus had previously called him from fishing to follow him. But I will show you the reason he went back. Now, he went back into fishing because Jesus had called him to make him fishers of men, into ministry. But somehow he went back. And Peter was an expect fisherman. Fisherman. He says, we have toiled all night. Now, he left his place of ministry. Back into business. We have toiled all night. It's such an expertise. Because you see, the lake of Galilee is one of the clearest water bodies on earth. Fishermen don't fish in the day. They fish in the night in Galilee. The water body is so clear that if you cast your net in the day, the fishes will see the net and escape. So they only had to fish, the expects had to fish in the night. Not only that, they only had to fish in the night. They also wait for the movement of the wind coming from the mountains from the north to stay at the waters to be able to catch the fish. So Peter was an expect. So they didn't fish in the day. So he said, we have toiled what? All night. And have caught what? Nothing. Listen. Toiled all night. Caught nothing. You see, one of the reasons why we are fruitless, toiled all night, caught nothing, is because we have left the place of our anointing, of the anointing. Listen. When we are displaced or misplaced from God's perfect will, where we are supposed to be, we become fruitless. We don't see the harvest as we are supposed to see. Because God has a place for you in his agenda and in his will. Praise God. He had caught him from fishing, but he went back to fishing. And I'll show you the reason why he went back. Now when it comes to the will of God, first of all, you have to be in God's geographical will for your life. If you are going to be used of God. God wants to use you in Ghana, but you are relocated to the US. There are people who think they can go anywhere, wherever they want to go. They have the choice by themselves because they are free moral agents. Wherever they want to go, they can go. But when you are under the despotis, and you are under his rule, and you are his leaf, your will is sold out to him. You don't choose, you don't choose where to be. You are under the institution of divine government. He appoints you where you should be, not where you want to be. It is not because a door has opened for you in Germany, so you want to go to Germany. You go to Germany because he has sent you there. You don't move by convenience, but by conviction, according to his will. Praise God. It is not every open door we must rush in. Because we don't leave for ourselves. People are seeking to travel everywhere. Oh, if I go, God can use me there. No, they say the anointing has to do with location. Location. If you are displaced and misplaced, you will function below God's requirement. Actually. It's very important. You can't say God has called me and ministry is prominent in America. So I have to go and do ministry in America. There's nothing like that. There is this Romanian pastor. Romanian pastor. This man of God left Romania because it was very difficult in Romania and traveled to the U.S. And when he got to the U.S., he became a bus driver. And he was driving this big bus, doing everything. But God had mercy on him. One day he was in a restaurant eating and Prophet Regina had a meeting with two other prophets in the same restaurant. So Regina entered the restaurant and saw this Romanian pastor. Now a bus driver. And walked to him and said, say, the Lord said, you have left the place of your anointing. You have left the place of your anointing. Spoke with him and went. Now he was having a meeting with Mike Bickle and Bob Jones in that restaurant. Can you imagine that Bob Jones also entered the restaurant and walked to the Romanian pastor and said, say, you have left the place of your anointing. This is not the place of your anointing. Then Bob Jones, the senior prophet himself, entered the restaurant and also went to the guy repeating the same words. Say, you have left the place of your anointing. You are supposed to be in Romania. What are you doing in the U.S.? Praise God. This is what it means to labor in vain. Yeah, to labor in vain. Because your life is just a replay. Your life is already written in the role of the book, in the volume of the book. It's already written. And whatever God has written is the best for you. You can't improve upon it. So you have to find out what is written to live and to move according to what God has written. It cannot be improved. Praise God. You can't stand and choose. Okay, let me leave this church and go to this church. Let me go here. We don't choose those things. Let me leave ICGC and let me go to Assemblies of God. Or let me leave Assemblies and go to Action. It doesn't operate like that. It is the leadership of the despotis. The Lord. Where he tells you to go, it is by his administration. It is by the institution of divine government. Praise God. That's how it operates. and I sat from God's will regarding to location, geographically. God has his will regarding to our office. The office you operate in. It's not something you choose. Okay, let me see. Prophet, apostle, evangelist, pastor. Which one do I want? Let me guess, let me guess. No, it is not chosen that way. You don't stand and look for prominent office. And seek for places of prominence. And to enlist yourself with it. And to enter into it. It does not operate that way. These things are holy things. These things are very sacred. You have no idea. One day, Kenny Higgins of blessed memory. The man of great faith. Had an accident. It is a shock to hear Kenny Higgins had an accident. And when he was on the hospital bed. The Lord Jesus Christ walked to the hospital. He saw him physically. And stood by his bedside. And said, I've come to explain to you. Why you had an accident. I've come to explain. And Jesus told him, because you left my will. Kenny Higgins is a man given to God's will. So he was surprised. To have left God's will. Then he asked the Lord, how? How did I leave your will? Then Jesus told him. At the pastor's conference where you preached. You declared to the people. That you were a teacher prophet. He declared to the ministers. That he was a teacher prophet. Jesus told him, when you declared it. From the time of the declaration. You began to drift away from my will. Because I didn't call you a teacher prophet. I called you a prophet teacher. Can you imagine? He didn't call him a teacher prophet. He called me a prophet teacher. His preeminent gift is a prophet. Before teaching. Sometimes he was tempted. To subdue his prophetic ministry with a teaching. So he said, when he declared it. He began to move away from his will. That is why he had the accident. And Jesus said, I'm going to heal you. 99%. And leave the 1%. So that whenever you feel the pain. You remember to be in my will. That's interesting. So you should understand. Until you see. The reality of the body of Christ. You can't be efficient in your ministry. You need to see the body. The operations of the body of Christ. How the body of Christ operates. Understand. That the Bible says. For as the body is one. And has many members. And all the members of that one body. Being many are one body. So also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12. Verse 12. Ephesians 5.30. We are members of his body. Of his flesh and of his bones. 1 Corinthians 12. Verse 27. So then ye are the body of Christ. And the members in particular. Now so Jesus is the head. And we are the members of the body. Praise God. You see. Where the eye is, is perfect. Where your nose is, is perfect. Where your mouth is, is perfect. Where the fingers are, is perfect. God has tempered the body together. Where God has placed you in his eternal church. In his body. Is so perfect. That it cannot be perfected again. It's so perfect. But the problem is that we look for places of prominence. The eye is not satisfied being the eye. The eye wish he was the ear. And the ear is not satisfied being the ear. The ear wish he is the hand. Hallelujah. Now in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. There's something Paul addressed. I want us to see 1 Corinthians chapter 12. Shall we read from 11. But all this worketh that one in the self-same spirit. Dividing to every man severally as he will. All right. That's what I quoted. Verse 13. Verse 14. For the body is not one member. But many. Verse 15. If the foot shall say. Because I'm not the hand. I'm not the body. Is it therefore not of the body? Verse 16. If the ear shall say. Because I'm not the eye. I'm not of the body. Now Apostle Paul is addressing inferiority complex in ministry. Inferiority complex in ministry. Then from verse 21. He addressed superiority complex in ministry. Now. The ear is saying. I'm not the eye. Therefore God cannot use me. Now you are saying. I cannot prophesy like the way the prophets do. So I don't think I can use the ministry. Or I'm not a miracle worker. I can't perform miracles of healing. So I don't think God can use me. Or you can say. I don't have a voice to sing. Like the singers who sang. So how can I be used in ministry? Or you can look at prominence. And see how people. Are excelling. And disqualify yourself. Instead of being as he has made you. You are seeking for prominence. To become like someone else. Can you imagine the ear trying to become like the eye? The ear envying the eye. If he made you the ear. Why do you seek to be the eye? The ear is comparing itself with the eye. That is inferiority. You have no revelation. What God has made you. Because I'm in the ministry of helps. Because I'm a deacon. Because my task is menial. I'm not like the preachers. Who come to pour forth eloquence. And who come to enunciate with divine clarity. I am not like them. Because my ministry is hidden. Now all of this is due to lack of revelation. Because we are seeking for prominence. Instead of functioning as we are. We are functioning as we wish we were. We are functioning as we are. Hallelujah. Then look at verse 21. Verse 21. And the eye cannot say unto the hand. I have no need of thee. Look at where the eye is. The eye is higher than the hand. So positionally where the eye is. Is higher than the hand. So the eye cannot say to the hand. A prophet cannot despise. One a deacon. Or who is the minister of helps. Positionally the eye is higher than the hand. So we have people. Who have visible gifts. And prominence. Who despise others in the body. Because their gift. Is not as popular. Like they are. We call that the Elijah complex. So there is no one. I am the only one remaining. Although he has been told. That there are a hundred others. Hidden in the cave. He says I even I. I even I. So. There are people who feel they are the best. In their craft. And whoever they meet. They despise the person. That is superiority complex. It is not correct. It means you have not seen the body. There will be shocks in heaven. We get to heaven. People who didn't know. And they are receiving wild crowns. We go like. Where were they? But they were faithful. Where God placed them. Never think. The evangelists you see. Are those who are going to become the greatest in heaven. God is the faithful judge. Praise God. But unto every one of us is given grace. According to the measure of the gift of Christ. Ephesians 4 verse 7. Every one of us is given grace. It is like the way. The way blood flows through the body. You know blood flows through the ear. Through a force. How about the tie? Blood flows through the tie. Let me ask you a question. The tie in the ear which has more blood. Alright. Assuming you are to give the blood. Containing the tie to the ear. What will happen? The ear doesn't need that kind of blood. There is more blood with the tie. Than the ear. Yet the same blood that flows. There is the same quality of blood that flows through all of them. Qualitatively they are the same. But although the tie has more blood. We cannot say the tie is more important than the ear. It is the measure of the gift of Christ. When the ear hears it is for the whole body. It is small in size. It may not have much grace as the tie. Yet God put the ear there. He tempered the body together. You see God has placed. You may not have grace as another ministry. You may not have an exposure like another ministry. But don't despise yourself. Don't despise your calling. Don't despise where God has placed you. Don't despise where you are hidden. What you are doing is very important for the entire body of Christ. You may be the ear. You are not big yet. I am telling you that you are very important. In the eyes of God. Don't see the tie and the blood the tie has. And go like oh. What about me? See from heaven's perspective. praise god and cherish the little you are doing cherish it and be faithful cherish it and be faithful cherish it not every ministry is like mishpoi the post ministry he may be the tie with a lot of blood but he may be the nose but the nose is very important we cannot do without we don't see these things clear on earth but i'm telling you that in heaven it's very clear you only have to be faithful where god has placed you hallelujah so take your place in ministry and be faithful where god has placed you hallelujah we are all equally important before him we all have equal acceptance before him never think you are less in his eyes it's a privilege there was this minister methodist minister many years ago in scotland he wasn't seen through to ministry so he wanted to quit ministry so he wrote a letter to a senior colleague a scottish minister by name alexander white and told him he wanted to quit preaching then he wrote and replied and said you are doing what the angels are on the throne envies you are discouraged on earth but angels envy what you are doing i'm telling you which things the angels desire to look into they are baffled with what you are doing so much grace is given to us what you are doing is a wonder beyond the yonder i'm telling you heaven respect what you are doing praise god now the next point is that to be fruitful in ministry you should be financially independent of men financial independence revelation into god's economic resources yeah very important listen you know why did peter go back into fishing although the lord had called him from his business was he uncertain about jesus no he was certain but what peter was unsure was whether the lord was going to meet all his economic and financial needs he didn't know the lord well that was the earliest encounter with jesus he seems to have revelation about him but what he was not yet sure was as to whether the lord was going to meet all his economic needs or fulfill his economic needs so although he had been caught from fishing he was thinking of how he was going to survive so he slipped back to toil all night the lord was calm it's not the character of jesus and jesus came and even used the uh he didn't send them to go and fish i mean they went to do it on their own back into business but jesus came to the shore and used their boats to preach and after that gave them the direction and said hey lord charles went to the deep for a drought and they had a miracle what they couldn't get all night net breaking boat sinking miracle their boat was sinking the net was breaking that's what jesus did after that miracle peter was surprised that peter went to him and said depart from me o lord for i'm a sinner and that was another revelation of who jesus was the reason they went for fishing per adventure they needed money peter was married he had to sort out his family yeah so what a great miracle he saw the miracle but the miracle was like a sign that unveiled another part of jesus to him why do i say that because when the miracle came that's what he wanted that's what he had taught all night because he needed money but you know what he did he left the blessing he sought his fullness to follow him jesus he left the blessing to follow the blesser because he saw his fullness and he saw that he was worthy to take care of them he saw his way that this jesus can take care of us he can take off all our needs so he left all the miracle there was something he saw that he is worthy to protect us financially to meet our economic needs and family needs he's able to do it that you need this revelation if you want to serve in the ministry especially full-time ministry are you following me you have to see the lord who is able and who is willing and who is sufficient when it comes to finances you have to see it now watch money say that the first lesson in ministry the first lesson when it comes to ministry is to be financially independent of men financially independent of men you have to learn the art of trusting god for financial supplies listen if you if you have not passed that test fully don't rush into full-time ministry you can work alongside and do your ministry but to be able to go full-time there's a kind of revelation you need revelation you have saved revelation 2010 i was reading a book by george moeller and the title of the book was the autobiography of george moeller and he was talking about you know this was a great man of faith he built orphanages for and was taking care of 9 000 children 9 000 children feeding them daily feeding them daily was housing them was clothing them was educating them from from his own resources he wasn't working by his faith by his faith so i was just reading about his life 2010. as i was reading i had an encounter with the lord god showed me something that has blessed my life all these years as i was reading god opened my eyes and i saw light fall into the book so the page i was reading i saw a light in the middle of the book and i saw a cursive handwriting in the book where i was reading i saw a cursive handwriting and this was what i saw it is a pleasant place to ever abide because that chapter is talking about how george moeller only relied on jesus for his for whatever he wanted in ministry he had learned the secret the secret of actually receiving from the lord and george moeller never asked any human being of any help can you imagine so he learned how to rely on the lord for supplies and it worked for him and the lord jesus showed me that it is a pleasant place to ever abide so there's a place like that to abide there's a place to abide these are not fairy tales there's a place you can abide where the lord now becomes your supply without asking any human being it is true now i saw this 2010 i saw this 15 years ago and by his grace i've never asked any human being for any financial health before i've never asked one for money or for any financial need because jesus told me it is a pleasant place no the word of god is true he's not a man that he should lie but to be able to do that there's a realm you have to enter into the place of being an addictive giver giving must be your addiction until giving becomes your addiction you're not ready for full-time ministry that's how the principle works you must be an addictive giver makorabakatayetiramamadoseta and you'll be sustained supernaturally you god will give you far more than you could have gotten if you were working are you here with me it works addictive giver you have to start practicing it and growing it and growing it because actually it is also a requirement for how god how god can use you now have you ever read luke chapter 16. let's see luke chapter 16. let's read from verse 9. luke 16 verse 9. and and i say unto you make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness that when ye feel they may receive you into everlasting habitations verse 10. he that is faithful in in that which is least is also faithful is faithful also in the match in much and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much if therefore ye have not been faithful in the mammon of unrighteousness who will commit to you to your trust the true riches listen he says if you are not faithful in handling money can you imagine you are not faithful in handling money who will commit to you to your trust the The true riches. You know the true riches. authority, ministry, anointing, revelation, wisdom, the true riches. But he says that if you are not faithful with the mammon how to handle money in this world, you are not faithful with your giving, not faithful with your tithing, not faithful with your offerings. There are people who are faithful with their tithing, but they are not faithful with their offerings. In Malachi it says, you have robbed me, not only in tithe, but also in your offerings. So, mostly we can rob God in our offerings because the offering we give him is not due his honor. As an addicted giver, you don't give offering, you don't give God leftovers. Or you don't tip God on Sunday mornings. You know sometimes we tip God, you don't have to tip God. Like you go to a restaurant and after eating, the waiter or the waitress will come and he will say, I want to give you this. And you will say, I want to give you this. Lord Jesus Christ was risen from the dead, the woman came to announce that the tomb was empty. What was the result? In John 20 verse 4. The moment they heard the news, Peter and John began to run to the sepulcher. But we are told that John outran Peter. They were all running to the sepulcher to hear, to see for themselves the news they had heard. And we are told that, so they ran both together and the other disciple, which is John, we are told in the next chapter it is John, did outran Peter. For what reason? The reason was because remember, this is just a three, this is just three days after his death. Now, three days earlier, Peter had denied him thrice and a cock crew. Peter was already under the heavy burden of guilt and condemnation. So when the announcement came, although they were all running to see Jesus, Peter was running with guilty feet. What will happen when I see him? He told me what I would do when I challenged him. I denied him thrice. So as he was running, but John ran swifter. John was conscious of the Father's love, Jesus' love. Of course, when you are guilty, you can't do the ministry quickly. And the guilt, or under the law, you can't be effective. Paul says, ye did run well. Aha. Alright, so something happened. When they got to the self-hawker, when they were returning, somewhere, somehow, Jesus appeared personally to Peter and restored him. How do I know? Jesus appeared personally to Peter to restore him. Because, this is it, the same day after this incident, the Bible says that Jesus appeared, to the two who were on their way to, on the road to Emmaus, 47 miles from Jerusalem. And there were two who were going to Emmaus, and Jesus walked with them. Is that not so? And they returned to talk to the apostles, how Jesus had appeared to them. And they told the apostles that he had also appeared to Simon. But Simon had left the apostles to go and see the tomb. And had not returned. Because before he returned, Jesus had not returned. Jesus had already met him. So Jesus met him before joining the two at Emmaus. Because when he joined the two at Emmaus, he told them that he had appeared to Simon. And they gave the news to the apostles. Praise God. But that is not recorded. By putting scriptures together, we can see that Jesus appeared to him after this, after they visited the self-hawker. Praise God. Alright. So obviously, I'll show you why I, I said this. But in John 21, something also happened. Now, when Jesus died, before he's dead, he told them where they should go. He told the disciples that they should go to Galilee. Not only that, he appointed to them a mountain they should meet him. So he gave them instructions to go to Galilee, and appointed a mountain where they should meet him. Praise God. They made another mistake. On the day Jesus rose from the dead, are you here with me? Alright. It's amazing Jesus kept appearing to them on Sundays. Now, they went to Galilee from Jerusalem. And, uh, but they didn't go to the place Jesus had appointed them. They went back to sea, to fish again. They went back into fishing. Just a few days. Just a few days when Jesus died. They had gone back into fishing. Back into the occupation. It was Peter who said, I go fishing. And the rest followed him. Now, they left the will of God again. They went to sea. But Jesus said, a mountain. But they went to the sea. And this time, also, they toiled all night. And there was nothing. Nothing. Why? They were not in the place of the anointing. So, there was no fruit. There was no fruit. But Jesus came and stood at the shore. Jesus is lovely. Now, Jesus didn't rebuke them. He wasn't angry. He could have said, is that where I told you to be? He stood at the shore and smiled and said, children, have you any meat? I'm sure Jesus foreknew that. They were fishing because of hunger. You know, he had not been with them for some days. Children, have you any meat? Now, look at what happened. And it says, he gave them direction to cast the net at the right side. And there was a miracle. Multitude of fish. So, the apostles, they couldn't even draw it out. Then, John was the first to see Jesus. John said to Peter, it is the Lord. And where Jesus was, to where they were, the Bible says it was 100 meters. 100 meters away. So, when John said, it is the Lord, this time around, you know what Peter did? Peter, he didn't wait for the ship to come to the shore. Peter jumped into the sea and began swimming and went, this time around, he went ahead of John. Ahead of John. And ran swiftly to meet the Lord. Something had changed. Why? Because the Lord had met him personally for his restoration. If the Lord had not restored him, he wouldn't have that confidence to run. The best he could have done was to wait for the ship to come to the shore and to use the other disciples as a shield and walk behind them to go and stand before the one he had denied. You understand? But he knew the Lord's love. What manner of love? What kind of love is that? So much that Peter was so filled with the love of God. He didn't wait for the ship or the boat was going to the land. Why don't you wait? He couldn't wait to see Jesus. He took his coat about his naked body and just dived into the sea and began to, he could swim faster than the boat and ran to see Jesus. Praise the Lord. That's what love can do. But let me show you the result. Why am I saying all of this? Something happened. Let's go to John 21. John 21. And let's see the 6. John 21 verse 6. Look at it carefully. And he said unto them, Cast the nets on the right side of the ship and ye shall find. They cast their four and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Now when Jesus directed them, the harvest was too much that all the apostles together at that time couldn't draw it because it was heavy. Praise God. And then it must be very heavy. They couldn't draw the fish. Look at verse 11. Now look at what happened to Peter who was full of the Lord's love. What a man who is in love, what a man who is in love can do. Look at what happened to Peter. Verse 11. Not 7, 11. Alright. Simon Peter went up look at it and drew the net to the land full of great fishes. He alone. Simon Peter went up and drew the net to the land full of great fishes. 153 and for all there were so many yet there were so many was not the net broken. We are told that the apostles couldn't draw the net. But Peter full of love when he saw the Lord a man who is influenced by love you know what he did? He did single-handedly drew the net. Peter did what the apostles could not do. Single-handedly drawing the net full of great fishes and it was not broken. Because he was so full of love. Knows how the Lord loves him. How Jesus has restored him. How the Lord is not holding anything against him. How the Lord has died for him. He did what seven apostles couldn't do. Praise God. When you are conscious of his love you do greater things. When you know how much he has loved you there are no excuses. You go all out for his namesake. You go all out willing to even die for his namesake. One man could draw the whole fishes of net. What the others could not do. Because he is love motivated and full of joy. Have you realized that whenever you are in good mood you do greater things? When you are in a bad mood you are discouraged and sometimes in despair. But when you are conscious of his love Makorakatai. Romans 16 verse 12. Romans 16, verse 12 romans 16 verse 12. salute trifina and trifosa who labor in the lord so these two people they labor in the lord when i married i told my wife that if i'm to get a twins a twin i'll name them trifina and trifosa they labor in the lord that's wonderful look at how it continues salute the beloved persis which labored much in the lord but there's a difference it is one thing to labor in the lord another thing to labor much in the lord trifina and trifosa libya they labor in the lord then he mentioned persis he said for the persis persis labor much in the lord so when it comes to quality and quantity persis is greater greater than trifina and trifosa why there's a difference he didn't say salute the beloved trifina and trifosa no he said salute trifina and trifosa who labor in the lord but when it came to persis he says salute the beloved persis the word is agapetos one who knows he is well loved when you know you are well loved the beloved now when you know you are his beloved the result is that you're not just going to labor you labor much much for the love of christ constrain at us not the love for christ the love of christ that just meditates on how he loved us think of the incarnation think of his death think of his life just contemplates on jesus just meditate on jesus just see his loveliness just see his excellence just see his beauty just see the scope and the span of redemption if you set your heart to see his person his loveliness his beauty his effulgence his brilliance if you get to know him and begin to get the full grasp of his redemption you know the result the love not for christ the love of christ constrains us we cannot help it we are not serving the ministry because we have been told we are not doing the ministry because pastor wants us to do the ministry we are not doing it because because of eye service we are doing the ministry because of revelation we know and we know we are persuaded it's a personal persuasion it's a personal conviction we know the lord we are propelled by his love we we are impelled by his love we are motivated by his love the love of christ constrained us it constrains us it constrains us because the word is the greek word means to shut up us as in a narrow world road we are shut up to do one thing it's like there are many things we can do but we cannot help it this one thing i do we are constrained to do that one thing because if he died for us then we are all dead you understand we cannot help it we know his love the more you sink deeper into his love the more you cannot help but to give your life for jesus what was the inspiration behind people like john wesley and william borden what was the inspiration behind john sank people who could just labor in 15 years what hundred lives could not do in 50 years what was the inspiration they saw his love they knew his love propelled by his love stirred up by his love the love of christ constrains us they saw the cross they saw his sacrifice the greater love has no man than those that's a man who laid down his life for his friend that is what jesus did and let this mind be in you which also was in christ jesus who being in the form of god thought it not robbery to be equal with god but made himself of no reputation and took upon himself the form of a servant and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to death even the death of the cross wherefore god also has highly exalted him and given him the name that is about every name that at the name of jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and of things on earth and of things under the earth to the glory of god the father ramba shamba rabba kamba rabba sunday may we be inspired by jesus may we be inspired by his sacrifice greater love has no man than this that a man should lay down his life for his friend what manner of love is this what kind of love is this that we might know and comprehend with all saints what is the breath and length and depth and height and to know the love of christ the knowledge that he might be filled with all the fullness of god oh the love of god oh the love of god it will set you uplifted it will lift you up you become transcended you become uplifted you become exalted oh the love of god may the love burn in our eyes may that love burn in our in our heart may we see jesus and his wonders jesus and his fullness and may we give our lives ramba saktabata the word sacrifice is not too much for the lover of jesus one who is in love sacrifices nothing sacrifices nothing sacrifice is nothing apostle paul said i will gladly spend and be spent for you ramba shata may we gladly spend and be spent for the name of the lord rabba shaka tamba he said i am ready to be poured as a libation as a drink offering for the name of the lord i am ready ramba shakta basata irabata may we catch a glimpse a glimpse of the glory of jesus may we see his glory may we see his beauty and we shall be transformed forever may we see him and we are changed forever oh the sacrifice oh the sacrifice oh the death oh the death and who has believed our report and to whom is the arm of the lord revealed he shall grow up in the name of the lord he shall grow up before him as a roots and as a tender plant out of a dry ground he has no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him or rabba shanti and we all with an open face beholding us in the glass the glory of the lord we are changed into the same image from glory to glory even us by the spirit of the lord john wesley said dead to the world and all its toys to all its fading joys jesus my glory be all our slack all our limitation is due to insufficient revelation of the Lord himself and his work do you see the cross do you see the scope of redemption what's a privilege to serve him Oh Rama to get a back at a big quota may the Lord anoint your eye with eye salve that you may see all the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgment and his ways are past finding out may we see it a big who's this in Malacca Vucca Roma Sander may we see may we see may we see may we see may we see may we see oh maka it about time he back at a possible said have fought a good fight I've kept the faith I have finished my course Ibala sata henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness with the Lord a righteous judge shall give unto me and not to me only but to all them that long for his appearing oh dear Jesus oh dear Jesus oh dear Jesus oh dear Jesus oh dear Jesus oh dear Jesus may you have the revelation our definitions of Christ as weak as a fool I am more in labors more abundant in prisons frequent in death often of the Jews Roma shot at five times received I for to strive save one tries I was bitten with rod a dinner night I have been in the deep price of a shipwreck in Jennings often imperils of waters imperils of rubbish imperils in the city imperils among false brethren imperils of waters or a mango sata bingo sata balanda in pain in hunger in weariness and in coldness aroma who is weak and i'm not weak the golden the father of our lord jesus christ nowhere that i lie not apostle paul in damascus the governor and the arithas kept the city of the damascenes in the garrison desirous to apprehend me and through a window in the basket was i let down and escaped through his hands it is not expedient for me darkness to glory i will come to visions and revelations of the lord if we see what we saw we will labor like he lived mama lobako if you can see what he saw obasata you see we complain about many things because we have not seen fully fully we need the spirit of wisdom and revelation fully this is the man who could say for our love light affliction for all that he went through our light affliction which is but for a moment it's momentary wicked for us and far more exceeding in an eternal weight of glory while we look not on the things that are seen but on the things that are not seen for the things which are seen at temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal
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