A HEART FOR THE MINISTRY

Flashback

Welcome to the second edition of The Ministry Series. In the first edition, we discussed on identifying your own Ministry. We emphasized that whatever your gifts are: social and spiritual, they make up your ministry, more than just a talent or spiritual abilities. Today, we want to talk about personal commitment to your ministry.

The Scriptures

a. Say unto Archippus, 'Take heed to the ministry which thou has received, in the Lord, that thou fulfill it. (Colossians 4:17)

b. Jesus said unto them 'My meat is to do the work of Him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)

c. And his disciples remembered that it was written 'The zeal of my father's house has eaten me up'. (John 2:17)

Received in the Lord

Our first scripture gives us a clue that firstly, whatever ministry you seek to fulfil must be one you received from the Lord. This by implication suggest that you can invest in a ministry which is not God-given.

Maybe, it was/is a product of your own ambition, or maybe a temporal ministry. The caution is that your investment should rather be on a God-given assignment. If He gave it, He will provide backup for fulfilment.

The Work and You
Jesus had a strong inclination to his work. Often, we hear him say 'My work', ''The Father's will', or 'fulfilled'. Everything that was necessary for the fulfillment of his ministry, He ensured they were done. If He needed to avoid distraction, then he did same.

Remember, at one time, the people wanted to install him as King, so he fled. That was not a part of his assignment. (John 6:15)

Internalise your ministry. That is what Jesus did. He was always conscious of why he was on the earth. Ever since I discovered my own purpose, by God's grace, the consciousness is always there.

And if it gets blurred in the process, I stir it back up by the help of the Holy Spirit. The teaching ministry is my calling. And I feel so blessed as I continually endeavour to fulfil it through the Goodlife Writes platform.

As seen in the second verse, fulfilling your ministry (bit by bit) brings so much joy and satisfaction.

Got a Social Ministry?

When I was meditating on this teaching series, I thought of those whose ministries and gifts are not operational right in church, but outside, in some professional or vocational endeavour. Then. I remembered Jesus' disciples (in John 2:17) likening His commitment to ministry with the prophesy of David in Psalms 69 verse 9:"The zeal of thine house has eaten me up".

The church is God's corporate headquarters on the earth. The Kingdom of God is within us, no doubt. But the gathering of people is the invitation of God's manifest presence. (Matthew 18:20)

Therefore, in fulfilling one's ministry: social or 'religious', one needs a place where he converges with the brethren.

If your ministry is God-given, then He will be the one to supply the willingness and the performance. (Philippians 2:13) Empowerment for your ministry will always be released from time to time when you are in fellowship. Yes, He will ignite the passion in your heart to go after your assigned ministry.

If you haven't discovered your ministry yet, then find out from God through prayers and the Word. When you discover it, go ahead and fulfill it! Give it all it requires, and your profit will appear to all. God bless you.

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