No Portion of This Document May Be Duplicated Without Permission of the Author

The

Minister

& His

Ministry

No portion of this document may be duplicated without permission of the author.

All scriptures are taken from the King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise stated.

The Minister & His Ministry - 1

Preface

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he ministry is as diverse as the men and women who have been called by God to fulfill it. The call into the ministry can drive a person to desperation, desiring to fulfill the burden that has been placed in the heart, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:29). And thus, the servant of the Lord cannot easily shake the call. He must answer that still voice that whispers to him in the night when he is all alone and none can interfere with his inner thoughts. His mind and soul are driven by the need to respond to that urging within him.

There are many, in these final days, which are called to do God’s service. Their ministry is vastly important to the growth of the Kingdom of God. The drive of the Spirit burns in their soul like fire.

“Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” -- Jeremiah 20:9

Jeremiah was deeply persecuted because of the ministry that the Lord had placed on his life. As a result of the trials, Jeremiah determined to not mention the Lord again, yet he could not keep his own resolution. The Word of God burned in his heart to such a degree that he must speak what the Lord had put on his heart.

In this same way, many servants of God feel that same drive to deliver the message of God. Yet, for what ever reason, they cannot get the proper training that they know they need, so they head out on their own, facing a world wrought with skepticism and hatred and after many attempts, they find themselves ready to quit. I know because I have been there. I have known the feeling of being thrust out because I chose to stand for my convictions rather than concede to the demands of the so-called “church pillars” who think they can dictate what and how the servant of God should speak. I have known the desperation of wanting to do, but not knowing how. Of having the desire to be trained but not having the means, financial or otherwise, to achieve those goals.

To those who are having these same feelings, I address this manual. We, together, will sit with Paul as he instructs Timothy on how to pursue his calling. We will see what makes the minister seem to be above the laymen. Why does he seem to have a place set high above the rest? Could it be the heavy call pushes him to “press toward the mark” (Phil, 3:14)?

There are many young servants of God who would love to attend seminar but tuition and other costs prohibit this from becoming a reality. To those who know this frustration, I pray that this volume will be, at least, a beginning. Perhaps together, we can begin the preparation for ministry.

In the following pages we will look at:

1. THE MINISTER & HIS CALLING

2. THE MINISTER & HIS ANOINTING

3. THE MINISTER & HIS APPEARANCE

4. THE MINISTER & HIS FAMILY

5. THE MINISTER & HIS REPUTATION

6. THE MINISTER & HIS FIELD

7. THE MINISTER & HIS DOCTRINE

As we begin our journey together, may the Lord so guide us that we may know that it is He who teaches and we who are ready to receive.In Jesus’ name.

The Minister & His Ministry - 1

I. The Minister & His Calling

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ou’ve been called into the ministry! You can tell me many stories that prove the feeling you have is real, alive and from the throne of God. When your Pastor delivers the word you imagine yourself there, speaking “thus saith the Lord”. Many people experience the same inner feelings you’re having. We need to set things straight right now;

Are you really called to minister or are you simply feeling zealous to do something for God?

This is a question that you must come to grips with, Are you called? If so, what are youprepared to do to achieve this calling?

I have seen many good, well meaning Christians zealously set out to become the next Billy Sunday only to sadly discover that the calling they felt came from Mom or Dad or someone else but not God!

So again I ask:

Are you really called to minister or are you simply feeling zealous to do something for God?

You must be totally honest with yourself. Did someone, other than the Holy Spirit, push you into the position that you’re trying to attain? Search your heart and soul. Is this really what God wants for you? Are there sermons inside you waiting to be preached? Are there songs stirring to be set free? Does your heart burn for the lost and dying humanity? If after this, you can still say yes, let me try and discourage you. Why? Because God wants resolute men and women to deliver His word. You cannot waver in your intention to minister.

“A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” —James 1:8

“Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” --II Peter 1:1-10

Diligently we must prepare to minister. How? Peter gives us the clue. We build our ministry. We put one stone upon another until we have erected the ministry. It’s not ours. I can’t put my name on my ministry and claim its reward. It’s God’s. He alone establishes it. Yet, I must prepare.

Peter says to be diligent (hardworking, attentive, busy) adding to your faith virtue (morality, goodness, quality). And to your virtue knowledge (understanding, wisdom, enlightenment). And to your knowledge temperance (control, restraint, abstinence). To temperance patience (composure, peace of mind, serenity). To patience godliness (sanctity, grace, devoutness). And to godliness brotherly kindness (compassion, courtesy, favor). To brotherly kindness charity (generosity, godly love, benevolence).

If these things be alive in you, they will make you fruitful (productive, fertile, rich) in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul called them “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22). These attributes are what make the minister the special servant of God. He may not always display these characteristics, but he is always striving to achieve them in his life.

“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen, This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck” --I Timothy 1:17-19

Timothy followed Paul. He was a protégé of Paul. He had listened to this great leader teach and preach his gospel of faith in Jesus Christ. Timothy felt called to minister. It made sense that Timothy would turn to Paul for his training. Something had happened to Timothy that Paul reminded him of, Timothy had received prophecies concerning his ministry.

“...according to the prophecies which went before on thee...”

At some point in Timothy’s life someone, maybe even Paul, prophesied over Timothy concerning his ministry. He would fight a warfare. The battle ground is hot. The war rages. The minister stands on the front lines. His thrust is usually the first to go forth into battle. At times, he feels the aloneness of warfare. Then, like Paul, the Holy Spirit reminds him of the Word, the word given to him by the laying on of hands and of prophecy. The prophecy drives the man of God. The sure word:

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:” -- II Peter 1:19

Those blessed words of hope that fire the soul to do God’s will. Every servant of God receives the word of prophecy over his life. This word confirms what his own heart has already spoken to him. He can compare the word spoken and the word felt and know that God has truly spoken.

I suppose someone somewhere will argue “I never received any prophecy and I’m a minister!” Go ahead and rant and rave. Nevertheless, if you’re called of God, you received the calling with prophecy! Your orders came directly from headquarters via the messenger ordained to deliver the word to you. It is that prophetic word, more than anything, which assures you of your calling.

Go back to that prophecy. You would do well to “take heed” of it again. What did God say to you? What was the extent of His message to you? Was the revelation delivered to you in several messages? Perhaps the prophecy came to you in a vision. Does it still shine “as a light that shineth in a dark place”? Are you convinced of that word? Take the time to write it down, Take the time to refresh your memory. As Paul said to Timothy:

“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.” -- II Timothy 1:6

Stir up that gift. Yes the call to the ministry is a gift that isn’t given to every believer. Stir yourself. Consider what the Lord hath said. Does your recollections inspire you to persevere? Remind yourself what God hath said to you.

I believe that, more than any other thing; the sure word of prophecy gives me the desire to continue. I know what God has said. My mind is always going back to the day when God’s servant declared to me my calling,in terms that, at that time, I may not have fully understood. Yet, even now, they are becoming clear to me. God’s word is true.

“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou

mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.”

--Romans3:4

It makes no difference what anyone thinks they know about me or my ministry, I stand on what the Lord has said. My prophecy is for me. It gave me a vision, it gave me a sure foundation on which I stand to minister, it has grown over the years. God continually speaks the word in my spiritual ear. His word leads me on. Without the word I cannot press on. Because I know what He has said to me, I can go on, “Let God be true, but every man a liar”!

My natural father delivered a prophecy to me some years ago. In it, the Lord assured me that He had no need to remind me of my gifts, for I was well aware of them. I can act in my ministry because these words, and others, come to me, reminding me that what I do is not of my own will or choice, but I act by and through the Spirit of God.

You may be saying, “But, Brother, you don’t realize what my life has been like. I’m not worthy to minister.”

“…whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also

glorified.” Romans 8:30

If you’ve been called, you’ve been justified. If you’ve been justified, you’ve been glorified. It’s left in your hands. What are you doing with the call of God?

Remember the cry of Jeremiah:

“Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” -- Jeremiah 20:9

You see, in the final analysis, you’ll never be rid of the call of God until you fulfill it. The Spirit of God keeps calling until you say, like Samuel, “Yes, Lord, here am I”.

“That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him, And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.” -- I Samuel 3:4-10

God called this great servant as a boy. The Spirit of God spoke to him and he listened.

“And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that 1 will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his Sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good. And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.” -- I Samuel 3:10-2 1

I Like the part that says “...and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.” God will not let His word “fall to the ground”! Praise God! That makes me want to shout. God’s word will not fail. God called that boy and he received the word.

“...for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shilohby the word of the LORD.”

If you ever receive a revelation of God, it will come by His word. If you have a calling, it’s time to refresh yourself as to what God said to you. It’s time to set the thing in motion. The most precious thing you have is the call to minister! There is nothing greater than to be called to deliver the word of God. Your calling is your primary goal. What did Paul say about his calling?

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”-- Philippians 3: 13-14

It’s time to press toward the mark. The call to the ministry requires us to “press toward the mark.” Pressing means to force, Paul said he presses himself. He forces himself toward the mark set before him. The goal of the calling is that mark Paul spoke of. What does your calling seem to be to you? Can you see yourself in a ministerial situation? In other words, can you clearly define the role God has chosen for you? Your only motive for action is that internal desire that you have. If you can’t see the end result of your calling you need to back up and re-examine yourself. The enemy wants to keep you from achieving your calling. He will put every obstacle he can in your path to stop you from succeeding. A successful minister means Satan’s kingdom is being hurt. You must overcome the temptation to ease back and do nothing. You must “press toward the mark”.