Finishing strong in the Ministry – Part 2

There is a price you must pay for your calling. Paul counseled Timothy thus, “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry” (2Tim.4: 5). Be ready to make sacrifices for the growth of your ministry. Paul testifies of his own personal sacrifices thus, “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet, indeed, I count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Phil.3: 7, 8).

You must avoid the three deadly ‘G’s, like a plague. Namely, avoid the gold, the girls and the glory. To succeed in your ministry, you must show integrity in your finance, you must avoid the pitfall of women. Samson was ruined by Delilah. Then, don’t touch the glory of God. Avoid ascribing glory to yourself. Glory belongs to God alone.

Have a reliable mentor. Look for an experienced minister to mentor you. There must be someone, who can speak into your life and who you can confide in about your personal struggles and challenges. Your mentor should be able to reprimand you, when you go wrong and pray with you.

Avoid wrong doctrine and teaching. False doctrine and teaching have ruined the ministry of many. Those who stray into false doctrine hardly recover from it. Their friends abandoned them and their community dwindled. The greatest servants of God the world has known preach a simple Christ-centred message. Preach a Christ-centred message and you will never fall into error.

Contend for the prophecies about your ministry and the promises God had given to you (1 Tim.1: 18). Though you are convinced about your ministry, you must contend in prayer and faith to actualise your ministry. Satan is out to frustrate your call and ministry.

You must persevere, don’t yield to frustration and discouragement. Satan is astute in using the weapons of discouragement, doubt, lack of fruitfulness, integrity and immorality to fight servants of God. Be ready to resist him in these areas of your life. Peter says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Satan flees today and waits to return tomorrow. This is where perseverance comes in. Paul wrote, “Brethren… I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”(Phil.3: 13, 14).

Fight the good fight of faith. The apostle Paul finished strong, so he has a lot to say to those who are still in the race. Read what he says in 1 Tim.6: 12
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Aim for the crown. An athlete who does not aim at a goal, to win a crown may be running in vain. Paul said, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore, I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1 Cor.9: 24-27). Contact: pastoracukachi@hotmail.com