Labouring rightly – Part 2

• Curse of God upon those who fail to labour in His vineyard. Jer. 48:10; Judges 5:23.

When God gives you a vision, calling, ministry and assignment, He expects you to labour and work hard to bring it to fulfilment. 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:23. The greatness of your vision and calling will determine the greatness of your labour. Many times, your best friend is your wrist and hands – buckle up and get down to work.
Labouring Wrongly – 1 Thess. 3:5; Job 9:29; Jer. 51:58; 8:20.

Too many ministers and leaders are labouring truly, but what will destroy and make their labours unfruitful and in vain are right with them. Here are some:

• Sinfulness and Inconsistency
Once you are inconsistent with the Lord, your labour will be in vain. Sin, in whatever form, will render your work to be in vain. Ezek. 3:20-21.

• Wrong Foundation Heb. 11:3.
When you build your work on the foundation of lies, deceit, disobedience, cheating and backstabbing others, your labour will be fruitless. It is always the wrong way to labour.

• Ignorance and Pride
When you are too proud to learn, improve, grow and knowledgeable about this work, you will surely be fruitless in your labours. Ignorance is the first strategy of the enemy to make you labour wrongly.

• Not in Place of Calling 1 Cor. 7:20.
Wrong labouring is working outside your true calling from the Lord. Some who are called as Evangelists have become pastors; others who should be running ministry have started churches. Those who should be supporters and backers have become the main leaders. Disobedience to God, His calling and gifts in your life will always lead to labour loss.

• Curse of Elders 2 Sam. 3:28-29.
When a leader is under the curse of another leader due to misdemeanors, disloyalty, disobedience and violation of trust and opportunities, then such a person will labour in vain, as long as that curse is not renounced.

• Disunity among Leaders Psalm. 133:1-3.
When leaders in a church or ministry are working at cross-purposes, they will
always labour in vain. Disunited, disjointed and double-faced leadership cannot see the fruits of their labours.

• Building on Self and Ideas of Men Acts 5:36-39.
Any ministry not built on the undiluted word of God, Christ and His Eternal Spirit will always be a labour loss. Any ministry built on self, personality and humanistic ideas will always collapse.

These and many more are the factors that contribute to wrong labouring of so many ministers and leaders today. They are working hard, but they are working in vain because of these factors.

• Labouring Rightly 1 Cor. 3:13-15.
If we are not going to experience labour loss, we must know how to labour rightly. The following are ways to labour rightly:

• Personal Relationship and Right Standing with God Eph. 6:10-13.
Your standing with the Lord will affect the fruit of your labour. Stand right and in the Lord. Do not let anything come between you and the Lord.

• Clear Calling 1 Cor. 7:20.
Be clear and sure of your calling. Be sure you are working according to the calling and giftings.

• Be a Good Model Acts. 1:1.
Take the advice you give to others. Live what you preach. One good example is better than one thousand sermons.

• Share the Vision Acts. 26:19.
Share the vision clearly, continuously and creatively with your people. People commit themselves more to a vision than to a personality.

• Be Informed and Up-to-date – 1 Tim. 2:15.

Go and acquire the right knowledge and information. Enroll in school. Learn, read and update yourself. Ministry today is more complex than ever before. What takes you there will not keep you there.

Dr. Bola Akin-John
International Church Growth Ministry
akingrow@yahoo.com 08023000714