Since shepherding is very laborious, you need endurance to keep doing it, especially as a full-time minister of God. That is why it is costly to abandon your personal time with the Lord with the excuse that you are too busy doing the work of the ministry. If you are doing that, return to God – your first love.
The moment God announces favour upon you, do not think your life is going to be normal. It won’t and probably never be like that anymore. That is why you need endurance as a divine prophecy carrier because you will bear burdens from the Lord your entire life. Instead of crying to God about your situation, pray for the strength to bear them.
Take hold of your mind – don’t be ruled by just anything that flips through it. Whenever insecurity thoughts about yourself arise, focus on ‘whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.’ Let your mind dwell on all that is excellent and praiseworthy, for these thoughts align with how God sees you and the unique purpose He has created you to fulfil.
Paul listed some of the secret sufferings he listed in 1 Corinthians 4. But you may say Paul laboured very hard. Yes, he did, but it cost him a lot. The same can happen to you, especially for those who want to command a higher height of impact in ministry. It takes work to be successful in ministry. So pay the price for it. God is with you!
What does 1 Thessalonians 5:16 tell us? It says we should rejoice always. Right? But look critically at the word “rejoice.” It’s a combination of two words: “re” and “joy.” Guess what it means? To consciously walk in joy. That is your responsibility, not God.
One of the most profound questions in ministry, primarily targeted to young and upcoming ministers, is, “Did God call you”? I am writing this article to help anybody battling with the surety of his calling to ministry, and I hope you’ll get your answers after reading it.
Depression is a real challenge in today’s world, but for a Christian, it is not an insurmountable one. With Jesus Christ as your ultimate source of love and provision, the Holy Spirit as your Comforter and Strengthener, and the assurance of eternal life, you have all you need to rise above the trials of life.
As Jesus draws you in and you get to know Him better, He gives you the privilege to witness Him everywhere you go. And because of that, you’ll start facing persecution because some people will not accept your message. That is why you need to normalise persecution in your life as a Christian.
The Bible says in Romans 12:14 that you must bless those who persecute you and not curse them. God knows how easy it is to curse instead of blessing anyone who makes your life miserable. That is why He inspired Paul to emphasise “bless” twice in that same verse.
Don’t feel bothered when those of the world speak evil of you. Don’t feel bad for standing for Christ in the face of multiple tribulations. God is greater than anybody in this world. He knows you and calls you His child. Fret not, for He is with you.
In Mark 12:13, Jesus said, “Everyone will hate you because of me …”. Think about that for a minute. If you are a believer, it means you’ve got enemies, whether you like it or not. Those enemies may not come into your life in plain sight. They can hang around you with itchy ears and wicked hearts, yet they are very hypocritical in their talk with you. Such is life.
Did you know that suffering for Christ is part of your faith journey? Telling believers that their faith journey isn’t always full of bliss is wise, so that they’ll not have an imbalanced view of their walk in Christ.
