(By Derrick)
1. Service should be the heart of your ministry
The heart of the five-fold ministry in the church whether it is Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor or Teacher is service unto the Lord and unto His people. The church doesn’t need your gifts as much as your gifts need the church, just as the eye needing the body to survive, more than the body needing the eye!
So serve one another humbly in love! An attitude of service should be the core purpose of what you do whether it is leading worship, preaching the Word or anything else. Your attitude will reflect your character, which is of much more worth than your gifts.
2. Keep your channel clean
God speaks to each one of us in a way or channel that is understood by us. It could be desires, dreams, pictures, song, etc. Whatever the channel used by God to speak through or whatever the channel you use to minister to, both should be guarded!
For example: If you minister through music, be watchful of what music you are listening to in your free time; if God speaks to you through pictures or dreams, guard what you gaze or meditate upon. Remember out of the same brook salt and fresh water cannot come.
3. Teach where you have been established and what you practice!
You will be tested by what you “teach” others if you teach what you yourself have not practiced. Jesus says, anyone who practices and teaches these commands will be called great in heaven (Matthew 5:19). James 3:1 says, Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. The Word of God is a double edged sword – so be mindful of what you preach.
Therefore, Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15).
Be consistent with the whole counsel of Word of God and do not cherry pick scriptures to fit your message, but instead be like Matthew 13:52– “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple of the Kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out his storeroom new treasures as well as old”
It’s good to move beyond elementary teachings (Hebrews 5:12), but before that, be established in it!
4. Be a living brook
You may be called in certain areas of ministry but your calling calls for a responsibility and your responsibility calls for a walk with God.
God wants you to be an overflowing brook, prepared in season and out season. Your ministry should be less of a result of preparation, and more out of the overflow of your fellowship with Holy Spirit. Mind you, I am not saying that preparation is not important at all. But if you have to share something on Sunday, don’t sit before the Lord one day before and try to pump your muscles. Fellowship and seek Him throughout the week (not because you have to minister, but because you love Jesus). Only He can give you a life transforming Word that Google or books cannot.
5. Always submit to the leadership of the church
Honour your pastors and leaders for it is God who has ordained you to be in that church.
Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. (Hebrews 13:17).
You may not agree with all that they say or do, choose to humble yourself and submit (unless they are going against the Word of God), and God will lift you up. It’s easy to sit in the audience and point fingers at people or situations, but how many times have you genuinely sat at the feet of Jesus and prayed about that issue?
6. Lastly, finish your race well
It is not important how well you start but how well you end and where you end up will depend on who you yield to.
You may be called for a specific ministry, but your timing should be ordained by God, lest you may get ‘killed’ before time. Jesus had all the authority in heaven and earth, and when tempted, He could easily do the miracles that the devil was asking Him to do, but He didn’t because He knew it was not the right time in His Father’s time-table.
What is your attitude during your waiting period?
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Check who you allow to speak into your life- have they gone before you and left a godly legacy?
Situations and people will come to stretch you – in everything give thanks. Do not be hardened, daily repent before God.