TRAVAILING UNTIL CHRIST IS FORMED IN YOU 2
“MY LITTLE CHILDREN, with whom I am again in TRAVAIL UNTIL CHRIST BE FORMED IN YOU.”
Galatians 4:19 (RSV)
Your primary assignment as a minister is to divide, skilfully teach the Word of truth—the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15).
You are to feed the flock of God under your care: "I URGE YOU THEN TO SEE THAT YOUR “flock of God” IS PROPERLY FED AND CARED FOR. ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LOOKING AFTER THEM WILLINGLY AND NOT BECAUSE YOU FEEL YOU CAN'T GET [something] OUT OF IT, DOING YOUR WORK NOT FOR WHAT YOU CAN MAKE, BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE REALLY CONCERNED FOR THEIR WELL-BEING" (1 Peter 5:2 Philips).
• You are to equip them for the work of ministry and edify them–build them up: 11 “AND HE HIMSELF GAVE SOME TO BE APOSTLES, SOME PROPHETS, SOME EVANGELISTS, AND SOME PASTORS AND TEACHERS, 12 FOR THE EQUIPPING OF THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, FOR THE EDIFYING OF THE BODY OF CHRIST" (Ephesians 4:11,12 NKJV).
• You are to take oversight—serve as an overseer (Acts 20: 27,28; Hebrews 13:7,17).
• You oversee the people in prayers, not by needless visitations, although visiting their houses when needed may be necessary.
Some ministers are fond of going to people’s houses, offices, shops and so on in the name of visitation.
A number of ministers who do such things are being sincerely wrong, they do not know better, they thought they would have to visit the people all the time; but some are doing it because of the money that would be given to them.
The real oversight of people is done in the place of prayer.
If you commit your people to God in prayer, you put prayer covering over them and pray that Christ be formed in them, you may not need to be going about visiting them all the time.
Your major assignment is to watch over them in prayer, and stay before God to study His Word and fellowship with Him to receive what to feed them with.
Hardworking in the ministry is not about running around per se, but about being diligent in prayer, and the studying of the Word, and the ministering of what you have studied and received from God to the people!
2 THEN THE TWELVE SUMMONED THE MULTITUDE OF THE DISCIPLES AND SAID, “IT IS NOT DESIRABLE THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE THE WORD OF GOD AND SERVE TABLES.
4 “BUT WE WILL GIVE OURSELVES CONTINUALLY TO PRAYER AND TO THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD.”
Acts 6:2,4 (NKJV)
If you fed your people with the undiluted Word of God and stayed in the presence of God to pray for them, that Christ may be formed in them; They would not be a prey in the hands of the false teachers.
Note: How does a minister has the time to be running errands for his or her church members?
A single Parent
When I was still pastoring, before my missionary work started, a sister, single parent, had a problem with the light in her house—she had issues with the Electricity Company.
SHE came to me and narrated the story, then I directed her to someone I knew in the company and the person attended to her promptly, the issues were settled that day.
WHEN she came back, she said she was expecting me to go with her, or go alone by myself, to settle the matter on her behalf. She said, the pastor in her former church used to do that for her. She blurted out, “and I am paying my tithe.”
I told her I cannot do that for you, since I know someone who can help you there, I do not need to go there with you.
If you wanted to please everyone as a minister, you will never please God (Galatians 1:10).
Some pastors are in the custody of the people they are leading, so to speak; they are the kind of pastors that could be called anytime, anyhow, and demand to do one thing or another for them. They give such a pastor a paltry sum, small money, for the errands he has run for them.
These things I am sharing are common with the pastors of small congregations and some itinerant ministers.
Some ministers have sold their birthright, ministry right, like Esau did because of a morsel of meal: “LEST THERE BE ANY FORNICATOR OR PROFANE PERSON LIKE ESAU, WHO FOR ONE MORSEL OF FOOD SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT" (Hebrews 12:16 NKJV).
The grace of God on your life is more than the money that anyone would give to you.
• Thus, pay attention to your work, the assignment, by giving yourself to prayer and the Word of God Acts (6:2,4).
• It is when you do these—give yourself to prayer and the Word—that you will save yourself and the people you are leading (1 Timothy 4:13,16).
• When you do it, stay put in your assignment, your profit or progress will come, it will appear, and be seen, by all men:
13 TILL I COME, GIVE ATTENTION TO READING, TO EXHORTATION, TO DOCTRINE.
14 DO NOT NEGLECT THE GIFT THAT IS IN YOU, WHICH WAS GIVEN TO YOU BY PROPHECY WITH THE LAYING ON OF THE HANDS OF THE ELDERSHIP.
15 MEDITATE UPON THESE THINGS; GIVE YOURSELF ENTIRELY TO THEM, THAT THY PROGRESS [profiting] MAY APPEAR TO ALL.
16 TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF AND TO THE DOCTRINE. CONTINUE IN THEM, FOR IN DOING THIS YOU WILL SAVE BOTH YOURSELF, AND THOSE WHO HEAR YOU" (1 Timothy 4:13-16 (NKJV).
You will not fail in Jesus' name. Peace!