Voiceofgod

“Sustaining a ministry requires sustenance from the Holy Spirit”.

There are people everywhere who have a form of godliness but are faking it.

A time is coming—indeed, it is near—when God will measure every household, every church, and every pulpit. He will clearly distinguish those He favors, those He approves, and those He does not.

The light of Jesus will truly shine upon His faithful, upon those who have obeyed His commandments.

Therefore, be encouraged, brothers and sisters; truly, your reward is at hand.

Blessed is the servant who continues doing the work ordained for him, even when his Master is not present.

Blessed are those who endure.

He loved us first, and we too will love Him, as we have received so much love from Him that we cannot contain it. Amen.

Sustaining a ministry is not an easy task. One must sustain oneself in personal life, family life, and social life as a good soldier of Christ to effectively minister.

Billy Graham said in a sermon preached at a football stadium in San Jose, CA, in 1981:
“I cannot live the Christian life; I have no power within me to live the Christian life. The Holy Spirit has to live in me, and Christ has to live through me. I cannot live the Christian life; I am a total flop and a failure.””

“Apostle Peter says in 2 Peter 1:3 AMP:
[3] For His divine power has bestowed on us absolutely everything necessary for a dynamic spiritual life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

Therefore, it is clear that not only for Billy Graham or Peter, but for every believer in Christ, sustenance must come from the Holy Spirit on a daily basis. This sustenance is cultivated through true and personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, which we gain from the Word of God with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Total surrender, total dependability, and total commitment are the keys to a victorious Christian life.

If this is the case, then we preachers of the Word, ministers of God, do we take time to sit at the feet of the Lord for our own spiritual well-being?

Are we relying on the collective strength of our church associates or mission staff?
Though that may help, how long can it sustain us?

Only when a wall is sound can it be painted. A broken wall is of no use to a painter, and similarly, a struggling servant of God is of no profit to his church.

Realization and recognition of our own vulnerability will prevent us from falling into a deep pit.

When we realize we are poor in spirit, we will always depend solely on Jesus Christ.”

“On whom are you depending today?

Matthew 5:3 CEV:
[3] God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!

Just as a vine and its branches draw sustenance from the root, so we must draw our sustenance from the Word of God.
We must also draw from the rivers of living water that dwell within us.

First, you are an individual believer, irrespective of your calling, and then you sustain your calling.

2 Peter 1:5-6, 8-10 CEV:
[5] Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding, [6] self-control, patience, and devotion to God. [8] If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. [9] But if you don’t grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven. [10] Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

We cannot afford the danger of ignoring our inner selves, those areas in our lives needing review, repair, and restoration.

Sin is lurking at our door, and its desire is to have us.

We should not be complacent or careless toward those signs that our hearts alone will clearly capture.

And then, our loved ones will find them out.
If we fail to repent…

2 Peter 2:20-22 CEV:
[20] When they learned about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they escaped from the filthy things of this world. But they are again caught up and controlled by these filthy things, and now their condition is worse than it was at first. [21] It would have been better for them if they had never known the right way. Even after they knew what was right, they turned their backs on the holy commandments they were given. [22] What happened to them is just like the true saying, “A dog returns to its own vomit, and a washed pig returns to wallowing in the mud.”

Now is the right time to heed these warnings and return to our Lord.

What profit is there for us if we gain the whole world but lose our own soul?

Ephesians 6:24 CEV:
[24] May God’s grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

Amen.