PRECURSOR TO MINISTRY

Precursor to Ministry

Last week we looked at missions being our response to worship. This week we are going to examine what should always come before ministry. So often we get caught up in doing ministry that we forget to do the preparation. I am guilty of this many times. I get so engrossed in the “work” of ministry that I forget to do the preparation of prayer. The scripture is very clear that the precursor to ministry should be prayer. We read this in 2 Chronicles 7:14 when God says “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” For God to do everything with us and for us, we must first humble ourselves and in confession, come to Him in prayer. We don’t often realize how relevant the Old Testament is to the New Testament church. When God gave this promise to Solomon, it was right after Solomon had completed the temple. The Lord was speaking to His church. We are that Church! Do you want to see God do marvelous things here at First Baptist Church, Canton? Do you want to see lives changed? Do you want to see a move of God like we have never seen before? Do you want to see God bring revival? These questions must be answered affirmatively before we can think about committing ourselves to praying for these things. If we do not have a desire to see God work, then we need not pray for it. If we want these things to happen, we must take the time to earnestly pray for them.
We have looked at what the Old Testament says about this subject. Now we will look at the example of Jesus. There is no better example. In Mark 1:35, we are introduced to how Jesus prepared for ministry. Jesus was getting ready to go throughout Galilee preaching in the synagogues and driving out demons. In order to prepare for this work, he pulled off to a solitary place and prayed. Jesus knew the energy that he was going to need. Jesus knew the amazing things He was going to do. He knew the confrontation He was going to experience. Therefore, He knew that He needed His one-on-one time with His Father. If Jesus, the Son of God, needed it, then why do we think that we can do it on our own without the Father’s help?
Are we satisfied with what we see happening here at FBC? Are we satisfied with the worship ministry here at FBC? I hope we never say that we are satisfied with what we see at FBC. May God put in us such a strong holy discontent that He brings us to our knees to seek His face!

Desiring a stronger prayer life and desiring to see God work,
Aaron Hodges