The anointing is not taught; it is caught. The only
way to get the anointing is to be where the anointing is
being poured out. Doing what God has called you to do
will cause His power to flow through you.
One of the problems many ministers face is that
they get discouraged when things don’t go the way they
would like. They end up quitting the ministry just prior to
their breakthrough.
I believe the Lord is looking for those who will be
faithful to obey the call. He will test you in the ministry
before you see an increase. The scripture says if you are
faithful over little, God will make you a ruler over much.
A Case of the Forgotten Son
The story of David is a wonderful story of a
young man whom God had chosen to be king. God had
spoken to the prophet Samuel and told him to anoint a
king in Saul’s place. Samuel went and stood in front of
Jesse’s sons and none of them was found eligible for the
position of king. God had chosen David because of his
faithfulness with a few sheep and the attitude of his heart.
Even though he was out with the sheep, God knew where
he was and anointed him in Saul’s place.
David had been in preparation for the ministry. He
was faithful to take the lion and the bear. Little did he
know that God would have him take on a giant. Many
even in the ministry today want the giant, but are not
prepared or faithful to take the lion and the bear.
We live in a day and age of instant results. Many
judge success by monetary gain or achievement of how
many you have in your church, or how big your radio and
television ministry is, or how big a mailing list you might
have.
Success Is Doing What God Has Called You to Do
Success is doing what God has called you to do. I
have had the privilege of being around some of the great
men of God who pastor large churches. One of them
publicly made the statement to other ministers that it
didn’t matter if you only had 100 people in your church.
If that was what God had called you to, then you should
be content and happy in that ministry.
Privately I heard him make the statement about a
pastor of a small church, “When he gets a thousand
people in his church, then let him come and talk to me.”
In other words, he was saying the man was not worthy to
talk to him because he was not in the same league.
I am reminded of a statement I used to tell the
Bible students at a school in South Africa where I
lectured several years ago. “Always remember the little
man on your way up, because you might need him on
your way down.”
If the grace of God did not lead you to a certain
place, then the grace of God cannot keep you there.
Legends in Their Own Mind
Another minister informed me – comparing his
ministry to the ministry of another – that his ministry
was a Cadillac and the other was a Yugo. I thought to
myself, then I must be the hubcap on the Yugo. One
preacher informed a friend of mine that he was one of the
top five speakers in the world today. I thought to myself,
I must be one of the bottom five.
It is not what you have done or achieved in man’s
eyes that counts; it is faithfulness to the call of God.
When I stand before my heavenly Father I desire to hear
Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.
Enter into the joy of the Lord.” I don’t want to hear, “Well
done, thou good and successful servant You have already
received your reward, it’s the praise of men.”
The Danger of Forgetting Where You’ve Come From
Is it not amazing that God visits an ordinary
individual and anoints him? The man rises out of the dust
to achieve greatness in God. Later when asked what was
the key to his success, he gives a ten-point guideline to
would-be followers about the secret to success.
But it had nothing to do with the ten points. It was
the touch of God in the individual’s life which resulted in
the call. He remained faithful to fulfill the call and
succeeded. It is as simple as that.