2nd Years Term 4 1 Week 2 Prep of ministry

0:05 Good evening everybody and I'm so grateful to be with you guys. Second year is really winding down towards the end but there's really such awesome subjects in store still and so much that God still wants to reveal to you in his plan and his purpose for your life. So where you are I just want you to just bow your heads just close your eyes. I just want to welcome the Holy Spirit. Bashikash.

0:51 Father God, we just thank you, Lord, that we can just come before you, Father. We thank you, Lord, that we can come into your presence, Father. I thank you, Lord, that you've just done such a work inside of each and every single one of us. And I thank you, Father, that we are just so grateful and just so excited to see what you will continue to do in and through our lives. Father, we thank you, Lord, that we can just come before you, every single petition, Father, every single desire, Father, every single purpose and plan. Father, I thank you, Lord, that we can just pray your word. For I know the plans that I have towards you, plans to prosper you. And so I thank you, Father God, that we know that our plans are to be prosperous. Our plans are to go forward. Our plans are to be blessed and highly favored. Our

1:37 plans, Father, is to seek the kingdom of God, Father. And we know that the promise is when we seek the kingdom of God that all these things shall be added unto us. And so I thank you, Father, that we can just come together in agreement, Father, in agreement for our own journeys, but in agreement for one another's journeys, Father. And I pray right now, Father, that not one will fall by the wayside. But that each and every single one would strive and thrive to do great and mighty things in the name of Jesus. And everybody said, "Amen." And amen. So without further ado, you know that we have been having a look at Pastor Beni Hinn's sermons and they have just been such a blessing. They every year are a blessing to me because I'm constantly reminded that we

2:23 are always in a test. The test may look different. The test may seem different, but there is always a test that we must endure. And most of the time it is a test of faith, but there are always contributing factors. And so I'm going to go ahead and share screen with you. Enjoy the next few minutes with these sessions. God will test your knowledge of scripture. The word will test you. Why? You will face trials and tribulations and difficulties where you will have to rely on the promises. >> Things will hit you hard and there'll be nowhere else to go but the Bible. That's called the work test. In other words,

3:09 suddenly uh uh disastrous things happen. Um uh suddenly you are persecuted or you are tried by your family or neglected by your parents or uh accused uh falsely and what you got to do and this only place to go. God will see where will they go when these troubles begin. Will they go away from me or will they come closer to me? >> That's what happened to me. God called me. God called me, ladies and gentlemen, when I was 11 years of age.

3:56 Nothing happened till I was 19. And then I got saved and my parents rejected me. My own father sent me to a psychiatrist to because he he thought I lost my mind. My family persecuted me and my sister Rose will tell you that's what happened. But in those painful three years that I went through with my family, I had no place to go to but the word. I had to see what the Bible said about my condition situation troubles trials. That's called the word test. Suddenly, you dig into the word because there's no place else to dig. You look

4:42 to the scriptures because there's no place else to look. I started reading this word when I got saved. I began to study it. God is my witness. I have diaries that I can show you that Michael saw where I was I would write what God taught me when I was 19 years old. I still have them. Rich material. You don't think all this preaching out of me comes because I read books. Dear God in heaven, I've read the Bible many times. I go through this book at least at least twice a year. When I read the Bible, it's it's it's the simplest thing for me now because

5:29 I've read and reread and reread and reread and reread. And I don't believe in jumping to places. I just read right through. Once I'm done, I go right back and start all over again. What else is there to go to but the Bible? But I started when I was a young man. The church that was built in Orlando, 10,000 people. Why do you think they came? Because I sang hallelujah. They came because of the word. God will put you through a season where the word is the only place you can turn to. Now the Bible tells me in Psalm 105 verse 17 and through 19. Please would you read that for me that Joseph when he

6:14 was sitting in that prison the word of God tested him. In other words, he had to rely on the promises that God gave. >> Verse 17, Psalm 105, please. >> He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was a was sold for a servant. >> In other words, he had trials, troubles. Keep going. Whose feet they hurt with feathers. He was laid in iron until the time that his word came. His word, the word of God had to come to him. He had to rely upon the promises. Keep going. >> The word of the Lord tried him. >> That's it. In other words, the word of God became his only source.

6:59 [clears throat] >> He had to lean only on the Bible. So God watches and says, "All right, will they lean on the word or lean upon other things?" Now, the Bible tells me, and I got to say something here. This is not easy to say, but I'm going to say it. God gives Adam the office, but Eve the influence over the office. So God says to him, "Don't touch the fruit." And she says, "Eat." And he obeys her rather than God. Because what God gave women is the most powerful weapon for the kingdom or against the kingdom.

7:45 It's called influence. The greatest preachers have wives that support them. But the minute they lose the support of the wife, they'll fall apart. The price is paid by the one who travels and the one at home. Right. >> When Billy Graham traveled, Ruth said, "I'll pay the price to raise the children >> to back you up if you're gone for months at a time." I asked Oruro Roberts only days ago. I said, "How often did you see Evelyn?" He said, "When I had my crusades, I'd be gone at times for three weeks." He said, "Evelyn had to raise the

8:31 children." He said she would come for a day or two and go back. He said without Evelyn I would not have survived. I said now Doc and I asked him this. I said I want you to tell me did she ever complain? He said never. Did she ever make your life difficult? Never. For she said to him before they were married, I'll pay the price with you. Wow. That's why Oral Roberts is Oral Roberts. See, but you got to understand your position as a wife is support. Helpmate means you support and use your weapon of influence to glorify Jesus,

9:22 to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ, to support your husband's office. God will reward you tremendously for that. But today you've got you've got men who are called but their wives are not. >> So I tell you young people who are not married before you find your wife find your call and then find your wife who fits the call. not the other way around. If you find a wife and then you're called, the wife may not fit the call. Make sure you find your call and then

10:09 find the the woman who can fit in your call. I'm just I just saved your marriage. >> I just saved your future. Don't rush into marriage because of emotions. [snorts] Don't rush into marriage because of beauty. >> Don't rush into marriage because she's nice to you. >> Don't rush into marriage because you want to get married. >> Before a guy buys a car, he checks the car to make sure it's the right car. They never rush buying expensive things. People make sure it's going to work and this and this and that. But into marriage, they rush blindly

10:56 and end up in trouble with God and their family. >> Why do I think there's so many divorces today? >> Nobody thinks about the price they have to pay to marry that lady >> or the price she has to pay to marry him. So you got to understand that it's a serious decision. So I advise the young people don't marry till you are absolutely sure you have

11:42 found your call in God. And the people said, >> "And by that time you've gone through that time test and you've gone through the word test, let me give you another test. You will be tested on your ability to serve." I call that the servants test. God will put you in a place to see are you willing to serve another man. Everybody wants to serve God. We have to serve another

12:28 pastor, another ministry. Before we can be chosen by God, God watches how do you treat his servants before he can even choose you. Elisha served Elijah. He served him in 2 Kings 3:11. It says he became his servant. He was called the servant of Elijah. I don't think anybody today in a ministry says I'm a servant. They all want to be bosses, not servants. >> He was called the servant of Elijah. You have to serve a man of God. And if the man of God says, "I need you." And your

13:14 wife says, "I need you." You choose the man of God. Say, "Well, I don't like that." Well, then you don't belong in the ministry. The call comes first. I know that's raw. That's hard. That's tough stuff. But it's the call of God. Never question the call of God or you're called or it's a game. Now, how many of you believe with all your heart that God really wants to use you? Put your hands up high. Are you willing to pay that kind of price? The price that says the call comes first. I am not turning back from the call of God on my life. I won't let family

14:02 interfere. That's the kind of call that very few are willing to get into. The Bible says that Elisha served Elijah possibly for years, not days. And Elijah made life tough for Elisha. Not only did God test Elisha, even Elijah tested Elisha by firing him three times in one day. He's in Gilgal. He said, "Stay here." He said, "No, I'm not." He goes to Beth, he

14:48 says, "Stay." "Oh, no, I'm not." He goes to Jericho. Stay and I'm not staying. IF YOU'RE GOING, I'M WITH YOU. If you're willing to serve, God will test your serving ability. He'll see how much of a servant you'll be to a man of God. Oh, we all want to serve God. You know, when I hire people now, I say, "You you got to know there's a man and the man of God." I said, "It's very easy to serve them that man of God with the white suit up there because all you do is stand out and watch him." But serving the man is a different story cuz it's the man who's a very be very very difficult. I [clears throat] said I want you to know I'm a very unpredictable man.

15:34 I'm demanding and complex because men of God are strange. You don't know when they're happy or they're mad. you. They can get up one morning, all is well, and they can get one phone call, they're going to mess their day. So I said, "Hey, listen. You got to tell the difference between the man of God and the man, and only then you'll be safe." I said, "But never forget that man is still the man of God without the white suit. >> If you cross that line and disrespect his office, you're out. >> It's the office that matters. the office. God gives that man an office. You respect it,

16:19 >> brother. You got to pull this and you're gonna keep reminding him every day. Keep hitting him every day cuz people don't learn fast. Now, another test. Are you ready for it? The wilderness test. >> Oh, yeah. This is all happening in the same season. God will put you through the most difficult period of your life. >> The wilderness test means, oh listen listen listen. When Moses went to the wilderness, Mikey, God stripped Egypt out of his being.

17:06 40 years he was in that wilderness. So the world that he knew can be taken out of him. In Exodus 2, he leaves Egypt. Acts 7:29:30 says he stay he he was in the wilderness 40 years. 40 years later, Egypt is out of him. You say, "Well, how long will my test last?" As long as it takes to get the world out of you. God will get the world out of your system. I have no interest in this world. I promise you. I don't enjoy a thing about it. We have to be lights in this world. Yes. But have no fellowship with it.

17:55 God will put you through the wilderness to get the world out of you, to get Egypt out of you, to strip you out of the things you enjoyed that this world gave you. And it means a time of difficulty, a time when God will purify your very being. And in those times, you'll have no choice but to seek God. And I believe the wilderness test is what will force prayer on your life. I don't really know what kind of wilderness you may go through. I know what I've what happened to me.

18:41 My wilderness test started when my family pulled away from me because like I said to you, it happens at the same season. God will test your with time and he'll test you with word, but he also test you with the wilderness. I had no one to talk to but God. God Almighty even took away my friends from me. They they they could no longer I could no longer had We had nothing in common any anymore. And I began to pull away. And and let me tell you something, that wilderness test is the most important test you'll go through.

19:28 Because during that season, it's like it's like everything around you shuts out. It's just like people pull pull pull away from you. You begin to lose your friends. You begin to lose people that you enjoy being with. God will take him will take him away from I promise you he'll take them away from you. >> Things you you you were comfortable with, you become very uncomfortable with. and suddenly you're by yourself and prayer is now forced on your life. That is the most important test you'll

20:15 go through. Right? So there you have it. Right? Let us just quickly pray. I just want to just pray again and just seal um you know with the enemy. I just feel so many times the enemy wants to come and kill, steal, and destroy people's destiny. So, I just want to pray against that right now. Father God, I thank you, Lord, that we can just come to your throne room of grace. Um, I thank you, Father God, that you would just do a mighty work in and through every person's life, Father. And where the enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, I thank you, Lord, that you come to give life and life in abundance. I thank you Lord that you would just strip the world out of us father in the mighty name of Jesus. And everybody said

21:01 amen and amen. So yeah as as Pastor Benny has put it, you know, read your Bible, read read and read again your Bible. Um fill up your well. [snorts] Never ever have an empty well. Sorry about that. So fill up your well. Never ever have an empty well. Never ever allow yourself to become depleted that there there isn't an abundance inside of you that out of the abundance the heart should flow over. So going into our notes into preparation of ministry you know the big question we were looking at Peter's life last week and remember right after that we started the book of acts and I showed you how Peter was this you know Jesus goes and

21:47 he immediately steps into his call. He immediately steps into into preaching and into teaching and into defending. Um, and so what's next? What's next for you? What's next for me? In light of the truth that every believer is called to be a minister of the gospel, the question really does get posed. What is next? And many people miss this because they they they forget about their next. There is more than just than just us reading the word and praying. So whether you desire to go into full-time ministry or just to labor in the secular place while being a light for Christ there, we still

22:35 prepare for ministry. No matter how we going to live it out, how it's going to look for each of us is going to be different. But there still is that preparation. Whether you just going to be Christlike in your workplace, Christlike in the marketplace, Christlike in the home, Christlike from the pool pit, Christlike in the church, there is work that needs to be done. And the first thing that I want to say is preparation takes time. There's this saying that says when God wants to make a pumpkin, he takes 6 months. But when he wants to make an oak tree, it takes hundreds of years. And so, what would you rather become? a pumpkin that is there only for a season or an oak tree strongly rooted deeply with able to

23:21 withstand all the storms and all the droughts. So the question is many people shortcut on what God is telling them to do, what God is asking them to do, what God is requiring of them. And so they become a pumpkin in for a season out, you know, blow in with the wind, blow out with the next wind, you know, and we don't want that. We want oak trees. We want strong and stable and steadfast in Christ. So if your heart's desire is to minister as the Lord Jesus did, then you need to embrace the fact that transformation takes time. Pastor Benny said it so well. You need to get the world out of you. And God is slowly but surely shaping each and every one of us

24:07 into the image of his son, into his image, into his likeness. But that work that he desires to do takes time. But it's not only a now work, it's even an eternal work. So there is a reason. The reason is there is a time test. So you may ask, why would God use the passing of time to develop us when the world's uh need is so urgent? The answer is kind of simple. God knows best. He has chosen to use both time and experience as instruments to shape his servants. So again, don't be like a leaf. Blow in, blow out. You know, as light as a feather gets

24:53 crushed if you step on it. No, you must be like an oak tree. You must be steadfast. You must be solid. You must be able to withstand anything that life throws. And the only way is time and experience. Those are the only two key things that really build this kind of endurance, this kind of character. There's a saying that says don't let your your character or your gifting take you where your character can't keep you. So many times we have these amazing giftings. I've seen it amazing students on fire radical can preach better than what I can but their character is flawed. And that means that their gift can take them there but their character won't sustain them there. So God knows

25:38 best. getting to know ourselves and God. Every believer needs to come face to face with their weaknesses. Yes, you heard right. We need our weaknesses and we need to take time to learn them. We need to take time to see what we can expand on, what we can fix, what we can change, what we can do with that weakness. It's when we see our lack of strength that we then turn on Christ's strength in that avenue. It's when we fail to realize ministry cannot flow from our own ability and talents that God steps in. And it's through our faults and our shortcomings that we're driven to seek a source of enablement outside of ourselves. Right? We talk about

26:23 responsibility. It's our response to God's ability. That's our responsibility. And our need brings us to Christ. One teacher put it this way. We must get to know ourselves and that we have no strength. Thus we must learn and then thus we must learn and then leaning on the Lord we can with more maturity and experience deal with our souls. The reality of our failures clears the path for us to see how beautiful God and his provision truly are. When our defeats humble us to the ground, he then lifts our eyes to look at his face. When our love for others grow cold, we discover that God's love never ends. When our

27:09 endurance burns low, we turn to the one whose strength is limitless and who gives grace moment by moment. The Lord Jesus is more than enough. That this truth is not grasped in an instant. It unfolds through days and through nights, through months and through years, and even in different seasons of our lives. Being a believer does not automatically mean that we know the Lord intimately. That comes when we walk with him daily through our failures, through our victories, through his word, his spirit, his body, and the church. The more we see who he is, the more captivating he becomes and the more he meets our need with his allsufficient grace. Hebrews

27:54 chapter 11 12 verse 1-2 says run with endurance the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus the founder and perfector of our faith so learning from Peter's journey last week I told you about the start of Peter's journey think again of Peter before he became a leader in the early church took him through many years of learning both of failure and grace as one writer observed It's more comforting to realize that that that [clears throat] it is those who have plumbed the depths of failure to whom God invariably gives the call to shepherd others. It's not a call given to the gifted, the highly talented, the polished.

28:40 Without a bitter experience of their own inadequacy and poverty, they're quite unfitted to bear the burden of spiritual ministry. It takes a man who has discovered something of a measure of his own weakness to be patient with others. And such a man also has firsthand knowledge of the loving care of a chief shepherd. Peter learned by falling, but even more, he learned by experiencing the patience and provision of Christ. This is what prepared him to lead and shepherd others. So rest in the process. Do not be discouraged if it feels like God is taking his time with you. Do not chase after the greatest things for the

29:26 Lord at the expense of shaping your own life. Instead, rest in him. Depend on him. Trust that he is already producing fruit in you and that in due time he will multiply that fruit. that he is crafting you step by step into a believer whose life will bring lasting impact for his glory. Preparation takes time. Number one, sanctification is a process of time. Second Corinthians chapter 3 18 and we all with the unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord are transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For

30:12 this comes from the Lord who is the spirit. God's work of transformation is progressive. Just as it takes years for an oak tree to grow strong roots and a sturdy trunk, so believers are gradually conformed to the to Christ's image. This is the doctrine of sanctification, a lifelong process by which God makes his people holy and useful. It really is the picture of the pumpkin versus the oak. Pumpkins will grow fast but last briefly. Oaks will grow slowly but endure for generations. God uses time to deepen our character so that our ministry will bear lasting fruits. Number two, weakness as a

31:00 pathway to strength. 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you and my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so the power of Christ may rest upon me. One of God's main tools in preparation is weakness. Ministry is not fueled by talent and charisma and strength, but it's fueled by dependence on Christ. Theologically, this is tied to divine empowerment. God's strength is displayed through human insufficiency. By allowing us to fail, God teaches us that we cannot minister in our own power. Our sufficiency leads us to Christ's sufficiency. Our insufficiency,

31:47 rather, leads us to Christ's sufficiency. Just as Peter denied Jesus three times before being restored, our shortcomings make us more reliant, compassionate, and patient when we shepherd others. Number three, knowing God requires ongoing relationship. Hosea chapter 6 and verse three. Let us press on to know the Lord. His going out is sure at the dawn and he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. So conversion is the beginning of the Christian life, not the end. Theologically we distinguish between

32:33 positional knowledge which is justification and experiential knowledge which is sanctification. Like Peter who walked with Jesus for years before becoming a bold leader, believers come to know God more deeply through walking daily with him in prayer, in the word, in the spirit, and with fellowship of the church. This takes time. It takes failure. It takes countless encounters with his grace. Number four, suffering, trials, and endurance as training. James chapter 1 verse 2, 3, and 4. Count it all joy, my brothers, when trials meets of various kinds, for you know that the testing of

33:20 your faith produces steadfast, and let that steadfast have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete. lacking nothing. I call this the James chapter 1 2:3 principle. And obviously you can add verse 4, [clears throat] but when things get tough, remember James 1 23. James chapter 1 verse 2-3. God intentionally uses trials and failures to prepare his people for ministry. The doctrine of spiritual formation through suffering shows that testing produces endurance and maturity. Peter exhorts the church later. After you have suffered a little while, the grace of the God of all grace with himself

34:06 restore confirm strengthen and establish you. Only someone who has been refined by the trials can shepherd others with patience and hope. Number five, the chief shepherd care shapes future shepherds. I John 10:11 am the good shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 1 Peter 5 2 and verse4 the shepherd the flock of God that is among you and when the chief shepherd appears you will receive the unfading crown of glory. So preparation for ministry is not becoming highly trained and efficient and not at all in the world sense, but it's about experiencing firsthand the love and the

34:53 care of Christ, the chief shepherd, as the New Testament puts it. [cough] [clears throat] Sorry about that. So this reflects the principle of imitating Christ. Only those who have leaned on his shephering grace can truly shepherd others. If you think of the book of Jonah that you did earlier this year, he had to learn about that kind of grace before he could deliver that message. That's why he ran away because he didn't want to give people a second chance cuz he hadn't learned that about God. And and God takes him on the the boat and you know the story, the whale swallows him up and later the whale spews him out and he goes and he delivers the message. But that same grace that God showed him became the message that he had to give

35:38 to the people. So Peter's failure made him tender towards others struggles because he knew the restoring touch of Jesus. Number six, fruitfulness is God's work in his time. Right? Abide in me and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine. Neither can you unless you abide in me. John 15:4. Preparation for ministry is not about rushing into an activity. It's about learning to abide. The doctrine of abiding with Christ. The doctrine of bearing fruit. The doctrine of Christ is all in being connected. It

36:25 flows from relationship. Without relationship, there will be no revelation. Can I say that again? Without relationship there will be no revelation. You will be like that of a pumpkin in for a season fraught discarded or used before the next. God's timing ensures that our fruit in our lives is not superficial or short-lived but eternal. Our task is to abide rest and trust that he will multiply fruit in due season. Galatians chapter 6 verse 9. So let's reflect quickly this evening. A lot has been said and I just want to tie it all in. Looking at Peter's life, Peter had many

37:11 failures, many weaknesses. And failures and weakness is not a disqualification in the kingdom of God. Failures and weaknesses is an opportunity to look for God in that. Find God in that and tap on a limitless power that we can get from God. a limitless ability that we can get from God. So if you are battling in a certain area, if you're battling with a certain thing, then I want to encourage you to strive to seek God in that area. Then we know sanctification is a slow journey. You know, we are in right standing with God. God has given us Jesus. We no longer have a distance in the relationship. However, sanctification is a slow but sure process.

38:04 Sorry. Um, it is a slow and sure process. God uses time to deepen his servants. Weakness is something we can build on. Like the world views weakness as a negative thing. We can take our weaknesses to God. We can ask God to give us strength in that area. We can trust God for supernatural revelation or gifting or ability in that area. Trials shape our endurance. If there's one thing we can learn from Peter's life is that whatever he had went through, overcome and now got the victory in. He didn't forget those things. He used them to apply to reach an audience and to have compassion, a Jesus kind of compassion upon that audience. So students, never forget where you've come

38:51 from. But never forget that God is taking you somewhere. This is the whole process. This is the whole time test. But again, it's up to you if you want to be a pumpkin or if you want to be an oak tree. It's up to your surrender, how much you'll surrender, how much you'll allow God to do in your life to determine will it be a blowin, blowout, or will it be something longlasting? That decision in preparation in ministry remains your decision. Nobody can make that decision for you. It's the continual dying to ourselves on a daily basis. It's the continual seeking God in his word. It's the continual allowing the Holy Spirit to prune, to cut, to

39:36 shape. And if you're not bearing fruit, ask God why. Ask God to take you into that season to prepare you for the season of fruit. So at the end of the day, you know, fruit really comes from above. It doesn't come from from, you know, premature or cutting down the tree next to you. Fruit comes from above. So if you're looking for fruit upon your life, if you're looking at the fruit upon others lives, realize that it comes from above. It is God's gift to those that are abiding in him. So I want to encourage you always abide in Christ. Remember preparation for ministry is God's work in us. This assignment

40:22 preparation for ministry is a lifelong assignment. It actually starts way after Bible school. Your third and your fourth and your fifth and your sixth and your 10th year after Bible school. That's where the real test comes. That's where the real trials come. They always said, "I did three years of Bible school, but they would always say to me, the fourth year is the hardest one." And for you students, I want to say your third year of Bible school is your hardest one. Because you won't have a teacher te expecting you to read 20 books. You won't have a teacher te sitting down 3 hours going, "You need to read the word of God. Have you read the word of God? Here's some of the word of God. Let's read the your next year becomes your harder year because now it's for you to

41:08 live out everything that you have been taught. It's now for you to go even beyond the veil and continue to go into the Holy of Holies with the Lord. And yes, there will be weaknesses. There will be trials, but there will also be abiding in Christ. There will also be fruit. There will also be joys because you are all called to become oak trees, not little pumpkins, but an oak tree. That's what the BI is producing. After 2 years, almost 48 subjects. You're not a flimsy little twig on a dried out branch in the desert. No, you're an oak tree. You have deep roots. You have a sturdy trunk. You have long

41:55 green branches, healthy, thriving, and ready. So, I leave that with you this evening. You make the decision. Pumpkin or an oak tree? Whenever you want to jump out of the refiner's fire, I want you to remember what are you in. Are you in it for a short season, just a quick, you know, gust? Are you in it for the long term? I leave you with that and I'm looking forward to seeing you next week for the next session. God bless you. Have an awesome evening.