Tongues of Fire! Vol 1

PAGE - 22 to 32

A LESSON WORTH LEARNING EARLY IN YOUR MINISTRY -

Many times we aim for the highest bar. We aim for success and for recognition and for being 'superstars' in ministry. The testimony of David Wilkerson (The man God used to win hundreds of gangsters in New York city - The author of the cross and the switch-blade) tells the story of one of such a man. A man who was highly acclaimed as an evangelist and who was ministering to thousands in America.

By David's own account he noted, "You know, when the Lord works in your ministry, and you are preaching the Gospel in America, and people are being saved through your ministry. It is like standing with the American flag in one hand and with a freshly baked apple pie in the other! Everyone will love you and support your ministry."

But as much as David was a popular evangelist, he was first and foremost a man who loved God. One day the Lord took hold of his life and transformed David in an incredible way. God told him that he was amusing people and not bringing the true Message of the Gospel. David did not fully understand, but one thing he did not want to do was to displease the Lord. So he went into a long sabbatical and decided that he would not minister again before the Lord would not release him to go and before he did not have the Message God wanted him to share.

During this time he picked up every book he could find from the early reformers, the holiness movement and many others. He read the old time authors and preachers, and as he did, he discovered the shortcomings in today's preaching, the flaws and the half-truths that were presented as the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

David swung back into ministry with a dynamite punch! In fact his life had been so radically transformed that many of his closest friends in ministry drew back from him and would not want to know him any more, calling him fanatical and out of balance! But David had found the Truth, and when he did, the Truth knocked him of from the high rung of being a popular minister, to being a true vessel of the Spirit, and a messenger of Truth.

This I believe is the price every true man of God will face and ultimately will have to pay who have climbed the ladder of success and of popularity in the ministry.

When you follow Him far and long enough, a time will come when you will find that the road becomes too narrow fore a crowd! God will draw you into places in Himself where few others will want to follow. He will reveal secrets to your heart few others will want to care to know. He will speak Truth into your ears, few others will want to hear and He will show you revelations, not many others will want to see! The true worshipper worships for Truth, seeks change and embraces God's discipline as His love!

My advice to all of those in ministry right now working so hard to find recognition and position is this - If you truly love the Lord, know that He will ultimately lead you to place of preaching without compromise - Don't climb the ladder to high, and you won't have too far to fall!

-vdhoven

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." - Matt 26:39

There are some things and experiences we would sometimes rather not go through if we can help it, yet some serve God's eternal purposes and have been written into our destiny to be performed through us.  -vdhoven

God will do more through one simple person with a brave heart than

through one hundred educated and refined cowards. God will accomplish more through a simple man or woman deeply in love with Him to the point of becoming His love-slave, than through someone who has more wisdom between his ears than love in his heart. In His Kingdom it's not the size of your head that matters, it's the size of your heart.