Being Faithful to the Call of God

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.