How Are You Fulfilling Your Ministry?
By Nate
Stevens
Take heed to the ministry which you
have received
in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.
What
is your ministry? Wait! Before you deny it and check out, yes, you have one.
If
minister or deacon aren’t your callings, then servant and attendant
should suffice. Jesus was well-acquainted with such terms. He said, “If anyone
desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
In
Colossians 1:9-11, Paul confirms we can walk
worthy of the Lord and fully please Him. We can be fruitful in every
good work. More powerfully, we can be strengthened with His might
and glorious power. The challenge is to identify our ministry, fulfill it in a
way that pleases God, and do it all for His glory (1
Corinthians 10:31).
What is your Spiritual Gift?
Romans
12 and 1 Corinthians 12 outline various spiritual gifts God gives us. We are to
“desire spiritual gifts” and to be “zealous for spiritual gifts” (1 Corinthians 14:1, 12).
To
fulfill your ministry, start with your spiritual gift. It helps identify your participation
in the overall kingdom of God. When God gives a spiritual gift, it will be a
natural fit. Preaching. Teaching. Writing. Evangelism. Intercession. Or whatever
it may be. If you don’t know what it is, there are several tests to help reveal
it. But you do have one (Ephesians 4:7).
What are your Talents and Personality?
God
usually doesn’t ask us to do something for which we have no ability. An author
will naturally gravitate toward reading and writing—and have some sense of
grammar. A singer can carry a tune and is usually humming throughout the day. A
teacher or preacher sees moral analogies in everyday occurrences.
Sure,
God stretches us out of our comfort zones. But He usually won’t ask something
for which He hasn’t given the spiritual gift, natural talent, and personality. But
He continues transforming us into the best, most useful version of ourselves. Whether
leading or supporting, do all to the best of your ability (Ecclesiastes 9:10) and with a servant’s heart.
What is your Surrendered Heart’s
Desire?
If
time or money weren’t obstacles, what would you do for life? Your answer may reveal
your spiritual gifting, ministry, and where you fit in God’s overall kingdom.
God plants a seed in each heart. This seed needs discovery, cultivation, and
surrender to Him. When fully surrendered, God blesses and anoints what He has
given.
God
wants us to succeed and gives insight as how to make that happen. “Delight
yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass”
(Psalm 37:4-5). What incredible promises for those
who partner with God Almighty!
March on in Your Ministry!
As
you discover and fulfill your ministry, be encouraged and inspired by Paul’s
marching orders. “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs
of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a
soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4).
Writing is a ministry, so march
on, fellow soldier! Our eternal King and kingdom will arrive soon!
Photo by Alex Shute on Unsplash
Nate writes online articles for ChristianDevotions.us
and KingdomWinds.com as well as several other ministries. Additionally, he
co-founded and leads Fusion, a Christian singles ministry. A popular speaker
and teacher at conferences, seminars and Bible study groups, he speaks on a
wide variety of topics. Nate has two adult
children. He and his wife, Karen, live near Charlotte, North Carolina. Follow Nate and find more resources at: www.natestevens.net.
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