Author: Pastor Rufus Ajiboye

The paradox is that most Christians, who discipline themselves in other areas of their life in order to be successful – like job or carrier, do not believe they need to be disciplined in the area of godliness. We are talking about good Christians who are faithful members of the Church of the Living God. These are people who love God’s Word and often are very enthusiastic about the work of God. But because of the lack of discipline they do not reach their potential in God’s Kingdom.

So, we get different ideas about changing our life, but these ideas do not come to pass automatically. An idea must grow into a desire. Then as a desire grows stronger, a person makes a decision, and that’s when it gets more serious! But many people stop at this point. The thing is that you must go from a decision to some actions. A decision must turn into actions if you want to see any real changes in your life.

I believe that discipline is one of God’s tools that help us to change and achieve effectiveness in our personal lives and ministry. Every one of us has a dream or a goal for our lives. But however good or grand these plans or desires are, discipline is a necessary prerequisite for these things to come to pass. Many ideas and desires never come true because people lack discipline.

As we have mentioned earlier, God is a God of progress, therefore, He wants us to make progress in our life and grow in our influence. One of God’s instruments of accomplishing this goal is through our ministry. Greatness and influence comes through ministry.

Compassion, in turn, brings healing and restoring power of God into my life and through my life into the lives of others around me. Through the virtue of the compassion, I become a tool in God hands – a tool used for restoration and a channel of God’s healing anointing.

God’s anointing flows and works through compassion. Do you want God to anoint you in a special way? Do you want the God’s power to flow through you mightily? I guess you do, don’t you? God desires that for you! He wants you to be an instrument of His grace, through whom His anointing and power can consistently flow. In order to succeed in this we need to develop a heart of compassion towards the people who in need around us. The more compassion we have within us, the more anointing and God’s power will flow through us.

It is true that ministry transforms us into the likeness of God. Since God is graceful and compassionate in His essence, then we His children should be able to show to others the grace and compassion of our Heavenly Father and we do that by serving other people. Earlier on, we already mentioned that God’s desire is to transform us into the image and the likeness of Christ so that we can begin to reflect the quality of character that Jesus had. It was Christ who came to reveal God to us so that we can follow in His steps. We know that changes automatically do not occur; changes or transformation happen only as we implement the laws and principles of God into our life. Ministry is one tremendous way we can do that; it is one of the many tools, God uses to mold and transform us into likeness of Christ.

It is not a secret that we are all born selfish. Someone might argue and say that does not apply to him or that he is not selfish. If you say that then you are lying! We are all selfish, except the transforming grace of God!

What does it mean to be selfish?

· A selfish person is one who lives only for himself. He only cares about his world and does not notice what is happening to others around him. A selfish person is only concerned about his life and his comforts.

Notice that by serving people we are not trying to take God’s place in their lives. Vice verse, via our ministry we desire to draw people to the only Person who is able to sincerely help them, and that is to God.

That’s why the purpose of our ministry is drawing people to God, so that God can be glorified in their lives. God is the only one, who can help, comfort, heal and restore the destiny of people. We are just tools and channels He uses. Our task is to let God channel His love through our ministry to other people.

Walking in love is the determining factor of how happy we will be on this earth. Any one of us can become a happy person, who is satisfied with life, if only we will live in accordance to the law of love. In other words, my attitude towards God and the people around me determines whether I will be happy or not. If you want to be happy, then my advice to you is to love God and your neighbour without deceit!

Ministry helps us to live for others not just for ourselves. When a person has a servant or serving heart, his life is focused on making other people happy instead of waiting on the other people to make him happy. Somebody with such an attitude and life position has no time for depression or for self-pity. His life is rather focused on searching for and helping other people who lives in poorer conditions himself instead of sitting around celebrating self- pity party. The person who understands the purpose of true ministry doesn’t live for himself, but his goal is to love God and to love other people.