The following are some spiritual orientations that will aid your spiritual life:
. You are not a merchant who peddle the gospel for gain. You are a servant of God. Emphasis is on “servant”.
. A man of God cannot be puffed up. If he is, it is because he has not met with God or he is beginning to lose God’s presence. The realisation of spirit-gifts may puff a man up, but the realisation of presence of God humbles a man.
. Be very careful about commercialising sacred things. Trust God to supply. Freely have you received; freely give. Profiteering ultimately helps no man.
. Regard not the accumulation of material possession. Seek not to surpass your brethren in earthly riches. But be preoccupied with knowing and doing the will of the heavenly Father.
. Prayer is of utmost importance. It could never be enough and must never cease. Pray and pray and keep praying. Make fast a norm, if you have the bodily grace.
. Never be wasteful. Be generous but also be meticulous.
. Never be hasty. Learn to stop, watch, listen and wait for the Lord. He runs things, not you.
. Be very careful to distinguish the words and precepts of the Lord from the words, knowledge, traditions and ordinances of men (whether or not those men are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors or teachers). Follow your religious leaders with the common and uncommon senses of the spirit.
. It is both the most blessed and most risky occupation to be the man of God. The closer a man is to God, the more the blessings as he faithfully serves; but the more his doom if he carelessly or dishonourably serves. Why? Because God’s honour is at stake. Take Moses, Uzzah, David, the Young Prophet, Judas Iscariot, Ananias and Saphira as cases of study.
. The broad way is barely demarcated from the narrow way. Majority, on a superficial glance, would appear to be in the narrow way but following a careful look, it becomes evident that they are actually on the broad way.
Very, very few people are on the narrow way while the majority are just on the side in the broad lane cheering on or accompanying or even selling things to the very few who are strenuously walking the broad way.
Many preachers and church goers today are in the broad way selling pretty sermons, books, daily devotionals, prayers and Christian concerts to the very few in the narrow way. Moral Lesson: Do not look on the majority; rather focus on Christ and His teachings in the Holy Ghost.
. Christ is the only way to please God. The disciple of Christ who is truly saved is he who is free indeed from the lifestyle of sin. This is that disciple who has been washed by the blood of the Lamb and who is now actively imitating the steps of Jesus Christ on a daily basis.
. Many a time, it takes great strain to keep, lead and feed the flock of Christ. A servant of God must not despair or shy away from his God-given assignment in the face of inimical circumstances.
. Again, the sermon that actually nourishes the souls of God’s people will, many a time, be harsh rebuke. A man of God must not shy away from using the rod of the Word whenever necessary.
. The call of God on the life of a man to become a preacher is that of urgency and utmost seriousness and of highmost honour. Never stoop so low as to ignore it for any earthly ambition.
. The preaching of the word shall accomplish a great many things.
. Do away with fear.
. Be consciously careful of how you relate with the elderly on one-on-one encounters.
. The habits with which God made you great can only keep you great. Don’t be foolish as to lose them along the way.
. Always refuse the devil’s power and rely strictly on the power of the Holy Ghost. Satan will tempt you to avail yourself of your rights and power as God’s son to get the pleasure of food, the glory of a world ruler, and the acclaim of a wonder-working messiah at the door of the temple.
But like Jesus, you must keep your face set on the cross and renounce that kind of power which only gives temporary glory.
. We must act and pause in the Holy ghost for the execution of our divine mandate to free the captives of the devil.
. Ours is a battle against ungodliness, secularism and hunger.
. Two of the apostolic signs and wonders the world groans to see in the church are holiness and practical kindness.
. For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Jesus the Christ.
. The servant of God shares God’s burden of His people with God.
. Prayer may indeed be the weapon of God’s people, but the word of God is the strength to handle and manoeuvre (with) that weapon.
. One reliable way of protecting your life and ministry from (the curse of) ministry is to rigidly carry your prayer routine everywhere you go. Otherwise, you will soon lose God to ministry.
. You need more silence to be tuned in to the Father of the spirits and to be cognizant of the subtle activities of the spirits.
