Ministry Looks Like You - Transitions Pt.4

Rest In the Lord and He will Direct Your Path

Mark 6:31 NLT

31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

Powerful verse because this verse reflects on what God has called us to do as ministers. Which is the work, but also we must lay that upon Him. It’s not your burden to carry.

Listen, whatever God has called you to do in your ministry, He will also give you the provisions for the work. He will also give you rest for the work.

This is powerful because growing up in ministry, I saw people lose focus and stray off track of the mission God had called them too.

Why did this happen? Because something had taken the attention off the cause. A Person. A Thing. A Thought. This is why you have to rest upon the Lord and keep Him the center of your everything.

Matthew 11:28–30 NLT

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

By the way your ministry can be your child, Your husband, your wife, a family member. It doesn’t always have to be a thing serving other people around you. It can be serving the ones closes to you.

1 Timothy 5:8 NLT

8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.

This is so powerful because people watch your actions more then they listen to your words.

Your words are spoken through your doing

1 John 3:18 NLT

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Don’t just talk about it. Be about it.

So I want to focus this energy on the three things I’ve seen derail people from their ministry.

People - Allowing someone to have control over your actions to succeed. You might not even be doing this intentionally nor the person/people you are letting enter in either. but at the end of the day they could be the very person who is causing you to miss the mission statement.

Matthew 16:20–24 NLT

20 Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. 21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. 22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” 23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.

Don’t allow the traps of a lack of understanding from anyone be a miss for you.

This is why it’s best to not talk to a lot of people about what it is God is calling you to do. Until the proper season. Then when the season is right you can spring it forward.

To know where they are at ask yourself 3 simple questions -

1 - Do they have my best interest or is this more about theirs?

2 - Have they asked questions with concern or with criticism?

3 -What does their patterns tell you about them from past?

Romans 8:6–9 NLT

6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. 9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)

2. Things - Allowing you to become distracted because of what they offer you. Pleasures, Prestige, Power, Preference over purpose.

1 Corinthians 7:29–31 NLT

29 But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. 30 Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. 31 Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.

Things are useful but are never to replace the Gospel so hold lightly to them.

This is why the 48 hour rule stands. Before you do anything, pray about everything.

Romans 12:2 NLT

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Do not get caught up in how you can benefit from following Christ, Just get caught up in Christ

3. Thoughts - Convincing yourself that you are not worthy and you step down or away from your ministry.

Philippians 4:8 NLT

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Don’t look to the left or the right. Keep your eyes on God

It’s so easy to get caught up in allowing yourself to have doubt about what’s going on around you that you begin to under estimate what God will do through you.

Matthew 14:27–31 NLT

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

Stop looking at the challenges you will face, get out of your own mind. Keep your focus on who has called you to it and walk in it. Own it!

As a man thinks so is He! How do you think? Think thoughts that are for your well being.

Proverbs 23:7 NLT

7 They are always thinking about how much it costs. “Eat and drink,” they say, but they don’t mean it.

Don’t convince yourself out of! But work yourself towards.

Tell the story of the Buffalo running into the storm.

I want to bring up our guest today Chaz Douglas

1. How did you get started and what provoked you to do this in the first place.

2. You are targeting who primarily. Why are you targeting that demographic

3. What are some of the challenges you have faced doing this ministry.

4. What successes have you seen so far from doing this ministry.

5. Most people who do ministry are looking to monetize, What would you say to them about that.

6. Has this helped your spiritual walk with God and if so how.

7. Key take aways to help someone else see they are called to ministry Closing thoughts and comments you’d like to share.

Q&A Questions for audience

Small Group Questions

Who has recently tried to influence you in your ministry in a negative way and how did they do it.

Have you found yourself looking to things that are not beneficial to your ministry.

What’s the one thing you are going to work on to change your thoughts to help you be better in your ministry. i.e. study more, get out of your comfort zone and do more of it, make a investment into it. etc….