Posted by MVBC Staff

Acts 13:2
“While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'”

Spirit led ministry stems from genuine worship. As the church in Antioch was prospering and as their focus was on the Lord alone the Spirit filled them with direction for service. This service would be the astonishingly fruitful missions ministry of the Apostle Paul that would eventually spread throughout the known world at the time. However, notice something very important: all the church had been doing was “ministering (i.e., worshiping) and fasting.” Then the Holy Spirit spoke and said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Too often in our times we Christians run ahead of the Lord into “ministry” that isn’t His at all – it’s ours. Our churches and ministries are filled with seemingly good services, programs, and events that were never intended to happen. They didn’t stem from the Holy Spirit’s prompting; they came from our own misguided imaginations. The proof of this is reflected by the very state of the church itself in our times. Any Spirit-filled believer will concur. Christianity in our times is far too flesh driven with far too little of the Spirit’s imprint on much of anything we do. We are in grave danger of allowing the world’s ways and strategies to over take us all in the name of “Spirit-filled ministry.”

So, what shall we do? The true Church needs to return to ancient strategies for success. We need to get rid of most of the “new” and return to the proven “old” ways of operation. We need more churches and more ministries that derive their spiritual actions out of “ministering to the Lord and fasting” like the church in Antioch did so long ago. These believers weren’t thinking or planning and strategizing; they were simple in their worship and child like in their intentions. They wanted the Lord Jesus Christ and nothing else. They humbled themselves with fasting and worship and the Holy Spirit moved. This Spirit-filled moving would take this relatively small Syrian church to the ends of the earth through the Apostle Paul and Barnabas.

Where do we get our ideas for ministry? Do they come from seeing other successful Christians doing them and so we follow suit? Do they pop into our minds and rush into our hearts without any prayer or fasting or humbling? Do we get them from the corporate world and synchronize them into the church?

Father, help us to be like the Christians of old, like the believers who were at Antioch so long ago. Teach us to humble ourselves in worship and fasting desiring You alone and nothing else. Direct us in the ancient paths of Spirit-filled worship. Then anoint us with Your power and Spirit for ministry and service and missions for the Name and glory of Jesus Christ our Lord, in who’s Name we pray. Amen.

2 Responses to Where do my Ministry Ideas Come From?

  1. Bob says:
    May 5, 2014 at 6:42 pm

    As shown by the rest of the ministry of Paul from Antioch forward, the Holy Spirit orchestrated the Christian explosion in the known world . Paul, through fasting and prayer was able to receive his leading from the Spirit and never operated under his own power. The success of the early church was due to his obedience to the Spirit through waiting on the Spirits prompting through fasting and prayer. Why should the church today be any different. Any work of our own devise could dangerously and probably not be the will of God.