Acts 13:3
“Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
On Monday’s post we looked at where the church at Antioch got their ministry ideas. We learned that their ministry ideas came out of worship and fasting. As a “part two” of that post it is critical that we look at what they did next.
After receiving direction from the Holy Spirit to begin a new missions ministry what did this successful church do? Did they take off and begin this Spirit led ministry? No. In fact, they did the very opposite. They stayed put. They didn’t move. They did more prayer and fasting!
It is so interesting that this early church, second only to the Jerusalem church itself, literally surrounded their ministries with worship, prayer, and fasting. As they worshiped the Lord through prayer and fasting they got ideas from the Holy Spirit. As they got these Spirit-filled ideas they prayed and fasted even more before acting!
A healthy, successful church envelops all of its ministries in worship, prayer, and fasting. These ministries come out of worship and are prayed over and fasted for before they are initiated. Too often in our times we Christians run ahead with Spirit-led ideas for ministry before bathing them in prayer and fasting. And no new ministry is worth carrying out if many hours of prayer and fasting haven’t occurred on its behalf.
Ministry is important. It is the very Body of Christ on earth serving the Church and the lost through faithful, anointed believers. Shouldn’t we, therefore, take these things more seriously? Should any new ministry be quick and easy? Wouldn’t it be better for us believers to follow the tried and true practice of getting our ministry ideas out of prayer and fasting and then praying and fasting even more before acting on them? Would this help ensure that we haven’t heard incorrectly or missed something from the Holy Spirit? Might this help establish not only what the Holy Spirit wants us to do, but how He wants us to carry it out?
There is one more important thing the church in Antioch did with their new anointing: They “laid their hands on” Paul and Barnabas. That is, this new ministry was endorsed by and accountable to the leaders of the church. Paul and Barnabas didn’t get ministry ideas and then run off and do them like lone rangers. Their co-leaders in the church gave them their blessing. This blessing was given through the laying on of hands. Leaders laying hands on individuals for ministry is Bible-wide. It always symbolizes and represents God’s anointing and power for a special new task that He wants carried out.
No new ministry ideas can be successful without much worship, prayer, and fasting surrounding them. In addition, these new anointings from the Spirit should always have their final approval through God-ordained leadership.
Father, help us to practice the spiritual disciplines of worship, prayer, and fasting. Let more and more of our ministry ideas stem from them and be checked by them. Help us in this “we want it now” culture to wait on You in long hours of worship and self-degradation displayed through prayer and fasting as we seek what You want done and how You want to do it. Then, give us Your blessing through our leaders to carry out the tasks You want to do on earth for the glory of Your Name. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
