Another minister informed me – comparing his

ministry to the ministry of another – that his ministry

was a Cadillac and the other was a Yugo. I thought to

myself, then I must be the hubcap on the Yugo. One

preacher informed a friend of mine that he was one of the

top five speakers in the world today. I thought to myself,

I must be one of the bottom five.

 

It is not what you have done or achieved in man’s

eyes that counts; it is faithfulness to the call of God.

When I stand before my heavenly Father I desire to hear

Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

Enter into the joy of the Lord.” I don’t want to hear, “Well

done, thou good and successful servant You have already

received your reward, it’s the praise of men.”

 

The Danger of Forgetting Where You’ve Come From

 

Is it not amazing that God visits an ordinary

individual and anoints him? The man rises out of the dust

to achieve greatness in God. Later when asked what was

the key to his success, he gives a ten-point guideline to

would-be followers about the secret to success.

But it had nothing to do with the ten points. It was

the touch of God in the individual’s life which resulted in

the call. He remained faithful to fulfill the call and

succeeded. It is as simple as that.

 

It Doesn’t Come Overnight

 

Success does not come overnight; it is formed in

the fires of life. In that crucible theories become proven

and foundations are laid. Usually those who rise

overnight, fall before daybreak.

Some look at the success that we’ve had in the

evangelistic field in recent times in South Africa and the

United States (and in comparison to others we have not

even begun yet), and they will say to me, “Your ministry

shot up overnight.” All I can tell them is that it’s been the

longest night of my life.

 

The Importance of Worship

 

Jesus said, “The hour cometh, and now is, when

the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and

in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him”

(John 4:23). Worship is so important, not just

corporately; but also privately. As we begin to worship

Him, the presence of the Lord will come upon us.

The scripture says in Psalm 91:1, “He that

dwelleth in the secret place of the most High will abide

under the shadow of the Almighty.” Worship is that

secret place. We need to develop a lifestyle of prayer. We

need to develop a lifestyle of worship.

 

Integrity in Life and Ministry

 

It is very important to be oneself. We are living in

a day and age when there is so much pressure to follow

the crowd and be an echo instead of being a voice. I

believe God wants to raise up voices in these last days.

He wants those who will speak as an oracle of God.

There is a lack of integrity in the ministry today. I

believe if we would be used of God on a continual basis,

we need to develop character in the area of integrity.

We live in a day when men have very little

integrity, not only in the world but also in the Church.

The scripture says, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the

Lord? Or shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean

hands, and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3, 4). It is sad to think

that in the Church today there is a lack of integrity.

People say what they want and then forget completely

what they said. Some even deny that they said or

promised anything.

 

The motto I have adopted in the ministry is,

“Expect nothing from anyone, but commit yourself to be

a giver.” The Bible says God will honor a man who

swears to his own hurt (Psalm 15:4). Many times when I

am promised things from men of God, I don’t get excited

until I see it happen. It is sad that you cannot trust

someone’s word. The lack of integrity has plagued the

ministry for many years, from the Elmer Gantry of

Hollywood to real life, modem day televangelism.

 

Man Looks on the Outside, God Looks on the Heart

 

And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt

thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from

reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I

will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have

provided me a king among his sons.

 

And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he

will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with

thee, and say I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee

what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him

whom I name unto thee.

 

And Samuel did that which the Lord spake, and came

to Bethlehem, And the elders of the town trembled at

his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably?

And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto

the Lord: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the

sacrifice.

 

And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them

to the sacrifice.

 

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he

looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the Lord’s anointed

is before him.

 

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his

countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I

have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth;

for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the

Lord looketh on the heart.

 

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before

Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen

this.

 

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said,

Neither hath the Lord chosen this.

 

Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before

Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath

not chosen these.

 

And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children?

And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and,

behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto

Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till

he come hither.

 

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy

and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to

look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this

is he.

 

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in

the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord

came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel

rose up, and went to Ramah.

 

1 Samuel 16:1-13