And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power (1Cor. 2:4)
For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. (1 Cor. 4:20)
Have you ever wondered why some sermons seem to penetrate people’s lives and remain with them for a long time while others don’t have any effect, though they sound very sweet when listening to them? The difference is the manifestation of the power of God in preparation and delivery of the message. It’s the power of God manifesting that matters in any service you are rendering in the kingdom of God not just your words or skill. Words are powerful and can affect people, but they become more energized when birthed in God’s presence and prayed over before delivery to people. The power of God has been given to every born again child of God but we all need to spend time in God’s presence to activate the power.
Endeavour to do all you can to stay in God’s presence thanking, praising, worshipping, praying and studying his word to get His power activated in your life continuously. Thereby, your words or songs or drama or any other activity as a minister of the gospel, will carry the necessary power that transforms people’s lives.
In the kingdom, we do not preach or teach just to inform or impress people, we labour in the presence of God, asking him to use our mouths to speak words that will change lives. A goal to impress people is not a kingdom-oriented goal. That is how the system of this world operates, showcasing and showing off. Our goal as ministers of the gospel should be to transfer God’s message with his power in such a way that people’s lives are changed.
Check the results in people’s lives
If we are sincere with ourselves, we should examine our lives by looking at the lives of those who are hearing us. Whatever we see in them is our true nature not the one we pretend to showcase to the world. Only the true word and power of God can transform lives. If you are just gathering messages from others and echoing them to the people without God’s power, you cannot guarantee the effect on people’s lives.
Preaching or teaching or singing or acting drama or any other form of ministration should not be an end. They are meant to affect people’s lives and you should see the result of your effort. If you keep preaching or teaching or singing and the people don’t know God or continue in sin, then you should check how much time you spend in God’s presence to activate His power.
Men may applaud you for the beautiful song or power-point presentation, but heaven is waiting eagerly for the results. God wants you to do something meaningful for the kingdom. He wants your efforts to lead to salvation, healing, deliverance, prosperity in people’s lives or any other positive change the people need.
Your works shall be tested with fire
Your spiritual works shall be tested with fire. The works done for doing sake that did not yield enduring results in people’s lives shall be burnt. The fire will test the type of material used to build people’s lives – if they are cheap, easy to-obtain materials from the roadside or precious materials obtained from God’s presence.
If eventually all the singing, acting, preaching and teaching do not amount to anything, they get burnt and the people go to hell, then the effort would have been wasted. If you have decided to come out of the world to serve God, why not submit yourself to the patterns of doing things in the kingdom so that your labour will not be lost.
The correct pattern of serving in God’s kingdom is to stay in God’s presence long enough to obtain precious materials (words, songs, story etc.) before standing in the presence of His people. Such materials are usually received after quality time of waiting on God, thanking, praising, worshipping and praying to Him.
These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1 Cor 2:12)
The Holy Spirit should teach you whatever you wish to deliver to God’s people for it to be meaningful. If Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church that their eloquence didn’t really matter and he was only interested in the demonstration of the power of God, then everyone who has perceived the call of God or who is already obeying the call should take the issue of activating God’s power in His life seriously. (But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. 1Co 4:19) May we not spend our lives in useless and meaningless ventures.
If you have decided to heed the call of God over your life; please labour in the word and prayers to receive revelations and activation of the power of God in your life. Anytime you have any assignment to deliver to God’s people, make sure you spend quality time in your closet studying and praying concerning the task. Pray in tongues as much as you can to activate God’s power in your life. These will help you to build people with enduring materials.