GIFTS AND MINISTRIES (Part III)

By Odon Bulamba (Friday 29th September 2000)

5. ABOUT OBEDIENCE

Hebrews 5:7-8
Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered;

The Bible says that although Jesus was the Son of God, He would always beg God and shed tears when praying. The only reason for God to answer Jesus’ prayer was that He was submitted and obedient. This is essential for us; in order to be heard by God, we must first submit to Him. Jesus learnt obedience through all His sufferings, so if we don’t suffer today how can we learn obedience? Do you want God to treat you harshly so that you will obey Him by force? Let us stop and think and acknowledge what we should do.


OBEDIENCE THROUGH HIGH DISCRETION

God always communicates with His servants. When He gives us a message, we must know how to protect it. Unfortunately, most Christians today feel that God’s messages are heavy in their heart and they will feel urged to find someone to unload the charge.
- Brother Guillaume, you know what? Today God revealed to me that Hayley did that.
- Ange, you live with Hayley… you know that she is not doing well, because God revealed that to me.


And God will see that you are not submitted to Him: you were not given a message to broadcast it if God hasn’t given you permission. Your mission with this message is not to tell everyone but to sort something out. This is what we call ‘to control your mouth, keep your tongue and keep secrets’. Yet, many people think that these secrets are about our natural life and can be shared with everyone.

You must know that there is no secret under this sun for God and He reveals it to who He wants. When God saw His servant in the wrong somewhere, a king for example, He used to send a prophet to talk to them in order to correct the mistake.
When God uses us, we must know our mission’s boundaries, and not to be nosy in other people’s business. If you are the Minister of Education, control your own business and don’t try to control the Ministry of Justice (for example).

OBEDIENCE THROUGH HARDSHIP

In order to be prepared to serve God most servants go through serious hardship. God gave us (people here) this grace not to have known what serious hardship is.

1 Kings 19:1-4
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel send a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Jehovah, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Here the servant of God Elijah preferred death to life. But God has allowed suffering through persecution to confirm what was in him.
How many times were you persecuted for the glory of God?

Numbers 11:11-15
And Moses said unto Jehovah, Wherefore hast thou dealt ill with thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
12 Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?
13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

We see the same thing with Moses: instead of carrying on, he wanted to die.

In 1 Kings, Jezebel was the prophet’s enemy and she wanted to exterminate Elijah.

6. OUR FIRST ENEMY IS TO SEEK SUCCESS

Today, we think that our enemies are people around us because we want success above all. But if you want to be successful, the gifts God has put in you will never work and you will never serve God. When someone finds healing after their prayer, for example, most people seek their own glory. They wait for a ‘thank you’, they wait for that testimony to be broadcast at church and to hear in front of the whole church: ‘Michael prayed for me, I was healed, so Michael is a servant of God.’ That would give him real joy.

This is exactly what kills the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Remember that when Jesus prayed for the sick, He would say, ‘Go and don’t say anything to anyone’. But the Christians today are unable to do this because we are not submitted to God’s work. If God tells you to speak, speak but if God doesn’t, keep quiet.

7. OUR SECOND ENEMY IS MONEY

We all know that that money contains things that make us impure. Let’s be careful with money.


8. THIRD ENEMY WHEN OUR BELOVED ONES COME BEFORE GOD

Third thing is our marriages, our partner
- Should I take care of my husband Michael or of God? thinks Sylvie.
- Should I take care of Sylvie first or of the work of God? thinks Michael.
Others will talk about their fiancée. The Bible gives us light about all of this and the teaching we have is a very useful to guide us in the work of God.