When to Minister
WHEN TO MINISTER
QUESTION FROM READER ABOUT MINISTRY
Hi Sandy
I have as of late been inundated with requests from other people who claim that God told them to tell me to help them but it is not in my heart to do. When this has happened in the past i found myself yielding in case it was God and i did not want to be disobedient. But my heart was not in what i was doing and it just grieved me so bad that i just wished it was over. Now on the other hand when things are done from my heart out of love it just flows…please shed some light on this, as it has me stumped for the moment.
{Name}
RESPONSE FROM SANDY
God does not violate our free will. Your heart must be right when responding to peoples requests, demands, needs. He wants us to be volunteers and cheerful givers. It is just wood hay and stubble without love.
REPLY FROM READER
I was just out running errands with a sister in Christ this morning and this is the same scripture that she had given to me, about wood, hay, stubble and that if there is no love it is useless and we will suffer loss. So again thank you so much. I know love is the key. thanks for the encouragement.
HE SPEAKS THROUGH COMMON SENSE IN GIVING GIFTS
The gifts in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, are various manifestations of the Holy Spirit the Lord has deposited within His people. Together, as a whole, they make up His body. How often we take for granted these gifts and forget to hear His touch. He has placed the gift of His Presence within His people because of His strong love and desire to reach out in a tangible way. What a miserable world it would be without His precious gifts through His people!
When one has a gift to give, common questions are asked, “How do I know I’m supposed to give it? Or how do I know when or how?” This section expresses the idea of giving as a cooperating process:
“If you are really eager to give, then it isn’t important how much you give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you haven’t. Of course, I don’t mean that those who receive your gifts should have an easy time of it at your expense, but you should divide with them. Right now you have plenty and can help them; then at some other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way, each will have as much as he needs. Do you remember what the scriptures say about this? “He that gathered much had nothing left over, and he that gathered little had enough. So you also should share with those in need.” (2 Corinthians 8:12-15 TLB) The equality spoken of in this passage has to do with teamwork. This is not one person doing all the work, but all contributing as they are able.
The key to being used by the Holy Spirit for any giving is being available. The Bible records guidance standards in giving gifts. The first is giving in relation to one’s ability. “Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He hath given you.” (Deuteronomy 16:17 KJ) “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to that he does not have.” (2 Corinthians 8:12 NKJV) We cannot give what we do not have.
Secondly, as seen in the above verse, (willing mind), we do not give out of obligation. All giving requires man’s free will. God does not give through an unwilling vessel. If the vessel is unwilling, the gift is not from Him. “…whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, as an offering of the Lord;…” (Exodus 35:5 NKJV) “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly,18 or of necessity…” (2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV) It is NOT THE LORD one is feeling if there is a feeling of heaviness and a sense of obligation to give. God said, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.”19 (1 John 5:3 KJ)
He has no desire to heavily laden our shoulders; the enemy does that. Also man loads himself with his own goals and ambitions. When God gives His good gifts through a vessel, the vessel is given the grace, the freedom, the joy, the zeal and the delight to give. His yoke is easy, His burden is light when coupled in service with Him. If you are feeling enslaved and yoked in giving, find out why. Search your own heart and motive.
The third measure of giving is to give with cheerfulness. ”For God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV) Note the word “attractive” in footnote # 20. Attraction has drawing power. Attraction draws, allures, magnetizes, gravitates, inclines, pulls, etc. So if you feel repelled toward giving and have no cheerfulness at the thought, listen to your heart.
If you are having trouble getting started sharing your gifts, perhaps the following will help you. The Lord quickened to me that all encompassing Who, What, Why, How, Where and When list. If you are practiced in the gifts, you may want to see if this seems to fit the way you minister.
When the Lord begins His drawing power to reach out to a certain individual, usually the first group He brings to mind is Who, What and Why. Later the how, where, and when seem to fall into place:
WHO – The mystery of the Lord’s drawing power begins when someone comes into focus. We are with him in an actual physical circumstance or he comes to us within our thoughts. Although we have not been alerted, there is a gift to give, the Lord has begun His process. He has identified the “WHO.”
WHAT – Shortly following who, we discover “WHAT.” A problem has emerged and we recognize a need.
WHY – Usually simultaneously, we understand “WHY” it is needed. At this point, we desire to give to that person’s need. This is the time to pray and rely on the Lord to show How, Where and When the need is to be met.
HOW – “HOW” is the transportation of the gift. It can be through a spoken, written or visual word, a physical or spiritual touch. Usually, when we receive a gift to impart, we understand the vehicle by which it will travel. However, there are exceptions. Sometimes when a person receives a word of knowledge about someone, he will waver between two thoughts, do I share, or do I pray? Check the three standards in giving: ability, willingness and drawing power. If there is hesitation, a repelling to give forth in person, reluctance, no cheerfulness, no personal desire or choice, or no ability… Then PRAY. If you have a strong desire to share, then share. If you feel drawn to pray, then pray. If nothing is drawing you, put it on the shelf and wait upon the Lord. He will bring the six words to line up in His perfect timing.
WHERE – The Holy Spirit will bring to mind the environment best situated to give. Obviously, it is not good to give a foot massage while someone is chopping wood! The same is true for any gift shared, there is a wise, tactful and prudent place to give a gift. Most frequently, the Holy Spirit will impart common sense. (“…And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you..” I Samuel 10:7 NKJV) Sometimes extenuating circumstances do require an explicit location. If that is the case, the Holy Spirit will give that supernatural understanding. Most of the time, “WHERE” is common sense.
WHEN – Timing is the last to line up. I have noticed He prefers to leave the timing to me simply because He wants me to be a cheerful and prompt giver. However, I always ask Him to reveal His perfect timing. If the timing is important He will impart that understanding. On most occasions, I give when all six words have lined up and I realize the opportunity is NOW. I do not falter at timing because my faith tells me He knows exactly how long it will take for me to discover the person, hear his need, why he needs it, then understand where and how. My faith tells me He already has the receiver timed perfectly with my timing to hear and dispatch. Usually the opportunity shows itself. Timing also requires tact, wisdom, and common sense. When in doubt about when to give, use common sense. If still in doubt, WAIT. The holy boldness, faith and courage He desires does not come through doubt. Give Him time to establish you before going forth. Establishing comes through confirmations.
I have noticed there are occasions when He has lined up all six words, with my willing cheerful heart to give, but then given me the guidance to “pray” it, rather than give it. When these occasions happen, they have been a true sacrifice and gift; giving my desire to give back to Him and letting Him do it HIS WAY, and in His timing. People who have a ministry of prayer will frequently have this happen, having the means and opportunity to give, and yet yielding their will to the Lord and allowing Him to do what He wants.
As much as we desire to give, we empty ourselves to His will. This is a “strengthless” place to be, desiring so much to help something be better, and yet completely relying on Him to make it better HIS way. In yielding our own strength we become weak. His full miraculous power is then made available to go forth unhindered by flesh.
— SHARING GIFTS —
HE SPEAKS THROUGH HIS SUPER ON OUR NATURAL
The Lord once asked me if I could separate eggs after they were scrambled. I thought that was a strange question until He said, “You and I are scrambled eggs.” It took me a long time to really understand how it applied. For a very long time, I was stifled in applying His guidance because I was waiting for His supernatural touch. The fact was I’d had plenty of them, but I was still unsure of what was Him and what was me.
Then I realized He didn’t want it to be that way – me versus Him. He wants to express Himself through us, with our personalities intact. He has deposited a portion of Himself in each one of us, and He created each of us differently for a reason. He is so big and so multifaceted, it takes a whole universe to even begin to express Who He is and what He wants to say! One day I realized it was His super on my natural. As I stepped out and shared what was on my heart, He was there. He was not only with me but also feeling the same thing I was. We were in the same vessel but I hadn’t really swallowed that when it came to applying His guidance to make decisions and share.
I once had a very funny experience swallowing how close He really is. The following is an excerpt from my journal: “I had an interesting thing happen to me last night. I have not given much thought to the fear of the Lord or the fear of angels. In fact I have always felt that I would be loved so much, I wouldn’t suffer any fear of the supernatural. But last night I was fast asleep and I turned over and the clock said 11:10. My eyes were so heavy with sleep I couldn’t keep them open for more than a couple of seconds at a time. I would keep peeking because I really wanted to see it turn to 11:11.21 I don’t know how many times I did this and every time it still said 11:10. Then finally, in my mind, I started to count back from 10 – 9 – 8 -7 – 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 -1- blast-off! That is what I said in my thoughts and exactly on the word blast-off the clock turned to 11:11.
Terror struck my heart!!!! It was the oddest experience. I had the sudden realization that the Almighty God lived inside my body, and even though I thought I was the one counting, it was Him and I hadn’t known it. I had a supernatural encounter with God, and it was within me! So incredible, it’s hard to even explain. My first thought was, “The Almighty God lives inside of me!” I know that must sound rather stupid because that is what the Holy Spirit teaches us, and we are also taught about the fear of the Lord, but this was experiencing it first hand. It was as close as I could get to Him and still not see Him. (Talk about invasion of privacy!) We have no idea!!!! Boy are we blind. Please, Lord lift the veil and prepare me for You! I had never realized this, but we can’t get any closer to Him than His being inside of us. It is like watching our cat Cuddles and John. He will pick her up and she just goes into ecstasy when he scratches her. She pushes her little head as close to him as she can get. She leans into him with all her might. But even in the closest intimacy you can have, it is still not as intimate and private as having Him live inside and recognizing that. WOW. Lord help me to recognize You and draw fellowship from Your abiding Presence constantly!” (end of journal insert)
So how does all this apply to His guidance? This book is displaying the ways the Lord has chosen to speak to me, and some of them are natural as through our personalities, and some of them are supernatural as gifts from Him. He wants to reach out to us and through us with a scramble of both. It’s not one or the other, it’s both. This is the time when the Lord is drawing very close to the earth, to reach out and collect His final harvest. There is going to be a rain of His supernatural as the world has never seen before. And the way He is going to touch the world is through people. If you are waiting upon Him for guidance, remember to balance both sides. This book is filled with 101+ super and natural ways He can guide you. Always remember the most important concept to applying any of them is quickening and revelation. Without them it is a dead end road.
