‘Don’t drop your calling because of the challenges you are facing’ – Mike Bamiloye to gospel ministers
The President of Mount Zion Faith Ministries, Evang. Mike Bamiloye has urged everyone called into ministerial assignment to keep pushing even at the face of challenges.
According to him, one’s calling is one’s main reason for living and this should not be abandoned for any reason.
In the post made via his Facebook page this morning, the gospel filmmaker noted that God is aware of any situation those He has called may find themselves and it takes patience and perseverance to sail through as He will definitely make a way out if such person can hold on and not faint.
He added that the challenges could be a test or preparation for a greater assignment.
In his words;
DONT DROP YOUR CALLING AND PURPOSE FOR WHATEVER REASONS!
Philippians 4:11-13 KJV
[11] Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in what-soever state I am, therewith to be content.
[12] I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
[13] I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
The Lord who visited the land of Egypt with astounding signs and wonders and did an inexplicable miracle at the Red Sea and brought waters out of the rock for millions in the desert was and still is God of Israel.
He transformed Himself to cool pillar of cloud in the day and warm pillar of fire in the night. He deliberately suppressed the whole nation of Israel to Manna everyday till the Israelites were fed up with that one kind of food.
He could give them varieties. He could give them a buffet daily. He could give them Oriental, African, and Continental dishes everyday. He could give them assorted meat and with various fried chicken and roasted fish every day. This Master of the Universe could provide for them cakes, ice-cream, fried rice, salad and turned the water from the rock to sweet fruit wine for them.
Oh! This King of the whole World, who created the world with the words of His mouth could command and a dinning table of Chinese Buffet would appear before the people every day. But, He did not do so.
He supply them only one type of food every day. Manna. Not for one week or one month. FOR FORTY YEARS. Can you eat Rice alone for one week? Can you eat your best food alone, morning, noon, evening for five days.
But God decided to give these people no options of food but only one: Manna. For Forty Years. No option of drink, but Water. For Forty years. No tea, no Sprite, Coke, Fanta, Maltina. No Five Alive or but Water.
For Forty years. It is true, water is good for the body. But is varieties not the spice of life? And why did He chose to do this to His chosen people?
Deuteronomy 8:2-3
2. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way
these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
3. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
That is the answer to this puzzle of calling and ministry. He could do it, but did not do it. He made them walk in the wilderness to humble them and test the intents of their heart whether they would keep His words or not.
HE ALLOWED THEM TO HUNGER AND THIRST and fed them with only one stable food for those long years to humble them and make them know that you don’t live for comfort and delicacies alone alone, but by every Word The Lord commands from time to time.
What are you passing through that makes you begin to doubt the call and the visions of the work you have received? That the Lord called you and anointed you for His service does not mean that you will not face a lot of financial lacks at times.
That you have answered the call of God into service do not mean you will now begin to have everything easy for you, because you will continually be tested for your faith.
A Drama Minister once sent a text message to another drama minister telling him he was fed up of the whole calling and ministry.
He said, things are very hard for him and his wife and they just got a new baby. He said they have no food at home and things are getting worse. He said he was contemplating abandoning the call and the ministry.
God would not use a man He has not tested and proven. He will not commit into the hand of a man He has not prepared in the furnace of afflictions. No one can graduate from the School of Wilderness.
Because even in Canaan Land, there are some dry ground there; though it is the land flowing with milk and honey, but it contains mountains too. No amount of prayers would make you escape from lacks absolutely, there will always be greater visions to accomplish for the Lord.
Because, before The Lord can give you Ten Million naira, He must have given you an assignment that would gulp Twenty Million, so that, while thanking Him for the ten million, your face will still be looking up to Him for other supplies. That is the Psychology of Ministry.
Is your heart fainting already because of financial lack in your ministry? Is your heart doubting the call of God because things have not been easy? Are you contemplating dropping this calling and ministry because of a lot of unpaid debts and embarrassing unmet needs? That is part of the game.
The first test Satan gave to Jesus was to turn stones to bread. The first test Satan gave to Eve is to taste the fruit. The first challenge that faced the Israelites in the wilderness was what to eat. But, Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-33
31“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32. For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
If you are planning to drop your ministry dreams and visions, HOLD IT! After every examination is always a celebration and graduation.
Have you dropped the calling and faced something else? No! It is like jumping out of the boat into the sea. Get in the boat again.
YOUR CALLING IS YOUR MAIN ESSENCE FOR LIVING… THE PURPOSE FOR YUR CREATION… THE REASON FOR YOUR EXISTENCE. Are you passing through some difficult times in ministry? Press on. Joy comes in the morning.
