Ministering to the LORD

Source: Google Images

How many times have we longed for a word from the Lord concerning a specific situation? How many times have we yearned to know His plans and purposes for our lives? How many times have we asked for Divine direction? How many times have we fasted for all of the above without much success. Many many times, I'd say...but the good news is, there is a much better way and the early church reveals it to us.

Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” - Acts 13:1 -2 NKJV

We can learn a few things from the church at Antioch, they didn't call prayer meetings to seek direction, not that there's anything wrong with that and actually praying for the Lord's direction is a commendable thing which I fully support, however I see a different and much better approach from the Church at Antioch. They "ministered to the Lord and fasted" and as they did that, the Holy Spirit gave them clear cut instructions which launched Paul and Barnabas into their apostolic ministries. 

Their focus wasn't so much on what they should be doing next, but rather on ministering to the Lord. Jesus was their focus, He was the object if you will, of their ministration. Mind you, in this church there were ministry gifts such as prophets and teachers as well as others I would assume, but they weren't focused on their gifts and ministries, neither was ministering to believers there or to each other, their primary focus. They had their priorities right, the Lord Jesus had preeminence in their midst. 

We would most likely accept the idea of praying and fasting for needs and dire situations, however to many the idea of fasting to minister to the Lord would seem a bit strange. But the Church at Antioch did exactly that, they deprived their bodies of food (who knows for how long) so they could worship, exult, exalt, adore, praise, honor, wait on, serve and enjoy the Lord Jesus. This pleases the Father for He seeks true worshipers, not ministry gifts!

When talking to the Samaritan woman by the well, Jesus revealed the kind of worshipers the Father is seeking. Notice it is the Father, God himself who is the one doing the seeking, actively searching and looking for a specific kind of worshiper:

²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” – John 4:22-24 NIV

No wonder the Word of God in Romans 12:1 urges us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, set apart and acceptable to God; the Word calls such an act true and proper worship. Through the Holy Spirit in us and in line with the truth of His Word, let us present our bodies to the Father as living sacrifices and be the worshipers that He is seeking. His heart longs for us.

Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God’s compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. – Romans 12:1 GW

Why present our bodies, not souls or spirits as living sacrifices? I believe it is simply because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Our spirits were recreated when we first believed in Jesus and were born again and the Holy Spirit did that in us, our soul is the seat of our will, emotions and intellect.

With our souls we make decisions to either follow the body or the spirit, that’s why it is vitally important to continually have our minds (in our souls) renewed by the Word of God so we can make godly decisions. It is not my intention to harp as it were, so much on the soul but I believe it is important to know the role your soul plays when it comes to ministering to the Lord.

Remember Jesus said the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Your spirit has no problem communing with God; the flesh (body and soul), now that's a different story, that’s why it’s got to be brought under subjection and that’s where the discipline of fasting comes in handy. Unless we minister to the Lord (with fasting too), our ministry for Him won’t be worth much.

Source: Google Images

May Jesus be our sole focus, let's cultivate a lifestyle of ministering to Him and as we do that, we will not need to fret about what to do next as the Holy Spirit will instruct us and give us Divine direction as a by product of worshiping and communing with Him. 

You are in Him and He is in you, so spending time with Him should be as natural to you as breathing and remember, you are His beloved!