Tragedy Of Failure To Stand On The Rock Part 2, By AKO

This is the continuation of part 1 of the above lecture, delivered to a global audience in a virtual conference organized by the Council Of Shepherds And Church Workers, Celestial Church Of Christ, Diocese of the United States of America. 

Use the link below to access part 1 of the lecture:

https://libertylifehub1.blogspot.com/2023/03/tragedy-of-failure-to-stand-on-rock.html

The Need For Ministers To Stand On The Rock:

Christian Ministers and Workers in the Vineyard are representatives of the Lord, functioning in their respective spheres of Calling and influence, within the body of Christ. That is why they are called men and women of God.

As a man or woman of God, the foundation of your Ministerial Calling is expected to be the Lord himself, a sure foundation that never fails. Standing on the Rock, you can never fall nor sink, in the turbulent waters of the Ministry.

Joshua’s Calling as a Minister and the charge mandating him to stand on the Word or the Rock, is relevant at this point. Upon the demise of Moses, the Man of God, Joshua his Minister succeeded him.

Among the requirements given to Joshua by God, as conditions necessary for success in Ministry, was to stand courageously on the foundation of the Word.

In Joshua 1:8, he was mandated to stand on the Rock, a relevant and mandatory requirement, for every Minister or Worker in the Vineyard, who desires success in Ministry, as stated below:

• This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

Tragedy Of Failure To Stand On The Rock:

Failure to stand on the Rock by Ministers and Workers in the Vineyard, unduly exposes them to avoidable arrows and fiery darts of the enemy.

Similarly, it reduces their spiritual authority and Ministerial impacts, by disconnecting them from the flow of awesome Power from Jesus Christ, the sure Ministerial foundation.

Below are the negative impacts of failure to stand on the Rock and the benefits of doing so:

1. Tragedy Of Failure To Stand On The Rock

It is a tragedy of great magnitude, for every Child, Man or Woman of God who fails to stand on the rock, as indicated by the following:

A. Failure to stand on the rock, makes every Child of God and his or her cherished interests vulnerable targets, in the battlefield of life.

B. Failure to stand on the rock opens your spiritual gates to multiple invasions by forces of darkness.

C. It exposes you to the rage of merciless wicked powers, who prey on unsuspecting individuals, including Men and Women of God, who are disconnected from the Rock.

D. Unknown to many, including Ministers and Workers in the Vineyard, that failure to stand on the Rock, disconnects you from access to awesome spiritual Power, required for successful Kingdom exploits.

E. Failure of Ministers and Workers in the Vineyard to stand on the Rock, is an open invitation to turbulent Ministerial experience.

F. Failure to stand on the Rock weakens the spiritual authority of Ministers. It relegates their capacity to deal with extra spiritual battles, attracted to them and their loved ones in the lines of duty.

G. Some have paid the supreme price, while others have lost loved ones, in the lines of duty, for failure to stand on the Rock.

2. Benefits Of Standing On The Rock

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whose life and teachings define our faith and Calling, made these relevant and illustrative remarks in Luke 6:46 - 48 as follows:

• And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

• Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

• He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

From the above illustration, two categories of Ministers and Workers emerged, they include those who failed to stand on the Rock, who pay lips services to the Lord.

They were scolded for not doing the Will of God, as required of them. By implication, they do not enjoy the backing of heaven in the lines of duty, unless they repent, they are Ministerial tragedies waiting to occur.

As you ought to know, our Lord is not in the Ministry of Condemnation, but he does not want you to perish in your ignorance, as stated in Hosea 4:6, which declares:

• My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Beloved, check yourself! Are you in this category of Ministers and Workers? This lecture is a wakeup call, to every Minister who is not standing on Christ the Rock, as a firm foundation.

Like David, encourage yourself in the Lord, as you take advantage of the love of God, who does not want you to end up like the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19:14 - 16.

For Prayers Against Mandate Of Defeat, Use The Link Below: 

https://libertylifehub1.blogspot.com/2023/01/warfare-prayers-against-mandate-of.html

The next category classified above, were those who stood on the Rock, they were commended for embracing the Lord in complete obedience, hearing and doing the Will of God.

You know yourselves very well, if you were in this category, I congratulate you for your commendable choice, to stand on the Rock. Better is the end of a thing, than the beginning thereof. Keep it up! You shall not end like Samson or Judas Iscariot, in Jesus name.

Whosoever stood firm on the Rock was likened to a man who dug dip into the earth and found a rock, upon which he laid the foundation of his house (Ministry). When the floods came against the structure (including the Ministry), it remains standing while others fell.

Take note, that as Ministers and Workers in the Vineyard, you are not exempted from the challenges of life, indeed, yours are extra, due to the nature of your Calling.

However, by standing on Christ the Rock, as a firm foundation, he ensures that you and your household remain standing, where others are falling, as indicated in Psalms 37:23 and 24 below:

• The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

• Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Conclusion

Inferences from the above exposition, include the following:

• Standing on the Rock in Christian Ministry, is extremely beyond a call to acquire a physical rock where you stand regularly or whenever the need arises

• It is not the acquisition of special rock for prayer retreat

• It is beyond an annual or bi annual pilgrimage to a Rocky terrain

• It is beyond building your fellowship auditorium on the literal rock

• It is beyond carrying a piece of allege spiritual rock from holy sites with you always.

A Call to Stand On The Rock in Christian Ministerial exploits, is a Call for Revival, that promotes the following:

a. Appetite for the Word of God, beyond man made doctrines and traditions

b. Desire for Christ likeness and eternity in heaven

c. Desire for undiluted Word of God, as the only source of spiritual energy

d. Desire to stand upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, in perfect submission and willing obedience to the Word

e. Destruction of the seeds of divisiveness, within and without the Ministry

f. Elimination of worldliness and desires of the flesh

g. Provision of enabling environment, for the pillars of Christian growth to thrive

h. Sincere focus on Jesus Christ as the only Way, the Truth and the Life.

Beloved, I encourage you as a co laborer in the Vineyard, to stand firmly on the Rock, as all other grounds are sinking sands, according to 1 Corinthians 3:11:

• For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

The song writer captures the essence of this lecture, in the chorus below:

• On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.

As Ministers and Workers in the Vineyard, be conscious of where you stand upon, as foundation in the Ministry. Are you standing upon the Word or on a sinking sand? Remember this! That the arm of flesh as Ministerial foundation leads to failure, according to 2 Chronicles 32:8. The Choice is yours!

Finally beloved, I leave you with the profitable counsel of Joshua, in Joshua 24:15

★ And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD (to stand on the Rock), choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Remember the belated lamentations and the tragic response to those Ministers and Workers, in Matthew 7:22-23, as follows:

• Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

• And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Beloved, this voice of ultimate damnation shall not be your portion at the end of your journey on earth, in Jesus name,

Therefore, Make a deliberate choice today! Tomorrow may be too late.

Your Calling shall not be an exercise in futility, in Jesus name.

Jesus Is Lord!

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Peace!