The Crucial Essentials of an Excellent Ministry – Pastor Dr. Kumuyi

Text: Hebrews 8:5-6; Ephesians 4:11-15.

“Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to  make  the  tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” (Hebrews 8:5-6). Moses was instructed by God Himself to build the Tabernacle according to the pattern that he had been shown on the mount. There are ministers who don’t work by any pattern but by whatever ideas come to their mind. We need a pattern. Christ got a pattern and model from heaven and has come to show us the pattern to do the work of God. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,  and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” (Ephesians 4:11-15). God has not called everyone to be an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a pastor, or a teacher; He gave the gifts to some as He deems fit for the perfecting of the saints. Those who are sinful, backsliders, and not perfect themselves cannot perfect the saints. When you are a backslider, you are not a preacher; you cannot do the work of the ministry in that condition because the work of the ministry is to perfect the saints. If you are going to edify the body of Christ with your ministry, the edification should begin at home with the people closest to you. There is a faith that believes in God and relies on God for everything, and if the preacher cannot trust in God for every need of His life that he has to go to idols for power, such a person is not called to God. The power to work miracles comes from Christ and the Holy Spirit. If you want to be a dynamic evangelist who sees souls saved and the sick healed, the secret is not in the hands of the idol worshippers. If you have been like that, you must do what they did in the Acts of the Apostles: confess, believe, and burn all the properties of idolatry you had in the past because our God is enough, and Jesus is sufficient. The effect of our ministry should be that the people will not remain children in spiritual things who are easily deceived. The purpose of the ministry is that we preach and teach that the people who listen to us will grow up into Christ in all things.

1.                   THE PERFECT PRIEST WITH EXCELLENT MINISTRY FOR ALL MEN

Hebrews 5:4-5,9-10.

“And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.” (Hebrews 5:4-5). “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” (Hebrews 5:9-10). Those who disobey and live diametrically opposite to what Christ has commanded should not claim to be ministers of Christ because Christ is the Author of eternal salvation to those who obey Him.

• The Excellent Ministry of our High Priest – Hebrews 5:5-10; 6:17-20; 7:25-26; 9:11-15. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the  uttermost  that  come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” (Hebrews 7:25-26). We don’t come unto God by an angel, by the founder of our denomination, or based on our title; Jesus is the only door by which we can get to the Father and Heaven. Those who hurt other people and threaten them with curses are not like Christ because our Saviour is holy, harmless, and made higher than the heavens. You will be like Christ in Jesus Name.

• The Exalted Minister in the Heavenly Places – Hebrews 8:1-2, 6; Ephesians 1:3, 20; 2:6-8; 3:10, 20-21. “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Hebrews 8:1-2). If you want to follow a pattern and you pick any of the Old Testament prophets, priests, or kings, they may have had an excellent ministry, but Christ who is above angels, men, and religious people of any generation or dispensation has a more excellent ministry. There are many covenants in the Bible but the covenant that Christ brought to us is a better covenant established on better promises. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” (Ephesians 1:3). We come to God by conversation, salvation, regeneration, and by the renewal of our nature, and then Christ spiritually lifts us up to heavenly places where, if we remain, we will have all the spiritual blessings. But if you go to earthly places, earthly powers, and earthly dungeons, you will stop the flow of spiritual blessings in your life. Abide and stay united with Christ in those heavenly “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”  (Ephesians  2:6). If you are not sitting with Christ to learn of Him and behold His beauty and glory, and you are not satisfied in the presence of Christ, you will not have the ministry He has called you to have. If you do not deviate from tradition, idolatry, psychology, philosophy of men, or any other thing, but you remain with Christ and sit with Him in heavenly places, unnumbered blessings will be yours in Jesus Name.

• Our Expected Ministry as the Holy Priesthood – 1 Peter 2:5, 9-12; Revelation 1:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Matthew 28:18-20. As God has put us in the ministry, Heaven has an expectation of us to be a holy priesthood. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar  people;  that  ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” (1 Peter 2:9). Those who have not responded to the call of Christ to repentance, righteousness, and regeneration are not If we have been chosen among the many that are called, we should have a priesthood that is dignified, honoured, kingly, and such that is evident to all by our disposition, character, comportment, and appearance. Those who don’t believe in holiness are not part of the holy nation. I pray that this expectation will be fulfilled in every life in Jesus Name. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20). Christ has been exalted and given all power, now He commands us to go to all nations, preach to every creature, and teach them all the things that He has commanded. Our message must be consistent regardless of the city we find ourselves in because the Lord is with us until the end of the world. We should not be men-pleasers but ministers who faithfully teach the whole truth of the word of God since He has given us the liberty and licence to preach.

2.                   THE PROMISED PROPHET WITH ESSENTIAL MESSAGE AND MANDATE

Hebrews 5:11-14; 6:1-2.

• The Prophecy and the Decree Concerning Christ – Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Acts 3:22-26; Psalm 2:6-12; Hebrews 1:1-6. “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). This is a prophecy about the coming of Christ. “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A  prophet  shall  the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” (Acts 3:22, 26). We must listen to all that Christ teaches when he talks about repentance, restitution, being born again, regeneration, purity of heart, sanctification, marriage between one man and one woman until they are separated by death, evangelism, healing, deliverance, and His second coming. We must not pick and choose but obey the totality of the revelation Christ brings to total blessings. 

• The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ – Hebrews 6:1-2; John  3:3-8,18; Matthew 5:6, 8, 20; 1 Corinthians 3:10-17. Christ has called us to be His ambassadors in preaching and doing what He would have preached and done if He were physically on the earth. “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1-2). The principles of the doctrine of Christ are repentance from dead works, faith towards God, water baptism, Spirit baptism, baptism in persecution and suffering, laying of hands, resurrection of the dead and the rapture, and restitution. These are not the peak of ministry but the foundation. When you live by the principle of the doctrine of Christ, it keeps you straight, and firm, and makes your life upright. “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can  no  man  lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon  this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-13). Everything we have—salvation, sanctification, Spirit baptism, and service— is by the grace of God. If you are fearful, fidgeting, and fearing the faces and frowns of people, go to God for more grace. In whatever we do, it is not just the action that matters but also the intention, attitude, and disposition of our hearts.

• The Preaching of the Declarations  of  Christ  –  Matthew  28:18-20;  Acts  20:20- 21, 26-28; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Revelation 2:25-29. Those  who  exalt  themselves  above Christ and make themselves the authority in place of Christ will realise on the final day that they have given authority to heaven to cast them out. “And Jesus came and spake  unto  them,  saying,  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  Go ye therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the Father, and of the Son, and  of  the  Holy  Ghost:  Teaching  them  to  observe  all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even unto the  end  of  the  world.  Amen.”  (Matthew  28:18-20). Christ has all power and has given us the power we need; therefore, we should not be afraid of anyone but faithfully preach the whole truth. The Lord will be with you, you will not draw back, but you will do, say, and preach everything Christ has commanded. The Lord will not confirm the word you preach out of fear or what you say because you are unbelieving; what Christ will confirm is His word. If you want heaven’s confirmation, you will say, preach, and declare just what He has given that we declare, and He will be with you every time, everywhere until the end of the world. The lions could not destroy Daniel because God will not allow what He made to destroy what He made. Miracles  will happen to you that your enemies have never seen before. As Jesus joined Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego in the furnace of Nebuchadnezzar’s fire, you will see Christ in your trial, in the furnace, and when men come against  you  because  of  your conviction in the Lord. If you want to see the presence and companionship of Christ every time, walk through the fire that the world is building to stop you. The fire of heaven is in your soul and body and the fire of the world will never have any place or hold in your life in Jesus Name.

3.                   THE PRECIOUS PROMISES FOR EVERY MEMBER AND MINISTER

Hebrews 8:6; 2 Peter 1:3-4.

• The Exceeding Great  and  Precious  Promises  –  Hebrews  8:6,10;  4:1,  16;  9:14-15; 2 Peter 1:3-4. “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and  godliness,  through  the  knowledge  of  him  that  hath  called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be  partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  having escaped the corruption that is  in  the  world  through  ”  (2  Peter  1:3-4).  God has called you to glory and you will have glory in your life, in your family, in the evangelistic field, and the church ministry in Jesus Name.  We  should  not  live  low- level, fearful, ordinary, impotent lives because God has given us exceedingly great and precious promises for life, family, ministry, and profession. God has given you a divine nature, which is the nature of the Lion of the tribe of Judah, therefore you should not fear anyone. Say: I am okay. I am alright. I am a conqueror. I am more than a conqueror.

• The Extensive Gracious and Peculiar Promises – Hebrews 6:12-18; Romans 4:20-25; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Hebrews 11:33-34, 39-40. There is more to the promises you had when you got saved, sanctified, baptised in the Holy Ghost, and when you began the ministry. As the trials, temptations, and difficulties grow higher, you have greater promises sufficient for everyone. “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” (Romans 4:20-21). What God has said He will do in your life and ministry; He will do it in Jesus The Lord is able to perform every promise He has given you. I see success in front of you, and I rejoice with you because there is a performance in your life in Jesus Name.

• The Expedient Glorious and Performable Promises – Colossians 3:13-14; Luke 1:72-75; Hebrews 10:35-39; 2 Peter 3:9,13-14. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.” (Hebrews 10:35). As you have confidence in the promises of God, when you leave the conference, don’t cast away that confidence. Hold on to that confidence, Name, and power you have every time, and the Lord will affirm and confirm the word in Jesus Name. From today, the power you receive will bring heavenly and dynamic confidence into your life and you will manifest power everywhere you go, and you will not cast away your

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/TtZXiveySb0