The Challenges in ministry.

The challenges in ministry

Habakkuk 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Either in the old or new testaments, the Bible clearly reveals challenges faced by God’s appointed ministers.

Joseph, David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, the apostles of Christ and Paul had their fair shares.

Joseph was sold to Egypt. David was hiding in caves because of king Saul, Stephen was stoned, James was beheaded, Peter was crucified on the cross like Christ and Paul was beheaded at Home.

Paul apostle recounted his own personal challenges in the course of fulfilling his ministry.

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. 7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;

But then we must not allow these challenges to separate you from Christ.

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We must with purpose of heart cleave to Him.

Acts 11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.

Our rewards will be great in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

‎HOW THE APOSTLES DIED.

1. Matthew
   Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound.
2. Mark
   Died in Alexandria, Egypt , after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead.
3. Luke
   Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost.
4. John
   Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution In Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered From death.
   John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos . The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully
5. Peter
   He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.
   According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.
6. James
   The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his
   enemies beat James to death with a fuller’s club.

• This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

1. James the Son of Zebedee,
   was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.
2. Bartholomew
   Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey. Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.
3. Andrew
   Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: ‘I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.’ He continued to preach to his tormentors For two days until he expired.
4. Thomas
   Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent.
5. Jude
   Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
6. Matthias
   The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.
7. Paul
   Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many
   epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.
8. If I walk in the pathway of duty,
   If I work till the close of the day,
   I shall see the great King in His beauty,
   When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,…
I will rest at the close of the day,…
And I know there are joys that await me,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

2. If for Christ I proclaim the glad story,
   If I seek for His sheep gone astray,
   I am sure He will show me His glory,
   When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,…
I will rest at the close of the day,….
And I know there are joys that await me,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

3. Here the dearest of ties we must sever,
   Tears of sorrow are seen ev’ry day;
   But no sickness, no sighing forever,
   When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,…
I will rest at the close of the day,….
And I know there are joys that await me,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

4. And if here I have earnestly striven,
   And have tried all His will to obey,
   ’Twill enhance all the rapture of heaven,
   When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,…
I will rest at the close of the day,…
And I know there are joys that await me,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

His grave will be sufficient for you.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Let us pray.