When you listen to the testimonies of some of the greatest generals of the gospel, you tend to get a sense that there are many pathways into the fulfillment of the divine call of God for their lives. I remember reading the story of Prophet Ayodele Babalola in the book “Who’s Who in Nigeria” at the library in 2004 It told the story of a young man who was having his bath in a local bathroom made of corrugated roofing material when the power of God came upon him mightily. According to the book, he ran out of the bathroom naked, and many people thought he had lost his senses. It was much later that they realized the power of the Holy Spirit had come upon him, and it was the influence of that great power that moved him so strongly.
The story of Archbishop Benson Idahosa was not so different. He was a shoe salesman who attended a particular Christian church, where he came across the scripture “these signs shall follow those who believe… He said he asked the pastor if he had raised the dead or healed the sick before the pastor said no. He said he then asked, “Can I do it?” The pastor said Yes Then he went into Benin City, announcing, do you have anyone in your house who is dead? He said he eventually found an eight year old girl who recently died but had not been buried He said he went into the room, told everyone to leave and paid his hands on the young girl, just like Jesus The girl came back to life and the whole city rejoiced. He continued to walk in these great signs until the Holy Spirit told a man who was praying in Israel, an American, to go to Benin City and sponsor this young miracle worker through school because God was determined to take him all over the world preaching the gospel.
If you have ever listened to Pastor E. A. Adeboye, you will know he had a father in the Lord called Reverend Josiah Akindayomi. Baba Akindayomi’s call was supernatural God told him to leave his hometown and settle in Lagos God then told him he would build a church that would endure till he returns Pa Akindayomi walked from his hometown to Lagos guided by the ever-abiding presence of God, which he described felt like a drone was hovering over him.
Archbishop (Dr) D. S. Olaniyi, the prophetess and founder of Agbala Daniel Cathedral is an example of a woman who was called by the Holy Spirit into ministry with a strong manifestation of the supernatural. What about Reverend Chris Okotie, a man who was known as a rich musician who suddenly got arrested by the Holy Spirit and became a minister of the gospel till date.
A rapidly moving body of water with chaos and energy everywhere ends one of the Tigris River. A rapidly moving body of water with chaos and energy everywhere. We also have ministers who didn’t experience any form of drama, and yet they received a divine call from the Lord to be pastors and leaders of the flock of God. Some fell in love with God at an early age and were guided into ministry by the power of the Holy Spirit. Andrew Wommack, Chris Oyakhilome, Kenneth Hagin, Benny Hinn, Kathryn Khulman, TL Osborne, Bishop Oyedepo, Pastor Adeboye and so many others. They were also brought into the vineyard to work and do the will of the Lord Jesus Christ as they fulfil their ministries. There is another set of individuals who are called into ministry by the leaders of the assembly of the saints in their local assemblies Individuals who grew up in the church proved to be worthy stewards of the gospel and were therefore selected by the church leadership and ordained into ministry by the same. The typical Moses and Joshua template, which included the popular handing over of the baton and ordination into various offices.
We have yet another set of individuals who basically just love to be ministers of the gospel, and for that reason, they chose it as a career path by studying in Bible Colleges, Universities, and serving in churches in one capacity or the other, while climbing the promotion ladder from one level of stewardship to another We have those who became pastors by default or due to the situation in which they find themselves. They are believers who travel to a place where there were no churches, and they began a service or a prayer meeting that ultimately led to them becoming pastors. Like everything touched by human beings in their carnal nature, the five-fold ministry has come under siege in recent years. A lot of diviners and diabolical individuals are hiding behind the title of prophet to deceive many and draw many away from the genuine love of God, which they are seeking. A lot of videos on social media show ridiculous antics, fake and arranged miracles, lies, and all sorts of gimmicks, which have practically made a mockery of the work of the gospel and the ministers of the gospel in general. A lot of people don’t know the truth, and they fight with all their heart and passion with a belief that what they know is the truth.
Many have indeed been deceived. What then is a commission? How do we as believers identify when we have the call of God upon our lives? How do we respond to the call? How do we support those who receive the call, be such a person, a friend, a spouse, a relative, a child or a parent? If we suspect someone is calling himself and not being called by God into ministry, how do we help such a person see the light? Can someone turn down the call of God? Does the free will apply when God calls you into the ministry? What if your spouse says no? What if your spouse is determined to make you a pastor or minister and you don’t want to be? What if your mother or father or grandparents made an oath or a vow to God that you will be a pastor when you grow up? Is the vow binding on you or can you somehow break it? We will be dealing with these and several other questions during the Night of Glory service tomorrow. With this service, the Holy Spirit is going to help many who are seeking clarity Kindly join us.