CONCENTRATION 2

“I press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)

• As a believer and much more a minister of God, What are the areas you need to concentrate on in your walk with God.

• Concentrate on building your spiritual life.

• Concentrate on building your relationship and fellowship with God.
  YOU do this by studying the word of God (Joshua 1:8; 2 Timothy 2:15).
  YOU also do it by praying always, you pray without ceasing you pray and watch, you pray and fast, you pray more in the language of the Spirit (Mark 14:38; Ephesians 6:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Jude 20).
• You also build your spiritual life and relationship with God through prompt obedience to His instructions.
• Every instruction given to you by God is a command, thus you have to be prompt. God is a military; He rules by decree: “The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name” (Exodus 15:3).
• Delayed obedience is a disobedience.
  YOU have to be prompt and earnest in obeying Him.

• Concentrate on training other people, especially the people under your leadership.

• Have a plan for the development of the people who are with you.

• Expose them to what you know, if they do know what you know, the work would be easier for you, and you would be able to work together as a team.

• Thus, train the people that God has given you, they are the future of your work.
  THE twelve disciples trained by the Lord Jesus Christ were the ones who perpetuated His work after ascension (Mark 16:19,20).

• Those you train are the ones who will announce you, and work the vision given to you by God (2 Timothy 2:2).
  TRAIN your wife and children, they are part of the people given to you to work the vision (1 Timothy 3:4,5,11).
  TRAIN your associates, the people who are with you (2 Timothy 2:2; Titus 2:15).

• Take note:
  SOME of the people you train will leave you to start a new work (Acts 8:4-6; 11:19-22).
  SOME will abide with you, to work with your vision (Philippians 2:19-23).
  WHILE SOME will betray you and hurt you (2 Timothy 4:10,16; Luke 22:48).
  Nevertheless, do not stop the training of people.

• You train the people by teaching them. Remember there is a formal training and informal training, both are needed for the growth of your people.

• Formal training is a training by classroom setting, where knowledge is imparted through teachings; while informal training is a training where knowledge is gained through practical experience.
  YOU show them how things are done practically—you allow them to watch you how you do things.
  YOU train them by challenging them and exposing them to do the work. YOU trust them enough to delegate the work to them (1 Timothy 1:3; Titus 1:5).

• When you trust people and delegate the work to them, you bring the best in them out.
  THEIR latent potentials will find expression.

• After they have been taught both formally and practically, you send them out in order to practice, put to work, what they have been taught.
  JESUS Christ sent His DISCIPLES after He had taught them and been with Him for a while.

1. “And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him.

2. Then He appointed twelve, that they might BE WITH HIM and that He might SEND them out to PREACH.
   Mark 3:13,14 (NKJV)

3. “Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

4. HE SENT THEM TO PREACH THE LORD Kingdom of GOD and to heal the sick.
   Luke 9:1,2 (NKJV)

• The primary purpose of every leader in ministry work is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, which would lead to the edification of the body of Christ. The fivefold ministry offices were given by Jesus Christ for that purpose (Ephesians 4:11,12).
• Above all, uphold them in prayers, take spiritual oversight of them.

1. “To Timothy, a beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
2. I thank God, whom I serve… as without ceasing I REMEMBER YOU IN MY PRAYERS NIGHT AND DAY.”
   2 Timothy 1:2,3 (NKJV)

• Concentrate on Developing your Skill.

• Develop yourself. Sharpen your gifts.
• In sharpening your gifts and developing your skill, you have to study.
• Invest in books and materials that can enhance your gifts.
• Attend seminars and conferences that can edify you.
• Go for formal training—attend Bible School, College of Ministry, where you can be taught about nitty-gritty of the ministry work.
• Training is very important to your development. You cannot be skillful without training.
• Encourage your spouse to develop his or her gifts as well. Develop your children also.

• Concentrate On Your Primary Assignment.

• If you are called into pastoral work, that is, you have a Church to pastor:
• Concentrate on church growth: How to grow the church you are pastoring to become a mega church.
• Concentrate on training the people who are working with you.
• Concentrate on planting churches if God wants you to do so.
• Concentrate on teaching your people, to grow them along the line of your vision.

“Until I get there, focus on READING THE SCRIPTURES to the church, ENCOURAGING the believers, and TEACHING them.”
1 Timothy 4:13 (NLT)

• Concentrate on ministering in power, to meet their needs, and to attract more souls to your church.
• Signs and wonders will advertise your work, your ministry.
• Have a special programme where people’s needs could be ministered to, and their needs met.
• If you are called an itinerant minister, a field minister:
• Concentrate on your primary assignment; receive direction from God by waiting on Him on how to do the work.
  IF you are called an evangelist, go out there and do the work as you are commanded. Be aggressive in soul winning.
  IF you are a teacher: organize teaching seminars; write journals, books, and other materials. Also receive direction from God on how to go by it.

• Concentrate On Building Your Family.

• Carry your wife and children along in whatever you do.
• Do not allow the busy life of ministry work to hinder you from training them in the way of the Lord (1 Samuel 2:12,22).
• Pray for them, teach them the word of God, and expose them to what you know (Deuteronomy 6:6,7).
• Lead them by example. Be a practical Christian.
  YOUR children will do what they see you doing, not what you told them to do.
  BE a good example. Children are copycats!

“when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you [Timothy], which dwelt first in your GRANDMOTHER LOIS and your MOTHER EUNICE, and I am persuaded is in YOU ALSO.”
2 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV)

• You will not fail in Jesus’ name.
Peace!