Things That Make Ministers: Self Mastery

Apostle Grace Lubega

Deuteronomy 3: 23-26(KJV); And I besought the Lord at that time, saying…I pray thee, let me go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon. But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.

A minister of the gospel can be disqualified from the race before he accomplishes God’s plan and purpose for his life.

It is what happened to Moses. He was disqualified early. He was still strong but the Lord refused him to enter into the Promised Land. He pleaded with God and begged for it but God said no.

It is a very sad thing when you still have the strength to minister but have been disqualified.

Paul saw this kind of end for some ministers and cautioned them thus, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”(1 Corinthians 9:27).

The things that disqualify a minister may seem very simple, as they hinge on one’s failure at self-mastery: mastery of emotions, mastery of appetites, mastery of time and mastery over many other facets of personal life. For this reason, Paul speaks of bringing the body to subjection.

For Moses, it was his temper. For Solomon, it was his indiscriminate love for women. For Demas, it was his love for the present world.

God wants you to finish well. Understand the laws of mastery by which men rule their spirits and tame their bodies.

FURTHER STUDY: 1 Corinthians 9:27, 2 Timothy 2:5

GOLDEN NUGGET:

God wants you to finish well. Understand the laws of mastery by which men rule their spirits and tame their bodies.

PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for this wisdom. I have a ruled spirit and exercise mastery in all things. My body is disciplined and subject to my spirit. You have dealt with and in me Lord, to bend, to break and to kill anything that is not of you. I know that I will finish well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.