MI Israel
Wisdom is the principal thing; in all thy getting, get understanding. Wisdom is profitable to direct. Wisdom is justified by her children. For a soul to be without knowledge is not good (Proverbs 4:7; Eccl. 10:10; Luke 7: 35; Proverbs 10:2).
What is the statutory work of true men of God and the work of the ministry?
Ephesians 4:11-16
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 fullness 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: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
The primary function of a true minister of God is to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ turning people from a life of sin and imminent destruction to eternal redemption. God structured his call of his servants into what we call a five-fold ministry: Apostles (Teaches, instructs, rebukes, corrects, bring true order to the body of Christ through the authority of the scriptures and is gifted with the gifts of signs and wonders), Prophets (reveals the mind of God, brings people to repentance, rebuke, corrects, monitors the spiritual health of the church, reveals the will of God concerning any matter, serves as a guardian angel exposing beforehand the hidden plans of the enemy against God’s people), Evangelist (primarily to bring sinners unto repentance and reconciliation with God through preaching, conviction, persuasion and the gift of signs and wonders), Pastor (Shepherds, nurture, teaches, watches over, guides and feeds the flock with the undiluted word of God), and Teacher (teaches, brings insights and revelation of the written word, educates, instructs and brings a clear understanding of who God is, his divine attributes, works and what He requires of every Christian, wisdom in living our daily lives in the light of the word and clears confusion of any difficult passage of the scriptures).
Every true minister of God stands as an intermediary between God and man, not on the issue of salvation (Jesus is the only mediator as far as salvation and redemption is concerned) but in the declaration of the counsel of God to men and to every generation.
Ministration takes a lot from the man of God
Every true minister of God should be treated with a high degree of honor, regardless of their financial or social status. Oftentimes, because of easy access to these non-popular true minister of God people tend to treat them with levity, familiarity and feel entitled to their gifting and ministration. Some have formed the habit of making fake promises thereby deceiving these humble ministers to abandon their personal needs and commit their time, personal space, fasting and prayers to ensure these people get solution to their problems. Whereas these people have the intention of ghosting these ministers afterwards. Some go to the point of going to the big churches or popular ministers to testify of what God did for them in that ministry whereas it was through someone else’s (unpopular man of God) fasting, intercession, prayers, counselling and spiritual guidance that they got their breakthrough.
Most people who do not know the Lord or had departed from faith having engaged in all forms of occult practices, wickedness and every form of unrighteousness, when they approach the true ministers of God they lie about their antecedents or at most hide it from him while projecting on the surface only their debilitating symptoms or situations. Some go as far as crying, wearing the innocent look as though the problem was just accidental or a mere projected affliction. All these are aimed at luring the man of God emotionally to their side of pity to hastily pray or lay hands on them while these men of God find themselves exposed to barrages of attacks and death threats by the forces after the life of the deliverance seeker.
1Timothy 5:22: Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.
Whereas, the scripture commanded men of God not to lay hands hastily on anyone because it has great consequences.
A problem once presented to be simple afterwards becomes a perpetual nightmare and fierce battle for the man of God and his family by reason of intervening in the life of a law breaker, sons and daughters of the wicked and wickedness. All these underscore the aphorism “curse causeless shall not come”.
Most ministers have lost their lives, wives, children, mind and health through these means. Some had had demonic visitations, accidents and sudden affliction by intervening in the life of a person who is a lawful captive and whose problem are occasioned by multiple consortium of host of wickedness, fraternities, oracles, deities, covenants etc. Some of these people seeking deliverance may be high ranking officers in the marine world or may have toyed with various degree of occultism, diabolism and fetish things but when they approach a man of God, they only describe their current bad condition or problem while hiding the root cause or their involvement from him. Ministering to these sets of people without discernment puts the life of the man of God in a critical danger. God can do all things but he may not intervene when there is a strong covenant between the individual and the forces subjugating or when the individual has not divorced his allegiance to the kingdom, he or she works for. The man of God must be wary of these nuances. In order to ensure a complete deliverance, the man of God engages in counselling, prayers, intercession, spirit searching, renunciations, questioning, vigils and fasting with the individual to ensure a success is obtained but on the face value it looks as simple as just a prayer away in the eye of the seeker; unknown to him, it is a complicated battle interwoven in mysteries that must be unraveled through the labor of prayer not forgetting its attendant attacks on the man of God, his family and everything around him must face unsolicited.
Your problem is your personal property. It’s yours to carry. No man is obligated to touch it but you. However, when someone else tries to help you out through prayer, intercession, enquiries, counselling and deliverance, you must know, it is an assistance because at the end of it all the breakthrough when it comes belongs to you and not to the man of God. Do not feel entitled like anyone owns you anything. Always try to win the heart of the men of God with your physical substance and when they give you any instruction try and fulfil it. If it is something you are not able to, try to humbly explain your situation and dialogue with them instead of striving with your helper. The helper of your life burden. You approach men of God with honor. Honor them with your substance. You don’t meet a man of God one on one with empty hands, whether it’s physically or online.
Never approach a man of God empty handed no matter your situation
1Samuel:9:6-8: And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can show us our way that we should go. Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we? And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.
Saul in the Old Testament, before he became the King of Israel lost his ass and he needed to find where it went to. So his servant told him that there is man of God in the city and if they meet him, He would show them the way to find the lost ass. Saul replied that they have ran out of supplies and what do have to honor the man of God as they meet him not just after prayers or when the prayers are answered but what to greet him with. His servant replied that he has at hand a fourth art of a shekel of silver (money, cash, and finances) to give to the man of God.
Whenever you meet a man of God sow a seed of honor (finance) to them for their time, coming into their personal space, exerting their energy, and effort and gifting. Request for their account details, send them something that will cost you a bit inconvenience and prove to them you are deserving of their time. Empower them to give you their best. A good heart will always get what it is looking for.
The gift of a man is expected to make room for him. Solve their problems, especially the ones within your power. Use a physical gift or finance to make yourself favorable before them. It is not easy for someone else to abandon their problems, alter their schedule just to minister to you even when they do not know you, you are not in any way related to them, and neither are you a member of their congregation. Do not assume they do not need anything.
Most people feel entitled to the man of God. They exhibit an entitlement mentality. Some even talk to him subtly as though he is their employee and their subject. Some even go ahead to instruct and advise him or even blackmail him emotionally to minister to them with the aim of using and dumping him. Afterwards they move to the next man of God and the cycle continues to infinity. These are sons and daughters of belial. Some boldly say to the man of God ‘Give it shall be given unto you’, ‘Freely have you received and freely shall you give’, ‘God will raise people to bless and support you mightily man of God’, ‘He that watereth shall be watered’, Silver and gold, I do not have but my God shall bless you’. It’s an error! These are all wrong, misleading, out of order and deceitful to say the least.
Galatian 6:6: Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Hebrew: 13:16: But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
The scripture tells us to communicate (share, give back, bless with our substances and treasures) to the ministers that share the word of God with us. Imagine the instruction was first intended for those who bring you the gospel, talk less of when you approach a man of God one on one for solution to your problems which neither of you knows how long the prayer program will end and the time, and effort that will be put into it on the long run besides that day. Whenever we communicate or share our wealth, substances, treasures and finances with the man of God, God is pleased with such sacrifices. When God is pleased, you already know that the answers to your prayers are assured and will come so speedily! You must learn to please the angel that work for the man of God if you really want a breakthrough, if not you will end up wasting his and your time. It doesn’t matter if he prays for you. There was no honor given.
1Corinthians 9:11: If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
Saint Paul was asking the Corinthian Church if it is a crime to reap from their carnal things (finances, gifts, treasures, wealth, properties etc.) when He sows spiritual things unto them. Apostle Paul demanded it from them. Use what you have to get what you are looking for.
Matthew 10:42: And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
When you bless a minister, you can never lose your reward. I have seen people who bought cars, rented apartments, renewed rents, sponsored church crusades, bought lands for church, equip the church, bought phones, suits, shoes or even paid good money into a minister’s account as a way of honoring him and getting his attention toward ministering unto him regarding his/her affliction or problems. Most of these ministers oftentimes, take from those seeds and sow to a higher minister/altar and also share with their fellow ministers to form a formidable prayer chain or intercession link to ensure the breakthrough of the one that honored them. This is because, such an individual have stirred up the heart of the man of God by meeting his personal needs and easing his burden. The minister in turn may never sleep nor rest until such a prayer is answered. He has inherited a burden of prayer. He might even engage in dry fasting and sponsor other ministers to join him to travel to camp or mountains to pray and see the end of that problem because they are rest assured that after prayer and fasting they have something to eat and refresh themselves courtesy of the sponsor. Once again, your problem is your personal property. If you need assistance, honor the vessel you want God to use before, during and after the process, if you want the miracle to last.
Romans15:27: It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
If you do not have the means to honor a man of God, wait until you are ready or sell what you have to give honor and get what you want.
Matthew 13:44: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
From the above scripture, if the deliverance, breakthrough or miracle you are looking for is truly crucial to you, sacrificing some of your treasures or finances to achieve a greater good and objective will not be a bad idea or wrong decision.
Genuine ministers usually have a soft heart of compassion and empathy. Most at times, when people do not give them their honor, they still go ahead to bear people’s burden pro bono as a way of encouraging them. Unfortunately, these sets of people turn out to despise and judge them by their weaknesses such as poor infrastructure, inadequate finances, unpopularity and the likes. They leave after they get their breakthrough to a classier minister with swag, fame and wealth who does not care about their welfare but what they can get from them.
Dear minister, ease of access to you usually bring devaluation of your presence and anointing. It is not everyone that is worth your time, ear, prayer, intercession, counsel and guidance. It is better to stay hungry without stressing yourself thereby conserving your residual energy than to stress and worry yourself over someone who is committed to use and dump you by stealing from your gift without replenishing you. They expect you to be strong and probably digest your intestine while they hold on tight to their wallets, gifts and treasures. Anything gotten without a sacrifice (costing you something) can never be valued.
2 Samuel 24:24: And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
If your sacrifice and honor does not cause you anything, it is not important to you.
Proverb: 20:14: It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.
Some people craftily come to steal from your gift by making it appear too common but when they walk away with their miracle, they boast that they were smarter than you. They avoid or block you. Be wise dear true man of God.
1Corinthians 9:13: Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
It is your duty to minister unto the man of God your carnal things as he ministers spiritual things to you. How do you think they are sustained in life? It is by your giving and that of others. Some will say “If God answers me I will do so and so which they know they will not fulfil from the beginning. That is gambling. Men of God are not gamblers nor prayer contractors. It’s a fraud! No patient tells a doctor” If you cure me or if the surgery is successful I will pay my hospital bill. Who then takes care of the cost incurred during your treatment which include cost of personnel, medicine, equipment, accommodation, utilities and other facilities? When someone expends his energy fasting and praying for you, making spiritual enquiries, cracking his brain, guiding, directing, carrying your burden with vigils etc., all you could say is ‘thank you sir, when the prayer is answered I will remember you.’ That is unconscionable! Whereas, the minister’s family depend on him and his gift to have their daily bread.
Do not go before any man of God empty handed. Imagine if a man of God is ministering to you and at some point he gets a specific revelation which he needed to share with you but his phone is bad or he does not have airtime or data to call or chat with you or no money to fuel his car and drive down to your office but he is too ashamed to admit these things and does not want to bother you. Who is losing? Wisdom is the principal thing and profitable for direction. For the soul to be without knowledge is not good.
Some people craftily want benefit but don’t want to give back same
1Corinthians 9:9: For it is written in the Law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? 1Timothy 5:18: For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, the laborer is worthy of his reward.
If you want value, give value too. The scripture is for everyone, not just for ministers but for you as well. If someone offers to help you, find a way to reciprocate as well. As you want benefit from someone, also allow the person to benefit from you and be happy likewise. It’s only kids that want all the toys to themselves and none to others, yet still crave for their company. That is infantile.
1Corintians 9:7: Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
It’s not fair, moral, ethical and humane to send a man of God into belligerent battles of your bloodline that cuts across several kingdoms and spans over maybe a hundred wicked generations unknown to you, without equipping or encouraging him. Lots of men of God have fallen casualty while the seekers of deliverance run away and never shows up for the man of God or his family. No soldier goes to war to defend his country at his own cost. The government (you) must provide his basic needs, uniforms, battle equipment before, during and after the war to protect and defend her territory. That is commonsensical! Who sows or labors without being the first to partake of the harvest? Who feeds the flock or livestock without being a partaker of its milk and meat? From today, never meet your pastor without a gift. If you do not have a gift, it means that the issue is not important and you can handle it alone. This will help you to retain his honor and avoid over familiarity which breeds contempt and lack of respect. Never allow a man of God to minister to you at his own cost. If you have invited him to your house, office, shop, school, business premises to pray, dedicate or minister to you, ensure you cover the cost beyond their actual cost. Fill up his car tank or at least not less than half. Give him a cash honorarium, he has his personal needs and a family to take care of. Be wise.
The definition of familiarity that brings contempt is going with an empty hand to meet a man that will secure you a job or contract with empty promises in your mouth such as ‘Sir when I get the job or contract I will not forget you’. Just know that it may never be given to you. You lack wisdom. There is power in gifts and the gift of a man makes a way for him. If that is true for you, please allow the gift of a man of God to make a way for him because each time he ministers to you, he and his family and properties will be sharing from your battles and attacks because the many forces fighting you will be offended at him for destroying their yokes, curse, afflictions and dominion over you. Be wise! Mind you, it’s not everyone that the man of God should pray for if he wants to last long in life and ministry regardless of if you gave him gift of honor.
Matthew 12:35: A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
If you are a good person and not a deceiver, a scammer, an ingrate, a ‘use and dump’, an entitlement mentality, or a cruel person, bring out the good treasures in your heart by communicating with the minister who gave you his time. It is not easy for someone to either read or listen to the problem of someone he or she does not know and may never meet again, not to talk about volunteering one’s time to minister to them. Be wise!
Most people approach a man of God to suck him dry of his gifting, anointing, potential and energy with a tight fist. They keep taking and taking without replenishing or nourishing him until he goes out of unction incapable of ministering to anyone else. The work of a true minister is not primarily to solve your spiritual problems or to break your ancestral curses. His work is to tell you about Jesus and equip you for the work of the ministry so that you can minister to others too and bring them to the knowledge of Christ too. However, if you get your spiritual problems solved as he is ministering, it’s an added advantage to you because there were many of you being ministered to and you were able to connect by faith and had no impediment as to why your miracle would be denied and it came at no cost to the minister. You may decide to bless him with you substance thereafter.
Romans 13:7: Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Ensure you honour true ministers of God with your heart, kind words, prayers, attitude, goodwill and your substances or treasures.
Philippians 4:17: Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.
Paul in Philippians pointed out that the commandment to honor the man of God who ministers to you in spiritual things with your physical wealth or substances is not because he wants to accumulate more gifts or stuffs to himself, rather he desires that fruit (reward) may be credited to your account. In other words, that you may be fruitful and prosper in all that you do.
When you gag or spite a man of God who commits to ministering to you, it brings the reverse. Support the man of God personally and also his ministry to flourish. Allow God to use you and stop expecting someone higher or better than you to do so. Start with what you have. The gospel is free but the means of communicating this gospel is not free whether on social media, you have to have a good smart phone, power and steady data; same withprint or TV media. It costs a lot to buy slot and to sustain it. They will not give it to you for free because you are a pastor or because you talk about Jesus. The media company has staff, equipment and other cost to maintain too. Same applies for crusades or outreach everything within the value chain needed to be paid for, for you to have a successful crusade from the print, social, TV media, graphic designer, rentals, logistics, vehicles, equipment, power, musicians to staff. These points were brought up for those proponents of ‘freely have you given and freely shall you give.’ What about you? Freely have you received your wealth, gifts, finances and blessings? What stops you from sharing freely with the man of God who wants to share your life battles and burdens with you? Or is the scriptures for only one person? Give honour to whom honor is due.
Understanding the other side of freely you have received, freely shall give…
Matthew10:7-14 And as ye go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into a house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Let’s briefly analyze this passage of the scripture. The primary assignment given to the man of God was to:
- Preach about the kingdom (gospel of repentance and salvation)
- Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers and raise the dead and cast out devils from people.
- The man of God was reminded that freely he received and freely shall he give his gifting (Point of contention but the following verse will resolve and explain better).
To resolve the above scripture, the man of God was commanded, not just advised,
- Not to take and expend gold, silver or brass (his personal finances, income or treasure), neither extra shoes, coats or personal effects as he goes to minister to human beings like you and I.
- He further said that a workman is worthy of his meat (sustenance and reward not after the ministration but throughout the whole process and period he abides in the city where he is welcomed).
- The Lord further said, if the house is worthy, let your peace abide with them.
The analysis is self-explanatory. As the man of God preaches the gospel, healing and miracles are resultant effects. The gospel is more important than the miracles and it has to come first before the miracle does. The man of God was not to charge a specific amount for his ministrations, however, he was commanded not to minister to people at his own cost. The people he is ministering to are to provide for him all his basic necessities like food, clothes water, and accommodation etc., finance (gold, silver, and brass). That is the honor we have being talking about. The Lord further said that a worker is worthy of his wages and not just vociferous promises by some people which they are quick to ignore, forget and deny. So before you judge a man of God for asking you to sow a seed of honor, be properly guided by this article. The degree of your seed of honor, lets the man of God to judge your intention as to whether you are worthy of his gifts and time just like the passage underscores.
Summary
Before we call it a close. I would like to reiterate that what this article is talking about is giving honor to ministers who minister to you. Do not wait for them to remind you. Give them appealing gifts that will cost you something. It is called honor. When we honor the man of God, we honor God. The Lord delights in the prosperity of his servants.
Psalms: 35:27: Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
How can God’s servant prosper when you do not give them silver and gold when you approach them?
However, I do not subscribe to the idea of those ministers who charge directly for prayers like pay me so and so before I pray for you. However, if you have billions, millions, hundreds of thousands, thousands, or thereabout to support a man of God, do it afore hand. Do not be hesitant to bless him with your substance and do not try to obtain his gifts or anointing by false pretense. Do not say “Doctor, when I’m healed or if the surgery is successful, I will pay my hospital bills”. Remember that the hospital incurred some costs while accommodating and treating you and they’ve got bills to pay too. Same goes for the men of God. With this little explanation of mine, I hope I have not confused but convinced you to start honoring men of God with your substance. Do not take them for granted and do use them for gambling. Imagine someone after praying for you, maybe with a dry fast and there is nothing provided by you for him to break his fast. How can God answer your prayers? He won’t. Even if he does, the enemy, the accuser of the brethren will steal the miracle from you because you broke the law of honor.
However, I do not subscribe to the idea of those ministers who charge directly for prayers like pay me so and so before I pray for you. However, if you have billions, millions, hundreds of thousands, thousands, or thereabout to support a man of God, do it afore hand. Do not be hesitant to bless him with your substance and do not try to obtain his gifts or anointing by false pretense. Do not say “Doctor, when I’m healed or if the surgery is successful, I will pay my hospital bills”. Remember that the hospital incurred some costs while accommodating and treating you and they’ve got bills to pay too. Same goes for the men of God. With this little explanation of mine, I hope I have not confused but convinced you to start honoring men of God with your substance. Do not take them for granted and do use them for gambling. Imagine someone after praying for you, maybe with a dry fast and there is nothing provided by you for him to break his fast. How can God answer your prayers? He won’t. Even if he does, the enemy, the accuser of the brethren will steal the miracle from you because you broke the law of honor.
Whether you are a man of God or an ordinary Christian or an intercessor, I know that this article has blessed you, will you honor me for communicating with you spiritual things as the scripture commanded? Can we test your obedience level? If true, kindly send your seed of honor to:
Bethelspring Int’l Christian Centre
Ecobank: 5083063859
And to support me personally
Michael Ifeanyi Israel
Union Bank Nigeri Plc.
0031720501
If you reside abroad, you can send your seed of honor through Western Union with my name: Michael Ifeanyi Israel. Send the security question, the amount and control number, your name, location, and phone number details to my Whatsapp number +2347061298081 or email: miisrael@yahoo.com
If you are sure you gave a seed of honor that cost (pained) you on any of these accounts, send me your prayer request on Whatsapp +2347061298081. Please in your own interest do not attempt this number, if you did nothing on these account details. The law of honor must be obeyed. God bless you.
MI Israel Impact 