Ministry 101 – Feeding yourself encouragement

Have you noticed that the more you carry a more significant responsibility in the Kingdom, you lose more people to pat on your back? We all need encouragement sometimes. But the more you become a leader of some sort, and then you encourage others more than you receive. You are the one to feed others with encouragement. How about your needs?

As a leader, you must learn and find a way of feeding yourself encouragement.

It’ll be nice if you could find at least one close friend that always there for you when you need to be encouraged. But it’s not always promised. Sometimes God removes all those types of your people from your life. Why? God gives you friends that pat your back or give you words of encouragement in seasons when you need them. But as you grow in the Lord, He will remove them from your life, so that He will be the only source of encouragement in your ministry life.

Do you remember the name “Barnabas?” He was famous as an encourager in the bible. “Barnabas” wasn’t his birth name (Joseph was). It was his nickname meaning “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4:36). This rather obscure Bible character was so encouraging that it became his name.

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”) – Acts 4:36 NIV

When you were called into ministry, you needed Barnabas in your life to grow. But more you expand your ministry, and God will mold you into Barnabas to someone else. It’s a bittersweet experience. To succeed in your ministry or grow in the Lord, God has to allow you to struggle in that area and find the right source to be encouraged. Thank God for those people that were sent by the Lord to encourage you in time of needs. But you can’t be stuck in that environment. You are called to be a fisher of men and called to take care of His sheep.

So how do you feed yourself encouragement?

1. Cling to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. – 2 Timothy 3:16 NIV

God’s word is alive! He will speak encouragement when you need it if you cling to it. Let the Holy Spirit breathe life into you.

2. Let the preachings of the word impart the encouragement

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. – 1 Corinthians 2:13 NIV

Preachings of the word are available everywhere you face. The Internet is the one powerful tool that God has given us if you use it correctly. You couldn’t attend church for some reason and missed listening to the word that preached is no longer an excuse.

3. Worship in the Spirit

Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; He is holy. – Psalm 99:5 NIV

Worship changes your perspective to see things because God has centered on everything. When you come into His presence, He will lift you up. Let the Spirit of Living God saturate your spirit.

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