Ministering To The Lord

Today's Word of Encouragement from Wayne:

"While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’"

Acts 13:2

The apostle Paul, still known then as Saul, was with "prophets and teachers" (Acts 13:1) from the church of Antioch. What were these church leaders collectively doing together? They were ministering to the Lord. They were operating in the Spirit as the "royal priesthood" spoken of in 2nd Peter 2:9, as the kingdom of priests that we are all declared to be in Revelation 1:6.

Ministering to the Lord, when received as our identity and understood in our practice, becomes our first ministry. We are ministers to our Lord first and then, out of this first ministry, as priests in God’s presence, comes our call to service. How are we ever going to hear the Holy Spirit speak to us, as Barnabas and Saul did, unless we also practice our priesthood as they did, and draw near to God to minister to Him? I encourage you, as strongly as I can today, to accept and begin growing in the understanding of this grace, this joy indeed, of stepping into this divine invitation of transformation. It was while "they were ministering to the Lord and fasting" that the Holy Spirit spoke.

Praise God. Allow your priesthood to become your divine center in Jesus Christ, centering you at all times in your Messiah God, Immanuel, God with us. God has come to be with you and now, as a willing priest unto God, you are called to draw near to Him with a new identity, understanding, and experience within the "inner court" of your being. Minister to the Lord! Hallelujah!