(1 Corinthians 4:17 NIV)
If and when the time comes for you to seek a Joshua for your own ministry, pray for God’s divinely appointed people to come your way, quality people who will carry your vision forward. I cannot stress the importance of this enough.
The people whom God sends may be in your own personal family, or they may not be. I once heard a minister say, “I would never let anybody but a member of the family run my ministry.” That’s a very strong statement—and totally unscriptural. The unity between a leader and his staff is in the spirit and not by blood.
Think about it. God raised up Joshua to assist Moses, not one of Moses’ children. God raised up David and elected him to be king and not Saul’s son Jonathan, the legal heir to the throne. God told Elijah to anoint Elisha as his successor, not one of Elijah’s own family members. God anointed Samuel to be priest, not Eli’s evil and wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas. (1 Sam. 2:22–25.) We see a similar relationship in our New Testament text verse, which indicates that God raised up Timothy to assist Paul. In fact, Paul felt so close to Timothy that he referred to him as his own son whom he loved.”
Now I will say that God may raise up your natural son or daughter to carry on your vision, but He could send someone else. The key is for you to do the will of God for your ministry no matter whom He may choose to help and succeed you.
Whatever kind of person you need, ask God for him. He will send you an associate, an executive assistant, a music director, an intercessor, a head usher, or whomever you may need or desire. Just begin to petition Him and start thanking Him for answering your prayer.
Note the following verses, especially the emphasized words that talk about our spiritual family—the family of God:
- “When I think of the wisdom and scope of his plan, I fall down on my knees and pray to the Father of all the great family of God” (Eph. 3:14 TLB).
- “And so we should not be like cringing, fearful slaves, but we should behave like God’s very own children, adopted into the bosom of his family, and calling to him, ‘Father, Father'” (Rom. 8:15 TLB).
- “His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And he did this because he wanted to!” (Eph. 1:5 TLB).
- “For Christ himself is our way of peace. He has made peace between us Jews and you Gentiles by making us all one family” (Eph. 2:14 TLB).
- “Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian” (Eph. 2:19 TLB).
- “All honor to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for it is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again so that we are now members of God’s own family” (1 Peter 1:3 TLB).
- “And now this word to all of you: You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds” (1 Peter 3:8 TLB).
Father God, thank You for adopting me and my Christian brothers and sisters into Your family. Often I feel closer to my family in Christ than I do my own blood relatives. I receive whomever You send to assist me, whether they are my natural kin or my fellow believers. I love our Christian family of God. Amen.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Terry has served as senior associate minister of a thriving congregation for over 23 years with over 40 years of experience in local church ministry. He is currently the senior pastor of Impact Church in Sherwood, Arkansas. Terry has authored four books. On the bestselling list, these books have motivated thousands of Christians to stand with their leaders in faithful service, helping them to fulfill God's purpose for their lives.
Terry is the Founder and President of Focus on the Harvest, Inc. He's traveled extensively, awakening believers to this strategic generation. Through his God-given passion, believers are ignited to discover their gifts and callings, commit to the vision of their local church, and focus on the harvest of souls throughout their city, state, nation, and world.
Terry holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southwestern University, where he met his wife, Kim. They've been married for over 40 years and have three children; McCall, Alex, and McKenna.
In May 2008, Terry and Kim began Impact Church, a dynamic and growing, multicultural body of believers in Sherwood, AR. We believe that Christianity is not a religion; it's a relationship. God loves each person individually. He desires everyone to know him personally.