Ministry is the work of God, not the work of man. Ministry is God’s institution, not an intellectual one. Ministry is an activity instituted by the Holy Spirit. Ministry deserves and demands a high level of consecration, constantly in prayer. Ministry is a call to remain in the wilderness after leaving the pulpit. You have no life to enjoy. Ministry deserves and demands total submission to the will of God. Let no one deceive you; the word of God is eternal.

Not everything in the Old Testament is obsolete, especially regarding the consecration of priests and prophets. It continues; there is no such thing as “Oh, I no longer need to consecrate myself; Jesus is my consecration.” Stop that deception! Jesus is our example. You are not in the position of Christ just because you are born again. You are truly in Christ’s position if you follow in His footsteps. He is our model. Jesus is our example for ministry.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus prayed all night and came out the next morning rested and not tired? Christ was once caught sleeping—He slept in the afternoon, while they were on a journey in the boat, and then He fell asleep to rest. He had time to rest.

I’m not saying you should pray all the time. There is also a time to rest, but be sure to rest within the boat. Make sure you can rest even when the storm violently hits your ship. One of the signs of success in ministry is tribulation, opposition, rejection, and the devil’s activities against you in various ways. When you overcome the first, your spiritual rank, wisdom, and patience increase, and then another one comes.

Ministry is pain, ministry is sacrifice, ministry is a commitment to consecration, a commitment to prayer, a commitment to the vibrations and frequencies of the Spirit. When God calls a man, He first calls you to fellowship, communion, intimacy, and, within that dimension of intimacy, you receive His will for your ministry. Run with what God has called you to do, not with what is popular.

You cannot achieve this if you are available everywhere. Life in the wilderness, solitude, is your greatest asset for carrying the fire of God. There is no fire in popular opinion. In fact, the quickest way to lose your fire is to surf on the frequency of what is popular. Ministry is not about you; ministry is the will of God. When you are alone, God shows you what you must do, what you must preach, God says to you, “Stay here, this is My secret until this day.” I have no friends; I am in a place where my flesh is continually burned, beaten. Paul said:

“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:27

That is why I will always be on fire, for in solitude, in separation with the Lord, you burn from one level to a higher level of fire…

This text is an excerpt from the book “THE BAPTISM OF FIRE” written by JOHN ANOSIKE.

We invite you to read the following article, “THE WAR AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE.“

SOLITUDE