When we serve the Lord, it is supposed to be at His pleasure and not our own. Kingdom service is for His kingdom and not to build our own. Too often, we think the greater ministry is the one that reaches the most. But the greater ministry is the one that reaches the ones God has ordained for us to reach.
Success in ministry is not how many you reach, but did you reach the ones God intended. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 NKJV).
Jesus spoke about how we would do greater things. In our pride and in our flesh, we gravitate towards the idea that greater things will somehow make us greater before others. But Jesus never preached a message of pride but of a life immersed in humility.
If you pray for a greater faith, then be prepared to live it. Jesus taught, “if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these…” (John 14:12 AMPC).
The greater things are the little things that humble people do for others. It is in the accumulation of many smaller acts of grace that produce the greater level of the grace that flows from heaven. We don’t have to do individual great things but collective small things that the Lord is leading us to do.
The success of your ministry doesn’t depend on the size of your audience but the approval of God. Jesus taught, “those with great authority in this world rule oppressively over their subjects, like tyrants. But this is not your calling. You will lead by a completely different model. The greatest one among you will live as the one who is called to serve others” (Matthew 20:25-26 TPT).
We often think the greater ministries are the ones that reach the most. But our vision is blinded by the worldly view from which we are looking. Consider those who had the greatest influence on your life, and often they were simple people who made small, often unseen acts of graciousness towards you.
The best impression comes from those who do not try to impress. “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” (Ephesians 4:2 NLT).
Sometimes we think to be used by God that we must be used in some capacity at a church or ministry. Yet God can use you anywhere that you are. For some, they are trusted with the greater ministry of raising children and teaching them how they should live.
Your legacy, when people look back, is built upon what you do today. “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.” (Proverbs 20:7 NKJV).
We must always find the counterweight in Scripture for everything we are learning. When we are taught that we will do the greater things, we must remember we were commanded to take the lowest position. Doctrinal errors abound where pride is allowed to interpret unchecked.
To reach a higher calling, you must have a lower position before God. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10 NKJV).
The greater things are doing the least of things that matter most to our Lord in heaven. When we serve the least, we serve the Lord because it is from there our humility is founded. Godly service is always rooted in humble beginnings and flourishes where pride is repeatedly overtaken.
You know the most about a person by the way they treat the least around them. “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” (Matthew 25:40 NASB).
The greatest calling goes out to the most willing who will do the least thing with the greatest joy. If you want to serve God in truth, then you must expose the lie that you have no pride inside you. We all have pride deep within us that we often justify as something worthy. Pride has no value.
Just because you’re right doesn’t mean you’re righteous. “You may think you’re right all the time, but God thoroughly examines our motives. It pleases God more when we demonstrate godliness and justice than when we merely offer him a sacrifice. Arrogance, superiority, and pride are the fruits of wickedness and the true definition of sin” (Proverbs 21:2-4 TPT).
Look to the one person God may have you reach. A preacher’s voice may reach many, but rarely will one even remember what was said a short time later. But the words you might give to a soul could remain with them for a lifetime. The smaller your audience, the deeper your influence.
You’ll influence people more by living a doctrine than by arguing it. “…Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity” (1 Timothy 4:12 NLT).
We can serve God every day. We need only ask Him to show us one step at a time in how we can serve Him. Every person we meet and every soul that we can touch is an opportunity to do the greater things. Be humble, and you will be on the path to being holy.
You were meant for something more. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9 NKJV).
Blessings to you,
Paul Balius
God’s continued blessings to you Paul. Your message of “Walking in the Spirit” touched/reached me this morning. From this day on I will pray for a willing heart to be Holy and these verses of “fact” to manifest in my life. 🙏 I ask for prayer for my son, Travis.
Thank you so much for your blessings, Cheryl! I’m so glad you liked that chapter of Walking in the Spirit. Praying the Lord will move mightily in your life. Prayers for your son Travis. I don’t the need, but our heavenly Father does.