The Price of Ministry
Those who attended heard in-depth teaching on several subjects. One of the most riveting explained a deeper understanding of both the call and tests we can expect as believers who desire to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Those who attended heard in-depth teaching on several subjects. One of the most riveting explained a deeper understanding of both the call and tests we can expect as believers who desire to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“Every
believer is called,” Pastor Benny said, “but the Bible makes it clear that few
are chosen. Once you are called, you will go through tests.”
Citing
numerous examples throughout the Bible, from Elisha to the apostles, Pastor
Benny outlined 10 tests you will go through after you are called—tests that
will determine whether or not you will be chosen:
Time Test — God will put you on
the shelf and shut every door.
Word Test — You will have to rely
solely on the Bible as God determines whether you will move closer to Him or
away from Him during this time of testing.
Servant Test — God calls you to serve
another person, even as Elisha poured water on Elijah’s hands.
Wilderness Test — Just as Moses spent 40
years in the wilderness being stripped of Egypt and his former life, the
Wilderness Test is one of the most important.
Patience Test — Noah preached for 100
years. God often calls us to wait upon Him.
Frustration Test — God desires to search
the true heart of the believer, especially in times of pressure.
Discouragement Test — What will it take to
stop you?
War Test — When the devil
attacks, you must learn to walk in the Spirit.
Vision Test — Your vision will be
tested—are you truly called? You must make the vision plain and follow it.
Promotion Test — Can you handle
promotion?
“Often
you are given these tests at the same time,” Pastor Benny admonished. “God
Almighty wants to use you, but to use you, He must prepare you for ministry.
Remember, God will call you, then He will test you before you are truly
chosen.”
Throughout
the remainder of the conference, he continued to teach about God’s anointing
and presence.
“When
we are talking about the presence of God,” Pastor Benny explained, “we are
talking about the glory of God. The presence of Jesus becomes real to us when
we worship Him, when we read His Word, when we pray. Stillness overwhelms your
soul.”
Before
the service was over, Pastor Benny laid hands and prayed over each person who
came forward for a special impartation of anointing and ministry, including
many ministry staff members from the nearby Grapevine World Ministry Center.
“It
was amazing,” said one Oklahoma minister who attended the Fire Conference.
“What a blessing to hear such intense teaching about the anointing, then to be
able to go forward and experience God’s powerful presence in such a fresh way.
I’ll never forget it!”
The Greatest Miracle
On Saturday afternoon, Pastor Benny taught the packed audience from John 14, about what must happen for the greatest miracle—salvation—to take place.
On Saturday afternoon, Pastor Benny taught the packed audience from John 14, about what must happen for the greatest miracle—salvation—to take place.
“Jesus
told us that He is the way, the truth, and the life,” Pastor Benny declared,
“and no man comes to the Father but by Jesus Christ. He is the only way to the
Father. He the only way to heaven. There is no other way. Salvation is
accepting the death of Jesus Christ in your place. When you come to Jesus and
meet the Son of God, it’s a definite transaction. You give Him your sin, and He
gives you His righteousness.”
When
Pastor Benny gave the altar call, hundreds and hundreds of people came forward
to receive the greatest miracle.
Amazing
Miracles and Selena’s Extraordinary Healing
Faith in God was raised to even more powerful heights as Pastor Benny preached on the miracle power through the blood of Jesus Christ, relating how the blood-red covenant is evident throughout the Old and New Testaments, culminating with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Upon that foundation, a powerful anointing for healing filled the Dallas Convention Center.
Faith in God was raised to even more powerful heights as Pastor Benny preached on the miracle power through the blood of Jesus Christ, relating how the blood-red covenant is evident throughout the Old and New Testaments, culminating with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Upon that foundation, a powerful anointing for healing filled the Dallas Convention Center.
Many
testified of healing miracles—from arthritis, cancer, hearing, pain, and
more—so many that not all could go onto the platform to share what God had done
during the service.
Certainly
one of the most memorable was eight-year-old Selena, who came to the platform
with her parents. She had been born with cataracts, and surgery to remove them
early in her life left her with extremely bad eyesight, to the point that she
had to wear very thick glasses.
“Mommy,”
Selena said during the Saturday afternoon service, “someone is touching my
eyes!”
She
took the nearly half-inch-thick eyeglasses off and discovered that she could
see everything clearly.
After
Selena and her parents made their way to the platform to share the remarkable
miracle God had done, Pastor Benny performed test after test with her glasses
off, holding up five fingers, then four, then three, two, one. He increased the
distance as he continued the tests.
Needless
to say, the packed audience erupted again and again in praise to the God of
miracles!
As
Pastor Benny continued to pray for others who came to the platform to testify
of God’s healing touch, he held Selena’s hand, keeping her beside him. Finally,
he stopped and looked down at the little girl’s tear-stained face, and said,
“Selena, you know why I held on to your hand and kept praying for the people?
Because I want you to remember this night forever!”
Then he took her tiny
thick-lensed glasses in his hand and continued talking to her. “Here are your
eyeglasses. I don’t want you to ever throw these away. Hang them up somewhere
in your room where you can always see them to remind you of what Jesus did for
you tonight!”
A Foretaste
“I have been so excited about coming to Dallas for this Fire Conference and Miracle Service,” Pastor Benny reported. “I sensed that it would be very special, and what God did in our midst was truly extraordinary. I believe our time together here will have an incredible impact on the body of Christ, for God is doing a mighty work in this region. Who can forget what happened to Selena? I know that what happened this weekend is a clear foretaste of the outpouring yet to come!”
“I have been so excited about coming to Dallas for this Fire Conference and Miracle Service,” Pastor Benny reported. “I sensed that it would be very special, and what God did in our midst was truly extraordinary. I believe our time together here will have an incredible impact on the body of Christ, for God is doing a mighty work in this region. Who can forget what happened to Selena? I know that what happened this weekend is a clear foretaste of the outpouring yet to come!”
Source: www.bennyhinn.org
