Take Heed to the Ministry Which You Have Received

God has a special ministry, gifts of the Holy Spirit, and also natural abilities and personality traits that He has given each of us for His purposes and glory. Ministry is God-appointed service rendered for the benefit of others and for the glory of Christ. Every Christian has a ministry.

“And say to Archippus, ‘Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.’” Colossians 4:17

Every believer is, of course, called to preach the gospel and make disciples. But there are specific ministry assignments and gifts God gives to each person to do a unique work only they can do. It’s only God who knows what this is, and he will reveal it to the individual. But sometimes, mature and discerning servants of God can confirm it too. Paul was able to confirm Timothy’s calling as an evangelist and apostle because he was a father to him and loved him.

“But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” 2 Timothy 4:5

“Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.” 1 Timothy 4:14

Your ministry is your unique purpose.

We are not copies of each other. God is a master designer, and we are each his masterpiece. We are created in Christ for good works, which God prepared before the foundations of the world for us. God has a book for each of us where he has written and recorded the days, thoughts, and plans he has for us and what he ordained for us to be and do. It’s unique for each person.

“Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” Psalm 139:16

“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

God places within each of us unique ministry gifts, talents, abilities, personalities, and messages that others may not have. And this is why it is important to know God and cultivate a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Only he can reveal to you what he has called you to do. If you don’t hear God on this, you will often get sidetracked or misled. It will thus be easy for people and the devil to cause people to miss their destiny. Many are kept busy doing things they were never called to do, while forsaking their actual ministry and calling in Christ.

You shall give an account for your ministry.

God shall require an account from each of us for what he committed to us. He will not ask for an account of what your pastor told you to do or what people think you should do. He will not even require an account for what you think you should do, but only for what He has called you to do. If we allow fear, insecurity, fear of man, or people’s desires to keep us from fulfilling what God has called us to do, we will answer to God.

In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus made it clear that one day he shall return to settle accounts with his servants. Those who multiply their talents by trading with them and putting them to use will be rewarded in the life to come with commensurate responsibilities. The servant who hid his talent in the ground because of fear and did nothing with it was banished from the Lord’s presence into eternal damnation. He was called a wicked and lazy servant because he only lived for himself. He did not fulfill his ministry.

Fulfill your ministry and bear fruit.

We have not been placed here to pass the time but to fulfill the unique ministry God placed us here for. We are here to glorify him by building his kingdom where he has called us. It is the individual believer’s responsibility to ask God what his unique gifts and ministry are. And once he knows, then he can fulfill his ministry without fear and without comparing and measuring himself with others. He must not allow anyone to distract and mislead him.

“Therefore, I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7

God is glorified when we bear much fruit. We are not just to be busy, but busy doing what he has called us to do. His general will for everyone is revealed in the word of God, and we must obey that. But his specific will for our individual lives and ministry is revealed as we seek him and cultivate a relationship with him in obedience and diligence. And we shall give an account for this as well.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

New Testament passages on ministries and gifts of the Spirit.

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10-11

“God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.” Hebrews 2:4

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function, so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another. We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” Romans 12:3-8

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

“But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.” 1 Corinthians 12:20-22

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts.” 1 Corinthians 12:27-31

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:11-16

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