In the 2^nd part of this series, we discussed the grace of children, how to grow in it and those things that rob it of life. I would now like to suggest that it is also the most important of the graces.

In computer soft ware, the progression of importance is the system format, and then there is the primary operations system (e.g. DOS. Apple, Lennox, e.t.c.), this is called the D.B.M.S. (Data Base Management System), then there is the secondary operation systems or the desktop environment (e.g. M.S. Windows, Lennox 6.0 bootable, e.t.c.), then there are the application packages like Corel Draw, Office x.p. (containing M.S.Word, Excel, e.t.c.), computer games and so on. Most of us are only concerned with the application packages; we don’t value the operations systems.

The grace of children is like the operation system of the spirit. The grace of ministry and the grace of mentorship are built on it in progression. The healthier the co-operate anointing is, the better and more powerful the other two graces become.

The grace of ministry, as hinted in part one of this article, is based on promotion. Our first taste of this grace comes when God, seeing our devotion and love to Him under the grace of children, decides to consecrate us to special tasks.

When a child is born, it is unskilled in all its ways and is given no responsibilities even for it; every thing is done to and for the child. After a while of allowing the child to learn the ways of life, the child begins to be corrected for excessive use of its liberties to play so that it respects the liberty of others and is responsible to the people around it. Latter, when the child has learnt to take instruction; to walk and talk the language of its parents, it is given little minor responsibilities like fetching pens or small bags, eating its own food, drinking its own water without assistance. Slowly but steadily, the child is brought up till it is an adult having its own job and raising its own children. In like manner, the grace of ministry usually starts with very little spiritual tasks and God correcting our excesses in the use of our liberty. As we learn and imbibe the little lessons in personal faithfulness to God, we graduate spiritually from level to level till we are skilled enough in the things of God to minister to others.

One thing we must note is that ministry is never so that we may minister to men; no matter how public our ministry, we do not minister to men, we minister to God. Ministry is God giving us the opportunity to participate with Him in what He wants to do in His Church. This means any ministry in which the Power of God is not involved is a ministry in the flesh. It also means that the way to prosper in ministry is not by doing what men like but by obeying God. Saul mixed this up and was accused of being a witch and his ministry was taken away from him. He continued to minister to men but the Holy Spirit had left him; he became a satanic agent in the church of God. If we use God’s gifts contrary to His will, we will loose it. The more effectively we use the ministry grace given to us, the more grace is given us to be more productive towards God’s purpose.

It is also noteworthy that ministry grace is never given to us for self aggrandizement. To be balanced on this point, I must point out that the anointing is actually there to draw people’s attention towards the righteousness of righteous men. It is God’s way of saying “This is a man who suites my tastes in this matter, emulate or learn from him”. God only qualifies His righteousness and the anointing is the testimonial that God has found us right for His purpose;

“Thy throne, o God is for ever and ever, the scepter of your kingdom is righteousness; for thou has loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore the LORD thy God has anointed thee with the oil of joy above your fellows”

Thus, it suites God to highlight His righteousness through us, that is why we are anointed for great works. If we use this privilege to honor ourselves and glorify our own private desires, we betray God and forfeit His grace. We glorify God when we use His grace to promote His righteousness and we honour Him if we obey Him to exercise our faith in His grace.

Finally, the grace of the fathers has all the limitations of ministry attached to it, but more as well. The spiritual father is required to live an exemplary life by which he serves as example to all who follow him/her. They cannot act or talk any how. They must reflect Christ in ever way and at all times. They must be ready to correct those who practice iniquity concisely and appropriately because if they don’t, God will call them to account for it. Eli was an example of a father who was lax in rebuke and correction of iniquity, his household was left desolate and his only descendants that survived where left to be a source of shame and disgrace. In the book of Jeremiah somewhere, it says,

“O land! O land! Write this man down as childless, for none of his descendants will prosper, none shall ever sit on the throne of their fathers”.