How To Meet With God For Your Ministry
The first time I met with God for my ministry, I had no clue what I was doing. All I knew was that I had a lot of questions: questions about what I should do and what strategy I should use to build my ministry online. From there, I quickly learnt the importance of talking to God first before asking anyone for guidance (whether it be godly or worldly advice). Especially if we want to represent Christ in the marketplace.
"As Christians, we shouldn't consult Google before consulting God."
Hearing God's Voice For Yourself
When you have a meeting with God, it is like having a conversation with a friend. The only difference is that in the beginning it may feel awkward, and you might think you are talking to yourself. However, as you continue to talk with God, you will realise that you are speaking to Him. It might take a while to differentiate between God's voice and your thoughts, but with consistency, you will learn to recognise His voice for yourself.
When God speaks, 90% of the time, it will sound like your own thoughts. You might get a thought that sounds like advice from someone you know or information you have consumed from your favourite content creator. Your job is to sift through these thoughts and pick out the ones that sound like God.
Discerning the Voice of God: Strategies to Help You Know the Difference
For those of us who are struggling to differentiate our own thoughts from the voice of God. Here are 4 ways we can determine its source.
We should examine the content of the thought. If it aligns with the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5), it is undoubtedly the voice of God.
We should consider the source of the thought—if it comes suddenly and seemingly from nowhere, it's possible that it's the voice of God.
If the thought is repetitive and arises from our own experiences and knowledge, it's more likely to be our own thoughts.
Seeking guidance from trusted spiritual leaders and spending time in prayer and meditation can also be helpful in understanding the voice of God better. Ultimately, it's essential to approach the discernment process with an open heart and a willingness to know God's voice for you.
"When God wants to communicate His plan to you, it will mostly sound like you're speaking to yourself."
Prophetic Planning With God
You can plan with God for your ministry on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. The goal is to schedule a meeting with Him before making any significant or minor decisions in your ministry.
Planning with God begins with you remaining silent and allowing the Holy Spirit to sift through all the information you have accumulated over the years or months. This will provide you with the answers you need. When you let God speak to you through the Holy Spirit, you will gain clarity and direction on what God wants you to do or the direction He wants you to go with your ministry.
Remember that planning with God takes time, so try to schedule more than 30 minutes when meeting with Him.
"Always establish a connection with God before you ask Him for what you want or need."
Here is a simple strategy to help you plan with God for your ministry:
Set an agenda: Before the meeting, make a list of all the questions you want to ask God concerning your ministry. This will prepare you and give you a clear outline of what you want to talk to God about.
Get into God's presence: Set the atmosphere through worship. If you want God to reply to your questions, worship until you feel the atmosphere shift inwardly and outwardly. Listening to instrumental Gospel music is also a great way to get into God's presence without the lyrics.
Ask God questions: This is as simple as having a conversation with yourself and waiting for God to reply. If there are things you're not sure about, ask Him follow-up questions until you get the clarity you need.
Get confirmation: Before you take action, let God confirm what He told you to do through 2-3 sources. Whether that is an inward witness or from a source you trust. Sometimes God will give you signs through nature, a television show, and more. You just need to be open to see it!
Take action on what God tells you to do: When God is ready to speak, He will assign you a task that is aligned with His vision for your ministry. This is usually something God has given you the ability and resources to do.
Meeting With God For Your Ministry
Before meeting with God, you must learn to hear God for yourself. Having a list of questions you need to ask God about your ministry is essential, but if you do not know God for yourself, receiving that revelation will be difficult unless you know what God sounds like to you. If you want to get direct revelation from Him, make time to learn how He speaks to you.
Meetings with God can transform your ministry and provide you with answers to your questions. It's a powerful way to ensure that your ministry is aligned with God's plans and purposes. If you're just getting started, particularly when it comes to praying to God for your ministry, Download our Ministry Meeting Sheet to help you outline your agenda before going to God in prayer. With it you can:
- Jot down all your ideas, thoughts and questions in one place so you never lose focus during your sessions with God.
- Plan your meetings and capture the insights you receive during these meetings.
- Connect with the Lord and seek His guidance for your ministry.
Whether you meet on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. It is undated, so you can use it whenever you need it.
