Because You Ask
Question: Why do many senior pastors today torment or curse younger ministers who are just rising saying they want to outshine them and some of the senior pastors do seek and work for the downfall of the upcoming ministers of the gospel when they see that their fame is rising more than theirs’ claiming that they do not reference them (or not reference them enough) forgetting that the work of God (Gospel) is at risk.
Answer:
I want you to know that from the inception has this been happening. What I mean is that it has always been true in life that when two or more people start doing the same work, one would outshine the rest. I hope you get this.
When time passes by, and this person who has outshone the rest years back fails to develop him or herself, due to many reasons, then a subject under him who has been developing himself will begin to shine and of course it will only be a matter of time before this new person starts to outshine the one time "best" or superior.
What I am saying is, in whatever we are doing in life, whatsoever we have chosen to be our career, we should not rest on our oasis we should always strive to develop ourselves in that field, nothing can be compared to it.
Develop Yourself
Are you a musician? Upgrade yourself, yes, you may not be known by the people of the world now, it doesn't matter keep updating yourself. Are you a dancer? Keep training to be a best dancer. Dancing unlike our days when it is not lucrative, it is getting lucrative now, so develop yourself, and if you can sing with your dancing steps it would be an added advantage for you.
Are you called into prayer ministry? Develop yourself. Seek for the means to grow in the act and art, give it all it takes.
Are you a bible teacher? Grow.
In all these examples and others not stated here, what individuals need to do is take from here and there. You are an individual entity, you are different from me, I am different from you. Thus, try to maintain your individualism.
Maintain Your Individualism
What I mean by this is, though you may have or may have taken someone as a mentor, but that does not mean you should be copying that person 100%, it doesn't reflect your individualism which is for which you have been called.
Sorry to say, we see some people who for the fact that they love minister A or B decide to be talking like the person and would be doing everything like the person as if the person is God. Doing that may be seen in another light by God on your path. He may consider it to mean that you have set another god before him and you won't be able to outshine the person and of course exceed him maybe it was for that purpose that you have been called who knows. That means you have shot yourself on the foot and would not be able to grow further.
Check it out all those who outshine others learn to be individualistic in all they do though they have a mentor.
Something like this happened to me before too, for I love the kind of style of late pastor Obadare's ministration and do you know that I even went to the extent of praying that God should take my eyes? So that I become blind all because I want to be like him and do exploits. It was my uncle who cautioned me against it quite appalling that this uncle of mine is no longer in faith now.
Now, what am I saying is despite taking someone as your mentor or whatever, learn from him or her but don't try to be his or her photocopy in the world. You are created distinctly and differently. It is the different way which you have been created that God will use to make you outshine others.
Sincerely hope you get something here?
Going back to the original question.
You Would Be Weighed
Now after you may have learned one or two things from the person and you have started to use what has been learned, I tell you, sooner than expected you will start to manifest, start to grow beyond the person who was once before you.
Interestingly beloveds, you won't know that you have started to outshine the person because all that you will be doing will be naturally occurring, it will be happening as if you are swallowing saliva, urinating, does anyone teaches a child to swallow saliva? The answer is definitely no.
So, that is how it will be when you are handling the same thing you have been handling before which makes you a subject under the person you will be doing it naturally and it is the observers, listeners etc. who would be weighing your deeds (if a musician and dancer) with a one-time your superiors; if a teacher, it is listeners who will be weighing your messages with a one-time your superiors.
This weighing again would start spontaneously, in other words it is not as if they wanted to do it, but having listened to you for some weeks or listened to some of your messages either partial listening or in full, and seeing that they have gained something there by people would start saying, brother Lagbaja or sister Tamedun is emerging (was that not what the Israelis said about Samuel? (1 Sam. 3)
“And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD.” (1 Sam. 3:20)
High priest Eli and his children were alive then and the bible says they all knew that Samuel has emerged.
So, it is the people who will put your actions into the weighing machines and weighed you with others that they have been running after for years, others they have exalted to the highest heavens.
Now, on seeing this, this emerging star needs to be cautious about himself or herself and he should avoid pride as best as he could.
This is mostly common of us, young ministers these days and this essentially is what is causing us problems, therefore, even if you know that God has taken you off a stage, to another stage superior, don't allow the spirit of pride to enter you.
What To Do To Avoid Pride
And if you will not allow that spirit to enter you, you will need serious prayers this is because one of the things that is usually associated with breaking forth is pride.
When pride comes such people would find it hard listening to elders in the field, in other words they won't yield to good counsels or corrections. I know some jealous elders’ counsels to the person maybe orchestrated at silencing the person, but it is not all of them who do that. Some are sincerely proud of the person and his works and would want him to grow fast and farther and would offer counsels in all sincerity but because of pride this sister or brother wouldn't listen thinking the person wants to put out his glory, because she or he is jealous of him or her.
So, avoid pride and the best form of doing that is through prayers.
Monetary Values Not Immediate
Often, monetary values or gifts in any form would not be associated with it at the inception. All that would be happening is, special greetings, appreciating you, clapping for you after you have finished ministrations, to show that they appreciate your ministration or performance and enjoyed it. You will as from this time start seeing people coming to you in ones or twos to appreciate your works, talk to you, and by then you should start knowing that you have crossed a barrier perhaps gradually overtaken some people whom those ones have exalted before.
He will be saying things that are untoward to the person.
What Happens To Emerging Star Who is Proud
Emerging star who thinks that his leaders are against him and who has taken their pieces of advice personal would start attacking his superiors, this Jesus didn’t do, even Samuel whom I used as a case study did not do this neither did Jephthah.
Now some of us who do not know anything would think he is preaching or praying etc. but unknown that he has been directing his speeches against the leaders and that is when problems start, the leaders would then rise against him to curb him
In curbing him several things could be done.
If such a leader has not been broken down, if he has not passed through Jesus refineries then he will use his spiritual authority to attack the person and that is when they used to say they will curse them. The cursing wouldn't have taken effect if this sister or brother has not allowed small sin of pride to enter but if that has been allowed it would take effect.
God Recognizes Higher Authorities
It would take effect because God recognizes higher authorities. May I digress by saying this, the bible says, husband is the head of the wife, now a lady who cannot respect a brother he wants to be married to should not marry the man, because if they get married and things happened and the man cursed the woman as the head the curse would stand. God recognizes higher authorities.
One of my friends about 3 weeks ago was talking to me about a pastor who died and that he died because of the curse of a superior pastor. He opined that the senior pastor must have used demonic powers to kill the man.
I told him that I have been hearing of the senior pastor and the ministry for about 3 decades when his fame rose and that I did not believe that he was demonic but that it was the pastor who died that erred.
When this pastor notices that his fame has been rising more than his superior, the founder of the church, I told him that what he ought to do was leave the man's ministry to go and be alone.
He used the name of the man's ministry to establish a branch and he did not want to hand over the ministry or church to the senior pastor, I said it was a great error on his path and God seeing that he was yet under the man allowed what happened to happen because of his error. He died for his error.
I added that even in secular work when you are working for someone and he posts you to another place and you set up the business perfectly in that place, and you started having feelings or leading that you want to be alone. What you should do is leave the man's shop that you have established for him and go and start your own fresh. I said if the person fails, because the man he was working with he is still under his umbrella whatever he says would be binding on him and his business. But immediately he leaves his business, nothing he says would be binding on him, God will not allow that.
He agreed that I am right.
So, the man died for his folly.
This pride would lead to other actions of the man and which would eventually lead to the church’s division.
But, if this emerging start has noticed that something strange is about to happen, he does not have to dream dreams or see visions, all he has to do is being observant of the actions of those superiors so when he notices any iota of strange things, to avoid setting himself back let him pull out. This action would save a lot of things. Save the church, protect his ministry, protect himself and family etc. and all would be fine.
However, if he is receiving genuine advice but for pride thought they were attacking him, he will also bear the consequences afterwards, because the area he has refused counsels on will eventually show when he stands alone.
What Emerging Star That is Envied Need To Do
Someone who is not proud whom people envied should do the followings:
1. Be patience, if he does not want to leave the ministry,
2. Should leave the ministry if he cannot condone what they are doing against him,
3. Should be prayerful against spiritual attacks etc.
4. Should ask for God's wisdom, in all things we need God’s wisdom and if the person can ask for the wisdom of God, he will receive it, because he has promised to give it unto whomsoever asks bountifully.
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (Jam. 1:5)
5. Should learn to be discreet in disclosing things to people most especially those in the same ministry because some of them would be fronting for that leader and since he cannot see the hearts of anyone it is advisable, he or she chooses the word he would say widely to avoid misconstruing.
“Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.” (Mic. 7:5)
“Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.” (Jer. 9:4)
6. If Attacked He should try his best not to attack back, but if he can't do that, he should pull out. Pulling out is the best, but some may wish to linger on a while.
“The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.” (Pro. 17:14)
7. It’s advisable that he has someone, a spiritual leader whom he can be discussing with, but in case there is none, let him exercise good discretion like David when he was being pursued by Saul until God fights for him
“Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:” (Pro. 2:11)
8. Stop Discussing With Envious Leader: It is advisable that he stops disclosing all his moves and plans with the envious leader
In summary, there are good leaders and good followers and there are bad leaders and bad followers.
If you discovered that you are under bad leader, then get what you want from him or her fast and leave.
If you are a bad follower, you need to change.
If your leader is a good leader, you may wish to stay with him more and do not allow for those who used to pollute minds to pollute your relationships and set you back. Some people know quite well that theirs' have been destroyed and they will want to destroy others just like an HIV/AIDS infected person who having known his or her status decides to be flirting around to get more people infected with the virus that is how some people are, you will think they are advising you but in the real sense, they see the prospect in your relationship and do not want it to work because they know if it works you and or the ministry would surpass them thus they will start to give false counsels to pull you down.
You know Job said something like this in his book to his friends that they were bad counsellors (Job 12, 13 & 19)
Above all, I want you to know that this will continue in the world, because we shall continue to have spurious leaders till the world end. This is because the devil is still in the world.
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