TAILORED MINISTRATION!
There's a thing like that and it pleases God to show you what "tailored ministration" is. Tailored ministration is that which is fixated on a particular people, in a particular place, with their particular needs and at a definite time. God always locate such in their cocoon and habited space. God is not interested in saying, "they should come", rather He goes to meet them. What a thing! May God tailor ministration towards you too.
One of the Bible passages that I've been chewing for months now and from which I've done several teachings and from which I've ministered impartation is still what the Spirit has need of. That Bible passage keeps exciting me. I keep seeing new things in it. It says, "the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up" (Matthew 4:16, KJV). Say with me, "what a verse!" It is loaded and we shall unravel and dig out the preciousness of what it harbours.
It says two things but which are the same. I'll itemize it this way.
a. The people which sat in darkness saw great light
b. ...and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung on.
What a verse! What a scripture! What an anointing it is stirring on me! What a God who gives us such a verse!
Let me ask you. Who are those who saw great light? You'd say, "those who sat in darkness". Again, who are those that light is sprung on? You'd say, "those who sat in the region and shadow of death."
Now, before that verse came, some other matters were written. Some activities had taken place. Jesus left Nazareth for Capernaum to dwell in a particular, stipulated and designated place that even Prophet Isaiah while looking into the future to come had prophesied about (Isa.9:2). Patiently read it here:
Matthew 4:13-16, KJV
"13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."
Did you see how we arrived at verse 16 which I earlier quoted? That verse came into being because of God's plan of love for mankind and specifically some humans who are designated to live in a region said to be dominated by darkness. It's those people God's light fell upon and found. First of all, you have to know that God wants to reach you. Due to this, Jesus, even Jesus had to relocate to Capernaum to bring light to Galilee of the Gentiles. In Galilee of the Gentiles, there be many people who need to repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. In Galilee of the Gentiles, there be many more who are marked for destruction by Satan but must be delivered. All these people are the reasons for which Christ's relocation and change of neighborhood was prophesied long ago and then fulfilled. Jesus as an evangelist - as an itinerant minister must bring ministration to these ones too. And if you were to visit Galilee of the Gentiles, you'd see many heathen there. It's seriously, thickly and densely populated by Non-Jews with their abhorred practices. And should they be left alone? Should Christ not have been sent to them?
Having this in mind, God planned inclusion for them and sent His Anointed (Jesus) to tailor a ministration to them and to them only who are living in the "region of darkness". It means that ministration does not concern you if you're not living in Capernaum by the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Naphtalim. Only those people is Jesus' ministration tailored towards that time. Others even if they have needs are exempted as long as that's not where they live. However, any who travels to Capernaum may not have been cut out also but this verse describes one thing - the specialness of a ministration to a certain people only. What a thing! I called this, "carved-for- me ministration." That God would see your need and bring the specific ministration you need to you where you are. This is the idea that forms taking ministry and ministration to people in designated places nowadays. Crusades, campaigns that are situated in specific places are intentionally brought to be enjoyed by those living in the crusade's cited colonies.
You know, I'm still amazed at that verse. That verse marks for us some people who dwells in no other place than, "the region of darkness". How would their lives be? How easy would they conduct their affairs? How sweet would their homes look when they're reported to live, walk, dwell, school, business, entertain, pleasure, sleep, wake and to continue living in no other place than in the region of darkness and shadow of death? They therefore no nothing of God's plan. They have no enlightenment of the gospel. They don't know that they can live by the Word and be guided by the Holy Spirit. They no nothing about all Christ bought for them which they can enjoy. So, they're always like scattered sheep without a shepherd. They're harassed, suffered and diminished. What a thing Satan has done to this people! He has successfully cheated them and cast his shadow on them. If they ever see, they only see dimly. If there's ever any light, it's darkness.
For that reason, Christ had to go on a campaign and take ministry to this side where the operation of the devil is thick, where the ground has not been broken and the atmosphere over them torn. He had to go. So, He came to live in Capernaum which is upon the sea coast in the borders of Zabulon and Naphtalim. What a thoughtful God who administers His ministers to places wanting of ministration so as to be able to bring ministration to the several needy there. I can witness, God is still sending ministers to thick darkly places as to break the hold of Satan and all evil on such places' occupants. Those places today are the regions of darkness and where death casts its shadow boasting in triumph over people. A place where Satan has built a colony, multiplied disciples and is confessing that he must take all of them with him to hell. A place where people are patronized by the devil and patronizes polygamy, poverty, sicknesses, diseases, idolatry, satanism and all sorts of witchcraft. As in, the people in such a place are no better than the people of Samaria that for long have been held in bewitchment. Being under bewitchment for long, they have even lose their senses for right judgement because they praise evil as being the great power of God! What a thing Satan can do!
"And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries" (Acts 8:11, KJV).
Imagine that! That place says, "to him (Simon) they gave attention and respect because they've been lost for long in bewitchment." That is, they don't know any better again. They've lost discernment of good and evil, light and darkness. So, they keep following him sheepishly. In this way, Satan continues to triumph and hold all these people in captivity in the region of darkness. As a matter of fact, the people were so bewitched in this place called Samaria that they gave heed to Simon (a sorcerer and false prophet) from the greatest to the lowest saying, "he's the real power." (Acts 8:10). We should ask, "how?" Any in light can't but exclaim at the suffering with which Satan has suffered this people without reclamation until Philip's kingdom stepping in.
They've been enchanted, buffeted, surrounded, enveloped, swallowed, eaten and bewitched by Satan's power for long so much more that they'll need a deliverer because they know not the way and can never find it themselves. Such places still occur where a man or a practice or belief of hell prevails and hold sway. I knew a lady on campus that a guy would sleep with, ate her food, collected her money and chastised her by beating also often. They were doing husband and wife as students but it's clear that one is the captive of the other. Light needed to alight on both of them but one needs to experience it faster. There are bad powers that must be dislodged. Imagine being under the hold of a feared man/woman who dictates your life to you because he has a hold on you by witchcraft. But you don't have to because, "Jesus through death has destroyed he that has the power of death, that is the devil" (Heb.2:14). We have prevailing power over the devil and all works of his hands.
It is on this note, God located Philip to Samaria to let light spring up in darkness and free all such people who are living under the influence of such satanic spell, enchantment, bewitchment yet are dancing in ignorance saying, "this is the best that could ever happen to us in this life." What best? The best of Simon the sorcerer? The best of Satan? Never the best!
On this note we pray, God, raise Philips, Raise a Paul who will go to break the hold of Satan in Paphos so that such Barjesus keeping Sergius Paulus and hindering him from salvation might be judged. Brethren, I tell you that there's nothing fit for ministration in such places than power. If you'll read Acts 13, you'll see how Paul under inspiration of utterance judged Barjesus. That chapter shows contest for a soul by two opposing forces: God's and Satan's. But Paul delivered the prey from the predator that day! Satan wanted to keep Sergius Paulus seated in the region of darkness and shadow of death but God forbid it.
We pray that every region and shadow of death will have light spring up in them. This includes families still given to satanic tradition, beliefs and practices. It begins by having a minister to send to such places and people. May God launch men. Receive your specific commission from God. Receive power back up. Receive the mouth of Jeremiah that plants but also plucks down. Receive the mouth of judgement and make God's own declarations. God is counting on you to deliver the prey of the predator. It's for this reason, just this sole reason Jesus relocated to Capernaum. It's so as to destroy the works of the devil. The Bible says, "...For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8, KJV). You see, you too have become an eraser. You'll go about wiping all dots of the devil. I say, fulfill mandate to destroy the works of the devil. As He spurns his wool, may you be the one God has set at the gate to set it ablaze until he vanishes and God be planted in that area, village, city, neighborhood and even nation. May you dislodge the devil. May He flee from you. You triumph. May any who has been oppressed till hitherto be loosed also. May you find expression, smoothness unhindered and joy where you've been greatly hindered. As it stems out of Philip's hands in Acts 8, let it be to those who desire one ministration or the other. Receive your need and let great joy flow from your heart!
Olusola ADEJUMO, M'Wings.
Morning Wings Ministry, Nigeria.
+234 81 3704 6812
morningwingministry@gmail.com