Marks of a Good Pastor – Part III
From The HeartPublish date: 05/05/2013
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. John 10:2 AMP
4. A Pastor/Minister must have a divine anointing.
a. An effective Pastor/Minister needs to have divine leading and divine help. He/she cannot rely on, or put their trust in, human education, human wisdom, polish or self-effort. The Pastor/Minister needs to be anointed and totally led by the Holy Spirit. In Luke 11:11-13 Jesus says that if you ask your Heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit, that He will give you the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter - Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby. Without the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing. He anoints us, leads us, and empowers us to do God’s will and His works.
In John 14:12-18 Jesus said, “If anyone believes in Me, he will do the things I do, and greater things. Whatever you ask for in My Name, I will give you, so that the Father will be glorified in the Son. If you love Me, keep my commandments and I will send the Holy Spirit to live in you and be with you always.” In John 14:26 Jesus said that the Father would send the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ name - in His place, to represent Him and act on His behalf – to teach us and also to remind us of His words. In John 15:26 Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth – He comes from the Father and testifies regarding Jesus. In John 7:37-39 Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly will flow rivers of living water.” He was speaking here about the Holy Spirit, who had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist said that (Jesus) would baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire! In Luke 24:49 Jesus told the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high (from heaven). In Acts 1:8 Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, that you will receive power - ability, efficiency, and might – and you will be His witness from your home town out into the whole earth! The Holy Spirit gives you the power and ability to boldly preach the gospel wherever He sends you.
b. A Pastor/Minister must preach God’s word under God’s anointing – not man’s ideas by man’s methods (1 Corinthians 2:1-10)
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 AMP – As for myself, brethren, when I came to you, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony and evidence or mystery and secret of God [concerning what He has done through Christ for the salvation of men] in lofty words of eloquence or human philosophy and wisdom; 2 For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. 3 And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (dread) and great trembling [after I had come] among you. 4 And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them], 5 So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God.
c. The spiritual gifts that a Pastor/Minister needs, in order to minister effectively, are given by the Holy Spirit, at His discretion.
1 Corinthians 12:5-11 KJV - And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
d. A Pastor/minister is to be a living epistle – God’s laws written on their hearts – reflecting Jesus everywhere they go (2 Corinthians 3:1-18)
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 KJV - Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
e. A Pastor/Minister must be completely yielded to the Holy Spirit to do and say what He tells them to say – to preach when and where He leads – and not to be intimidated by man.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 NKJV – I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.