Spirit-Led Leaders Inquire of the Lord

Spirit-lead Leadership Part 2

Spirit-led Leaders inquire of the Lord.

Pastor Tamera Kraft, Revival Fire for Kids

www.revivalfire4kids.com

Ready to Serve Free Resouce: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/yqfi11e1qqezgyhfavamp/Ready-to-Serve-Are-You-Ready.docx?rlkey=1gmt7bu4gbawlmoq870j6p7s2&e=1&st=bqqmasxc&dl=0 

Have you ever decided on a course of action that seemed reasonably but turned out to be a total disaster? Every leader can point to a situation in the past where that happened. Today we’re going to find out how to avoid those traps.

Intro

When I was first appointed as a children’s pastor at my church, I had no idea what I was doing. I had no plans to be a children’s pastor. I’d been teaching adults and assumed that’s where God had called me, but one day, the pastor asked if I would be in charge of children’s ministry at the church. I knew there was a need and felt the Holy Spirit leading me to step into what I thought would be a temporary ministry until they found someone else. I struggled with knowing what to do, but the kids seemed to love me. Two months later, God called me to children’s ministry in a dramatic way, but I still didn’t know how to make my children’s church work effectively. The church had no money for resources and curriculum, so I was literally on my own.

During that time, I learned an invaluable lesson. I would ask God what I should do first, and He told me. Then I asked Him what I should do next, and He led me to the next step. I asked Him what I should teach, and He showed me through His Word. I asked how I should direct the service, and He gave me a pattern for leading children into His presence through he order of service when I heard a camp meeting sermon about the furniture in the temple of God.

Soon, I was creating VBS and fun programs that were attracting hundreds of children to that church that ran around 120 when I started. I began writing my own curriculum that was Spirit-led. I plan children’s musicals that were so anointed that unsaved parents of the children participating got saved. Students in my ministry were getting saved, receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and were ministering in the church. When I taught them to pray, they became prayer warriors for pastors and leaders in the church. When I finally did go to conferences and took classes to learn how to do children’s ministry, I found out I, who knew nothing, was on the cutting edge of kidmin. And the church and children’s ministry grew.

It is so tempting, especially after going to a kidmin conference or reading a book on how to do children’s ministry to do the shiny new thing taught at the conference, but don’t fall into that trap. Expanding our knowledge is a good thing, and many times, God will use those conferences to show us what to do next, but make sure you inquire of the Lord before you use that new technique in your Kidmin.

Remember: Spirit-led Leaders Inquire of the Lord.

David was the greatest king Israel ever had. His super power for leading the nation of Israel was He inquired of the Lord. Here a a few of the times he did that.

• 1 Samuel 23:2 So David inquired of the Lord,
• 1 Samuel 23:4 Then David inquired of the Lord once more.
• 1 Samuel 30:8 David inquired of the Lord,
• 2 Samuel 2:1 Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the Lord,
• 2 Samuel 5:19 Then David inquired of the Lord,
• 2 Samuel 21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of the Lord.

Are you facing a spiritual famine that’s lasting year after year? Maybe it’s time to seek the presence of God and inquire of the Lord.

When David didn’t inquire of the Lord, that’s when he got into trouble. Anyone remember Bathsheba? We might not get in as much hot water as David did if we fail to inquire of the Lord, but when we don’t, our ministries to children will lose their effectiveness even if they look good on the outside.

Next we’ll talk about ways we can inquire of the Lord, but first, does your church have leaders come in to have revival services? Revival services energize the spiritual lives of the congregation like nothing else can. So why aren’t we having revivalist come into our children’s ministry? Children need revival. I’m Pastor Tamera Kraft, and I’d love to come to your church to do a children’s revival, kid’s crusade, outreach, or VBS. No matter what the size of your church, we can work out the details to make it affordable. Email me at revivalfire4kids@att.net or find out more at www.revivalfire4kids.com.

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So how do we inquire of the Lord?

First, pray for God to lead you. Matthew 7:7 (NIV) says Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Ask the Lord what to do next, and He’ll let you know.

Next, read God’s Word. We all read the Bible to get our next lesson, but that’s not what I mean. Read and study God’s Word on a regular basis. Often, He’ll give you direction thought something you’ve read.

Get into the presence of God. If we pray and read our Bibles but don’t spend time lingering in God’s presence, we’ll miss out on how He is directing us.

Learn to listen to the Holy Spirit’s direction. Sometimes He’ll use Scripture or other people, but He will always speak to your Spirit. Listen for His impressions. Do you have a green light in your Spirit. Then God is telling you to go full steam ahead. Is there a check or uneasiness in your spirit. Then stop what you’re doing and go another direction. What about if you’re not sure. Then do nothing until God show you the right direction.

Learn how to do ministry. Children’s conferences, online workshops, and books are one way God directs us. The more we learn, the more confident we’ll be. But don’t stop there. Learn things they don’t teach at children’s conferences. Learn how to speak publicly. Learn Biblical leadership principles. Learn how to juggle, or face paint, or do animal balloons. Learn how to do Gospel Illusions and drama skits. All of these skills will help you become a better children’s pastor and be equipped for wherever God leads you.

Obey the leadership God gives you. If your pastor says he doesn’t want you to direct the children’s ministry in a direction you’ve been wanting to go, it could mean two things. It’s not time yet, or you’ve heard God incorrectly. God never leads us to rebel against our spiritual leaders. Also, if God has given you a vision that contradicts the vision your pastor has for the church, pray and ask God when it is time to leave. God may have you stay at that church because He is going to change things, or He may have somewhere else for you. Do what He tells you to do when He tells you to do it.

Don’t be afraid to change all of your plans at a moment’s notice if God directs you another way. Many times these are the best children’s services of all.

That’s all for today. Join us next time for part 3 of Spirit-led leadership. Spirit-lead Leaders empower and mentor those under them.