The General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Samuel Gyau Obuobi, has advised ministers not to entertain any form of sin as it would have an adverse impact on their ministry.
According to him, leading a sinless (holy life) is a basic requirement of a minister and is also non-negotiable.
As ministers, God has set us apart from sin. When you are a minister who lives in sin, it weakens your moral authority to the extent that you cannot confront sin, and this will cause your downfall,” Apostle Obuobi said yesterday when he met with Ministers and Wives of the Dansoman Area as part of this year’s Apostolisation (Ministers and Officers’ Retreat).
Speaking on the topic “The Four Levitical Functions”, with Deuteronomy 10:8 as his foundational text, the General Secretary explained that in the Old Testament, the Lord chose the Levi tribe to serve as priests. However, in the New Testament era, He does not just select a family as ministers; instead, from every nation and tribe,
He calls His people into the kingdom work. He further noted that just like the prophet Amos (Amos 7:14-15), God does not choose the qualified but instead chooses those whom the world despised and uses them for His glory (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).
“We must, therefore, not take our calling for granted. We must always appreciate God for what He has made us,” he charged.
Apostle Obuobi indicated that in choosing people to serve as priests, God sets them apart from sin to lead a life of holiness.
Buttressing his point with Exodus 28:36-37, he said that this is the reason why the turban of the Priest of Israel had the inscription “Holiness to the Lord,” saying: “As a minister, the first thing people should see when they meet you is holiness.”
Touching on the four Levitical functions, the General Secretary explained that, just like the Levitical priests, God has called ministers to carry the ark of the covenant, stand before Him, serve Him, and bless others in His name.
Explaining further, he said that the Ark of the Covenant represents the presence of God, and therefore, it is expected of every minister to be a carrier of God’s presence at all times. “The minister must carry the presence of God (the ark) into every service to bring life to it,” he said.
Apostle Obuobi stated that this could be achieved by adequate preparation through prayer, waiting on God, engaging God’s word, and leading a righteous life, saying: “Dirty hands don’t carry the ark.”
“By the ark, the Jordan ran away from the presence of the Israelites; by the ark, Dagon (the god of the Philistines) fell and got broken into pieces; by the ark, a distinction is created between the people of God and others,” he added.
He said that the second Levitical function of the minister is to stand before the Lord, which implies spending time in prayer.
He noted that ministers must be intercessors and intercede for the church and nation, the sick and afflicted, the family, and others.
He, however, stressed that prayer should not only be about putting one’s challenges and problems before God but fellowshipping with Him.
The third Levitical function Apostle Samuel Obuobi posited was service. He noted that ministers have been set apart to serve the Lord with all their hearts and to do so with gladness.
“We must note that our service to God is an aspect of our worship, and worship is both adoration and service,” he stated.
The General Secretary ended his presentation with the fourth Levitical function, which he said was to bless in God’s name.
He said that ministers are anointed and must be cautious about their utterances. As a result, they should always pronounce blessings on their congregants and refrain from “cursing” them, emphasising that: “We have been called to bless and not to curse.”
PENTECOST NEWS.
