In speaking of ministry, we have to realize that there are two kinds of revelations. The first is a basic revelation that is once for all. The other is a fine, gradual revelation. If we have received the revelation of Christ, this revelation is a basic revelation. Paul received this revelation. After receiving such a revelation, we will find what we have already seen of the Lord whenever we open up the Bible. This kind of finding is based on the initial vision and knowledge of the Lord. We must first prostrate ourselves before the Lord and acknowledge that none of what we knew before could stand before Him. Even our zealous service to God, like Saul’s endeavors, must be ruled out. We should remember that Saul fell to the ground. He did not fall because of his sins. His fall was a fall with respect to the work. It was not a fall related to backsliding, but a fall related to zeal. Here was a man who knew the law, knew the Old Testament, and was more zealous than all the other Pharisees. He was so zealous that he was able to focus on only one thing at a time. When his mind was set on persecuting the church, he did his best to persecute the church. Because he thought that this was the way to serve God, he gave himself to it absolutely. Even though he was deceived, his zeal was real. When he was enlightened and smitten to the ground, he realized that what he had done was a persecution of the Lord, not a service to Him.
Although many people are saved, they are as blind as Saul was in their work and service. They think that they are on the way of serving God. But one day the Lord shines His light on them, and they cry out from within, “What shall I do, Lord?” I am afraid many people have never asked this question once in their life. They have never once been moved by the Holy Spirit to call the Lord, “Lord.” The way many people say “Lord” is like those in Matthew 7:21. They do not call Jesus Lord in the way of 1 Corinthians 12:3. Here we see a man who for the first time confessed Jesus of Nazareth as Lord. For the first time, he said, “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). He had done many things in the past. But here he said, “What shall I do, Lord?” This was a falling down. He fell from his work, from his zeal, and from his own righteousness. Once this man received such a basic revelation, the Bible became to him a new book, an open book.
Many people can only read the Bible with teachers by their side. They can only understand the Bible according to reference books. They do not have an understanding of the Bible that comes from meeting the Lord. The amazing thing is that once a person meets the Lord and is enlightened, the Bible immediately becomes a new book to him. From that day on, he touches a new book whenever he reads the Bible. A brother once said, “When the Lord puts me under the light, what I receive in an instant will be enough for me to preach for a whole month.” This is a word of experience. We must have this basic revelation, a revelation that involves a touch with the Lord. Such a revelation will lead us to many other revelations, revelations that open us up to God’s word. Once we have this basic revelation, our reading of the Bible will be a discovery. We will find God speaking in this and that passage. We will know the Lord through one passage and be clear about things concerning Him through another passage. Day by day and passage by passage, we will accumulate many revelations. When we serve others with this kind of revelation, we have a ministry.
Ministry is based on words that one receives from God. When we meet Christ, we serve the church with the Christ we know. Every time we serve, we need a fresh revelation. Ministry involves seeing something before God. God presents something in a new and fresh way to us. When we present this to the church, we have revelation. Earlier, we said that there are two kinds of revelation. The first is basic, while the second is detailed or supplementary. One kind occurs once for all, while the other kind occurs repeatedly. If we do not have the once-for-all revelation, we will not have repeated revelations. We must have the basic revelation first, before our person, our spirit, and our knowledge of the Lord and of the Bible can be useful. However, this does not mean that we can be ministers of the word immediately. The basic revelation qualifies us to be a minister. But the actual beginning of our service must be accompanied by the repeated addition of revelations.
Ministry is based on some basic knowledge and revelation. However, when God wants us to speak something, we have to learn to receive a fresh revelation that pertains to that particular speaking. A minister of God’s word cannot presume that he can speak just because he has received a revelation once. Every time there is the ministry of the word, every time someone renders a supply from the word, there is the need for a fresh revelation for that particular purpose. With every service there is the need of a new revelation. For every supply there is the need of a new revelation. One must have a revelation before he can have a ministry. One does not receive a revelation and then live by it for the rest of his life. The basic revelation enhances one’s ability to receive gradual and progressive revelations. The first revelation brings in many more revelations. The basic revelation brings in many subsequent revelations. Without the basic revelation, there can be no subsequent revelations. But even when there is the basic revelation, there is still the need for more revelations. A man may receive one basic revelation from God, but it does not mean that he can use this basic revelation year after year, continuously for the rest of his life and serve as a minister of God’s word this way. Just as we depend on the Lord moment by moment for our life, our work follows a similar principle. Every revelation produces one occasion of ministry. One must have multiple revelations before he can have a multiple occurrence of ministry.
We must remember that every revelation only affords us the opportunity to fulfill our ministry once. It is impossible to have one revelation for two occurrences of ministry. A revelation is good only for the ministry of the word once. All subsequent revelations are built upon that first basic revelation. Without the basic revelation, it is impossible to have subsequent revelations.
These basic issues must first be settled before one can be a minister of God’s word. Revelations have to be progressive, one being built upon the other. A single revelation cannot support a ministry forever. One revelation can support the ministry once. One revelation can only render service once. It is useless for a person to prepare a number of sermons and then try to use them when occasions call for them. It is not a matter of being familiar with a sermon and then preaching it everywhere. We have to remember that God’s word is God’s word; it is not our word. You may be very familiar with a message and may even be able to memorize it. However, in order to minister God’s word, you must receive a word from Him whenever you are about to speak. You need repeated revelations before you can fulfill a ministry repeatedly. Each revelation will equip you for the fulfillment of your ministry just once.