Prayer is the key that unlocks the door of ministry--Your Prayer Team

 Prayer is the key that unlocks the door of ministry.  As your ministry grows, you need more and more people praying for you.  It is like circles around you:

Circle 1.  Your most intimate friends and family--those who you can be completely open with.
Circle 2.  People who are true intercessors, who will be called by God to pray for you for specific issues that are assigned to them.
Circle 3.  A much larger group of people who will pray for you as prompted by email, phone call, etc.
Circle 4.  People around the world that have heard of you and what you are doing and love to pray.
Circle 5.  People that only God knows who they are, but He prompts them to pray for you-- the unknown person.

This type of prayer team can open doors, solve difficult situations, smooth the way, and keep you protected.

You Need Three Kinds of People in Your Life

In order to live a life that keeps you growing, you need three kinds of people in  your life:

1.  Someone above you who knows more than you, to keep you stretching.
2.  A running buddy who is at the same level as you, to keep you challenged.
3.  Someone below you that you can mentor and bring up.

Divine Energy

Divine Energy:  Some people operate on nervous energy.  But there is a better way and one that will not  wear you out, but will also keep you going till the end of your days--Divine Energy.  God's Holy Spirit is so powerful that God used that to raise Jesus from the dead.  Learn how to tap into that and you will be like Caleb in the Old Testament in his eighties, "Lord, give me that mountain!"

How to Judge Success

How to Judge Success:  Don't judge success by these things which the world and some ministries judge success by:  ministry size, money, prominence or visibility.  Instead judge your success by humility, compassion, and a Christ-like spirit.  How are you doing?

Remember, Jesus came as a servant, not as a king

Remember, Jesus came as a servant, not as a king.  You are to do the same.

Handling Success and Praise

Handling Success and Praise:  After you have worked hard for the Lord in something and people are praising you and thanking you, accept their thanks politely, give God the glory and later when you are buy yourself, put your hands up in the air and say, "Up to you, God.  It all goes up to You."

Needing Money

Needing Money:  You don't need money.  You need God.  God has money.