“Pastor, I want to serve God, but every sermon I’ve listened to insists that I must have an encounter with Jesus before I go out to preach. I’ve prayed severally, but I haven’t seen Jesus. What do I do?”

I wouldn’t say you listened to the wrong sermons, but maybe they were a little too advanced for your situation. If I understand you correctly, you want to preach the gospel of Christ, but you’re holding back because you haven’t had visionary encounters with Jesus – as prescribed by the sermons you listened to.

The truth is, there are many people who are doing really well in ministry today who have not encountered Christ in a vision. They just believe the word of God and run with the passion in their heart. If I had waited to encounter Jesus personally, I won’t be doing what I’m doing today. My ministerial encounters with God only started years after I gave my life to Christ. If I remember correctly, my first encounter was in February 2014, the very day I received the mandate for a daily devotional called “Timely Notes” (I’d be shocked if any of you know that devotional😂).

Meanwhile, two months after I gave my life to Christ in 2010, I had started contributing value to the body of Christ. I preached in conferences, wrote articles and books (I wonder where those books are today😂). I was just two months old, but I was burning with a passion.

Speaking of passion, I’ve realized that there are three categories of people you’d often find doing ministry; those who are pursuing a vision shown to them by God, those who are on a mission personally designed by them, and those who are burning with an inexplicable passion. The fact that you had to ask me this question clearly tells me that you are burning with a passion.

As a teacher of the gospel and counselor, I encourage you to do those things you are passionate about. One of the synonyms for “passion” is actually determination or fire in the belly. If God could call Saul who was passionate about preserving outdated doctrines, why wouldn’t He call a person who is passionate about preaching the gospel and fulfilling God’s agenda of spreading the knowledge of the Lord across the whole earth as the waters covers the sea?

The encounter I had in 2014 was a basic encounter. I just asked God a question about my writing, and He approved it by giving me the license to write that daily devotional on His behalf. I was the writer, while He was the Author. All I had to do was ask Him what He wanted me to write for each day. We did that for many years until we moved to this new writing pattern, answering questions that are burdens in the hearts of His people.

Recall that I’ve been writing and speaking since I gave my life to Christ in 2010. I came across some of my articles from 2012, believe me, they are deep things. Yet, without a visionary encounter with Jesus. Finally in 2015, God finally gave me a purpose and vision I could run with. He told me to add value to lives by propagating applicable knowledge to people. And when I asked where and how He wanted me to execute that assignment, He told me it was the World Wide Web. So what you see me doing online today, is a ministry. But I didn’t get that ministerial assignment until years after I had pursued my passion.

When Christ was ascending to heaven, He gave gifts unto men. To some He gave Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, and Evangelists. Even without a calling or a personal encounter, if you received any of these gifts after salvation, one of the ways you’d know is through the passion that burns in your earth. Right from the day I received Jesus, my passion to teach came alive. For someone else, you may just have passion to cater for God’s people, that’s the gift of a pastor or shepherd. For someone else, you may just have passion to see souls saved, that’s the gift of an evangelist.

Visionary encounters are powerful, but you don’t have to wait for one before you pursue your passion. Asides the encounter I had in 2015, I’ve had many more encounters with God. These encounters have helped to transform my life. However, I started without a visionary encounter.

As I conclude, as you pursue your passion, ensure you do not lean on your own understanding when it comes to taking decisions for sensitive kingdom matters. Also, bare in mind that pursuing your passion is only a temporary thing, so don’t make permanent decisions. Wait on the Lord, even as you pursue your passion.

Hope you got that right? Don’t wait until God gives you a vision before you pursue your passion; wait on the Lord, even as you pursue your passion.

I hope this has brought enlightenment to someone.

Remain ever blessed, in Jesus precious name!

#EmekaAnslem
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