30/06/2025
VALUE RELATIONSHIPS IN MINISTRY BUT BE CAREFUL.
My Son, Sit With Me. Letâs Talk.
Ministry is people.
Ministry is relationships.
Without them, your calling is a shout into the void.
Relationships open doors, nurture vision, and become the soil where your anointing grows roots.
David had Jonathan,
Moses had Joshua,
Paul had Timothy,
Jesus had the Twelve.
Even God, in His infinite majesty, desires communion with man.
You cannot walk this path alone.
Isolation is not holiness, and disconnection is not discernment.
Youâll need covenant brothers who will remind you who you are when the enemy whispers lies. Youâll need mentors who challenge your comfort and sons who ignite your compassion.
But hear me well, relationships can also break you. They can become the very knife that pierces your side.
Not Everyone Is Who They Appear to Be
In ministry, youâll meet three kinds of people:
1. Those sent by God to bless your journey.
2. Those sent by the enemy to sabotage your assignment .
3. And those who are just passing through, but you must learn not to keep them longer than necessary.
Judas was not a mistake. He was a prophecy. But he was never supposed to be in Jesus' inner circle for sentimentâs sake.
Son, not every smile is sincere.
Not every hand laid on you is praying.
Some are weighing.
Some are scheming.
Be careful with who you call "brother." Be careful with who you expose your oil to.
The wrong person can contaminate the fragrance of your calling.
Discernment Is Greater Than Charisma
Itâs tempting to assume that someone who speaks in tongues, prophesies accurately, or serves faithfully is trustworthy.
But ministry demands more than charisma, it demands discernment.
Samson confided in Delilah thinking her affection was loyalty.
He learned the hard way that intimacy without discernment leads to captivity.
Don't let your desperation for companionship make you lower your spiritual guard.
Learn to say ânoâ in the Spirit. Learn to wait before you trust. Let God reveal the hearts of men before you assign them positions in your journey.
The same mouth that cries âHosanna!â today can cry âCrucify him!â tomorrow.
Do Not trade your assignment for acceptance
You will be tempted to build alliances for influence.
To pursue men who have platforms, hoping they will validate your voice.
Beware, son. Be very careful.
Some relationships will ask for pieces of your identity in exchange for inclusion.
They will demand your silence when you should speak, your compromise when you should stand. These are not relationships. These are soul traps.
Donât trade your mantle for a microphone.
Donât dilute your message to maintain a friendship.
If being authentic causes some people to leave let them leave. Jesus did not chase the rich young ruler.
Learn the Language of Loyalty, But Expect Betrayal
I would love to tell you that ministry is filled with nothing but faithful hearts and loyal friends.
But I would be lying. Some of the deepest wounds youâll carry wonât come from the world. Theyâll come from the ones you once prayed with.
But don't let betrayal make you bitter.
Donât let offense harden your heart. Guard your spirit without closing your heart. Trust God more than you trust men. Keep your circle small, but your love large.
Forgive quickly. But remember wisely.
Son, Make Room for Covenant Relationships
As much as I warn you, I also urge you, make room for the right people. Ministry is not meant to be lonely. God will send you Aaron to hold up your hands, Hur to steady your foundation, and Jonathan who will strip himself to see you rise.
These relationships wonât flatter you.
They will confront you.
They will cry with you.
They will bleed beside you. And youâll know, itâs not ambition, itâs covenant.
Value those people more than applause. Protect those bonds with prayer. Invest in them.
Cry for them.
Fight for them.
You Are a Gatekeeper, Guard the Gate
You donât need to be suspicious.
But you must be wise.
You are a gatekeeper to a move of God, and gates donât just let things in, they also keep things out.
So, son, as you go where God is sending you, keep your heart tender, but keep your spirit sharp.
Let the Holy Spirit be your radar. And when He says, âThis is not the one,â listen.
Relationships will shape your destiny, or sabotage it.
They will either sharpen your edge or dull your discernment.
My final words to you from these scriptures
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
John 2:24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.
Psalm 41:9 Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.
Evang. Dr Ukpo Daniel
