O-B-E-Y Spells Success in Ministry

Spain-Crusade-2001There is a four-letter word that will sentence you to success as your serve another person’s ministry: O-B-E-Y! Obedience is coming under the authority of your mentor. In other words, submission is the key.

Elisha came under the authority of Elijah and received the blessing of the double portion:

“And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, 'Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?' Elisha said, 'Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.' So he said, 'You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so'” (2 Kings 2:9-10).

Elijah’s charge to Elisha, “If you see me when I am taken from you …” speaks of Elisha staying connected and paying close attention to his mentor.

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Let me share a true story that illustrates the blessing of obedience to your mentor. For years God had been speaking to Dr. Cerullo’s heart that a time was coming that He was going to use our ministry to shake the nation of Spain.

Sure enough, the time came, and I received an invitation from a precious pastor in Madrid asking if Brother Cerullo would come to the Spanish capital. I immediately got on a plane and met with this wonderful group of about 12 pastors from across Madrid. One pastored a church of 20 people, another 35; the largest was less than 200.

All together, these 12 pastors had a combined attendance of maybe 600 people.

They were inviting Brother Cerullo to come and conduct a crusade in a beautiful auditorium in the center of Madrid that seated 1,200. Their faith was so high, and they were so excited. This would be the biggest charismatic meeting any of them had ever heard of in Spain up to that time. The purity and sincerity of these men so touched my heart.

As per our policy, I always call Dr. Cerullo before leaving a city to give him a report.

As I shared the exciting report, Dr. Cerullo said, “Greg, God showed me this crusade would be in a bullring. Go back to the pastors and share with them what God is speaking to my heart.”

I went back to these men with these words, and you could see their hearts and their heads sink in fear at the challenge of filling a bullring.

They asked if Brother Cerullo would come and conduct the meeting in the auditorium first and then build toward a larger meeting in a bullring the following year.

I knew what the prophet of God had communicated and, with all the kindness and sensitivity I could muster, I assured the pastors that as God had spoken to Dr. Cerullo, it would come to pass. I had seen it too many times before.

I extended my stay in Madrid, and reluctantly they took me to look at bullrings in Madrid. We settled on a brand-new bullring with a retractable roof called La Cubierta, which translated means “the covering.” La Cubierta seated 12,000 people!

The day of the crusade came. The pastors met me early for prayer and to help organize the setup. Then we had our ushers and workers meeting at 4 p.m.

At 5 p.m., we opened the doors as the pastors were now seated on the platform praying and hoping for the best. To their shock and amazement, the people began to stream in two hours before the meeting was scheduled to begin.

And the stream didn’t stop. By 6 p.m., there was not a vacant seat in the La Cubierta bullring!

CNN was there.

These pastors’ eyes were as wide as saucers, and their spirits were soaring as high as an eagle. Little did we all know, we hadn’t seen anything yet. As the powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit and the sound of Spanish praise and worship filled the covered bullring, I introduced Brother Cerullo.

“I greet you tonight in the Name that is above every name, Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God,” Brother Cerullo proclaimed as he held his Bible high for all to see.

A few moments later, as he continued to preach under a mighty anointing, he declared, “Spain does not belong to the devil, but Spain belongs to Jesus!”

As those words left his lips, a phenomenon I will never forget took place. Golf-ball-sized hail began to pelt the platform and the entire audience that was assembled inside this covered bullring!

I looked up to the heavens, and all I could see were sheets of white hail continuing to fall for several uninterrupted minutes. Yes, hail stones were falling inside a covered bullring!

Dr. Cerullo did not miss a beat.  He continued to minister as though the conditions were perfect.

I covered Mrs. Cerullo’s head with my jacket. Soon, plastic was over the sound equipment and keyboard. Umbrellas popped up all over the bullring. The prophet of God continued to preach.

Finally, the hail subsided. I was now able to see that the roof was most certainly in place the whole time. There was no other explanation: The hail was nothing less than a supernatural sign and manifestation from Jehovah!

Finally acknowledging this unusual occurrence, Dr. Cerullo prophesied, “The hail that fell in this arena is a sign of the blessing of God on the nation of Spain!”

The crowd erupted in spontaneous praise. Over 10,000 souls came to Christ that night. Hundreds of wonderful physical healings swept the audience. Those pastors, the church and Spain would never be the same again.

And it all started with one of the most important secrets that will unlock the blessing of God over your life and ministry: obedience!

The above is an excerpt from The Blessing of Serving Another Man’s Ministry: Seven Serving Secrets That Will Sentence You to Success. It is available on Amazon.com starting at $2.99 here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932579230. Join Greg Mauro’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TheBlessingOfServingAnotherMansMinistry, and follow Greg on Twitter @gregmauro7.

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