Too many people, especially ministers, are putting all their efforts, time, and finances into the wrong area. The Lord spoke this to me years ago. He told me that many are “majoring on the minors in life.”
He said many are focusing on secondary tasks and neglecting the ultimate priority. So that begs the question—“What are the minor things and what are the major things?” Well, the Lord told me that the major things are centered on eternal results and intimate knowledge of God. So what are those things?
Number 1: Knowing the Lord Personally. The most important thing in life is knowing the Lord Jesus Christ for yourself. If anything takes priority over that, then you are majoring on the minors. We may think that just means having fun, relaxing, or wasting away our lives with stupid things. But that’s not all. Even preaching the gospel or having a big crowd, if it takes priority over knowing the Lord—you are minoring where you should be majoring. Unless you know Him, your whole life is in vain. Yes, we should preach the gospel, but if you don’t have anything to preach—no relationship that backs it up—it’s a minor thing.
Number 2: Preparing People for Eternity. The number one job for a minister is to prepare people to die (or move to Heaven). That may sound crude or morbid, but it’s true. Though it’s necessary to understand how to live in the natural world, it should not be the major focus. At the end of life, none of this will matter. How big of a house you have, how many friends you have, and what kind of job you have. What truly matters is whether you’re right with God.
Number 3: Personal Obedience. True, spiritual authority and leadership begin with yourself. The greatest quest is to obey the Bible yourself and to practice the Word of God for yourself. If you cannot make yourself “sit down, shut up, behave, and obey the Bible,” you are not going to make the devil do it either. So major on that first and foremost before trying to get anyone or anything else to do it.
So if those are the top three things to major on, what are the minor things? Simply put, anything that distracts you from these three things is a minor thing. These activities often lead to false doctrine and are built on man’s wisdom rather than God’s direction.
That doesn’t mean you can’t rest and enjoy life, but understand what the purpose is, what the most important thing is.
Avoid building ministry on the “soulish fleshly realm” using demographic studies to determine what people want based on their age group, attention span, and income. Using man’s plans and ideas to choreograph services—such as limiting the message to 16 minutes or requiring videos every six or seven minutes to hold attention—is done without God’s involvement.
Do not reject sound doctrine. The Bible says that the time will come when people “will not endure sound doctrine” but will heap up teachers with “itching ears” who turn them toward fables. Don’t do it. Stay with what the Word of God says and the leading of the Holy Spirit, which agrees with the Word.
And for those in ministry, we have to remember that seeking the Lord only for others, rather than for oneself, can spiritually affect us. If one lives after the flesh, they will be ineffective, powerless, and may die prematurely because the enemy gains a handle. Put the Lord first, seek Him first, and then you will be able to help others. You have to first receive from the Lord in order to have something to give to others.
If you want to make sure you are focusing on these important things while distancing yourself from the “minors,” there are some things you can do. Jesus is the perfect example of what it looks like to major on the majors and minor on the minors. Focus on internal change, not just outward appearance.
Prayer and fasting. Through the Lord’s ministry on earth, He was continually fasting and praying and getting results. It is because this time of prayer and fasting allows the Lord to mold us and impart into us the things that will help ourselves and others. Fasting changes you, not God. Fasting crucifies the flesh and cuts you away from worldly things, thereby closing the door to the devil. And prayer builds communication with the Lord, guiding you on how to use the power in your life. If you want God’s power, you must live according to God’s word.
Eliminate the “handles” for Satan. Jesus said, “The prince of this world cometh… and hath nothing in me.” If you are walking in line with God’s word, Satan has no handle to grab onto for access to your life. You grant the enemy permission when you watch things you should not see or participate in things you should not do. When you live your life in a way that is contrary to the Word of God and the Spirit of God, you are creating handles that Satan can use to bring you down.
Be Led by the Spirit. When we are led by the Spirit, we put away the flesh. Galatians 5:16 says to walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. The first leading of the Holy Ghost is to guide you away from things pertaining to and of the flesh and into things of the Holy Ghost. The true goal is to mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body through the Spirit so that you may live and be effective.
The Lord wants to do a mighty work in the earth and in your life, but to do so, we can’t be majoring on the minors. Put these principles into practice in your life and just watch what the Lord will do. God is with us!
