Let God Build Your House

How would you like your church or ministry to grow from 50 members to 3,000 members in one day? Have you ever heard of a ministry growing from 50 members to 3,000 in one day? Well believe it not it has happened before.


Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place


2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
We should know the story by now, if not I encourage you to read it in it's entirety. The story goes on to say that the Holy Spirit fell and they began to speak in tongues and foreign languages. Peter who was previously so scared and denied Jesus at that moment gets up and boldly proclaims the word of the Lord. It teaches us that the anointing is what will also break the yoke of fear and give you boldness. Look at what happens here.
Acts 2:40-41 (NKJV)
A Vital Church Grows
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
41 Then those who gladly[a] received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
 
Look at God! In one day they went from being a small group of people praying and waiting on God to growing to 3,000 members. Wow, all in one day! Most churches that grow to 3,000 members in a couple of years would be considered the fastest growing church in the area. Can you imagine such growth in one day?
 
This is just one example. The apostle Paul never spent time laboring trying to convince people to join his church. In fact he was operating and functioning as an Apostle as he planted multiple churches in multiple sights and they ALL grew. This was before the days of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, satellite dishes etc.. When it is God's work, it will grow. As yourself this question, is your house built by God or man? Again you don’t want to spend your time in life trying invest in a relationship, a church, a career that God didn’t build. You put in hard work but as the scripture says your labor is in vain. If God wants you to birth it, He will also build it.
Psalm 127:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the LORD guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
 
2 It is vain for you to rise up early,
To sit up late,
To eat the bread of sorrows;
For so He gives His beloved sleep.
 
3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
 
I recently moved to a completely different city that was more than an hour and a half away from my old home. Moving can be quite a chore, packing up, organizing, decluttering. I love the idea of moving to a new place. I love experiencing a different way of living. I always said when I was a child I wanted to live in different places and travel the world before I settled down. So I love the idea of moving, off with the old and on to the new. However, I must confess I hate the idea of actually moving my stuff. When I get more finances I am actually going to pay someone to pack up and move my stuff for me.
 
Anyway, it’s been a few years since my last move. When I first moved I was fresh out of graduate school, looking for a job and a place to stay. So after not moving for a few years I guess I forgot how things went when you are the new girl in the city.
 
So after organizing, packing up and getting ready after a few days later I finally find myself somewhat organized with the help of my parents and in my new bed. Oddly enough Christians can be strange fruit when it comes to new people. As I arrived in my new city, having not been in the city two days I kid you not I had multiple and I do mean multiple request to come to other peoples church. I said I would visit but then I felt awkward saying no. I felt like if I said no I am not interested in visiting your church I would offend some people.
 
The truth of the matter is I had been looking for a church for a while now. I knew that I would move long before I ever packed up a bag and knew where too. I just knew in my spirit that this was the will of God. I personally think that the church you decide to join is one of the greatest choices you will ever have to make, next to the person you choose to spend the rest of your life with.
 
I know what kind of church I am looking for. I could care less about superficial things like size and if the music is to my liking. Although those things are to be considered if we aren’t so super spiritual and be honest. If you go to the church where the praise team is a hot mess more than likely the rest of the church will be also but that is neither here or there. I know the kind of church that I want to be apart of.
 
For me personally I have to be at a church that functions in the five fold ministry Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher and Evangelist. Sorry folks I am not interested in joining a new ministry. This is just my opinion you may have your own. I grew up around small churches where we heard messages about the building fund and how God is going to grow us. Been there done that got the t-shirt, not interested.
 
I personally don’t want to go to a church that is too traditional. Meaning if you have a church bulletin, with the order of service and Hymnal 1, 2 and 3 already preset more than likely your church is not for me. If your church sings that song, “all things come of thee Oh Lord and have thine own perfect will”. After the reciting of the written affirmation it’s more than likely not my church. Mind you there are churches that are very much like that and I don’t have a personal problem with any of them but I know me.
 
Wherever you go  to get the word of God is up to you. Like I said I don’t think there is anything wrong with churches like that. I also don’t like to go to a church that is too modern. For example, I attended a church were it was like a rock concert every Sunday. The people would come to church with mini skirts on and tight jeans. It appeared as though some of the members would come to church with there club gear on just in case they had a party to go to after church or something. Mind you the word was good but not my kind of church. I think churches like that are more geared towards winning the unsaved and keeping the babies in Christ saved.
 
The point is there is a church for  any and everyone. Church is not about form or fashion. Although I have to say I disagree with the club gear at church some things just should never be. You still should respect yourself and God and know where you are. Christians shouldn’t be going to clubs let alone wearing club attire at all and definitely not to church.
 
Church is more about your destiny. It is not a place where you are to be spoon fed and made to be happy long enough to get you through the week. Church is about knowing and receiving from God. When God connects you to a church it is just like a divine connection because a church has to do with your divine purpose for living. That’s why if you go to a church for any other reason your spirit man will die. We don’t go to church for the experience or for personalities. We go to church because we need to be around like believers where you can receive an imparted word, where you can get divine instructions and where the vision God has for you is awakened.
 
The point is you can hear from God anywhere. I typically hear from God when I am alone, when I go to the church that God has connected me to I receive confirmation based upon the word God has already spoken to me. Now some people go to church to hear a word from God and that is fine. But when you are a mature Christian you already got a word, you go to church for more than just a word from God.
 
In fact I always say our spiritual leaders don’t become God for us. They don’t become God’s voice for us. They don’t replace your own personal relationship with God. However a good church should always teach you the principles of how to hear the voice of God for yourself. Your church is not about your pastor. It is not really even about you it is about God’s kingdom and Him preparing His body to manifest His purpose on earth. The only way you get to know the kingdom is through His church. You cannot separate God’s kingdom from His church. So be cautious when you hear people say things like I am about the kingdom of God and not church. God never separated His kingdom from His church never. That is the anti-Christ spirit that tries and separate God from His bride. The anti-Christ wants to be spiritual, operate in signs and wonders but doesn’t want to submit it’s members to anybody called His church.
 
The point is as I was moving I had begun to contemplate what church I was going to. I had already decided long before I went what churches I was going to visit and possibly join. I honestly became overwhelmed by the amount of people who wanted me to come to their church. It was crazy.
 
I had been in the city literally two days and had multiple offers to go to someone’s church. I honestly could see it meant so much to them that I didn’t have the heart to say no. Then I thought how in the world am I going to be able to visit all of these churches. Most of them I had no intention of joining. I would only be visiting in a way to appease someone else. I even had people really try to push me to join their church. I went to a church for bible study and people were just so excited. Mind you I am just a quiet girl from nowhere I am nobody special it’s not like I am some celebrity trying to visit someone’s church.
 
People barely know my name, all they saw was a new face and new body possibly to join their church. I even had someone flat out asked me, “how did you like the message?” I replied I enjoyed it. Mind you that was it, I enjoyed it there wasn’t much to it so I wasn’t overly excited about it but it was okay. Then she quickly asked me was I coming back on Sunday. Mind you I had already predetermined in my mind within the first minutes of being their that I would not be returning. It wasn’t bad but sometimes you just know what’s for you and what is not for you. I could see the disappointment when I had to just flat out tell her no I would not be at her church that Sunday.
 
As I look at my surroundings I literally see a church on every corner. I see big churches, little churches, medium churches. I am sure every single one of them would love to have a new tither in their mist.
 
I even had people literally try to manipulate and get me to be at their church. It was crazy. In the name of discretion I won’t go into detail but really. I am not making this stuff up and I can honestly tell you that was not the first time it happened to me. I thought how sad.
 
It’s like now a days people are more church evangelist and not Christ evangelist. When you are a church evangelist you try to get as many people as you can come to your church. You are like a recruiter for the United States Army but instead you are a recruiter for your church. When you are a Christ evangelist you are trying to evangelist people to Christ not your church.
 
I thought if these same people would have asked me about prayer or my life. Not that I need that but if we have a heart of God and evangelize to people about Christ. Maybe even come with a word don’t you know that people will come to your church? People are hungry for the word not to come to another church. Particularly when there is a church on every corner. Some within walking distance of the other.
 
My main criteria for the church is the word. I could care less how someone preaches or prophesies. At some point in your walk with Christ you get over the hype and you just want the word. I am not interested in the acrobatics of church. I am not interested in emotionalism in church. All I care about is the word. I am a student and I love to be taught. If the man or woman of God can teach the word of God with a level of revelation knowledge you are good with me. If when you preach I have to take out my notepad and take notes, then that is my kind of church.
 
You see the point is when your vision is from God and is anointed by Him you don’t have to play games to get people into the seats. You don’t have to strive and work hard to get people to come to your church and join. You don’t even have to make a huge announcement. If it is in the will of God it will grow. The anointing is what attracts. Again people are hungry for the word not your church.
 
When you have to work hard to evangelize your church you are not in the will of God. If you have a church that you believe is in the will of God but it doesn’t grow you have to ask yourself is this a church that God has built or man? There is a difference.
 
Psalm 127:1 (KJV)
1.Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
 
You don’t have time to waste. It is a sad thing to spend your life working on a vision that God never told you to build. Believe it or not people have spent years trying to get a vision to grow that God never told them to build. Notice the scripture says it is God who builds the house. When you are in the will of God He draws people to it by the anointing. You don’t have to work hard when God is in it all you have to do is get into the flow or stream with God. All you do is get into position. If you have been a part of a vision for 20 and 30 years and it has never grown then your vision is not from God. You may think that I sound harsh but I don’t care. Whenever God is in it, it will grow.
 
The example is given by the Apostles all they needed was the Holy Spirit to fall.
 
So to answer the question how do you get your church or ministry to grow supernaturally?
 
It is the anointing and the anointing alone. If it is God, He grows it.
 
Anything else, networking, business cards, manipulating, teleconferences are tools not in and within themselves meant birth yourself out into ministry. ARE NOT OF GOD NEITHER HIS WILL.
 
AGAIN HOW DO YOU GROW YOUR MINISTRY SUPERNATURALLY? TURN YOUR PLATE DOWN, TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF! GET ON YOUR KNEES LIKE THEY DID ON THE DAY OF PENTECOSTE AND PRAY. DON’T MOVE UNTILL YOU HEAR GOD.
 
IT IS THE ANOINTING THAT DRAWS THE PEOPLE. EVERYTHING ELSE IS LABORING IN VAIN.
 
WHEN GOD BUILDS YOU A HOUSE HE WILL DRAW THE PEOPLE TO FILL IT.
 
Hey, it's tight but it is right. Some maybe be disappointed that I didn’t reveal some big secret but it is better to believe the truth rather than a lie.
 
You can network your way into many things, i.e business, positions, jobs but not into your ministry and kingdom assignment.
 
God Bless
 
Samaria M Colbert © 2013