THE LAW OF REPEATED AND SUSTAINED MINISTRATION

Read: Isaiah 55:8-9

Topic: The Law of Repeated and Sustained Ministration

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8, 9

Every field of endeavour has its rules and by-laws. You must learn the rules of the supernatural if you want to operate in it. The way God does things is sometimes different from the way we do.

I have also thought that if God ministers to you, you should instantly recover. After all, if God Himself touches you, every problem will vanish completely. This is only common sense! This is a natural expectation. However, I have come to see that there is often a need for repeated and sustained ministration to the same person. You will see this law in operation many times in the Bible.

A common example, is when Naaman was asked to dip himself in the River Jordan seven times. He was asked to bathe seven different times in the same river. The question is why not once? Why not three times? Why not six times? The answer is, “I don’t know.” God wanted to bless Naaman after the seventh ministration.

"And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

2 Kings 5:10, 14

Elijah prayed for rain seven times. On seven different occasions, he sent his assistant to look at the clouds .

"…And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees. And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again SEVEN TIMES."

1 Kings 18:42,43

There was no sign of rain until after the seventh prayer. 

"And it came to pass at the SEVENTH TIME, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand…"

1 Kings 18:44

After that session, Elijah’s assistant noticed a very small cloud in the form of a man’s hand. 

When Elijah prayed for a dead boy, he prayed three times.

"And he stretched himself upon the child THREE TIMES, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived."

1 Kings 17:21,22

He lay on the boy three times and prayed. Is this just a mystical ritual? No it is not! It is the law of sustained and repeated ministrations at work. Why did such an anointed man have to pray three different times? It was the law of repeated ministrations at work!

Do you remember when Joshua led the people of God around the walls of Jericho? They had the greatest breakthrough of their lives. But it came only after the seventh round of ministration.

"And it came to pass at the SEVENTH time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets…that the wall fell down flat…"

Joshua 6:16, 20

Study the ministry of Jesus. He prayed for a blind man in Mark 8:24.

"And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. AFTER THAT HE PUT HIS HANDS AGAIN UPON HIS EYES, and made him look up; and he was restored, and saw every man clearly."

Mark 8:22-25

After the first prayer, the man saw men as trees. Even Jesus had to minister a second time before the miracle finally came through. Someone may ask, “If he was truly the Son of God, why did he have why did he have to pray twice?” But that was the law of repeated ministration at work.

I see God giving you a miracle. The walls of opposition in your life are crumbling right now in the name of Jesus! Keep up the sustained ministration. You may be anointed seven times, before your miracle will finally come. Do not be tired of praying and being prayed for. Greater men had to pray seven times and were not angry with God. Please don’t be angry with God; do not develop a bitter spirit and attitude!

Credit: Excerpt From

Supernatural Power

Bishop Dag Heward-Mills