By Rev’d Joseph Olorunfemi
Scripture Focus: Revelation 4:11; Acts 20:32; Ecclesiastes 12:1; Deuteronomy 28:1; 2 Corinthians 6:14
OPENING — THE PURPOSE OF OUR EXISTENCE
Brethren, there are wonderful benefits that come our way when we serve God. But before we look at those benefits, I want you to understand one simple truth: you did not create yourself. God created you. God created us for His pleasure — to praise Him, to give Him joy, and to bring Him glory.
Revelation 4:11 NKJV says:
“You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”
That is why you are here — to make God glad. Just as God gave children to parents to bring them joy and not pain, so also has He placed us in His house to give Him joy. We are not in the church to cause trouble, to create confusion, or to be a burden. We are here to praise God, to serve God, and to be available for His service.
In any department you find yourself — choir, ushers, workers, technical team — you must not be the source of trouble. What you are in God is far more important than what you do for God.
🔑 KEY FOUNDATION: CHARACTER BEFORE CHARISMA
I want to speak plainly to those who serve in music and other ministries: it is not enough to play an instrument, sing a song, or perform beautifully. Many people are gifted but empty on the inside. They focus on what they play and how people feel, but they pay no attention to what God is doing in their lives.
Let me tell you this: Charisma without character leads to catastrophe. Your skills, your talents, your gifts — they are wonderful. They can lift people up. But any performance without solid character will eventually crash the owner. May you not crash, in Jesus’ name!
To build solid character, you need the Word of God. This brings us to our anchor scripture:
Acts 20:32 NKJV — “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Notice: I commend you to God and to His Word — not to prophets alone. Many people know only what their prophet says but know nothing of what God says. I am not saying prophecy is bad — I am a prophet by grace! But I tell you: do not build your life on visions and prophecies alone. If you listen to 50 prophets, you will hear 50 different things — that brings confusion. But when your life is built on the Word of God, the right prophecy will come to you at the right time. The Word is your foundation.
🎯 FOUR GREAT BENEFITS OF SERVING GOD EARLY
Now, let’s look at the wonderful benefits that come to those who serve the Lord — especially from your youth.
✅ BENEFIT 1: It Lays a Foundation for a Purposeful Life
Ecclesiastes 12:1 NKJV — “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.'”
Proverbs 20:29 NKJV — “The glory of young men is their strength…”
When you serve God early, you build your life on a solid foundation. You discover your purpose before life’s distractions multiply. Because I found God in my youth, I knew which way to go and which way not to go. Paul told Timothy:
1 Timothy 4:12 NKJV — “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
Your youth is the time of strength, energy, and vitality — the best time to give it all to God. To serve God early is to start your life on purpose.
✅ BENEFIT 2: It Secures You Against Distraction
The world is loud, and it will try to redefine you. It will give you an identity God never gave you — through friends, peers, social media, and culture. If you do not serve God early, before you know it, you are gone. The Bible says the way of the youth is slippery; the road we travel is full of thorns.
There is a song we all know:
“It’s not an easy road, we are traveling to heaven,
For many thorns on our way;
It’s not an easy road, but the Savior is with us,
His presence gives us joy every day.”
When you serve God, His Spirit lives within you. When temptation comes, He cautions you and pulls you back. You are not serving God to help the pastor — you are serving God to save YOURSELF. Your parents urge you to serve God because they want you secured and protected from destruction. Service preserves your life and keeps you on track.
✅ BENEFIT 3: It Attains Wisdom Beyond Your Age
Psalm 119:99 NKJV — “I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.”
Deuteronomy 28:1 NKJV — “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments… that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.”
Service to God upgrades your thinking. You operate in wisdom and understanding that confounds people older than you. God does not just give you natural intelligence — He gives you divine wisdom to excel in life. When you walk with God, you think differently, you decide differently, and you succeed differently.
✅ BENEFIT 4: It Guarantees a Godly Marriage and Family Life
Our society is filled with broken homes — even in the church. Many marriages collapse because they were built outside God’s will. But when you serve God, He guides you systematically. He will not allow you to marry your enemy. He will lead you to the right person at the right time.
2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV — “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?”
Serving God protects your future home. It keeps you from making life-long decisions in the heat of the moment. Your marriage will not be accidental — it will be directed by God.
CLOSING CHARGE
Beloved,
- Serve God early — it builds your purpose.
- Serve God consistently — it protects your path.
- Serve God wholeheartedly — it grants you divine wisdom.
- Serve God faithfully — it secures your future family.
You are not just filling a position in the church. You are building your own life. What you give to God today, He returns to you multiplied — in character, in wisdom, in protection, and in legacy.
May you find joy in serving the Lord. May your service not be in vain. And may the God whom you serve reward you openly, in Jesus’ mighty name.
Amen and Amen!