By Annaika Dastine | Founder, Who Is This Jesus? Ministry

“God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you…”

Notice Paul’s words:

“God, whom I serve in my spirit…”

Paul’s ministry was not merely an occupation, a religious responsibility, or a public platform.

He served God from the depths of who he was.

And what was at the center of his service?

“…preaching the gospel of his Son.”

Jesus Christ was the center of Paul’s message.

Paul did not travel from city to city proclaiming himself. He was not trying to establish his own name, reputation, or following.

He was proclaiming Jesus Christ.

Years later, Paul expressed the same conviction to the Corinthian church:

2 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)

“For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

Again, Paul declared:

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NIV)

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

Paul also understood that even his ability to serve Christ did not come from his own strength.

2 Corinthians 3:5 (NIV)

“Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”

And perhaps one of Paul’s clearest acknowledgments of his dependence upon God’s grace is found in 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NIV):

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect…”

Paul worked.
Paul traveled.
Paul suffered.
Paul preached.

But Paul never confused his labor with the source of his power.

He understood:

I am serving, but God is sustaining me.

I am preaching, but the message belongs to Christ.

I am laboring, but the power comes from God.

That same consistency appears in Colossians 1:28–29, where Paul explains that he proclaims Christ and labors with all the energy Christ powerfully works within him.

What a powerful lesson for everyone called to serve God.

We must continually ask ourselves:

Has serving Jesus become about what I am building, or about proclaiming the One who called me?

Our names may be seen. Our voices may be heard. God may give us platforms and opportunities to serve. But we must never forget who belongs at the center.

Ministry is never supposed to become about the messenger.

The messenger is simply a servant.

Jesus Christ is the message!

Weekly Scripture Romans 1:9 NIV