THE POWER OF HUMILITY

Jonelle Maxwell

Today we see many teach on honor, while some are demanding it. In all my years as a born again believer, I’ve never had a sermon on how to honor the men and women of God. Nor did my spiritual leaders ever have to teach it.

I learned as we humble ourselves under the hand of the Lord, He bestows honor on whom He chooses. I remember going to a prayer meeting at my home church when the Lord gave me a word concerning honor. One of the Prophets of the house crawled over to me and said, “God is making you a vessel of honor.” I was going through hell and back. Process after process. I was repeatedly being thrown into the fire. God was most definitely doing an inner work in me and it was intense. The Lord had me under a such strict discipline that I had no other choice to walk a straight line. But, I wanted it. I desire the kind of life that is poured out and prepared for the Lord’s use.

I was being prepared for ministry on another level. I had shortly just started in the ministry and God was taking me down the path of leadership development along with other things.

I remember waking up one early morning in December of 2004, hearing the Holy Spirit saying to get before the Lord because He was taking me up to another level. I began praying in the Spirit. I was so caught up that I did not realize how long I had actually been there. As I prayed, my mom called. This was two years before she passed.

When I answered the phone, I could not talk. The fire of God was on me so strong that my very bones began to tremble. My mother knew I was in the presence of the Lord. In fact, I had tapped into a place in the glory. I had no control of my own flesh. I was completely engulfed by the glory. The Lord was transporting me from one dimension to another. I feared this dimension. I feared that this power was going to come upon me in the grocery store of something. LOL! But, I had to renounce all fear and walk in what God was ushering me into.

I stayed in this place for a while until He released me that day.

Later in evening, my bible mentor picked me up for bible study. When I got into the car, he looked at me and said, “What happened to you?” I said, “Elder, you already know.” He started shaking his head and we road off to church.

That was a day I will never forget. I had many more encounters with the Lord after that day.

Also, I believe the glory brings honor, however, there is an intense amount of humility one must endure. This is why I say, one will never have to teach on honor if we humble ourselves under the hand of the Lord. He is the one that decides who will be made vessels of honor. He is the only that knows who will endure the intensity of the fire He designed for them to go through.

Over the years, I have had some of the most honorable leaders one could ever ask for. I have been blessed! Honor was never a question. Being able to sit under such great men and women of God has been honorable enough. They received honor because of who they were and are clothed in humility.

My pastor, Bishop W.J. Sellers, was one of the trailblazing revivalist on the eastcoast. The Lord saved him at the age of 10 years old. I can still hear him give his testimony this day. He said the Lord told him to run tell his mom and dad he had just accepted Jesus as his Lord while his parents were working in the field. He pastored for 65 years.

When I first joined the ministry, I was more amazed at the fact that this 81 year old man was preaching like a 20 year old. He was blazing in the Holy Ghost. The house was shaken every meeting. Saints running around shouting and praising the Lord. All he would do is stand, wave his hand, and the church would go up on fire!

Even after he stepped down from pastoring, not ministering, he still would and is quoting scriptures and speaking in tongues more than most young folks today at the age of 97. He is still seeing in the Spirit, although his eyes have gone dim. God is still using him at the retirement home! I believe God is going to just “take him” when his time here on earth is up like Enoch…lol!

Another person, is my bible mentor. He is a man of faith and operates in a strong healing and deliverance mantle. He taught me how to walk by faith by applying the word of God. Our bible studies were always razor sharp. He drilled me back and forth in the word for 16 years. I sat under his teaching no matter how much I knew. I will always be a student of the word no matter what.

There was a time he challenged me so that I got mad. He said, “Do you believe that scripture you just read?” I said, with a you bet I do attitude, Yes I do!” He looked me dead in the eyes and said, “Then, where is it?”

I could not believe his “smart” answer. Well, when I thought about it, it was smart. He was right. If I truly believed the word, then where was the results?

He is one that lives the word and can testify to the word. NOBODY CAN TAKE THAT FROM HIM! A walking epistle! Not many can say that in the time we are living in. But I know it to be the truth.

I realize ,in this life, if we are truly going to be vessels of honor, then we must become acquainted with affliction in all humility and purity before walking in power.

I believe this is what God is looking for more so in this hour like never before. He is looking for a people whose heart is turned perfect towards Him. 2 Chronicles 16:2

Will you be that one? A vessel of honor or a vessel of dishonor? You choose.

*Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonor?
Romans 9:21 KJV

*But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor.If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 2:20;21 KJV