John1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
There are two ministers I want us to learn from. The first is John the baptist and the second is Jonah. The former got something right about the location of his ministry but the later was forcefully taken to his ministry location because he disobeyed initially. The ministry office of John the baptist was located in the wilderness. He could have chosen Jerusalem or Judea but in God's grand design for his ministry, wilderness was the right location for his ministry. Because he stayed where God put him, it was said that, "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,"(Matthew3:5).
The people whom he should have chased after in the city traced the brightness of his shinning in ministry into the wilderness. God sent Jonah to Nineveh, that was the place of his assignment and ministry impact. Instead, he joined a ship going to Tarshish. Do you know Tarshish? Tarshish was a city where money flows. It was known for Merchant ships and gold, Isa2:16,23:14, Jer10:9,Ezek27:12. Prophet Jonah decided to face the direction Tarshish probably because of the commercial strength of that city. It took God's sovereign power to redirect him. He preached in Nineveh and a great awakening occurred.
Dear minister, find the location where God has designed for your calling and stay there. There's no rule that says you can't succeed in ministry in unpopular places. Don't desire Jerusalem and Judea if God has placed you in the wilderness. You may end up living in penury in the commercial city of Tarshish if you're meant to be in Nineveh. Do not move out of your divinely ordained base all for ministry expansion against God's will. Once the hand of God is upon you and your ministry, your voice can be heard globally even if you're located in the forest. God made no mistake to have placed you where you are, he is writing a good story with your life and ministry. Stay faithful.
Father, I will not walk out of my divinely ordained location in Jesus name.