Psalms78:72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
COMPETENCE
When I wanted to enrol in the seminary, I needed a refree to sign my form. I decided to approach a senior Pastor to stand for me as my refree. When he saw my form, he was surprised that I wanted to enrol in the seminary. He asked if i needed to enrol since I've been preaching and doing ministry well. To him, I was a good preacher. I can't remember my response exactly but within me, I knew I needed to build competence&capacity through learning to make full proof of my calling. In addition to developing character, building competence is very crucial.
Competence is built through continuous learning. Apostle Paul, though he was anointed yet he never stopped building ministerial competence through study: "When you come, be sure to bring the coat I left with Carpus at Troas. Also bring my books, and especially my papers",2Tim4:13, NLT. Hardly can we preach without referring to one Pauline epistle. The way and manner some preachers mention "bro Paul" made me realize he was no push over. Paul is still preaching on our pulpits today though long dead. In his days, he preached to the stoics&Epicureans philosophers( Acts18:17). Stoicism was a philosophical school of thought in his day founded by Zeno of Citium. It is only a scholar, a well read man that could have done that because the Stoics&Epicureans were one of the intelligentsias of that time. A careful study of new testament Greek shows that Paul's usage of the language was different from others because of his scholarship, little wonder why he stood before great men in his days. If he had remained a mediocre, he would have placed a limit on the spread of his ministry.
As you build character please build competence through continuous learning. It is a door opener. Yours may not be ministry, your destiny alignment may be in the field of academics, medicine, engineering, music, commerce and so on. Do not be satisfied with that level of competence you've attained, you can build more. God hates mediocrity. Always aim to be a better version of yourself daily. You may be anointed to the overflowing but there are doors, places and platforms that requires competence to stand on. Don't be lazy, keep building competence in your chosen field.
Father, I receive the grace to build competence in Jesus name.