Christian Living

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For the older folk, God has got a job for you, don’t let your age be a barrier! He is calling you too to destroy the works of the devil time and time again. The commands of the Bible are not relegated to the young, they’re for everyone with an ear to hear. Remember older folk, that there is no “retirement” in the Kingdom of God. Just look at the Apostle John, what a wonderful ministry he had over the years, but even at the age of ninety odd years old God had not finished with him. The devil couldn’t kill him so they sent him to a deserted Island called ‘Patmos’, where John received probably the greatest revelation of all his years. God told him he must prophecy again (Rev 10:11), hence now we have the Book of Revelation. Also don’t forget Abraham’s wife Sarah. She was ninety odd years old before receiving the promise. God too wants to fulfil many of his promises in your life despite your age.

A common stumbling stone:
Sadly, over the years I have seen a common stumbling stone in the lives of many of the older folk in the Christian community. Many stumble at the idea of being taught or discipled by younger ministers, and hence fail to fulfill the call of God because they won’t be taught. At the end of the day, older Christians need to realize that they are not submitting to the person, but rather the anointing of the Holy Ghost upon the Ministers life and the Word of God. God shows no respect of persons (Rom 2:11), He couldn’t care less if your 8 or 80, He anoints and appoints whom He chooses.
The Apostle Paul also noted this as a problem in the early church. His young son in the faith called ‘Timothy’ was found faithful to be a minister and oversight in the church of Ephesus. Yet unfortunately some of the older folk stumbled at the idea of submitting to this younger minister Timothy. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:17 “Obey them that have rule over you” yet many of these older Christians in Ephesus crippled their growth by refusing to do this, and despised the youth of young Timothy. Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no man despise thy youth”. He also told Timothy “study to show yourself approved”.
The Bible teaches us, ‘character, knowledge and faithfulness’ are requirements before ordaining a person as a Minister, but it never tells us that age is a prerequisite for ministry, in fact it teaches us the opposite of such. So why then, can the age of a person be such a stumbling block to many Christians? There are a number of reasons for this, but here I will only address one: ‘Ignorance’. An immature Christian (one who follows their feelings and thoughts rather than Scripture) can think that youth equals lack of experience, and experience seems to be important to some Christians. In contrast, when we look at the Bible lack of experience in God’s view doesn’t bother Him one bit, just take a look at most of the people in the Bible who were leaders, they were mostly all inexperienced. So the battle then becomes, ‘do I follow what is important to me’ (ie: experience), or ‘do I follow what is important to God’ (ie: His choice to anoint and appoint the person)? Many Christians are basically disagreeing with God’s decision by adding their own stipulations and requirements for Ministry upon people God is and has called.
So what about some scriptures that may seem to imply prior experience is needed? Paul told Timothy in 1 Tim 3:6 not to put a novice or a ‘new convert’ into leadership, and why, because they have no experience? No, because of ‘character’, the warning is that they may fall into pride fall and be eternally lost being put in too early. He also said to Timothy “lay hands on no man suddenly” when ordaining, this is once again in reference to proven character, not experience. Remember King David? David was at the estimated age of 25 when Samuel anointed him as King. In fact David was the youngest of all his brothers yet he was found ‘faithful’ and was described as being a man after God’s own heart. Not one mention of ‘experience’ as a King or as a Prince.
What about Jeremiah the Prophet? He too was very young, yet God found him ‘faithful’ to be a Prophet over nations. Jeremiah’s first thoughts about the call God was giving him, was that he wasn’t capable because of his age, yet he was corrected by God and told not to say he was a child, for God had anointed him. And of course we can’t forget our very own Saviour Jesus Christ. He was recorded as being at the ripe old age of 30 when commencing his public ministry. Obviously, the emphasis was not on the fleshly seemingly inexperienced Jesus, but rather on what was within Him, and that was the heart of God, the Holy Spirit and the anointing of God. Remember too that Jesus took only three years of intense discipleship before releasing the Apostles to do the same thing, of which the whole of Christianity should be built upon.
And finally, “it’s on for young and old”. Don’t let age be a barrier, remember the Prophet Joel said that God is pouring out his spirit on ‘ALL’ flesh (Joel 2:28). There is simply no partiality towards age in the Kingdom of God, and those who hold to it, hold it in disobedience to the mind, will and thoughts of God. The Lord has already taught us that His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways, so let’s start to let go of what we think is right and embrace what God tells us is right. Old, young, women, men, maidservants, menservants, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you have come from. It’s time to get going for Jesus Christ, so let’s humble ourselves and begin to follow the Word of God and get the job done for Jesus.

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