How we treat the man of God is how God treats us. The man who brings the message of God is important. And it should be noticed that God pays attention to how his messengers are treated.

The man of God is often treated as ordinary, as one of the boys, so to speak but God does not see them as either common or ordinary; he sees his messengers as angels. 

The book of Revelation calls the pastors of the seven churches angels; they are Gods messengers. Without proper respect for the man of God the message he or she carries is greatly weakened.

This message I am sharing in this fourth edition of Prosperity Friday is this: HOW YOU TREAT THE MAN OF GOD IS HOW GOD TREATS YOU. There is a lot of disrespect for the holy messengers today, and consequently the fire in the pulpit has become only a flicker.

Showing lack of respect by not honoring and recognizing the place, the calling and the anointing conferred upon the holy messengers of God undermines the authority of the pulpit and hinders the congregation from receiving the very message God wanted them to hear.

The man or woman of God must recognize their own calling and acknowledge the anointing upon their lives. Their calling and anointing is their license to be God's messenger to the church.

However I am concerned that we are living in a day when even the messengers of God themselves don't demand respect from the people they are sent to bring God's message. The man or woman should see themselves as the messenger of God and should present themselves as such.

The apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher was never meant to be one of the boys, so to speak. By virtue of their calling and the office they hold they are set apart and should recognize and conduct themselves as such.

By restoring honor to the pulpit including the messenger whom God anointed and appointed, more people will be born again, more will be healed in their bodies, families will be healed, and businesses blessed. Never call or treat common or ordinary what God has called, anointed and appointed. 

Examples of how you treat those whom God sends

There are several scriptural examples I could cite to show the truth of what we are saying but let just give two or three.

First notice how the apostle Paul presented his credentials at the beginning of most of his letters. I don't have the time or space to go through the litany of all the times Paul presented his credentials as the authority for what he said and did. 

Every man or woman whom God sends he credentials. He does not send his messengers without providing them credentials to present to those whom they are sent.

Paul at the beginning of most of his epistles said, Paul a servant of God called to be an apostle. Whatever you are called to do and to whoever you are sent you should present your credentials; your authorization. Your credentials proves you are sent and not going in your own name or strength, but the One who sent you is with you to back up what you say and do.

A second example is Paul's instruction to Timothy "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." I Timothy 5:17

Let the elders, especially those who labour in the word be paid twice as much as those they teach. How you pay those who teach you is a reflection on how you appreciate the office they hold and the message they bring.

By not supporting those who bring you the word of God, the One who sent and anointed them, is shown dishonor. Again: how you treat those whom God sends to teach you his word is how God treats you. 

I will give one more example. Jesus told his disciples when you go into a city you can tell if you can do ministry there by how they receive you.

Jesus said, if they meet your carnal or material needs they have received you and you can do ministry in that city. However, if you go to a city and they do not meet your material need, they have not received you. And you are to leave that city and on the way out shake the dust of your feet off as a testimony against them.

In each case, those who received you and those who did not receive you say to them; the kingdom of God is come to you. 

Doug Slay
Institute For Living

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