Definition of meekness: Teachability, yielded, strength under control,
submission

The first person that taught me about
meekness was Dr. Roy M. Gray, and the second person was Pastor Elbert Willis.

Scripture

Matthew 11:28, 29: 'Jesus said, take my yoke upon you and learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your soul.'

Introduction

If Jesus said it was important to learn meekness from Him, then I suppose it has to be important. The reason why we do not hear many sermons about it, is because it does not sound so exciting as ‘Prosperity’ or ‘Power’ or ‘Anointing’ or ‘Miracles’. A sermon on meekness might not sell many tapes or books but it can change a life.

Jesus thinks it is important. Notice He said we need to learn it from Him. Learning from Him is taking His yoke upon your neck. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. His yoke is His teaching and His burden is to spread His teaching. Following your own stubborn and rebellions way is hard and difficult. It is easier to become teachable and to come into submission to the Lord. He knows what is best for us all.

God is the boss of the company. The Bible is His company manual. We need to find out what the manual says and learn how to obey the boss. We need to realise we do not know more than the boss. What the boss says counts. The boss rewards the company hands who do what he says. They are the ones who get the promotion.

Here are some lessons I have learned about meekness that could help you to learn meekness as well. Meekness pays good dividends in the long run.

1.   The first lesson in meekness: Finances

When the Lord began to teach me meekness he started with my finances. I was 19 years old. I sold everything I possessed as a student to go to Europe. On the 12^th of December 1971 I bowed on a snow covered hillside outside Leimbach, Switzerland, and made a covenant with God: as long as He spares my life and keeps me healthy I will serve God and humanity.

One day, at Zurich See Platz tram terminal, I saw and old lady dressed in black waiting for a tram in the shelter opposite me. I felt drawn to her to give her all the money I possessed in my wallet. It was 20 Swiss Francs. You could buy a pair of leather boots for 80 Swiss Francs in those days. But I waited until she was boarding her tram before I ran and gave the money to her. As the tram pulled away she looked up to me with tears streaming down her face. She took out a black lace handkerchief and waved it at me as the tram disappeared round the corner. My pocket was empty but my heart was full. I felt a bit naïve and stupid, but deep inside I was happy.

As I stood there waiting for my tram, a well dressed lady came up to me and greeted me, opened her handbag and gave me 50 Swiss Francs! This was more than 100% increase within 5 minutes. Since that day I have learned to obey God whenever He prompts me to give, because the return on that investment is out of this world!

2.   The second lesson in meekness: Training

Then the Lord started with my training programme.

I went to Miracle Valley Bible College, Arizona, sold all I possessed the second time to sit under the teachings of Dr. Roy M. Gray and his staff.

You need to have your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. Ephesians 6:10-17

One thing I have learned from a friend of mine in England who is a farrier, is that a horse cannot shoe its own feet. Someone has to do it on a regular basis. It is hard work. My friend Cecil shoes about 8 horses per day. He makes about 140 pounds per horse. So by the end of the day he has 1 120 English pounds in his pocket. Do that five days a week and you have 5 600 pounds every week! If a horse’s hooves are not properly shod they cannot do their work properly and they won’t last long either.

You need to be trained in the work of the ministry. The Lord gave gifts unto men when He ascended on high, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. The saints in churches should do the work of the ministry, not the superstars on TV or the Pastor! The five fold ministry should train the people in the church to do the work of the ministry. That is the preparation for the Gospel of Peace. Training is shodding the feet!

3.   The third lesson in meekness: Study programme

II Timothy 2:15 – ‘Study to show yourself approved unto God being a workman not having to be ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth’

After I completed three Bible Courses including the AFM’s Theological Degree as well as Miracle Valley’s Bible Course, the Lord told me through Kenneth Copeland, ‘go and work office hours with my Word and I will lead you out in a healing ministry for the nations of the world and confirm my word with signs and wonders.’

So I rented an office above a café in Mondeor, Johannesburg South, where I worked office hours every day. We lived in Leondale which is about 25 Kilometres from that office. I would sit alone in that office from 8 am to 4.30 pm in the afternoon with nothing but the Bible. That is what the Lord told me to do so I did it. I did it for almost 25 years – in a church office wherever we planted or pastored a church!

Even now, Nola and I sit with the Bible every day of our lives, sometimes for several hours. When I travel I only take the Bible and perhaps some Bible School Manuals with me wherever I go. You ask if we do not get tired of just reading one book. Never, it is a life source! It contains words of life!

When I toured with Aje who played rugby in Argentina I preached in every town where they played. Every morning the parents on tour would swop books and encourage me to read their books. My roommate was a very wealthy Cape Town business man. He answered them: ‘it is useless to offer your books to Andre. He only reads one book.’

They were so curious, and wanted to know which book I was reading all the time. My friend told them: ‘Why don’t you ask Andre yourself.’

‘I only read the Bible. You should read it. It is very interesting!’ Afterwards they never offered me their smutty novels ever again!

4.   Fourth lesson in meekness: Witnessing

When I discovered that we had to make disciples I knocked on doors in Mondeor and told the person who opened the door to follow me! No one did! I then realised that I had to build a relationship with people so that they will trust me enough to follow me! Jesus knew those young fishermen. They probably grew up together, probably went to school together. But there was something about His life that attracted them. They were willing to give up a few years of their lives to be with Him and to be trained by Him.

Now we have disciples all over the world in so many nations. We have disciple people wherever we go! We are fulfilling the great commission together!

Jesus said, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you then you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Shall is a stronger word than will. There are no loopholes here. It is not a matter of whether you like it or not. It is not a request. It is a command. You shall. And yet, God is so kind, as to give us the ability and to equip us with power to witness before He commands us to do it. God is so gracious and so kind. His kindness leads us to repentance all the time!

5.   Fifth lesson in meekness: Tithing

Tithing leaves us with no option either. If you do not bring your tithes into the storehouse (where the food is – in other words, the Church, the Missions) you are described as a thief. You steal from God, because the tithe is the Lords. The tithe belongs to Him. Abraham set the example first
by tithing to Melchizedek. Then he taught his son Isaac who taught his son Jacob to tithe. Therefore God is called the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. People have other foreign gods today. They spend more on sport and leisure, material things and pleasure, holiday and restaurants than they spend on God! They have replaced God with other gods. They love themselves more than they love God. They love pleasure more than they love God. They love money more than they love God. But Mammon the god of money is a cruel master and can never give satisfaction to his slaves. Only Christ Jesus can satisfy the soul of man.

You break the hold of Mammon on your life through sacrificial giving into the Kingdom of God. God blesses everyone that supports missions because missions are normally to nations that cannot afford to pay for missionaries. Jesus said specifically to preach the Gospel to the poor!

6.  Sixth lesson in meekness: Commissioned to go

To write your name next to Matthew 28: 19 & 20 is important. You have to accept your commission to go and preach the Gospel to all people. As an apostolic company of people we are all constantly involved in fulfilling The Great Commission: to go! Two thirds of the word ‘God’ is ‘go’! That should tell us how important it is to be sent! The word apostle is actually ‘apostolos’ in Greek and it means ‘sent one’. Columbus called his fleet of ships on the discovery journeys an apostolic mission and he was known as the apostle of the discovery!

7.   Seventh lesson in meekness: Commanded to love

By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love to one another. We cannot love unless God pours His love into our hearts by His Holy Spirit. Love is patient and kind, love is not easily irritated, love does not easily get upset, love does not wish evil on others but it rejoices with the good things that happen to others, love never parades itself, love hopes and believes all things, love never fails. God is love and He does not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and self control. If we say we love God then we cannot hate our brothers. Perfect love casts out all fear. Love is the way we recognise true disciples of Jesus Christ. Love cannot be faked. Love is real. Greater love has no man than this than to lay down his life for others. A true pastor lays down his life for his sheep. Jesus gave us the right example.

C. T. Studd said, ‘If Jesus is the Son of God and gave His life for me, then the least I can do is to lay down my life for Him.’ He also said: ‘Let my life be a stepping stone for the next generation!’

Jesus our example

Finally as we look to Jesus we see the perfect example of meekness: Jesus emptied Himself of all His divine privileges and took upon Himself the form of a servant. He came to serve and not to be served. I made a vow to God when I was 19 to serve God and humanity for the rest of my life. This was my first step into the arena of meekness.

Moses was the meekest man on earth, but he only manifested it after 80 years…we do not have to wait that long! We can be meek from an early age. Meekness is not weakness as dictionaries try to describe it.

A picture of Meekness

A true picture of meekness is a strong, fast horse that waits for the prompting of the Master to either trot or gallop. He puts his strength and ability at the service of the Master.

Ziggi Oblander taught Nola and I to worship God with both hands: our right hand reflects our strengths and our left hand our weaknesses. We worship God with our whole being – just as I am I come to Thee!