A: Now, the answer to this is this: When I said no one should go into the spiritual ministry, I was talking about going into the spiritual ministry as a practice, as a teacher, as anything that has to do with going professionally into this ministry. And I meant every word of it, and I mean it more and more each day.
No one should go into the public ministry; no one should set themselves up on a platform; no one should do anything that puts them into the public spiritual activity unless God has made it so clear that you’ll either do it or else. Because until such time, the student isn’t ready for the things that happen when one goes into a public ministry.
Now, the proof of all this you can find in the thousands who have gone into it and gone out of it—those who, for brief periods, have been either practitioners or leaders or teachers or lecturers and then have fallen by the wayside. This is a work, not for a person to go into; this is a work to be called into.
Now, when you are called, and you have the absolute assurance that God goes with you every step of the way, and even then, when you go in, be prepared for a lot of trouble because you are going to get it whether you are prepared for it or not. The moment you go out into the human world with a spiritual message, it is as if you are to bring the wrath of heaven or hell down on you, and it is a difficult work. However, it is one that the Master had to see through, even to the cross. And so did the disciples have to see it through persecution, imprisonment, and death. When the call comes, you can’t refuse but be sure it’s a call. Now this differs entirely from these other statements.
As a student, if you understand this message, you should be called on almost from the beginning for help of one kind or another. It may be comfort, it may be healing, it may be to help someone with supply or inspiration, and you must be prepared to give it. That is a far, far cry from going out into the world on a public platform. It is a far cry from demonstrating that you can heal the multitudes and feed the multitudes.
And like Paul, always remember that seven churches couldn’t support one Paul; one Paul could support seven churches. And when you go into this ministry, don’t you believe for a minute that there are any churches going to support you, or patients, or students. Be certain that before you are through, you will prove that you can support them. And if you can’t, you haven’t got what they are looking for, for they are looking for a consciousness imbued with the Spirit of God. And when you are a teacher, you can’t say to your patient or student, “You must give me money; you must take care of me.” As a spiritual teacher, it’ll be your function to take care of them.
1This copyrighted excerpt is from Recording 290A: 1959 New York Closed Class, titled “The Blessed I.” It is posted with the kind permission of the Estate of Joel S. Goldsmith, which holds the copy protection on the recorded classes and the copyright on the transcripts. The full transcript of this recording is available from The Infinite Way Office or by calling 1-800-922-3195.
Goldsmith Global has permission to provide this material to Goldsmith Global participants for educational and study purposes. Please respect the copyright on this material.
(If you have access to recording 290A and would like to hear Joel answer this question, he begins at approximately 52:56.) Click/tap here if you have a Streaming Service subscription.