Are you doing things for God or are you doing the things of God? Does it seem odd to you that churches are always building new church buildings, buying sound systems, or starting programs they can't seem to afford. Every Sunday they spend more and more time grinding out offerings and perverting scripture to crank out the bucks for these projects.Then they insist God told them to do it.
What we need to understand is there is the permissible, and the perfect will of God. It is possible to do programs or ministries that WE have invented to do. Don't get me wrong God will bless it as far as he can. You can't give a cup of cold water in his name and lose your blessing. I believe that ministries that the Lord is truly behind and leading you into, and that are in the perfect will of God, will be supernaturally financed by God. There will be no need for begging, whining, or sending out appeal letters for money. Where the Lord leads the Lord provides.
I know of a teaching ministry who began his ministry with rather odd instructions from God. He was told to send out all his teaching tapes for free, pay for tape duplication, buy the postage and the envelopes, and never let another human being know of any need he may have. God said he would be his source. All of this he started with 10 dollars in his pocket and no source of income in sight at the time. He was told to go to God for any need he may have. Today this man's ministry is worldwide on the internet and he still sends out no appeal letters nor does he take up offerings anywhere unless it comes from the pastor's prompting. He is well taken care of and God has done countless financial miracles. I believe this is a man who has heard from God. To me this is a God idea and the way we all ought to operate when we start out in ministry. The things God tells us to do are probably going to seem completely bizarre but because God is leading it will be blessed.
I know of a prophet who spent 12 years as a pastor who became very unsettled in his spirit. He said it was like taking a bath with your socks on. Something just wasn't right. Yet the church he was pastor of was providing him with a good living. One day he was in prayer when he heard the Lord say he never called him to be a pastor in the first place. The decision to become a pastor was his and not the Lord's. This man then went on to become one of the major prophets of our day. Kenneth Hagen is his name. It is very possible to get off track when it comes to hearing and moving in our call.
We can not always go by the written word. Paul was planning to go to Asia to preach. According to the written word in Paul's mind preaching everywhere was a good thing however the Holy Ghost forbade him to go to Asia at that time by way of a vision. The timing of God is pertinent and he has a perfect season for all things.
The Holy Spirit has the perfect plan and timing for us in all things we do if we will spend time to hear his instructions.