his morning, in my quiet time with the Lord, the Holy Spirit impressed a deep and sobering truth in my heart:

“Presentation without preparation leads to frustration, confusion, spiritual immaturity , failure and possibly premature death”

I was led to revisit the journey of Joseph (I consider Joseph as my mentor) —a man anointed by God with a powerful dream at the tender age of seventeen (Genesis 37:5–10). But between the dream and the throne, Joseph walked through betrayal, slavery, false accusations, and imprisonment. He was not instantly elevated, but intentionally processed. What looked like delay was actually divine development. It was preparation for the throne.

A Word to This Generation

As I reflected on Joseph’s process, I couldn't help but grieve for many in this present generation, especially young people, who have barely finished secondary school—or even Bible school or seminary—yet rush to start online ministries, social media "churches," or self-declared prophetic platforms. Turning sacred altars to entertainment and commercial platforms.

We are seeing a rise in self-anointed apostles and untrained evangelists who are more interested in going viral than going deeper with God. The internet has become their pulpit, yet the Holy Spirit has not become their teacher.

My heart breaks when I see young men and women preaching not out of a burden from the secret place, but from ambition and competition. They want the microphone, but not the mantle. They want the crowd, but not the cross. They want followers, but they do not follow Christ. They want the money not the souls for Christ!

God Hides Before He Highlights

Joseph’s gift was real. But his character needed refining. His leadership capacity had to be tested and proven in Potiphar’s house and the prison before he could be trusted with national responsibility in Pharaoh’s palace.

Before David killed Goliath, he was alone with God, killing lions and bears in the field. Before Moses led Israel, he was hidden for 40 years in Midian. Even our Lord Jesus spent 30 silent years before three years of public ministry.

This is why Catherine Kuhlman, one of the most powerful healing evangelists of the 20th century, often wept when she said:

“I know the day I died. I died a thousand deaths before I ever stepped on the platform.”

She would constantly emphasize the price of being used by God—surrender, brokenness, and a lifetime of obedience. She paid the price in the secret place before God trusted her with the spotlight.

If You're Not Prepared…

Let me ask you: If you're not prepared, how will you handle the three G’s — the girls, the gold, and the glory?These are the temptations that have destroyed many rising stars in ministry. Without preparation in the secret place, the girls will become a snare, the gold will become your god, and the glory will corrupt your spirit. Only those who have died to self can handle influence without it handling them. The prepared Jesus thrashed the temptations of Satan can you?

Preparation is not only about ministry, are you prepared to be a godly husband and father,wife and mother before rushing to marriage?If we are prepared for marriage why is divorce figure increasing among Christians?

Are You Willing to Wait?

The Holy Spirit asked me this morning: “Are you willing to be hidden before you are heralded?” ,"Are you allowing Me to prepare you, or are you rushing the process?"That question is for you too. What is God doing in your current “hidden” season? Are you embracing His training? Are you allowing His Spirit to prune, refine, and shape you? The truth is this: If God has truly called you, He will prepare you. If you submit to His preparation, He will present you. But if you skip the process, you short-circuit your destiny.

There is a price to pay for authentic ministry. Let God prepare you before He presents you. The secret place is not a punishment—it's a preparation ground.

Pastor Amos Dada is a trained engineer with the call of a preacher. Lives in Toronto. Reachable at [email protected]