Warriors Arise: November 4, 2020
Mark 16:15 (NKJV) And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
What is "the world" you are going into to preach the gospel? If we, as Christians, did as Jesus directed would the world be have experienced the chaos we have experienced for the last 7 months? There is a difference when I tell my children what to do and when I give them options. Options give them the opportunity to make a choice, because which ever they decide will not harm them or anyone else. However, there are times when I do not give my children a choice; because the decision rests upon my shoulders to tell them what we are going to do. It is for the benefit of all. There are times when they do not know as many of the facts as I know. For instance, we need to leave today to take my mother-in-law to her hair appointment. She has a set time. If I asked the girls, “We need to head into town, everybody is going, grandma needs to get her hair done, what time would you like to leave?” You and I know there is a missing element. We would want to know when Grandma Beulah is supposed to get her hair done. Then we could figure out when we need to leave. If I leave the decision up to the girls they might say, "When I get done with this assignment or activity or playing outside." We would miss our Go-time and Grandma Beulah would miss her appointment.
Jesus tells the disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." He doesn't tell them what will happen if they don't. He even tells them when and where they are to go. The only thing they are waiting on is the Promise from God. Once they receive the Promise it is "Go time." There is a world you and I, as Christians, are to go and preach the good news. This is a non-negotiable. Jesus is telling the disciples what they are to do and where to go. He told them when to go: "when you receive power from God." This command is not an option for today's Christians. We would like to think it is, but the truth it isn't. My girls did not have the decision when we would go nor did they have a choice if they were going. I said, "We will be leaving at 2." Everyone knows, I mean everyone be ready to walk out the door at 2pm. Everyone knows that if they need to take something they are to go ahead and get it ready before 2pm. Everyone knows they are to get to the van quickly, as soon as it is 2:00. This is a non-negotiable. And they have been trained this way. In a sense you could say that I "discipled" them to follow this command. I didn't yell it. I didn't shout at them. I just told everyone we are leaving at 2. 2 pm is our Go-time.
Jesus had trained His disciples to go and tell others the good news. He had trained them to release the power of God. He had trained them to pray. This is why it is so important in the church that we disciple Christians through the Word of God, developing their testimony and a lifestyle of testifying, as they release the power of God to "the world" around them. When was the last time you shared your testimony? When was the last time you testified of what God has done in your life? Testifying about what God has done in your life is not bragging; it is building the faith of others to believe God will do for them what He did for you.
Is there a world you are going into to preach the gospel? What has held you back from going to all the world and making disciples? I remember my biggest fear in surrendering to God was that He would send me to Africa. As a jr. higher, that seemed a long way from home. I didn't know he culture, the language, or what food they ate. It just seemed so isolating. However, today we have seen incredible evidence that you do not have to go overseas to find a world that needs Jesus, that needs to be saved from themselves. So I ask again, "What is the world you are going into to preach the gospel?" We need to be ready to share the love of God, the sacrifice Jesus made and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We need to...because they need us to.
What chance do they have if we keep silent? What chance do they have to live a victorious life if we do not testify of God's greatness in our life? What chance to they have of living the abundant life Jesus died to give them if we do not share? Christians, it's Go-time.
Father, I ask for You to give me opportunities to share what Jesus has done in my life. I ask for You to show me how You impact my life on a regular basis. I ask for You to reveal the plans You have for me. I pray for boldness to take a stand and share my testimony with others. I pray for awareness to know when someone needs to know You love. I pray for ears to hear You speak to me. I am afraid I will not know what to say or that I will say it all wrong, but I know You are bigger than my blunders. I know You will intervene and speak through me. I make myself available for You to send to those around me. I no longer what to pretend everything in my world is ok. It isn't! I need You and so does everyone else. I need Your amazing compassion for the sick so I will reach into heaven with my prayers and they will be healed. I need Your amazing love to sacrifice my schedule so I stop and listen to what another needs. I need Your peace to speak into the lives of those who are hurt and angry. Open my eyes to see You at work in the lives of those in my world. Give me the heart to respond in love and take the authority Jesus has given me to free people from the clutches of the enemy in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy
My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.
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