I want you to know, if God can speak through a donkey, He can speak through you. “Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said…” (Numbers 22:28).
One Sunday several years ago I had spent the day in prison, as I was privileged to bring the Word for two services. Afterwards, my wife and I went out to dinner. I was quite hungry as I always fast for ministry. The waiter came to take our order. He was a worldly looking young man, with that new unkempt hair style and a few things pierced here or there.
We should not judge a book by its cover. Often the cover hides the truth. I knew some of the toughest looking men and women in prison that had a bigger heart for God than most I know on the outside. “…For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). We need to let the Lord show us the heart of men and women.
After this young man took our order, I got a word from the Holy Spirit for him. I heard, “tell him to step into the ministry and become a pastor”. I often get words for people while doing ministry, but this was new to get a word out in public. But I felt the burden of the Lord. A burden of the Lord is like a weight or a twisting of the arm, such that you must do it that the burden would be released.
In the prophet books of the Bible you will often see how the prophets were moved. Malachi said he had, “The burden of the word of the Lord…” (Malachi 1:1). And then he spoke the burden. I think we all get this type of leading from the Lord in many areas of our lives. Believe that the Lord can move us all, not just the prophets.
When this young waiter came back to the table I prefaced the word for him with this: “God loves you very much and wants you to know something”. Before I could give the word, he said to me, “oh I know God loves me, I am in seminary and am going to become a pastor”.
Isn’t God so great!
Never doubt that God can use you. You have no idea the simple word the Lord may give you for someone else and what it might mean to them. Often it is just an encouragement. One time I got a word to simply tell a young wayward man in prison that God loves him. The next week I saw that young man give his life to the Lord.
Isn’t God so great!
Never doubt that the Holy Spirit can lead you in ministry. “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot’” (Acts 8:29). And then the man in that chariot was saved for all of eternity.
When we serve others, the Lord is helping us while we serve them. The word for the waiter was a confirmation which helped me to be bolder in ministering to others. It helped me to know that I was discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit. It was a crazy word I got, but a good word.
It also showed me that ministry is wherever I am. And I also learned the lesson of not adding my own words. Had I just spoken the word as it was given, it would have encouraged this young man so much more. We add too much of our own words. Oh, how much we need to stay teachable that we might learn.
I want you to know that the Holy Spirit speaks. If you are a believer, then believe. There is no program to learn how to hear Him. It will come by your drawing ever nearer to the Lord. Start every day in prayer and devotion and waiting on the Lord. Pray with your mouth closed and your ears open.
“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice…’” (Hebrews 3:7). The first step to hearing the Holy Spirit is believing that you can. He can speak, but will you listen?
My fear in the Church is we embrace what seems good and then reject what we don’t understand. When we reject the power of God, then the Devil has achieved his goal.
I just read the Word and believe, and the Word says, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…” (Joel 2:28). The pouring has happened if we would but receive it.
You may go to a Church where they do not teach that the Holy Spirit speaks. Listen for Him anyway. Better to rebel against man than God. But don’t reject your Church, love the Church.
Don’t criticize your Pastor, pray for your Pastor. You have no idea the demonic attacks your Pastor must endure. Consider as you criticize your Church or Pastor, you may be standing arm-in-arm with the Devil.
Whatever Church I go to, I always find there is a remnant in the Church, of those few precious saints that are walking in the Spirit. Find the remnant. If you can’t find the remnant, be the remnant.
The best way to change your Church is to change yourself.
You do not have to be a prophet to prophesy. Be thankful for that. A prophet holds an office with much suffering and little comfort.
If you wonder if you are called to be a prophet, are you ready to lose your head, be stoned or be sawn in two? No real prophet wants the office. Be satisfied to be a man or woman of God. That is enough.
You can find a hundred School for the Prophets, but you never see a School for the Evangelist. Stop chasing the gift of prophesy and just do what the Lord tells you.
We are but utensils in the Hands of God, and we argue about whether we are a spoon or a fork. Just serve Him and let people call you what they will. It is what He calls you that matters anyway.
Never seek the title, let the title seek you.
Blessings to you,
Paul
All verses are in red and use the NKJV (New King James Version) translation unless otherwise noted.