I was hungry. I had just finished at the gym and was waiting for my turkey sub being prepared by the amazing sandwich artists at Publix.
I knew there was a young couple to my left but I wasn’t paying much attention. Suddenly, I heard the soft voice of the Holy Spirit whisper, remember to be aware where you are. I felt the words pull on my heart so I closed my eyes and asked God if there was anything He wanted me to do.
While my eyes were closed I saw a picture of Jesus standing with His hands open out in front of Him. I sensed so much love coming from Him. It was a neat picture but I didn’t get it. I wondered to the Lord, what does this mean? Do you want me to just release your love?
I didn’t really hear a response, maybe because my stomach was growling, so I just started to quietly release His love. After a minute or so of whispering in the spirit I heard the Lord speak again. He said, notice the couple to your left. They each have people in their lives holding out their hands to them saying I need, I need, I need and I see their exhaustion. But I want them to know that I am holding my hands out to them saying, what do YOU need.
At that moment my sub was done so I grabbed it and turned to the couple. I asked them if it would be okay if I shared something. They kind of looked at me funny and said, “okay.” I told them that sometimes the Lord shares with me something to share with others. As soon as I said that the young woman smiled broadly. The man still looked a little wary.
I shared with them what the Lord said. I watched their eyes grow wide and faces reflect the effects of God touching hearts as I shared and encouraged them to ask the Lord for what they want and to seek intimacy with Him.
They thanked me and told me that I had no idea how much they needed to hear that. I could see relief in their expressions and could almost see weights being lifted off of their shoulders.
So I think sometimes (lots of times) we fall into a certain belief of what something should or shouldn’t look like. Many times what we believe comes from watching and learning from others.
Many times we find ourselves asking God where He wants us to go and minister to someone somehow. It can sometimes feel like an underlying current pulling us out into the world to find someone we can love on. We’ve watched many videos of street ministry and decide that if we are going to be used we need to get up off the couch and go.
Things like treasure hunts and direct leading from God to go to a certain place and tell this person so and so have produced remarkable testimonies. And the testimonies from those going to the malls and department stores for the specific purpose of ministering are remarkable as well.
But it doesn’t have to be like that. Ministering to strangers doesn’t only have to look like us going out into the market place with the intention being to minister in some way. It can and has looked like that but it doesn’t have too.
A couple of weeks ago I was spending some time with the Lord and feeling like I should go out more often with the specific agenda of ministering to people as the Lord leads. As I was talking to the Lord about it, trying to separate my flesh from the urging of the Spirit and feeling a little guilty about my lack of going out with that specific purpose (maybe some of you can relate) I suddenly heard the Lord speak to me.
He began to share with me about how it’s not mandatory that I go out with an agenda to minister. He told me that He just wants me to be aware of people where I already am. In other words, if I’m going to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things be aware of how God might want to use me. I don’t need to go places just to minister I just need to be aware of His leading when I’m out running errands and such.
This is what He reminded me of in the story above. Again going out with the specific purpose of ministering in the marketplace can and has been 100% God lead. But there is absolutely no need to feel pressured to do it that way. Just be aware of those around you wherever you happen to be. Simple right? I think so.
Blessings,
Jesse and Kara Birkey
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Sid Roth on Life Resurrected
“This next, greatest, and perhaps last move of God’s Spirit before His return will use nobodies to operate in a level of miracles that the world has never seen! This book will supernaturally release your faith to do the same works as Jesus and even greater.” -Sid Roth,Host, It’s Supernatural!”
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