God’s ways are not our ways. We can not make our own plans and then just demand God bless us as we try to accomplish them… even if we mean well and want to please Him. We must build relationship with Him and then let Him tell us where and what He wants us to do. He can show us where He is working and what He wants us to do.
Ministry of the Twelve
1And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. 3And He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, neither a staff, nor a bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not even have two tunics apiece. 4“Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that city. 5“And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
Consider the twelve disciples. If they decided to go proclaim the gospel on their own to honor God they would not have nearly the power or success, even if their hearts were desiring to please the Lord. There is no way they can succeed on their own power, even if the Lord tells them what He wants done. When the Lord sends them out, however, He sends them with power and authority enough to accomplish the task. In this case He sends them with power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. He sent them to proclaim the gospel and to heal.
God, however, wants them to know beyond a doubt that it is God working through them and not themselves accomplishing His work. As if the healing and power over demons would not be dramatic enough, He sends them out in true faith… taking no staff, bag, bread, money or even a spare tunic. He tells them where to go and what to do but sends them in a way that would make most people cringe, starting a journey with no supplies or money and relying on others to supply their needs. But we are to trust our Lord as we go about His business. Then we know beyond a doubt that it was His power and not our own.
His ways are not our ways… they are better. His ways help us to walk in right relationship with Him and to learn to rely on Him and love Him and experience the joy and peace of walking with Him… humbly aware of our own limitations.
It is worth noting, that the Lord tells them ahead of time that even though He is sending them out with great power and authority… some will still not receive them. Our Lord allows us free will and the opportunity to either accept or reject Him. We are to expect that some will reject us and Him and we are to be prepared. We must not become frozen desperately chasing those who reject Him. We must get on with the harvest of those who will receive us and receive our Lord.
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