Show Up
Sometimes the best way you can beat the enemy is just by showing up, regardless of how you're feeling. I was reminded of that this morning.
I've never ever been this restless before preaching at a school assembly. Sure I'm nervous almost every time, but never anxious to the point of thinking to cancel. Never losing sleep over it. And I only realized why when I was sitting and praying in my car minutes before taking stage.
Over the past few weeks, I've been talking with the kids from the school about decision-making. We've been looking at how decisions are a reflection of my sight, the way I view myself (identity) and where I see myself (in the future). We had much fun, especially with that second part, it was well-received by both learners and teachers. The main objective of doing assemblies is obviously soul-winning but I wanted to lay a good foundation of understanding why it is they needed Christ, so I had said to myself I'd do the altar call at a later stage.
Last night while preparing I realized I only had two assemblies left with them for the rest of the term. My mind said we should do the altar call on the last session, but my heart was drawn towards a Scripture that would mean I had to do the altar call today. It was as though God was saying, through that text, that they got it, they were ready, the foundation had been set. This is what all the restlessness was all about.
You see, the enemy fights so hard when it comes to people accepting Christ. Sure they may accept the message, they might listen attentively as you break down God's word to them, only to find not one responds to the altar call. I've experienced that a number of times, and it's abit embarrassing to say the least. But I've learnt that it's not at all a reflection of me nor the message, but a warfare against furthering God's kingdom, hence it's something I pray about alot beforehand.
So I got up at 6am, having not really slept, and decided that besides all I felt, I was going to move ahead, I would not give the enemy the satisfaction that he scared me out of it. I had a message and that's all I needed from God, He would do the rest. And He did.
After sharing on Romans 7/8, pointing out that there was another dimension, a spiritual one, to decision-making, I invited them to receive Christ as personal savior, who'd help them to carry out the good decisions they'd make as he'd set them free from the law of sin and death. I also shared my own story of how I came to make the decision at age 14 and how far I've come because of it.
I started leading them in prayer, I was expecting a soft whisper here and there to follow my lead. To my surprise, I was followed by an almost booming sound of young voices. I quickly opened my eyes. It wasn't a vision, a majority of the +/- 300 crowd of teenagers was praying, surrendering their lives to the author of life. I nearly cried there and then.
I was ecstatic driving back home, I couldn't stop praising Him for His work because I knew all too well that all this had nothing to do with me. All the fear and anxiety was gone and all I had to do was show up, God took care of the rest.
And that's it, that's how we live our lives as His children, we just show up and then watch Him do all that we couldn't possibly do. Many people like reffering to 2 Chronicles 20 where God says to Jehoshaphat that the battle isn't his but the Lord's. What we sometimes miss is the fact that the king didn't then go to bed just because God vowed to take care of it. Lets take up the verse in its entirety:
"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you" (verse 17).
You might not be the one doing the fighting, but you have to be there to witness His deliverance, you have to be standing in your position, fear and all.
One of my favorite Hillsong United songs has this line: "Through waters uncharted my soul will embark, I'll follow your voice straight into the dark." Madness to commit to such, but Psalm 139:12 says "even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."
So show up today, wherever it may be He is calling you to. With your knees shaking, your heart pounding, show up, He'll do the fighting!
I've never ever been this restless before preaching at a school assembly. Sure I'm nervous almost every time, but never anxious to the point of thinking to cancel. Never losing sleep over it. And I only realized why when I was sitting and praying in my car minutes before taking stage.
Over the past few weeks, I've been talking with the kids from the school about decision-making. We've been looking at how decisions are a reflection of my sight, the way I view myself (identity) and where I see myself (in the future). We had much fun, especially with that second part, it was well-received by both learners and teachers. The main objective of doing assemblies is obviously soul-winning but I wanted to lay a good foundation of understanding why it is they needed Christ, so I had said to myself I'd do the altar call at a later stage.
Last night while preparing I realized I only had two assemblies left with them for the rest of the term. My mind said we should do the altar call on the last session, but my heart was drawn towards a Scripture that would mean I had to do the altar call today. It was as though God was saying, through that text, that they got it, they were ready, the foundation had been set. This is what all the restlessness was all about.
You see, the enemy fights so hard when it comes to people accepting Christ. Sure they may accept the message, they might listen attentively as you break down God's word to them, only to find not one responds to the altar call. I've experienced that a number of times, and it's abit embarrassing to say the least. But I've learnt that it's not at all a reflection of me nor the message, but a warfare against furthering God's kingdom, hence it's something I pray about alot beforehand.
So I got up at 6am, having not really slept, and decided that besides all I felt, I was going to move ahead, I would not give the enemy the satisfaction that he scared me out of it. I had a message and that's all I needed from God, He would do the rest. And He did.
After sharing on Romans 7/8, pointing out that there was another dimension, a spiritual one, to decision-making, I invited them to receive Christ as personal savior, who'd help them to carry out the good decisions they'd make as he'd set them free from the law of sin and death. I also shared my own story of how I came to make the decision at age 14 and how far I've come because of it.
I started leading them in prayer, I was expecting a soft whisper here and there to follow my lead. To my surprise, I was followed by an almost booming sound of young voices. I quickly opened my eyes. It wasn't a vision, a majority of the +/- 300 crowd of teenagers was praying, surrendering their lives to the author of life. I nearly cried there and then.
I was ecstatic driving back home, I couldn't stop praising Him for His work because I knew all too well that all this had nothing to do with me. All the fear and anxiety was gone and all I had to do was show up, God took care of the rest.
And that's it, that's how we live our lives as His children, we just show up and then watch Him do all that we couldn't possibly do. Many people like reffering to 2 Chronicles 20 where God says to Jehoshaphat that the battle isn't his but the Lord's. What we sometimes miss is the fact that the king didn't then go to bed just because God vowed to take care of it. Lets take up the verse in its entirety:
"You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you" (verse 17).
You might not be the one doing the fighting, but you have to be there to witness His deliverance, you have to be standing in your position, fear and all.
One of my favorite Hillsong United songs has this line: "Through waters uncharted my soul will embark, I'll follow your voice straight into the dark." Madness to commit to such, but Psalm 139:12 says "even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."
So show up today, wherever it may be He is calling you to. With your knees shaking, your heart pounding, show up, He'll do the fighting!
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