No one ever says that the mission field would be “safe.” No one ever even says that following Jesus is safe! Jesus commands us to “GO” over and over again no matter what it takes. He says, “Now go; I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves” (Luke 10:3). Further, He says to “Go into the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). His disciples never held back from these commands in any way. Because Peter and John followed Jesus and proclaimed His Name, they were thrown into jail and threatened to be killed. Stephen was stoned to death for performing great signs among the people in Jesus’ name, 3 men were thrown into a fiery furnace for rejecting to bow to another name, Paul was beaten and thrown into jail, and the list goes on (Acts 7:58, Acts 5:18, Daniel 3, Acts 16:25-31). They put their lives at risk as any moment.
Coming into this mission trip, I have been filled and ready to go out and proclaim the gospel and pray for the sick, orphans, widows, and crippled just as the disciples did. Also, to preach the gospel to those who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. When we are filled with the Spirit, we are empowered with no fear to do the same miracles as Jesus and His disciples. We don’t get burnt from doing His will. When we continue to be filled by Jesus and His word, we can pour out everything we receive from Him onto His people. “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34). Jesus even tells us that we will do GREATER works than Him (John 14:12). In no way does this mean we can only do lesser works than Jesus. This is a hard concept for believers to grasp, but we see people like Peter and Paul healing people in Jesus’ name and proclaiming the name of Jesus boldly to those that persecute them just as Jesus did.
We have been given all authority over fear and evil. Luke 10:19-20 says, “Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy; nothing at all with harm you. However, don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Evil has not power over us when we have Christ with us. In Mark 16, Jesus tells us that evil and deadly things on Earth will come against us, but it won’t hurt us. He says that He is with us everywhere, and it is confirmed by signs that accompany it.
God has given me the phrase “don’t worry” and “rest” on a multitude of occasions before and during the short period of time being in Haiti. God gives us guardian angels that surround us and fight for us in our sufferings. We don’t need to worry because He is always with us in the midst of trouble. Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them; for Yahweh your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.
I believe this time is the moment that I’m ready to give everything to God, and not hold anything back just like the early church. “For God has not given a spirit of timidity, but of power, love, and self-control” (2 Timothy 1:7). The fear that I have is putting God in a box, and limiting Him and His work that we get to take part in because of mere human comfort and fears. At some points, I fear listening to people instead of the Spirit. I want to live my life radically for what Jesus has done for me, and for what he asks of us to do. I want to fulfill all that the Lord calls me to, but there is no room for comfort, fear, or thoughts from our mind that limits us in fulfilling all God calls us to. Following Jesus is in no way comfortable, but it is all more than worth it when we see him on the day He says: “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Mathew 25:21).
