I was having a conversation
with one of my teammates, Brad, the other day talking about how much influence
God has truly given us this month. Yesterday for example I had the opportunity
to preach the gospel in a public high school. We are talking about Thailand, a
country where there is less that 1% Christians in the whole nation. It was
incredible because I was telling a room full of Buddhists about Christ our
savior and they were letting me!!
Another example is today one
of our teammates, Andy, went to go talk to the equivalent of a senator to help
him set up an outdoor climbing center to bring in more tourism. Last week our
contact brought us to meet that same senator (a Buddhist). Before we left we
asked if it would be ok if we prayed for him, the king, and the country. He
agreed! So here we are, 16 American Christians, sitting in a high up Thailand
Buddhist politician’s office praying for him and the country. God is so good!
I was listening to a sermon
on my ipod yesterday about our areas of influence. The pastor talked about how
our influence expands. As we build relationships our area of influence
continues to expand. The pastor referenced Acts 1:8
“But you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The pastor explained that the
locations, although literal for the disciples, are also symbolic for us today.
Jerusalem represents our close friends and family. The people we know the most
about. We know their spending habits. We know their tenancies and how they are
going to react. We are able to be an influence on them because we know them so
well and they know us. We are able
to speak into their lives because of the relationship that has been
established. As we build these relationships God expands our influence to
Judea.
Judea represents the friends
of friends or people that are more on the outskirts of our lives. We may have
similar background or mutual friends but are not necessarily close. When we
continue to minister to people in our Judea God calls us to our Samaria.
Samaria represents the places
we never thought we would go. It represents the people that may be so different
than we do not know where to start. God has brought me to a place that I am now
ministering and being witnesses to “Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
God has used the last 24
years in my Jerusalem and Judea to prepare me for Samaria. He has developed me
and developed my personality to be able to be affective in Samaria.
Michael Hindes, director of
the World Race, said to us before the race “Sometimes God must brings us out to
be able to bring us back in.” I truly believe that my time in Samaria is really
developing me to be a better leader and improve my influence in Jerusalem.
Where are you witnessing?
Are you in Jerusalem, Judea or have you stepped out into Samaria?
