"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task The Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." -Acts 20:24
The verse above was one that I was very familiar with. Who doesn't want to finish the race? I have never gone into a race hoping to quit. But so many times I quit along the way, and my question is why?
Most often I believe the reason I "quit" is because I'm selfish. I read bits and pieces of The Bible, verses that describe many things that I want to do, "make disciples, finish the race, heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons." And I think yes, I want to do that.
But simply put: It's not about me and what I can do. It's about what HE is doing.
Acts 20: 22-24 is a great example of this truth. The verses leading up to this popular verse I quoted above say this,
"And now compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there."
Paul went because the Spirit led Him there. He didn't know what would happen to him, but he did know that everything that happened was God's will.
Last week our ministry leader took us to a hospital to pray for patients. It was heartbreaking and humbling-all in the same moment. We had the privilege of laying our hands on many patients of many ages, starting with 2 months old. Then our ministry leader tells us, "There are some people in a room over here that have Tuberculosis who need prayer. Would you come pray with them?
My heart dropped. I hesitated. A large part of me was terrified, I didn't want Tuberculosis. I didn't want to go in the room, let alone put hands on them and pray.
And then The Spirit said to me very sternly, "GO." It was no longer a question. I was praying for these people. I put on a mask and walked in the room and met these people who had to warn us as we walked in that they had TB. It reminded me so much of the leppers I read about in the bible. My heart broke for these people who were cast out.
I left the hospital feeling like crap. I almost quit on these people. I almost denied the power that lies within me by not sharing it with the people who needed it. I was almost like everyone else they encounter that don't have the power of God inside of them.
The worst part of all was that in three short days I was going shark diving. I wasn’t afraid of dangerous situations like jumping in a cage with sharks, but I was afraid to pray over these people who desperately needed to feel the love of Jesus. My priorities were way out of whack.
God didn’t hesitate with them. He sought them out. He wasn’t afraid of their disease or what people would think. He went because He had compassion on them and He knew He carried the power to heal them.
In Matthew 28:19, the first words of the Great commission are this, "All authority in Heaven and on earth…."
God doesn't call us to go anywhere that His power isn't with us. And it's silly for us to choose to go anywhere or do anything He isn't calling us to do, because it would be absent of His power and authority. It would be pointless, fruitless, and leave us feeling unfulfilled.
Right now I can relate to Paul. God has called me to 11 different Jerusalem's this year, but I have no clue what I'll be doing there…and that is okay because God does, and in His timing He will reveal that to me. When He does reveal it to me it will come along with all of His power and authority. It will be full of purpose, full of fruit, and it will make an impact on the kingdom. But I have to choose not to quit on myself or on others. I have to learn not to put limits on Him, and instead embrace every bit of his power and authority.
What is God revealing to you about your Jerusalem? What power do you need to tap into for His glory? Let's run this race and pledge not to quit!
