Be Well Equipped

 

One of the fears so many believers have is that God will call them to a task that they do not want to do. They think that if they surrender their life fully to Christ, He will, in turn, call them to the deepest areas of Africa to suffer. That is not how God works. Success-minded people find great comfort knowing that whatever the task God has called them to, He will equip them and give them the desire to do it.

This does not mean that every assignment from the Lord is happy and comfortable to do. He indeed has called some to suffer for Him. What it means is that we want nothing more than to do whatever He asks of us. The joy is in serving Him, not always in the task. As Pastor Michael Youssef said, “Whenever God calls us to a task, He will equip us and enable us to complete that task.” His equipping is the key.

“Each of us may be sure that if God sends us on stony paths, He will provide us with strong shoes,

 and He will not send us out on any journey for which He does not equip us well.”

Alexander MacLaren

1826-1910

Clergyman

 

A mistake success-minded people can make is thinking that all service will end up in prosperity and comfort. Do not forget that, for some, their God-given dream, their passion is the mission field. Their heart wants nothing more than to bring the Gospel of Christ to the lost all over the world. For some, that can mean suffering and difficulty. All the same, it is their dream and worthy of all the effort that goes into any goal.

I have great respect for those who feel God has called them to life in missions. This is a hard road, yet one filled with great satisfaction. It takes a particular person to do this work, BUT God equips them for the task. Former broadcaster and author, John C. Broger said, “The supreme challenge you will face in making Christ-honoring, biblical changes is dying to self. The biblical perspective concerning ‘self’ is exactly opposite to what the wisdom of this world proclaims.”

As a success-minded person, I believe that for those of us who are not called to the mission field, we have a responsibility to support and equip those who are called. We are all commanded to bring the gospel of Christ to the entire world. If you do not go yourself, you must support those who go for you. Pastor and author T.D. Jakes said, “The challenge of the believer is to take the faith that you got in here and take it to the place out there.”

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Mark 16:15

 

You can learn more about Personal Development from author and speaker, John Patrick Hickey. To get his books, training material, or book him to speak to your church, business, or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   

© 2020 John Patrick Hickey. No part of this may be reprinted or published without the permission of the author.