Awaken the Spirit Within You
I was an elementary school teacher. So when I started working in part-time ministry at my church, and God placed a passion within me for full-time ministry, I thought, "How? I don't know enough!" This led me on a wonderful journey of going back to school. And every minute of those courses was of value. They honored God and furthered my ability to minister to those God brought to me. But the truth is, I was already doing ministry. Because to make disciples, you don't need to be a Bible scholar, an evangelist, a minister, or ministry leaders. Most of Jesus' disciples proved this. They were laypersons, worker-bees, not rabbis or priests with highly educated backgrounds.
No, while Biblical and theological knowledge is always a positive, and advances our capability to work as God’s people growing His Kingdom, all that is needed to actively “do ministry” is spiritual awareness, that is, awareness of His Spirit in you.
In John 3, John the Baptist gives witness to Jesus being the One sent from God, and in verse 34 (NIRV) says, “The One whom God has sent speaks God’s words. God gives the Holy Spirit without limit.”
Jesus was the full embodiment of the Holy Spirit. Full. Without limit. And now, Jesus’ death allowed us to tap into His Spirit. Now, if you are a believer in Christ, you have the Holy Spirit in you. You have complete access to Him. He gives you what is needed to go forth and make disciples. He gives you the understanding of His Word and the power to speak on His behalf. But you must first be fully aware of this Spirit in you.
How can you do this? You may think, I am a Christian, so I have the Spirit in me, but how can I tap into it?
You must awaken this Spirit inside you. Allow yourself to be baptized in the Spirit. One of my favorite verses says, “‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ (Ephesians 5:14b, NIV)” With Christ shining on you, and through you, you can grasp God’s Truth, His Word, and live a life according to His ways. The Bible comes alive in a new way as you read and study. Verses reveal new understandings and give you the courage to teach others about them.
Think of the implications of this. The Holy Spirit in you means you are an evangelist. You are a pastor, a teacher of the Word. You are a ministry leader.
Now, awaken the Spirit in you. Read. Recite. Memorize. Pray. Worship. Study. Praise. Then, go out and do ministry growing God’s Kingdom. Chances are, you are already.
Question for Reflection:
You must be fully aware of this Spirit in you. How can you do this? You may think, I am a Christian, so I have the Spirit in me, but how can I tap into it? Pray and ponder over this question and then write down the various ways you can do this.
