“So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus” (Acts 13:4).
TEXT — Acts 13:1-7
Message
During recruitment in wartime, barracks commanders are told to give a crash training to new intakes. They are asked to intensely drill the new soldiers and prepare them for the frontline in a matter of days or weeks. There is no time to waste in the battle to save the soul of the land from falling into the hands of marauders. Delay thus becomes very dangerous.
There is more urgency in the spiritual war to liberate the world from the greater danger of ending in hell if they die in sin. So, promptly after their preparation through fasting and praying, Barnabas and Saul are separated from a group of five prophets and teachers ministering to the Lord in Antioch, the third largest city in the Roman Empire. The Holy Ghost Himself commissions the duo “for the work whereunto I have called them”.
Our work for the Lord, preaching to win souls to the kingdom of God, is more demanding, decisive and discretionary than any military campaign or other secular venture we can think of. It is about toiling to bring millions to Christ and, thereby, saving them from eternal damnation. It is about bringing joy to the heart of God so the suffering of His Son, Jesus Christ, will not be in vain. It challenges us to heed the call to evangelise in all seasons.
Every believer is a commissioned soul-winner. We have the same spiritual backing the Holy Ghost gave Barnabas and Saul. They prayed and fasted, seeking the mercy of God for a fruitful outreach. Immediately, they went into the field harvesting souls of sinners for heaven, restoring the backsliders and strengthening the redeemed in hope of final rest in Christ. Similar results are our portion today as we follow in their footsteps.
Thought for the day
Every follower of Christ is a commissioned soul-winner.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
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Father in the name of Jesus, Use your word in my mouth to reach the heart of men today. Save souls through me. Amen
Father in the name of Jesus, Use your word in my mouth to reach the heart of men today. Save souls through me. Amen