Date: 23-July-2024
Name: Chidi
Topic: STEP OUT, STEP IN and STEP UP.
Content:
STEP OUT, STEP IN and STEP UP.
LESSONS IN MISSIONS.
1 Samuel 22:1 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.
1 Samuel 22:2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.
1 Samuel 22:3 From there David went to Mizpah in Moab and said to the king of Moab, "Would you let my father and mother come and stay with you until I learn what God will do for me?"
1 Samuel 22:4 So he left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him as long as David was in the stronghold.
When David stepped out on that Mission to the cave of Adullam, he didn't know what to expect. He was never prepared for the men with the 3deeees in their lives. I will add depression and defeat to the Deeeees.
Somehow David connected the dots and crossed the "tees". He took a risk by taking in those men, they were all from the tribe of Benjamin, King Saul's tribe. Key lesson here , mission is always a risk, but you prevail through faith activation.
Those men were missionaries, their role in David's life at that point was hazy and mazy, but it unfolded.
1 Chronicles 12:1 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle;
1 Chronicles 12:2 they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):
Those men helped David take Nations and territories.
Psalms 18:43 You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations. People I did not know now serve me,
Psalms 18:44 foreigners cower before me; as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
If we don't step out, we can't take nations, institutions, governments, agencies, companies and corporations.
Isaiah 55:3 Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
Isaiah 55:4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples.
Isaiah 55:5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.".
Once you step out, you step into the unknown, but God reveals the unknown when we leave familiar terrains and comfort zones. In missions you must learn to abound and abase. You must conquer your fears, logic and theology.
Bear in mind also that God can undermine your agenda, and then present HIS AGENDA.
The Acts 18:5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah.
The Acts 18:6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, "Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles."
The Acts 18:7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God.
The Acts 18:8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.
The Acts 18:9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
The Acts 18:10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."
The Acts 18:11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.
We must step out in faith to step into territories, but then we must step up, continue to build momentum. Momentary lags are not acceptable at all. We move, when God says move.
David and his men kept moving, we can all speak about their exploits in 1st Chronicles chapters 11 and 12, because they kept moving.
Now that some of you have tasted the missions field, what do you want to do? The missions field is not an exclusive preserve. It is for everyone.
Missions will expose you to the dynamics of culture, people groups and nations. It can also open up opportunities in different spheres of life.
As I round up, take a deep breath and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
Let us Pray.
Prayer Points:
