Acts of the Apostles 20:24 (NLT), “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.”
This message from the apostle Paul is extremely powerful and shows the focus he had on his true assignment from God. What a realization to know that your life is not complete if you aren’t finishing the assignment given to you by God. Paul had the privilege of knowing Christ in a very personal way many of us will not experience. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have the same strength and power implanted in you through the Holy Spirit that Paul also had. You just have to release that power.
For many, the first thing you have to do is identify what your assignment is. Stop going through life without any direction or purpose because you haven’t tapped into what God has planned for your life. A key point is you have to spend quiet time with God’s Word so He can speak to you. God wants to share these things with you but you have to give Him your time and attention. This is when you can realize the calling He has placed on you. Without spending that time with God it will be extremely difficult for you to know the assignment God has for you.
The second thing you must do is not disqualify yourself from being used by God. So many times because of something from your past, or something you are currently doing, you feel there is no way God can use you to accomplish great things for His kingdom. Automatically, you stop listening or don’t even start listening to your calling from God because you feel there is no need. You each have to remember God can use any one of us at any time to share His message with others.
Look at the apostle Paul as one shining example of how God can use anyone. Paul, when he was named Saul, persecuted and killed Christians. He hunted Christians down and wanted to destroy Christianity. If there was ever anyone that you would say God would not use for an assignment, it would have been Paul. But with a blinding light, God was able to touch his heart and turn his life completely around. It was turned around to the point where the Christians he was persecuting, he would now give his life for. That is the level of God’s power to use any of us, no matter our circumstances or the sins we’ve committed. Romans 11:29 (NLT) reminds us, “For god’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.”
Bottom-line my friend is, you are never too far away from God to be used by Him to reach others. So take the time to listen to God and follow the assignment He has for you and your life. He wants to use you to touch so many lives and be a shining example of the blessed life He has for all of us. Take on your assignment with joy, knowing that He will provide you with everything you need to successfully finish it.
Truth In Love! ~ Chuck