Yes, You Can Ministry

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." – Philippians 4:13

One Direction

 

 

 

“Now when Daniel knew that the document was signed, he entered his house(now in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and giving thanks to his God as he had been doing previously.” Daniel 6:10

When we choose to serve the Lord(whether that be in full-time ministry or part time), and be an instrument thatHhe can use then we are painting a big bullseye on our foreheads for Satan to take aim at and shoot his venomous darts. I don’t mean to sound discouraging because there is no greater calling than that of being used by God. The attacks of Satan come in many forms, but he will always attack you when you set youself apart to do the work of God.

My favorite Christian Evangelist is Joni Eareckson Tada. Joni is well acquainted with this idea that we are attacked by Satan when we try to be used by the Lord. In 1967 right after her high school graduation Joni had a diving accident and fractured her spinal column She spent months and years in rehabilitation. Joni finally began a worldeide ministry for the disabled, Joni and Friends, through her ministry she provides refurbished wheelchairs and other medical supplies to third world countries as a means to share the Gospel. (I invite you to click the link above to read more about her ministry.) Joni who is a quadraplegic because of her accident has never let that stop her from serving the Lord. Recently, Joni was diagnosed with cancer. She has just concluded her treatment of chemotherapy, and is waiting to see what’s next, but Joni is confident that God will remain faithful and rid her body of this disease.

The young man Belteshazzar,Daniel, was taken captive when Nebuchadnezzaer, king of Babylon, besieged Judah, but because of the extraordinary abilities that God had given Daniel he was set apart from the rest. King Nebuchadnezzar recognized the abilities of Daniel and set him up as a high official in his kingdom. Other servants of the king became jealous of Daniel, and they coerced the king into making a decree that they knew Daniel, because of his relationship with God,  would not follow.

The Bible says that Daniel went to his house to pray to God, which was forbidden by the king’s decree. Daniel knew that he must keep his relationship to God open because that was his lifeline. The Bible also states that he had windows open towards, and was probably facing, Jerusalem. Which was the custom in that day, and is still practiced in many Eastern Religions. I would suggest that the position of our bodies and the direction we are facing is not nearly as important as the position and the direction of our hearts.

We must turn our eyes, and especially our hearts, to Jesus. Jesus said in John 3:14, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up…” Jesus was referring back to the story found in Numbers 21 where God commanded Moses to construct a serpent that people could look at and be healed if they were bitten by one of the deadly snakes around them.

If you or I are bitten by that “venomous” serpent of old, Satan. Then we only need to look to the Son of Man who was raised for us, and we can find healing by laying our petitions at His feet. Yes work for God can seem dangerous at times, but if we remember the advice of Paul in I Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.” then we can take on Satan and his poisoned darts will have no effect on us!!!!!!!!!!

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Father, I thank You for giving me the assurance that I can be comforted, and healed, when I come to you in prayer, and I ask that You would help me to remember that I must always keep my eyes on Jesus because the darts of Satan are constantly coming my way. In Jesus’ name, Amen

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