Your Mission
by Frank B. Luke
“Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to impact people for God’s Kingdom.”
Many Christians wrongly assume that only full-time ministers are involved in the mission of God. Every Christian will impact people for the Kingdom. This impact will be either positive or negative. Naturally, you want it to be positive. If you are doing what God wants you to do, you will impact people positively for God.
No one in the Bible shows this more than the Apostle Paul. Wherever, Paul went, he started churches and won people for the Lord. His missionary journeys inspire Christians even to this day.
But there are years in Paul’s ministry where little is known. After his conversion in Acts 9, he travels to Jerusalem and preaches. The apostles are leery of him at first, but Barnabas convinces them that Paul is truly a Christian. Relieved, the apostles send Paul back to Tarsus. Nothing more is heard of Paul for 2 chapters, about 3 years. This time in Paul’s ministry is part of what is called the “Silent Years.”
In Acts 11:25, Barnabas goes seeking after Paul. Why does Barnabas go after a man whom he met once and then sent back to his home? Some would say the Spirit led Barnabas. I completely agree that the Spirit led Barnabas to Paul, but what had Paul done that made the Spirit lead Barnabas back to him?
When Paul first converted, he preached and won people to the Lord. After this recruitment, when Paul goes on missionary journeys, he preaches and wins people to the Lord. I do not believe Paul did things differently in the “silent years.” I believe that during those “silent years” Paul was preaching and winning converts to the Lord. He knew God had called him to minister and did so. I doubt Paul had any inkling that God would expand his ministry the way it was. Paul’s simple desire was to do what God wanted done. And Paul did that.
Paul worked for the Lord, and the Lord rewarded that by expanding his ministry. Paul’s work was known about at least as far away as Jerusalem. Barnabas, needing a partner in ministry, listened to the Spirit and asked Paul to join him in missions. Paul went on to plant numerous churches, write 13 books of the New Testament, and ultimately give his life for his Lord.
Paul had a great mission from the Lord and fulfilled his destiny. You, too, have a mission from the Lord and a destiny. Some people refer to their mission as their “calling.” Call it what you will, God has a plan for you to accomplish.
In your life, if you are doing God’s will, you will impact people positively for the Kingdom. Naturally, there will be some who react negatively, but if you are doing God’s work, others will react positively.
One thing you have to do in your mission is live a godly life. Whether you are in full-time ministry or not, you have to live a life that is above reproach. Unfortunately, anything you do that can be used against you will be used against you. Right or not, nonChristians will hold you to a higher standard than they hold themselves. Your actions speak not only for you but for all Christians in the world.
This is not meant to discourage you but to encourage you in doing good. Live rightly and impact the Kingdom.
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