He asked for prayer requests from the members , giving them a little time to write
them down . The question was, what would you like God to do for you ?. When the pastor received the
notes from the members, more than half of the congregation asked God to use them for His service. This
of a truth, remains one of the most sought blessings of God which worshipers seek from Him.
“ I want God to
use me for His service”,” I want God to reveal Himself to me “, Pray that God
should give me the grace to serve Him” I want to be God’s vessel of honor “ and
more. This is a very good desire for even the bible recommends such.” This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he
desireth a good work”. 1Ti 3:1 though they are not asking to be bishops,
bishops are however made from these.
If perhaps we earnestly desire that God should use us,
what manner of persons ought we to be ?, what kind of men and women does He actually
need?, does God almighty welcome anybody who can pronounce the word JESUS?, or
are their conditions to be satisfied before we can be used of Him.
“Of a truth ,
God is no respecter of persons but in every nation, he that feareth him ,and
worketh righteousness is acceptable unto
Him”. Acts 10;35.
So therefore SALVATION is the principal thing. The
genuine salvation of our souls is the first price we must pay before the Lord
can use us to bring down revival to His people. This is because God cannot use the dead to raise the dead, you
must come alive spiritually in order to be used of God to minister to those in
need of spiritual revival. Many who claim to be saved are indeed still slaves
to sin. To this group of preachers, compromise is the best game.
After salvation, Comes SANCTIFICATION
- The complete removal of the Adamic
nature in man is very important in this issue, God cannot use the man
who waves the flag of salvation but still loves the attractions and pleasures of this world. We must be
people who hate sin and cannot be attracted by it again.
CONSCIENCE VOID
OF OFFENCE—“ And herein
do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God,
and toward men”. Acts 24;16.This is very important for the
man God must use to reach His people.
All the known generals of God where people who did not carry with them the
weight of condemnation and guilts.
A bishop then
must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior,
given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Timoty 3:2 Moreover he must have a good report of them
which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1Timoty 3:7 These people does not have to
be confessing their sins every day or week.
HOLY and PURE IN HEART ;
Men or women in search of God’s attention
for service in His vineyard must be people who are holy and pure in the heart, in their utterances, lifestyle, taste, whose yea is yea and nay
is nay. “Blessed are the pure in heart: for
they shall see God.2 Mathew 5;8.
FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. The hand of the Lord must be upon the aspirants to the
altar of God .Like Ezekiel, the hand of the Lord enhances the performances of
His servants and builds confidence in the heart of the people led “And the hand of the LORD was there upon me;
and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with
thee.” Ezekiel 3:22. Be sure it is
the Lord that is sending you,be sure it
is His hand that is upon you and not magic, by so doing , you will be sure of
His spirit and presence. You will repeatedly hear Him saying. ”Be courageous
,as I was with Moses, so I will be with you”. God. Of a truth, cannot send anyone without equipping
him or her. When He sent out Moses, He filled Him with the spirit, Elisha got
the double portion, David was a beauty to watch against towering Goliath of
Gath, Samson was too strong for his enemies, Etc.
Filled with the holy spirit
and BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST are two dangerous
requisites of the man of God that Satan hates to hear. With this two [filled
and baptized] heaven-sent revival and deliverances reaches the people and the
altars of darkness come tumbling after.
GOOD AND CONSTANT RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOD. Constant
relationship with God is not just enough to secure God’s approval for His
highly prized altar, but CONSTANT AND
GOOD RELATIONSHIP. This is because although many are in constant relationship
with God through their appearances in church services and meetings, they are
not in the good books of the creator. They are called Christians, but their
sins separates from God, “
“ Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither
his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between
you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not
hear. For your hands are defiled with
blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue
hath muttered perverseness. ”Isaiah 59;1-3. These
people are in the church, but lost in the church.
The people God will use to
bring revival to the lost souls must be STUDENTS
OF THE BIBLE who loves
the bible and are conversant with the statues therein, receiving instructions
from the bible on daily basis and hearing from Him through the bible .They must
not be people gambling with the word of God to make both ends meet at the end
of the month.
KEEP NOT SILENCE-- ” I have set
watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day
nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence”, Isaiah 62;6—Men
and women who wants to make mention of the Lord, who want to work for Him, who
wants to be mightily used in the
vineyard, the above quotation is
for you, keep not silence, you must be willing to speak the truth, warn
the sheep of the dangers of handing around for the wolf, warn your congregation
of imminent danger, teaching them to observe all things that Christ has commanded without compromise, hold forth
for Christ where ever you may be.
THIRST AND HUNGER TO PLEASE GOD-“ Blessed are
they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. ”Mathew
5;6.—Thirst and hunger after righteousness ,bold to speak
the truth, with the convictions that will stand before the Pharaohs of this world. Convinced about God like
Elijah and Elisha who spoke and prophesied and won God’s approval bringing down the fire that passes fire, raising the death, forcing
the heavy ax heads to float and transforming marah [bitter] to sugar amongst
others
These men and women that God
must use especially in this last days must be ready to evangelize their
enviroments, calling sinners to repentance irrespective of their wealth and
affluence in the society.
” And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and
stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I
found none. ”Ezekiel 22;30.
Against this background therefore , God is in
search of men and women He will use to
accomplish His purpose . Men and women
who will not look at the price of discipleship[laying aside everything on the
altar and follow the Lord like the disciples] but focusing their attention on
the benefits of the cross.
“Brethren in Christ”
re-examine yourselves, your services, your dedication, etc, if you find
yourself wanting in all or any of the
above requisites as well as those not mentioned in this write-up, do not
deceive yourself, make haste, re-dedicate yourself, arise and shine for God is
looking for the man He will use.
