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The Lord God is with You
by Yvette Nietzen Deuteronomy 31:7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.(NKJ) I remember years back when the Lord placed a strong desire within me to know more about Him. I began to take Bible courses to expand my knowledge, not knowing where this would lead me. The church I was attending at the time did not seem very interested in what I was learning, except for one associate pastor. Although I tried to share what the Lord was doing in my life, I never received any encouragement from my pastor at the time. I remember later asking him in a leaders meeting if he would ever open up the pulpit to have others preach or share, especially those with a calling and desire to work for the Lord. The reaction was not very positive one. It was one of control. I realized that the pastor I had at the time would not encourage me or anyone else in growing and maturing in the Lord. Even with that experience, the Lord did teach me a few things In time, we began attending another church, and this pastor was very different from the first. He gave up his pulpit quite easily, as his desire was to raise up more workers for the field. His encouraging words and positive attitude on those with a right heart to serve the Lord went a long way. As leaders in the Body of Christ, we are to cause those under us to inherit the blessings the Lord has for them. As I read through the story of Moses and Joshua, their obedience to the Lord caused the Israelites to inherit lands, conquer territory, overthrow kings and to live a fruitful life filled with His blessings. The Lord said several times to Joshua to be be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 This is contrary to what the world is like. In the world, everyone is looking out for themselves, and we live in a time where greed and selfishness reign. It is up to the leaders and and the Body of Christ to encourage those with a right heart directed towards God to step out. Have they received a vision for ministry, a calling, a burden? Encourage it, and do not feel threatened by someone under you. Let us work together to lead His bride into their promised land, to conquer and to be that shining city that sits on a hill. Yvette Nietzen lives in the foothills of the Zurqui mountain in Costa Rica with her husband of 30 plus years. View her blog at: www.freshwind-ministries.org Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |