Created to BeSample

Preparing to Be Sent

By Robert Morris 

When I was a young evangelist, I traveled to different churches to do prophetic ministry. One day, a friend of mine came to me and said, “I would like to go with you and minister prophetically.” When he said this, I heard the Lord say, “He’s not ready yet.” So I responded, “When the Lord tells me to take you, I will.” 

He asked me again six months later, and again six months after that. But each time, the Lord said to me, “He’s not ready.” 

Then one day he came to me and something was different. He had tears in his eyes and said, “Will you forgive me? I told you I was ready, but God has been showing me some junk in my life, and He has been doing a work in my heart. I just have to tell you; I am not ready.” 

It was then the Lord said to me, “Now he’s ready, because when I speak through him, he will know it’s Me and not him.” Everyone is called by God to do something, but there’s a difference between being called and being sent. In John 20:21, Jesus says to His disciples, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 

I want you to think about this for a moment. When did God send Jesus? The Bible says He didn’t begin His ministry until He was 30 years old! He had to go through a process between the call and the send. And He’s not the only one: Abraham wasn’t sent until he was 100 years old, and Moses wasn’t sent until 80. Joseph spent years in prison before he was sent at 30, and though David was called as a young boy, he wasn’t sent as king until he was 30.

Like these great men of the Bible, perhaps God is taking you through a process between the call and the send, so when you’re sent, you will rely on His strength and not on your own. You see, we’re all called, but we choose how we respond to the process. 

So what do you do between the call and the send? You work on developing a commitment to: 

1. Relationships. Find people who will help you go farther in your walk with Christ. 
2. Friendships. Friendships are deeper than relationships; friendships are for life. 
3. Stewardship. Be a good steward with your finances, time, energy, and resources. 
4. Fellowship. Commit yourself to the local church by serving and tithing. 
5. Spiritual leadership. Submit to the leadership of the elders and spiritual authority of the church.

What has God called you to do? Whatever it is, He wants to put His anointing and authority on you before He sends you, and He does it as you develop these commitments. Are you ready to be sent?

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I thank You for the callings You put on our lives and for the gifts You’ve invested in us. Lord, we don’t want to just be called and gifted. Lord, we want to be sent and anointed by the Holy Spirit. We want to be able to help people. We want to be able to change this world. We want to be able to change our culture and change our generation. So Lord, I pray You would draw us to You today and develop these commitments in our lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Memory Verse

"For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21