OVERVIEW
I personally encountered God. It was so beautiful and perfect. I was so in love with the Lord. He opened my eyes to many things. Things that don't really matter to me before. I felt like I was a new person. There's joy, peace, and boldness.
Suddenly, in the middle of the journey with my new relationship with the Lord. I was told that I am about to lead and work in the kingdom. I am saved to serve.
Wait, what? Me? I'm fine being just a follower. Do you mean, I have to do what you do? No way. I can't. It's a big responsibility. I'm glad that I knew the Lord better than before. Thanks anyway.
Many people got so overwhelmed with the feeling of having a new relationship with the Lord. However, some didn't really understand what is the mission of Christ when he came down from heaven to earth. Jesus was sent by our Heavenly Father to save the world from sin. However, before He ascended, He gave us a great commission written in:
MATTHEW 28:19-20
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Amazing! So it means, there's more than that being just a follower.
HERE ARE THE 6 HINDRANCES WHY YOU CAN'T SERVE GOD:
1. SELFISHNESS
You have a lot of alibis! But in reality, the main reason is that you cannot give up your own comfort for others. In order to become a leader, you must become a servant yourself --- a servant leader.
You're too focused on your own dreams, your family, relationships, and career. You think that if you give your time and efforts to serve God's people, you might lose everything.
However, it clearly states in:
MATTHEW 6:33
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
EPHESIANS 6:7
"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people."
Remember that God wants to use your life to bring impact to the lives of others. Selfishness might destroy your own dreams and plans, you surely will not succeed without God because apart from Him we are nothing. However, when you obey God's will and you became selfless, God will reward you more than you could ever imagine. The Lord will sustain you and all of your needs.
You might want to assess yourself. If you're not serving God and his people, To whom you serve? Yourself? The world? The enemy?
2. IMMATURITY
I heard a pastor says, "Immature people can't serve God, Maturity is a process, it doesn't just happen."
Well, can you describe an immature person?
- not fully developed or grown
- acting in a childish way
- irresponsible
- full of pride
These are some and I believe, you can add more to these. Base on the characteristic of an immature person. Do you think, he/she can lead or serve?
A person who does not have enough knowledge about the vision is not fully developed. This person needs more training to better understand what he/she is about to do and why is it important.
On the other hand, come to think of a child who's 1-3 years old, this child cannot take care of his/her own self. The child needs to be fed to live. Same with an immature person, you need milk because you can't take the bread yet. You need milk and you cannot accept bigger responsibility.
This verse explains it clearly:
HEBREWS 5:12-13
"You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn't know how to do what is right."
HEBREWS 5:14
"Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong."
Truly the Word of God is used for teaching and rebuking us. This simply means that it's not too late for you. God is teaching us today that there's still hope and just allow ourselves to grow and be mature through training. It is really true that maturity does not happen overnight, it's a process. It takes time, but what's important is you will not give up on your calling. Be patient with yourself and believe in yourself. God chose you because He knows you can!
3. LAZY TO PRAY
God reveals so many things to us through prayers. It's two-way communication with the Lord. When we pray, we receive wisdom, direction, vision, anointing, and boldness. Maybe God can't use you because you don't spend time in the presence of the Lord. How can you lead people to Christ if the Holy Spirit is not within you? This is very important. We can't help change other people's lives if, on our own, we can't even pray.
ROMANS 8:27
"And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God."
What are you waiting for! Pray and know that the Holy Spirit will intercede and help you to connect to the Lord. Do not hesitate, just open your heart!
4. HIDDEN MOTIVES
God knows how big is your heart for the souls. This is what I always hear from my leader, It makes me assess myself so many times. Am I really willing? What's my motive for serving God's people? Is it because it's just needed and everyone is doing it? We cannot hide anything from the Lord.
He can't fully use our lives if our heart is not really 100% committed. It says in:
JEREMIAH 17:10
"I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve."
Know that the Lord will bless you according to what you deserve, It is not too late to pray and ask God to cleanse the motives of your heart. Believe!
5. UNWILLINGNESS
It's hard to force someone to work if that person is not willing. Willingness means the state of being prepared to do something. When you are willing, you will do the work even without someone asking you to do it. There's a sense of initiative, commitment, and excitement in your heart.
6. FEAR
Fear is one of the greatest hindrances to why you can't serve God. You're afraid to speak. You're not enough. You are no good. However, it is said in:
1 JOHN 4:18 (NIV)
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
1 JOHN 4:18 (NLT)
"Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love."
FINAL THOUGHTS
So if you truly experienced God's love and you love the Lord with all your heart. There's no reason for you not to serve Him.
REMEMBER. EVERYTHING WE DO IS OUT OF LOVE.
YOU LOVE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU LOVE SOMEONE,
YOU LOVE YOUR FRIENDS AND WANT THEM TO BE SAVE.
DO NOT FEAR. DO NOT BE SELFISH!
START SHARING THE WORD OF GOD WITH OTHERS!
THAT'S REAL LOVE!
PROVERBS 11:30
"AND HE WHO WINS SOULS IS WISE".
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TALK TO THE LORD NOW.
IF YOU'RE A LEADER OR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SERVE GOD AND YOU'RE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW. SURRENDER IT TO THE LORD. JUST HUMBLE YOURSELF TO GOD. OPEN YOUR HEART. ASK HIM TO TAKE AWAY THE HINDRANCES THAT ARE KEEPING YOU FROM SERVING THE LORD.
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