As believers, it is helpful to know that God uses His vessels inspite of what appears to be human “limitations” or “circumstances”.
Actually, THERE’S NO LIMITATION WITH GOD. It is human beings who get affected by the seeming challenges or circumstances that a servant of God faces.
However, throughout Scriptures, we see God using men and women as conduits to communicate His possiblitities despite the circumstances surrounding them.
A trained believer will therefore PERCEIVE and RECEIVE people in their CALLING and not in their CIRCUMSTANCES.
There are variables you cannot control in the life of a man of God or a woman of God; your own responsibility is to receive what God is sending to you through them.
This is one of the greatest tests of your spiritual maturity, understanding and sensitivity.
I will briefly talk about those whom God used as CONFIRMERS of the mission of Jesus when He was born, yet the parents of Jesus RECEIVED their ministry despite their seeming challenges.
Let’s briefly talk about three of them.
1. Elizabeth The Barren Woman
LUKE 1:7
And they had no child, because that ELIZABETH WAS BARREN, and they both were now well stricken in years.
Elizabeth, the wife of Zecharias, was barren for a long time yet God used her to confirm (almost word-for-word) everything that Angel Gabriel told Mary.
As at the time she began to prophesy to Mary, she was only six months pregnant, after many years of barreness yet MARY BELIEVED AND RECEIVED EVERYTHING SAID.
LUKE 1:41-50
41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. note 46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
2. Simeon The Old Man
Many Bible scholars believe that Simeon was an old man and remember that it was he who came to the temple by the Spirit of God, only waiting for the day he would die after God’s promise to him of seeing the Messiah had come to pass.
He also CONFIRMED Jesus’ mission yet the parents of Jesus didn’t say he was senile or that he was suffering from old age disease.
They received his “ministry” despite the fact that he was an old man, and not a typically strong and energetic young man.
LUKE 2:25-35
25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. 33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
3. Anna The Widow
Then we have an 84 year old woman by the name of Anna who also was A WIDOW yet the word of the Lord was with her – she also confirmed the mission of Jesus with strong prophetic unction and the parents of Jesus received her “ministry”.
Joseph and Mary didn’t say something like, “The anointing that could not prevent you from becoming a widow. How can that anointing benefit us?”
They rather received her “ministry” and the rest is history.
LUKE 2:36-38
36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
The lesson for us in all of these is that we must learn to receive servants of God in their CALLING and not in their CIRCUMSTANCES because we aren’t the ones who called them.
What difference does it make if a servant of God is believing God for a child?
What difference does it make if a man of God doesn’t have a car?
What difference does it make if a man of God speaks Queens English or in his traditional dialect?
What difference does it make if a man of God is believing God for his personal healing or financial breakthrough?
What difference does it make if you feel the man of God is not “tush”?
Plus Much More!!!
We need to be very careful. The devil specializes in focusing your attention on the wrong things without letting you see THE OIL that people carry.
Namaan the army General had to obey Elisha’s prophetic instruction to dip in River Jordan seven times to get his healing (2 Kgs.5:14), yet there were “better rivers” available.
But the interesting thing is that it was in the same Jordan river that our Lord Jesus was baptized and the Heavens were opened upon Him, and the Holy Ghost came upon Him too (Matt.3:13-17).
John the Baptist lived practically in the desert, feeding on locusts and wild honey yet people travelled down to receive his ministry (Matt.3:3-4, Lk.1:80).
We need to learn to discern people and receive them in their CALLING and not in their CIRCUMSTANCES because many things are between THE MAN OF GOD AND THE GOD OF MAN.
Paul charged the Philippian Christians to RECEIVE Epaphroditus with MUCH HONOUR AND GLADNESS despite the fact that he fell sick at a time (Phil. 2:25-29).
The Philippians didn’t say he wasn’t anointed because he fell sick.
They rather received his ministry, and as a matter of fact, Paul made it clear that Epaphroditus had a “near-death experience” because of “THE BURDEN OF MINISTRY”.
PHILIPPIANS 2:30
Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.
May the Lord help us to DISCERN WELL, PERCEIVE WELL and RECEIVE WELL.
May we not limit the possibilities that God wants to communicate to us through the ministry of His anointed servants and handmaidens.
And may we be men and women of the Spirit and not a people of the flesh.
In Jesus’ Precious Name!
Amen!!
