Our God, who created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, desires that all men know Him and fulfill His counsel. He gave an assignment to the apostles and all believers through Jesus Christ in Mark 16:15, that we should go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. This is a vast assignment, considering the number of people in the world and the different geographical locations. The harvest is very ripe, especially now that the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is near. Jesus even encouraged us to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into His harvest.
We have many examples in the Bible of people whom God sent on assignment, and we will do well to learn from their lives:
1. Joseph was sent ahead to prepare the ground for the Israelites to come into Egypt so they would not perish in famine (Genesis 45:4–7). God sent Joseph ahead to preserve the seed of Abraham, with whom He had a covenant.
2. Moses in Exodus 3, God sent Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites in Egypt when the fullness of time had come. In verse 10, God told Moses that He was sending him to His people for their deliverance.
3. In Isaiah 6:8, God asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” This shows that God is always looking for people to send.
4. In Jeremiah 1:6–7, God said He had prepared Jeremiah from the womb and ordained him as a prophet to the nations.
5. In Matthew 9:38, Jesus, who was also sent by God, asked us to pray for more labourers to be sent into the harvest.
6. In 1 Kings 13, a man of God was sent to Bethel to deliver a message to Jeroboam.
All through the Bible and even now, God is still sending people on assignments. Every assignment is meant to reveal His glory and His love to His creation. Now, there are certain signatures, God’s imprint, that will be evident both in the one sent and in the assignment itself.
A. When God calls and sends, there is a procedure that must be followed.
It is not enough to receive the call; you must also tarry in God’s presence to receive the procedure, the step-by-step method for accomplishing the assignment. Yes, you may be educated, you may have seen others do something similar, but this is God’s assignment, and He alone knows the way to accomplish it.
The way He parted the Red Sea is different from how He parted the River Jordan, even though both are bodies of water. If we were to break down the wall of Jericho today, common sense would suggest using heavy machinery, but divine instruction was to march around it for seven days and shout. That is not learned in any university or ministry school.
God has specific procedures for every assignment, and they often differ. Do not assume. Do not copy. A way that seems right may not be right, it may lead to destruction.
B. When God sends, He provides for the assignment.
He gives grace, enablement, wisdom, and all necessary resources.
* He provides helpers (Exodus 31:1–5).
* He assigns angels (Exodus 32:14; Isaiah 63:9).
* He ensures that all resources are available.
Every assignment given by God is important, and He allocates heavenly support for it. However, He expects complete obedience. Be careful that these resources are not misused or redirected, it is dangerous.
Are you struggling where you are? Is it truly an assignment given by God or by man? You must confirm if you are sent. And if you are sure God sent you, did you receive the blueprint before moving ahead? Your intellect alone is too small to carry out a divine assignment. If you have the blueprint, then the resources will follow. Go back to Him and ask for everything needed to fulfill the assignment.
Please note: not everyone who appears active is sent by God. Some send themselves; others are driven by need. In Jeremiah 23:17–32, God warns about false prophets and the consequences of running without being sent.
Imagine being truly called, yet copying those who are not sent because you see what looks like success in their lives, what a catastrophe that would be. Be sure of your calling and wait on Him. It is not how long, but how well you fulfill your assignment that matters.
Jesus our Saviour was also sent. Isaiah 61:1 outlines His purpose. In the Gospels, He clearly acknowledged those God gave Him to help fulfill His mission. In Malachi 3:1, we are told that God would send a forerunner to prepare His way.
What an awesome God we serve. All you need is to tune in to His frequency.
You will never fail, in Jesus’ name.