5 Biblical Requirements to Follow if You Want God to Use You by RICK WARREN for Charisma News
As a pastor or church leader, I know you want to be used by God. As a leader of leaders, I know you want to help others to be usable by God.
“For the eyes of the Lord move about on all the earth to strengthen the heart that is completely toward Him” (2 Chron. 16:9a).
The Bible teaches five requirements for being used by God:
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We love helping others and believe that’s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve God’s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.
- Keep your life clean. The first step to being used by God is always personal examination. When you find someone whom God is using in a great way, they’ve dealt with the personal sin in their lives by confessing it to God. God uses small vessels, plain vessels and even broken vessels. But he will not use a dirty vessel. Matthew 23:26 says, “You blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may also be clean.:
- Keep your eyes open. One of the most misunderstood words in leadership circles is the word “vision.” We think of vision as predicting the future, but none of us can know the future the way God does. Vision is seeing God at work in your present situation and moving with Him. It’s about getting in on what God is doing in the world and being a part of it where he has placed you. If your vision isn’t in alignment with what God is doing, you are off-course. As David said, “Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence” (Ps. 105:4, MSG).
- Keep your heart grateful. God uses grateful people. Thankfulness is also one of the keys to longevity in ministry. Thankful people endure longer because they focus on God’s provision more than their problems. Doctors refer to gratitude as the healthiest of all emotions because of its physical and psychological benefits. If you don’t stay grateful, you’ll become cynical. Paul said, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord” (Rom.12:11, NIV). We need to constantly remind ourselves what a privilege it is to serve Jesus. Never take for granted the things that God does in, through and around us entirely because of his grace.
