By Dick VanHuss
Have you ever had that argument with God where He says go and you have a Jonah moment and say no. You might even have a “good” reason and don’t believe it is the best use of your time.
Philip was in the midst of a great revival. Here is the description from Acts 8, 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
When news of the revival got to Jerusalem, they sent Peter and John to Samaria to teach them about the Holy Spirit. When they laid hands on the believers they were filled with the Holy Spirit.
While this is all going on Philip gets an angelic visit to give him direction. 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
Logic would say stay where the revival is happening. Reason would argue that giving up hundreds of believers for one doesn’t make sense. Yet God in his infinite wisdom understood that one servant from Africa would take the gospel to a nation and open a door for evangelism so wide it would change that nation!
When Jesus promised the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:8 he said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
God calls us to go. In fact, as Christian music artist Keith Green used to say, “The last instructions Jesus gave us before ascending into heaven was to go. Until he tells you to stay, you should go.”
Going may be in your home, across the street, at work, somewhere in your state, in the U.S. or even around the world. When God says go, don’t say no.
Prayer: Jesus, I want to commit to you to be obedient and go when you direct me to go. Direct me to speak to whomever you want me to speak to, and to allow your Holy Spirit to work in and through me to bring people into the kingdom of heaven. Help me to be open to your Spirit’s leading.
Questions to think about.
- Do you believe God has directed you personally to go and share your faith with others?
- Where is God calling you to go to represent him?
- How does God need to empower you to go and represent him?