People often comment I seem like, should be, or ask am I a preacher. I tell them I wouldn’t become a preacher unless I feel it is the will of God. I just love speaking about and serving the Lord. Far too many men and women become preachers because that’s what they or some other person wanted them to do, not that the Lord called them to it. Whether for attention, popularity, or money, none of these reasons involved God; none were for God; it was for them. Preaching isn’t the gift of just anyone.
Throughout the bible, we read and see the Lord send His prophets somewhere or tell them to go. Isaiah 6:8 reads, “Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me.” Isaiah did not go until sent. Even Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Angels did not come to earth until sent by the Father. John 14:26 says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” John 20:20–21 states, “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
In Genesis 45:8 we see Joseph was sent. Exodus 3:13 tells us Moses was sent. We know God sent Jonah to Nineveh from Jonah 3:1-2. God told the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:7,.” … everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak.” Zechariah said in 2:9, “For behold, I will wave My hand over them so that they will be plunder for their slaves. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.” Ezekiel 2:3 reads, “Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day.”
This practice continued in the New Testament. Luke 1:19 tells us the angel Gabriel was sent to bring the good news to Zechariah about John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus. John 1:6, states, “There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.” Acts 9:15 reads, “But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.” 2 Timothy:1 reads, “This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I have been sent out to tell others about the life he has promised through faith in Christ Jesus.”
God calls, choses, and sends whoever He wills. And He will make sure they are ready to go. Matthew 9:38 says, “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Jesus sent the disciples, the 12 first, then 72 more. Luke 9: 1-2, reads, “One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” This was followed by Luke 10:1 which states, “The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit.” Don’t we need more workers in the field? Then let’s get busy beseeching God to send them.
Now get this, Romans 10:14-15 reads, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
Acts 10:36 says, “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.” God sent the message. God sent the prophets. God sent the disciples. God sent the preachers and teachers. And all that God sent, He called, He chose, and He prepared. Ephesians 4:11-14 states, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.”
There are too many false teachers and prophets out there. And false teachers and prophets can lead us straight to hell. Test them against the word. God alone has all authority to gift, prepare, and send His workers to the harvest. We may have the desire, but we must wait on the Lord the author and perfector of our faith to finish the good work He has started in us. Psalms 127:1 reads, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.” Father, use me according to Your gift to me, Your preparation of me, and Your will for me. Here I am Lord.
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